Getting The Taxman Out Of Your Retirement — Part 2
Last month, in part one of this article, we discussed how you might be in a lower tax bracket in retirement, but pay a higher tax rate. In this article, we’ll look ... Read More »
Topeka bucks national trends with 25% decline in local crime
Amid national reports in 2021 of record-setting crime rates in the U.S., Topeka achieved its lowest homicide rate in five years. According to the Topeka Police Department’s 2021 year-end report, the capital city ... Read More »
The Retirement Team voted ‘Best of Topeka’ for 2021
It’s been a season full of recognition for The Retirement Team, a financial advisory firm based out of Topeka. The business recently swept The Best of Topeka finance categories, earning Best Financial ... Read More »
Stop losing retirement money safely
Over the course of the average retirement all prices more than double. In fact, they’ll go up more than 2.5 times. Something that costs $100 today will cost $257 by the end ... Read More »
How to get cheap (or free) health insurance if you retire early
I often hear when I first meet with someone that the only reason they are still working is to pay for health insurance until they can get on Medicare at age 65. ... Read More »
How low can rates go?
Looking back to the start of the century, interest rates have been in decline. Back then the Aggregate Bond Index was paying over 7%. Today? Just 1%. This means in order for ... Read More »
‘401(k) plan owners: Watch out’
Imagine how you would feel if you were on a sinking cruise ship and couldn’t get off because there weren’t any life jackets or backup boats. Now ask yourself, if you were ... Read More »
One reason why ‘target dated’ funds haven’t done well for over a decade
There’s a reason why we often refer to target date funds as ‘target dated’ funds. These types of investments rely on portfolio construction techniques to decide what to own based on decades ... Read More »
Nearly 1/3 of investors 65+ sold at the stock market bottom
Typically when you fail to plan, you are planning to fail, and that applies to the stock market. It’s best to have a plan before trouble comes, rather than make emotional decisions ... Read More »
Don’t play politics with your portfolio
Did the outcome of the election make you really happy and excited? Or did it leave you concerned, especially when it comes to your investments? Either way, you shouldn’t play politics with ... Read More »
Operation Legend was rare success during deadly year in Kansas City
Although 2020 was one of the most violent years in Kansas City history, the Trump administration’s Operation Legend was a bright spot. U.S. Attorney General William Barr named the federal anti-crime program ... Read More »
Covid and loss unite rural churches in faith
Thirty miles of rural Missouri separate the two churches, and so much else. One is mostly white; the other hosts services in five languages for a flock that spans the world. But ... Read More »
How low can interest rates go?
Looking back to the start of the century, interest rates have been in decline. Back then the Aggregate Bond Index was paying over 7%. Today? Just 1%. This means in order for ... Read More »
U.S. divorce rate hits 50-year low, but marriage rates plummet
The U.S. divorce rate is the lowest it has been in a half century, according to data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. The new data show that 14.9 marriages per ... Read More »
Should you change investments ahead of the election? Maybe.
Worried about what might happen to financial markets and your investments if we have the first contested election in 20 years, or if your candidate doesn’t win? You aren’t alone. Unfavorability ratings ... Read More »
Who’s gonna pay for the ‘free’ lunch
The saying “there’s no such thing as a free lunch” has been attributed to many people over the years. Someone must produce and someone must pay for what we consume. There has ... Read More »
Nearly 1/3 of investors 65+ sold stocks at the market bottom
Typically when you fail to plan, you are planning to fail. It’s best to have a plan before trouble comes, rather than make emotional decisions on the fly during times of duress ... Read More »
Opioid deaths in Missouri decline for first time since 2015
In addition to a declining death rate from Covid-19, Missouri has more positive health news to celebrate. Opioid deaths in the state declined last year for the first time since 2015. The ... Read More »
The trouble with trillions
Recently, President Trump signed ‘phase 3.5’ of emergency interim coronavirus relief, which comes with nearly a half trillion dollar cost. All told the current running total is in the trillions, exceeding $4 ... Read More »
Ways to avoid the new tax increase on retirement accounts
Last month we discussed the SECURE Act and its projected $15.7 billion tax increase on beneficiaries of tax deferred retirement accounts (like 401(k)s, 403(bs), TSPs, IRAs, etc.). The only ones excluded from ... Read More »
KC Mayor seeks bipartisan effort to combat violence
Quinton Lucas says the hardest part of being the Mayor of Kansas City is dealing with the increasing violence in Missouri’s largest city. Kansas City saw at least three homicides in 24 ... Read More »
Two bodies found behind local church
Kansas City’s homicide rate could add two more victims to the growing list after police discovered bodies behind a local church. The Kansas City Police Department stated officers responded to the call ... Read More »
Trump observations on Baltimore defended as Democrats make it a race issue
Democrats are being criticized for creating a race incident where none exists after President Donald Trump criticized the living conditions and crime in Baltimore. The district, which has some of the highest ... Read More »
Who were the first settlers of Jamestown?
Ever wonder who the first settlers were? They were a cross section of English society. On May 13, 1607 three English ships the Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery with approximately 144 settlers ... Read More »
Service remembers homicide victims in KCK
Last year Kansas City, Kan. saw 33 lives taken by homicide. While that number pales in comparison to the numbers of Kansas City, Missouri just across the river, it still rocks the ... Read More »
