What does life look like after selling the business you’ve poured decades into building? How do you prepare for one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll ever make? In this episode, Jamie Hopkins and Kate Duffy are joined by Mark Bradford, CFP®, ChFC®, CRPC®, AEP®, AWMA®, CEPA®, Director of Wealth Planning at Bryn Mawr Trust…
The Traditional Approach: Deferring Taxes Over the last 50 years, investors have become very familiar with the adage “Defer, defer, defer!” when it comes to tax planning. The most accessible deferral vehicles have long included employer-sponsored 401(k) plans, traditional IRAs, and deferred compensation programs. By pushing income into the future, these tools allow high earners…
If you have employees earning over $150,000, a significant change to your company’s retirement plan is coming in 2026. Under the SECURE 2.0 Act, high earners will be required to make catch-up contributions to Roth 401(k) accounts rather than traditional pre-tax accounts.[1,3] While this may sound like a minor technical adjustment, it could have substantial…
For many professionals, bonus season is both rewarding and complex. While a year-end payout can represent a substantial portion of total compensation, it also presents an opportunity—and a challenge—for effective financial and tax planning. Thoughtful preparation can help ensure that your bonus works harder for you, aligning short-term windfalls with long-term wealth strategies. Bonuses are…
Social Security Takes Center Stage, Again Social Security remains one of the most important and widely discussed topics in retirement planning, especially with a growing wave of retirees and recent developments surrounding the Old-Age, Survivors, & Disability Insurance Program under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.1 As conversations about benefits, claiming strategies, and the sustainability…
Many people talk about building relationships in business, but few live it the way Sal Patti does. In our latest episode, Jamie Hopkins and Kate Duffy sit down with Sal Patti, Senior Vice President and Director of Commercial Banking at WSFS Bank, to uncover the principles that shaped his rise from humble beginnings to leading…
Conversations about money, family, and purpose can be the hardest ones to have, yet they’re often the most important. In this episode of The Planning Perspectives Podcast, hosts Jamie Hopkins and Kate Duffy sit down with Dr. George James, LMFT, MBA, licensed therapist, executive coach, and CEO of George Talks, to explore how communication, family…
One of the basic tenets of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code is that everything has a cost, even if it’s not immediate. With few exceptions, all income gets taxed at some point. “At some point” is key. Taxpayers have some flexibility in recognizing income and paying tax on it. For example, if you own a…
Many retirees underestimate how much healthcare will cost in their golden years. According to Fidelity, a 65-year-old retiring this year will need around $172,500 to cover healthcare expenses throughout retirement. That figure excludes essential services such as vision, dental, or long-term care, which are not covered by Medicare1. Just like employer-sponsored plans, Medicare has gaps…
Retirement isn’t just about reaching a number or a specific age. It’s a significant life transition that requires preparation beyond financial planning. How do you shift from a lifetime of saving to spending? How do you build new communities and find purpose when work becomes optional? In this episode, Jamie Hopkins and Kate Duffy explore…
Retirement is a goal we set with dreams of traveling abroad, playing golf, relaxing on the beach, pursuing a passion project, spending more time with family and friends, or ticking off items on our personal bucket list. As retirement comes into view, the most common question is. “Will you be financially secure when you take…
October is National Retirement Security Month—a great reminder to pause and check in on your financial security. Retirement planning is more than just numbers; it is about preparing for your life’s unexpected turns, protecting your loved ones and giving yourself the confidence to make choices that align with your values. Research shows individuals who plan…
Retirement isn’t just about money; it’s about how you spend your time, maintain relationships, and create a meaningful life. In this episode, Jamie Hopkins and Kate Duffy welcome Christine Benz, Morningstar’s Director of Personal Finance, to explore how retirement planning is shifting from purely financial to a more holistic approach. Christine shares insights from her…
To quote the lead character in the 1986 movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” The same can be true for our finances; it’s easy to lose track of where our money goes. However, lifetime spending with intention…
Most employees in 401(k) retirement plans are not professional investors, and they don’t need to be. However, in a retirement system that increasingly places responsibility on individuals to make informed investment decisions, having a basic understanding of your available options is essential to achieving long-term financial security. One of the most common and impactful tools…
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced significant changes for 2025, reflecting ongoing efforts to adjust the program in response to inflation, wage growth, and evolving economic conditions. These updates include a higher cost-of-living adjustment, revisions to the earnings test thresholds, and increases in maximum benefits. Here’s a comprehensive look at the major updates. Cost-of-Living…
As 2025 approaches, policy shifts under a new Trump administration are taking shape. For investors, understanding the new tax, healthcare, and retirement landscape is crucial to navigating the future. Here are some of the most impactful potential policy changes and how they may influence your financial planning. Tax Reform One primary goal is the continuation…
At year-end, we recommend rebalancing portfolios back to strategic asset allocations and maintaining a diversified, flexible approach to navigate the evolving economic and market environment.
