Blogs
“Third-Party Posts”
5 Key Changes to 401(k)s in 2025 and What They Mean for You
These new rules could make it easier for you to save more money for retirement Participating in a 401(k) plan where you work is a smart way to invest for retirement....
What’s Changing for Retirement in 2025?
How Secure 2.0 and inflation adjustments will affect retirement savers and spenders. For retirement savers, the ringing in of the new year will bring more than the...
Most Americans Feel They’re Worse Off Now Than In 2020—Here’s What The Data Says
Key Takeaways A recent Gallup poll showed most Americans feel they are worse off today than four years ago. Data on household finances show that things have changed...
Retirees’ Credit Card Debt Levels Are Climbing
Key Takeaways An Employee Benefit Research Institute survey found that more than two-thirds of retirees had outstanding credit card debt in 2024, up from 40% in 2022....
3 Big Retirement Rule Changes Are Coming in 2025—How They Could Affect Your Savings
Key Takeaways Some provisions related to the Secure 2.0, a federal retirement law, will go into effect in 2025. Workers ages 60, 61, 62, or 63 will be able to make...
Retirement Vs. Resignation: Which Is Better?
Retirement Vs. Resignation: Which Is Better? There is a big difference between retirement and resignation. However, both involve leaving your place of work. If you...
6 End-of-Year Retirement Deadlines You Shouldn’t Miss for 2024
Navigate these tax and retirement milestones to optimize savings and avoid penalties. Staying on top of year-end tasks helps you avoid penalties and take full advantage...
Three Changes Coming for Social Security in 2025
The Social Security Administration has announced the 2025 final COLA, wage cap, and amount needed to earn SS credits. Anticipating changes coming to Social Security in...
7 Things You’ll Be Happy You Downgraded in Retirement
Downsizing for retirement is a good way to simplify your life and cut down on expenses. Making some key changes, like moving into a smaller home, could reduce financial...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA Market action was mixed in a holiday-shortened week of trade. The Santa Clause rally, which runs for the last five trading sessions of the year...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA Equity and fixed-income markets sold off for the second consecutive week as the Federal Reserve delivered an expected twenty-five basis-point rate...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA The Nasdaq eclipsed the 20,000 level for the first time this week as investors reengaged in buying the mega-cap technology names. Amazon, Google,...
Weekly Market Commentary
The S&P 500 forged another set of all-time highs as investors embraced the idea of an economy running at a pace appropriate for the Fed to consider further rate...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA The holiday-shortened week saw the S&P 500 and Dow rise to new all-time highs. Investors cheered the nomination of Scott Bessent as Treasury...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA Markets bounced back as investors reengaged the pro-growth Trump 2.0 trade. President-elect Trump continued to fill out his cabinet and, late...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA US equity markets pulled back last week as investors took profits from the outsized move higher seen following the US election. Sticky inflation...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA The S&P 500 notched its 50th all-time high of 2024 as investors piled into equities after a decisive US election. Wall Street embraced the...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA It was a very busy week on Wall Street as investors analyzed a deluge of corporate earnings reports and a full economic data calendar. The S&P...
Ed Slott’s Elite IRA Advisor Group (Ed Slott Group) is a membership organization owned by Ed Slott and Company, LLC. Logos and/or trademarks are property of their respective owners and no endorsement of (Jan Knight) or (Freedom Advisor Group) is stated or implied. Ed Slott Group and Ed Slott and Company, LLC are not affiliated with Freedom Advisor Group.
For the detailed requirements of Ed Slott’s Elite IRA Advisor Group, please visit: https://www.irahelp.com/
Pro Rata, Not “Double Tax”
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst The pro-rata rule dictates that when an IRA contains both non-deductible (after-tax) and deductible (pre-tax) funds, then each...
The Roth 5-Year Clock and the Pro-Rata Rule: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: I am over age 59½ and have had a Roth IRA account for more than 5 years. Starting in 2025, I designated all of my contributions...
Double Your Pleasure – The 457(b) 2x Catch-Up
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst If you’re in a 457(b) plan and are nearing retirement, you may want to consider an often-overlooked rule that could allow you to...
Moving Your Roth Account
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education The year 2025 has been a turbulent time for the economy. Whether due to job loss or persons seeking better...
RMD Calculations and Qualified Charitable Distributions: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Question: I am age 85, and my wife is age 75. If I die first and my wife inherits my IRA, are the required minimum...
Bad Advice Turns Me Into the Hulk
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Before he transformed into the Incredible Hulk, Bruce Banner once said to his antagonist, “Don’t make me angry. You wouldn’t like...
Are My SEP and SIMPLE IRAs Safe from Creditors?
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst You are not alone if you have concerns that your IRA or workplace plan savings could be lost if you are forced to declare bankruptcy or...
IRA Transfers and Qualified Charitable Distributions: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst QUESTION: Hello, I have two IRA annuities with different insurance companies. One of my annuities is maturing and I would like to...
