Weekly Market Commentary

Weekly Market Commentary

US equity markets regressed as several themes that have propelled the market higher over the last couple of years have had to be reassessed. Return on investment from AI capex, a Federal Reserve on hold, tariff uncertainty, and increased geopolitical tensions have...

New Trump Account Developments

  By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst With contributions to Trump Accounts expected to begin in just a few months, there are some new developments to report. As a reminder, Trump Accounts are tax-deferred savings accounts for children. They were established by Congress...

5 Tips for Making Your 2025 Roth IRA Contribution

  By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education The tax season is upon us. This is the time when many people consider contributing to a retirement account. You may be interested in the Roth IRA, which offers the promise of tax-free withdrawals in...
Weekly Market Commentary

Weekly Market Commentary

The holiday-shortened week produced gains across US indices and saw an emerging market ETF break out to all-time highs.  The start of the Chinese Lunar New Year and Ramadan tempered international trading volumes.  The tail end of Q4 earnings continued to show...
Personalized Retirement Strategy: A Plan Built Around You

Personalized Retirement Strategy: A Plan Built Around You

Retirement isn’t one-size-fits-all. Two people can retire the same year with the same savings and still need completely different strategies—because income needs, taxes, risk tolerance, health care costs, and family priorities are never identical. A personalized...

Real Life Scenario: Minor as EDB Beneficiary

  By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst A member of Ed Slott’s Elite Advisor Group℠ emailed us recently with a question about a minor child as beneficiary of her father’s IRA. The question was brief, and I think the expectation was that our reply would be of...

How In-Plan Roth Conversions Work

  By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst In the January 5 edition of the Slott Report, we mentioned that the federal Thrift Savings Plan (for government workers and the military) started offering in-plan Roth conversions on January 28. This article will provide more...
Weekly Market Commentary

Weekly Market Commentary

US financial markets regressed in choppy trade.  The narrative around the disruptive nature of AI continued to impact markets.  Rotation away from growth and mega-cap issues continued while proceeds flowed to defensive sectors and small caps.  Interest rate-sensitive...
Annuities: Why They Can Be a Smart Addition to Your Portfolio

Annuities: Why They Can Be a Smart Addition to Your Portfolio

When you think about building a strong retirement plan, most people focus on a mix of stocks, bonds, and cash. But for many retirees and pre-retirees, there’s another tool that can add stability, predictability, and confidence: annuities. Annuities aren’t...

Don’t Miss This Rule That Allows Smaller RMDs

  By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education If you are age 73 or older in 2026, you will need to take a required minimum distribution (RMD) from your IRA. Usually, an RMD is calculated using the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table. However, if you are married...

Three Basic IRA Rules that Must Be Understood

  By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Each year, in different cities, the Ed Slott team hosts several advisor training events for financial professionals serious about learning. These 2-day programs start with our cannonballing into the retirement account pool,...
Weekly Market Commentary

Weekly Market Commentary

Investors endured a volatile week on Wall Street as 4th quarter earnings continued to roll in.  Concerns about massive capital expenditures resurfaced after Amazon and Google announced $200 billion and $185 billion in capex, respectively.  This comes after last week’s...

Naming a Trust for a Minor as IRA Beneficiary

  By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Everyone has heard the horror stories of how unneeded and unwanted trusts disrupted what should have been a smooth transition of wealth. However, it is important to recognize that estate planning for IRAs is...