Future-Focused Tax Planning is Critical By David Brooks, Founder & President of Retire SMART In the near future, taxes are going up. It’s the law. Unless the law is changed, the federal income tax reductions enacted in 2017 will end Dec. 31, 2025. The expected…

Plan Now for Retirement as a Surviving Spouse By David Brooks, Founder & President of Retire SMART There is a growing number of single women – widowed, divorced, or never married – who find themselves confronted with unfamiliar and uncomfortable financial decisions as they approach…

Prepare for a Major Retirement Expense: Healthcare By David Brooks, Founder & President of Retire SMART Retirees need to know their options when it comes to healthcare expenses. The average 65-year-old couple retiring today will need more than $300,000 to cover healthcare expenses. Healthcare ranks…

Portfolio Diversification Is Vital to a Successful Retirement Plan By David Brooks, Founder & President of Retire SMART Investors in the stock market will experience ups and downs. A properly diversified portfolio can help you smooth out the ride, especially as you transition from working…

It’s OK to Spend in Retirement; Just Make Sure You Plan for It By David Brooks, Founder & President of Retire SMART Early in my career, I thought my job as a financial advisor was to convince people to be disciplined with their money. Be…

By David Brooks, Founder & President of Retire SMART I like hiking, but my brother is a serious mountain climber. He has scaled Denali and other major mountains. The more I listen to him talk about everything that goes into a successful climb, the more…

By David Brooks, Founder & President of Retire SMART When people think of expenses in retirement, they tend to think of housing and health care. Those certainly are two major budget items in any retirement plan. But a successful retirement plan also accounts for the…