When You SHOULD Name a Trust as IRA Beneficiary
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Here at the Slott Report we hear many stories about trusts being named as IRA beneficiaries and the problems that...
CMS Announces 2025 Premiums and Deductibles for Medicare Parts A and B
Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released information about Medicare costs in 2025, including the 2025 premium, deductible and coinsurance amounts for Medicare Part A and Part B. The agency also announced the income-related monthly...
read more
Comparing Plans is Especially Important This Open Enrollment Season Due to Changes in Part D Protections and New Options
Key components of the Inflation Reduction Act’s Part D reforms will be fully implemented for plans offered in 2025. These changes, including the total elimination of the “coverage gap” coverage period, the establishment of a $2,000 cap on beneficiary out-of-pocket...
read more
CMS Finalizes Payment Rule, Including Update to the Custody Definition
Medicare payment rules prohibit coverage for a service if a beneficiary is not financially responsible for the care or if another government entity is obligated to provide or pay for the item or service. For years, the Medicare rules interpreting and implementing this...
read more
Health Care Access Improving in Rural Areas, Challenges Persist
A new report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) examines trends in health care access and outcomes in rural America. While insurance rates in these areas are improving,...
read more
Millions See Cost Savings Under the Inflation Reduction Act
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) made significant improvements to Medicare prescription drug access and affordability, including by restructuring the Part D benefit to limit enrollee expenses. Those changes began in January 2024, when the IRA eliminated cost sharing...
read more
Healthcare.gov Now Open for 2025 ACA Plan Shopping
Now is the time for people who need health insurance in 2025 to shop for coverage. For those without employer, Medicare, or Medicaid coverage, Healthcare.gov or their state exchange is the place to shop for Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans. Most shoppers will be able...
read more
Watchdog Estimates $7.5 Billion Medicare Advantage Overpayment from “Questionable” Health Risk Assessments
When the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) pays Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations, they increase the payments when plans enroll sicker people. This is called risk adjustment, and it is an important guardrail to ensure that all people with Medicare...
read more
Unpacking the changes to Medicare in 2025
Medicare coverage is personal — and changes to those plans and benefits may feel unnerving as it affects one’s overall health and well-being. Originally passed in 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act brought about many changes to Medicare that are now being implemented...
read more
What If My Medicare Doctor “Opts Out”?
Finding a doctor you like and trust can be a long process, so I understand that it can be frustrating when your doctor no longer accepts Medicare. If your doctor has “opted out” of Medicare, this means that he or she no longer accepts Medicare assignment...
read more
CMS Announces 2025 Premiums and Deductibles for Medicare Parts A and B
Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released information about Medicare costs in 2025, including the 2025 premium, deductible and coinsurance amounts for Medicare Part A and Part B. The agency also announced the income-related monthly...
Comparing Plans is Especially Important This Open Enrollment Season Due to Changes in Part D Protections and New Options
Key components of the Inflation Reduction Act’s Part D reforms will be fully implemented for plans offered in 2025. These changes, including the total elimination of the “coverage gap” coverage period, the establishment of a $2,000 cap on beneficiary out-of-pocket...
CMS Finalizes Payment Rule, Including Update to the Custody Definition
Medicare payment rules prohibit coverage for a service if a beneficiary is not financially responsible for the care or if another government entity is obligated to provide or pay for the item or service. For years, the Medicare rules interpreting and implementing this...
Health Care Access Improving in Rural Areas, Challenges Persist
A new report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) examines trends in health care access and outcomes in rural America. While insurance rates in these areas are improving,...
Millions See Cost Savings Under the Inflation Reduction Act
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) made significant improvements to Medicare prescription drug access and affordability, including by restructuring the Part D benefit to limit enrollee expenses. Those changes began in January 2024, when the IRA eliminated cost sharing...
Healthcare.gov Now Open for 2025 ACA Plan Shopping
Now is the time for people who need health insurance in 2025 to shop for coverage. For those without employer, Medicare, or Medicaid coverage, Healthcare.gov or their state exchange is the place to shop for Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans. Most shoppers will be able...
Watchdog Estimates $7.5 Billion Medicare Advantage Overpayment from “Questionable” Health Risk Assessments
When the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) pays Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations, they increase the payments when plans enroll sicker people. This is called risk adjustment, and it is an important guardrail to ensure that all people with Medicare...
Unpacking the changes to Medicare in 2025
Medicare coverage is personal — and changes to those plans and benefits may feel unnerving as it affects one’s overall health and well-being. Originally passed in 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act brought about many changes to Medicare that are now being implemented...
What If My Medicare Doctor “Opts Out”?
Finding a doctor you like and trust can be a long process, so I understand that it can be frustrating when your doctor no longer accepts Medicare. If your doctor has “opted out” of Medicare, this means that he or she no longer accepts Medicare assignment...