How to Retire on Time

When a MYGA Ladder Meets a Bond Ladder

When money is needed within five years, Michael Decker, NSSA® explains how a MYGA ladder, a bond ladder, and a buffered ETF can differ, and why defining the mission comes

When a Note Can Offer Principal Protection

When a product promises protection and upside, Michael Decker, NSSA® walks through how structured notes work, where the risks sit, and how TIPS compare. The following is

When Do Alternatives Belong in Your Portfolio?

When stocks and bonds are not the whole picture, Michael Decker, NSSA® explains where alternatives like real estate, private equity, and gold can fit, and what getting ou

When Can a Medigap Plan Deny You?

When a plan looks cheaper now and switching later sounds simple, Michael Decker, NSSA® explains how the Medigap enrollment window at 65 can change what happens next. The

Why Healthcare Costs Keep Rising

When healthcare premiums keep climbing, Michael Decker, NSSA® explains why he treats healthcare as a cost to plan for, not an investment, and why a cost-of-living adjustm

Is Long-Term Care Insurance Worth It?

When long-term care insurance is sold on fear, Michael Decker, NSSA® explains how a break-even view and peace of mind can each be a fair reason to decide. The following

How Do Survivor Benefits Work?

When a spouse passes, Michael Decker, NSSA® explains how a survivor benefit and a person’s own retirement benefit can be treated as two separate choices. The following i

Can You Plan for the Widow Tax?

When one spouse passes and the household becomes a single filer, Michael Decker, NSSA® explains how a plan can account for it years ahead. The following is from Mike’s w

Is Two Years of Reserves Enough?

When a portfolio is all in stocks with two years of income set aside, Michael Decker, NSSA® explains how a timeline view of fixed, index, and variable money can reshape t

When Tax Law Is Written in Pencil

When tax brackets can change with new legislation, Michael Decker, NSSA® explains why he benchmarks the effective tax rate instead of chasing the lowest bill. The follow

What Does Social Security Insolvency Mean?

When headlines say Social Security is insolvent, Michael Decker, NSSA® explains what the word means, which fixes have been floated, and where filing decisions fit. The f

When Your CDs Mature and Inflation Lingers

When your CDs mature and inflation is still a concern, Michael Decker, NSSA® explains how your timeline can shape the choice between fixed and indexed options. The follo

Where Does Social Security Belong in Your Plan?

When maximizing Social Security and maximizing quality of life are not the same goal, Michael Decker, NSSA® explains where filing fits in a plan. The following is from M

When Inflation Risk and Market Risk Collide

When lowering market risk can raise inflation risk, Michael Decker, NSSA® explains where reserves fit, including for a viewer around age 50. The following is from Mike’s

When Maxing Out a Bracket Misses the Point

When moving income at a higher bracket looks like the better deal, Michael Decker, NSSA® explains how the effective tax rate can tell a different story. The following is

How to Actually Balance Risk and Protection in Retirement

Michael Decker, NSSA® answers a viewer question on balancing risk and protection using a food-storage analogy, splitting a portfolio into smaller pieces that each have th

Why Just Buying the S&P 500 Does Not Solve Retirement Math

Michael Decker, NSSA® responds to a viewer who says the math only works with stocks and the S&P 500, and the risk that gets left out when withdrawals start during a down

What to Do With Your Money Five Years Before Retirement

Michael Decker, NSSA® answers a viewer question on repositioning savings five years from retirement, and why shopping around matters here as much as anywhere else. The f

A Way to Decide Whether You Actually Need an Annuity

Michael Decker, NSSA® walks through how to decide if an annuity fits your plan before shopping for one, then answers a follow-up question on timing IRA to Roth conversion

How to Plan Retirement Around an Inheritance You Might Not Get

Michael Decker, NSSA® answers a viewer question on planning retirement income around a future inheritance, and why treating it as a backup plan works better than counting