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The views reflected by the author in this article are subject to change at any time without notice. Osprey Retirement Solutions deems reliable any statistical data or information obtained from or prepared by third-party sources included in this article, but in no way guarantees its accuracy or completeness.
7 Strategies for More Income in Retirement
“Old age is always fifteen years older than I am.” —Bernard Baruch, American financier, investor, statesman and philanthropist One of the biggest fears people have is running out of money in retirement. And for many Americans, this is a very real risk, not an...
How an annuity can help as you plan for retirement
As you approach retirement, you may be wondering what are the next steps for your investments. An annuity may be an effective tool for you in retirement planning by providing a steady and reliable income stream. With 2024 being the year with the greatest number of...
9 Ways Retirement Will Be Different in 2025
How changes in Social Security, Medicare, 401(k) contributions and more will affect your finances Retirement is not static. Even when the kids are gone and the career is done, your lifestyle and expectations are constantly evolving. So are your finances. Areas key to...
Important Tasks & Decisions for Each Phase of Retirement Planning
Important Tasks & Decisions for Each Phase of Retirement Planning Retirement. It tends to be a catch-all word that generally refers to the light at the end of the tunnel after years of hard work. It’s a time to enjoy the things in life that matter the most, like...
Retirement Challenges in 2025: Market Volatility, Inflation and Social Security
Inflation, uncertain markets and a limited Social Security COLA are among the financial hurdles for retirees in 2025. Key Takeaways High interest rates may complicate investment decisions for retirees. Social Security recipients are getting a 2.5% raise, which may lag...
3 Social Security Changes Retirees Need to Know About in 2025
Key Points A modest cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will make benefit checks bigger. Note that higher earners will pay a bit more in Social Security taxes. Retirees still earning income may have some of their benefits temporarily withheld. The $22,924 Social Security...
If you’re nearing retirement, these 2025 changes could affect your finances. Here’s what to know
Key Points If you’re nearing retirement, key changes for 2025 could affect your finances, according to Professionals. Starting in 2025, there’s a higher 401(k) plan catch-up contribution for workers ages 60 to 63. Plus, there are new rules for inherited individual...
A Checklist for Retiring in 2025
Our checklist for retiring next year includes everything you need to do before the retirement party. Only you can know if you're ready for a checklist for retiring in 2025. If you’re 60 or getting there, retirement is no longer a hazy concept in the distance. It’s a...
Social Security’s full retirement age is increasing in 2025. Here’s what to know.
Most Americans may consider the standard retirement age to be 65, but the so-called "full retirement age" for Social Security is already older than that — and it's about to hit an even higher age in 2025. Social Security's full retirement age (FRA) refers to when...
The views reflected by the author in this article are subject to change at any time without notice. Osprey Retirement Solutions deems reliable any statistical data or information obtained from or prepared by third-party sources included in this article, but in no way guarantees its accuracy or completeness.
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA Uncertainty about global trade continued to be at the top of investors' minds as Trump announced 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada while levying 10% on Chinese goods. Mexico and Canada's immediate reaction was to place tariffs on US goods. But an...
Weekly Market Commentary
Darren Leavitt, CFA US financial markets were extremely busy last week as a rush to download a Chinese AI platform called Deep Seek from Apple’s App Store seemingly changed the narrative around artificial intelligence in a heartbeat and on multiple fronts. Capital...
Weekly Market Commentary
Darren Leavitt, CFA Wow, what a week! US markets were closed on Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States. It was a historic day indeed. The global markets were poised for a barrage of executive...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA Financial markets advanced this week as a solid start to the fourth-quarter earnings season, and some better-than-feared inflation data gave investors a reason to buy the most recent dip. The financial sector gained 6.1% on the week as bank...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA US equity markets fell in the first full week of 2025 as investors recalibrated their Federal Reserve monetary policy expectations. Stronger labor data, a robust ISM Services print, and a weaker Consumer Sentiment report showing increased...
Weekly Market Commentary
-Darren Leavitt, CFA The final trading sessions for 2024 extended losses from the prior week, but the S&P 500 and NASDAQ still posted impressive gains for the year, 23.3% and 28.6%, respectively. The so-called Santa Clause Rally did not appear for the second...
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 through the first two trading sessions of the New Year, kicked off with gains from mega-cap...
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 cut but pivoted to a much more hawkish stance for 2025, where the committee now expects only two...
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, Tesla, and Meta hit new highs for the year as investors heard about more advances in AI and quantum...
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Coming Soon: The Thrift Savings Plan Will Start Offering In-Plan Roth Conversions
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Since 2010, participants in certain private sector 401(k) plans have been able to boost their Roth retirement savings by doing an “in-plan Roth conversion” of non-Roth plan funds to a Roth account within the same plan. This plan feature...
Best of the 2025 Slott Report
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education ‘Tis the season for lists! Best TV shows, best of music and best podcasts. The lists go on and on. In the spirit of year-end lists, we present the “Best of the 2025 Slott Report.” Here are the retirement account...