As the year draws to a close, retirees need to remember to take their Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from retirement accounts. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) mandates this annual withdrawal for individuals who have reached a certain age, and failing to take it can result in significant penalties. Required Minimum Distributions are the minimum amounts…
Heading into the end of the year, as you contemplate the ramifications of the recent presidential election, prepare your Thanksgiving celebration, and compose your holiday gift lists, it’s a good time to assess your financial foundation. Here are five essential investment moves to consider before the new year. 1. Review and Adjust Your Risk Exposure…
Many long-term financial plans involve setting a target for a total amount of savings. Sometimes, this target is framed as multiples of income, and other times as a general round number. These goals are helpful in the accumulation phase of our lives, but it is also financially prudent to estimate what your spending might be…
Planning Perspectives is your guide to navigating the complexities of wealth management with ease. This week we discuss four key strategies for retirement healthcare planning.
Long-term care (LTC) refers to a range of services intended to meet the personal and health care needs of individuals over an extended period. These services can be necessary for anyone who has a chronic illness, disability, or cognitive impairment, such as dementia. As life expectancy increases and medical advancements continue, more people are likely…
Healthcare expenses are projected to be the highest spending category in retirement, with a report from the Employee Benefit Research Institute estimating that a 65-year-old couple may need $383,000 in savings to cover their medical costs. It is essential to have a solid plan in place due to the increasing healthcare costs and longer life expectancy.1 …
As America’s retirement crisis looms larger than ever, with nearly half of the population fearing financial instability in their golden years, innovative state plans and employer-driven solutions are stepping in to bridge the savings gap and ensure a secure future for all.
Planning Perspectives is your guide to navigating the complexities of wealth management with ease. This week we discuss the 4% withdrawal strategy in retirement.
Planning Perspectives is your guide to navigating the complexities of wealth management with ease. This week we discuss maximizing retirement income and tax-optimized distributions.
Saving for retirement is something many of us are encouraged to participate in throughout our working lives. In a recent Bryn Mawr Trust survey about women and retirement, 826 women (age 40+) said that their top sources of wealth are careers, followed by saving and budgeting, with 40% selecting retirement as the leading life event that impacts their financial planning.1 The rules and guidelines for how much to save and where are readily available, but there needs to be more professional guidance for when we finally reach retirement and begin spending it.
Benjamin Franklin was famous for many things, including the quote about only two certainties in life: “death and taxes.” A strong retirement plan should optimize for tax savings as it reviews assets and income streams.
Securing a comfortable retirement requires thoughtful planning and strategic financial decisions. To ensure you won’t outlive your retirement savings, consider these five crucial tips.
Consider these four steps when transitioning to your new phase of life in retirement.
Prior to retirement, our investment portfolios, and all the assets in it, generally all have one purpose: to grow. As we enter retirement, we have to adjust to spending our assets to support our lifestyle.
Having a sound financial plan for retirement is paramount, but additional preparation for this important milestone in your life is also wise. Emotional, social, and income source considerations are just as crucial as your financial plans.
The landscape of employee retirement planning is undergoing transformative changes. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) is at the heart of this evolution, introducing pivotal themes that promise to redefine the retirement planning horizon for millions of workers. Let’s explore some key themes for 2024, each designed to enhance the retirement readiness and financial security of the average employee in an ever-changing world.
With proper planning, retirement doesn’t have to be a psychological roller coaster ride.
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