Happy Friday, readers! One of the most common themes that comes up in retirement planning research is the fear that Americans have about meeting their health care expenses once they have exited the work force. We have all heard the estimates from Fidelity that the typical couple retiring today will need nearly $300,000 to cover just their future health care expenses alone. These figures are clearly daunting, but other research shows that, through smart long-term savings strategies and with the support of an informed adviser, Americans can meet these health care costs without sacrificing their quality of life.
Devenir finds HSA assets grew to an estimated $45.2 billion, spread across some 22 million accounts, at the end of 2017; as more account owners are investing their HSA dollars, the demand for advice is clear.
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Among those who have never exercised or sold their equity compensation or ESPP, 34% admit to being worried about selling under the wrong market conditions and 34% say they are afraid of potential tax implications of making a wrong decision.
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While not a traditional topic for retirement specialist advisers to speak about, experts agree that student loan repayment benefits are a powerful boon to financial wellness programming—and a topic that financial advisers should learn more about.
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A 65-year-old couple retiring this year will need $280,000 to cover health care and medical expenses throughout their retirement, according to Fidelity Investments. This is a 2% increase from 2017—and a 75% increase from Fidelity’s first estimate in 2002.
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Tina Ambrozy, president of sales and distribution at Nationwide, warns of a major disconnect between what consumers think their Social Security benefit will be—and what this amount will cover—compared to reality.
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