Grinch Gifts: Penalties and Missed Opportunities
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst The Grinch likes it when things go horribly wrong. He likes it when rambunctious pets tip over Christmas trees. He likes it when festive lights get terribly tangled, and he likes it when holiday cards are lost in the mail....
Holiday Cheers and Jeers
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst In the spirit of the holiday season, here’s a list of cheers and jeers for the IRS and Congress: Cheers to the IRS: To its credit, the IRS did issue timely guidance on two retirement-related provisions set to kick in next year. The...
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education The holidays are here and the countdown to year’s end has started. For many retirement account owners, this means that an important deadline is fast approaching. Most of those who are age 73 or older will need to...
Qualified Charitable Distributions and Inherited IRAs: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Question: If a grandchild, age 30, inherits IRA assets from her grandparent, age 92, and has to take required minimum distributions (RMDs) from the inherited IRA, can she send those RMDs directly to charity...
The Wonderful, Magical Form 5498
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst In a scene from “The Simpsons,” daughter Lisa announces she has become a vegetarian. Homer asks some probing questions. “Are you saying you’re never going to eat any animal again? What about bacon? Ham? Pork chops?” When...
IRS Addresses Unanswered Questions About Trump Accounts
Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst As is often the case with new legislation, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) left unanswered a number of questions about Trump Accounts, the new savings vehicle for children. Some of those questions were discussed in a Slott...
First-Time Required Minimum Distributions and Qualified Charitable Distributions: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst QUESTION: My client turns age 73 in November 2026. If he takes his first required minimum distribution (RMD) in December 2026 rather than waiting until April 1, 2027, what balance is used to do the RMD calculation? Thanks...
The views reflected by the author in this article are subject to change at any time without notice. Osprey Retirement Solutions deems reliable any statistical data or information obtained from or prepared by third-party sources included in this article, but in no way guarantees its accuracy or completeness.
Capturing the Opportunity: Medicare Advantage Trends to Watch in 2025
Key lessons learned from the 2025 Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP); plus actionable strategies for Medicare Advantage plans looking to improve member experience and reduce costs. 2025 is set to be a pivotal year for Medicare plans nationwide. As the market...
read more
What You’ll Pay in Out-of-Pocket Medicare Costs in 2025
“How much can I expect to pay out of pocket for Medicare coverage?” It’s something you might be wondering if you’re age 65+ or about to turn 65. Medicare expenses are a big concern for many older adults, especially those on a fixed or limited income. The first step to...
read more
The Medicare Part D Donut Hole Disappears in 2025
Key takeaways: The Medicare Part D coverage gap known as the “donut hole” will end in 2024. As of January 1, 2025, Medicare Part D plans will have a $2,000 out-of-pocket limit. If you reach that threshold, your plan will pay for all of your covered medications in full...
read more
What You Need to Know About Changes to Medicare Part D in 2025
Two important changes are coming for Medicare Part D beneficiaries in 2025 as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act: Annual out-of-pocket (OOP) cap of $2,000 for prescription drugs. Medicare Prescription Payment Plan (MPPP), which will allow beneficiaries who opt in...
read more
Medicare benefits in 2025: 4 big changes every enrollee should know
Big changes are coming to Medicare in 2025, and they could make a major difference in your prescription drug costs. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare beneficiaries will see the most significant updates to the program’s drug coverage since it was first...
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...
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
Capturing the Opportunity: Medicare Advantage Trends to Watch in 2025
Key lessons learned from the 2025 Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP); plus actionable strategies for Medicare Advantage plans looking to improve member experience and reduce costs. 2025 is set to be a pivotal year for Medicare plans nationwide. As the market...
What You’ll Pay in Out-of-Pocket Medicare Costs in 2025
“How much can I expect to pay out of pocket for Medicare coverage?” It’s something you might be wondering if you’re age 65+ or about to turn 65. Medicare expenses are a big concern for many older adults, especially those on a fixed or limited income. The first step to...
The Medicare Part D Donut Hole Disappears in 2025
Key takeaways: The Medicare Part D coverage gap known as the “donut hole” will end in 2024. As of January 1, 2025, Medicare Part D plans will have a $2,000 out-of-pocket limit. If you reach that threshold, your plan will pay for all of your covered medications in full...
What You Need to Know About Changes to Medicare Part D in 2025
Two important changes are coming for Medicare Part D beneficiaries in 2025 as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act: Annual out-of-pocket (OOP) cap of $2,000 for prescription drugs. Medicare Prescription Payment Plan (MPPP), which will allow beneficiaries who opt in...
Medicare benefits in 2025: 4 big changes every enrollee should know
Big changes are coming to Medicare in 2025, and they could make a major difference in your prescription drug costs. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare beneficiaries will see the most significant updates to the program’s drug coverage since it was first...
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,...