Bob Carlson is editor of the monthly newsletter and web site, Retirement Watch. Carlson is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Fairfax County Employees' Retirement System, which has over $3 billion in assets, and was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Virginia Retirement System, which oversaw $42 billion in assets, from 2001-2005. He was appointed to the Virginia Retirement System Deferred Compensation Plans Advisory Committee in 2011. His latest book is Personal Finance for Seniors for Dummies, published by John Wiley & Co. in 2010 (with Eric Tyson). Previous books include Invest Like a Fox... Not Like a Hedgehog, published by John Wiley & Co. in 2007, and The New Rules of Retirement, as published by John Wiley & Co. in the fall of 2004. He has written numerous other books and reports, including Tax Wise Money Strategies, Retirement Tax Guide, How to Slash Your Mutual Fund Taxes, Bob Carlson's Estate Planning Files, and 199 Loopholes That Survived tax Reform. He also has been interviewed by or quoted in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Reader's Digest, Barron's, AARP Bulletin, Money, Worth, Kiplinger's Personal Finance, the Washington Post, and many others. He has appeared on national television and on a number of radio programs. He is past editor of Tax Wise Money. Carlson is an attorney and passed the CPA Exam. He received his J.D. and an M.S. (Accounting) from the University of Virginia and received his B.S. (Financial Management) from Clemson University. He also is an instrument rated private pilot. He is listed in several recent editions of Who's Who in America and Who's Who in the World.

Successful Americans are paying too much for insurance yet don't have enough coverage. Those are the findings of a recent survey from ACE Private Risk Services.

Stop Overpaying And Underinsuring

May 17, 2013 by

Successful Americans are paying too much for insurance yet don't have enough coverage. Those are the findings of a recent survey from ACE Private Risk Services. It's easy to see how the situation developed. Most successful people didn't start that way. In... Read More >>

There are many ways you can help a grandchild or child. There are so many options that people are confused and often procrastinate about helping because they aren't sure which route to take. Let's look at the better options and examine the pros and cons of each.

Most Efficient Ways To Help Grandkids

May 10, 2013 by

There are many ways you can help a grandchild or child. There are so many options that people are confused and often procrastinate about helping because they aren't sure which route to take. Let's look at the better options and examine the pros and cons of... Read More >>

You don't really write your will, and most people shouldn't try. But you can be sure the will is done correctly. In this visit we discuss how to shepherd your will through the process.

Steps To Crafting The Right Will For You

May 03, 2013 by

You don't really write your will, and most people shouldn't try. But you can be sure the will is done correctly. In this visit we discuss how to shepherd your will through the process. It doesn't take much to tarnish a gem of an estate plan and with it,... Read More >>

Income taxes are rising on those in or planning for retirement. Politicians at all levels know that income and wealth are concentrated among those age 55 and older, so those people are the focus of tax increases. But you don't have to sit back and accept the attack on retiree wealth and income.

Avoiding The Retiree Tax Attack

Apr 26, 2013 by

Income taxes are rising on those in or planning for retirement. Remember, the true value of your nest egg is its after-tax value. Politicians at all levels know that income and wealth are concentrated among those age 55 and older, so those people are the... Read More >>

Heirs routinely lose a large percentage of inherited individual retirement accounts to unnecessary taxes. The rules are simple, but they aren't obvious; and most heirs don't know about them or even know enough to ask about them. If you don't want a large portion or your hard-earned wealth and careful plans wasted, be sure your heirs know how to manage their new IRAs. Here are some key points.

What Heirs Should Know About IRAs

Apr 19, 2013 by

Heirs routinely lose a large percentage of inherited individual retirement accounts to unnecessary taxes. The rules are simple, but they aren't obvious; and most heirs don't know about them or even know enough to ask about them. If you don't want a large... Read More >>

Roth IRAs are one of the most powerful retirement planning tools available. Most people, however, aren't taking full advantage of the opportunity. Converting traditional individual retirement accounts to Roth IRAs is only the tip of the iceberg. There are other ways to use this powerful tool to enhance your lifetime security and financial independence.

Using The Overlooked Roth IRA Opportunity

Apr 12, 2013 by

You still can attend my upcoming presentations in May. The first is one of our regular free online investment presentations. This one is May 1 at 3:30 p.m. Eastern time. I'll discuss "Adjusting Your Investments for 2013's Second Half." You can register at... Read More >>

People are becoming complacent about estate planning, and that leads to some mistakes. Congress finally settled the estate tax in January. People now know what the law will be and don't have to worry about frequent changes. That doesn't mean there aren't estate planning worries.

Two Key, Overlooked Estate Planning Moves

Apr 05, 2013 by

People are becoming complacent about estate planning, and that leads to some mistakes. Congress finally settled the estate tax in January. People now know what the law will be and don't have to worry about frequent changes. That doesn't mean there aren't... Read More >>

Uncertainty about the estate tax is resolved. You don't have to worry about frequent shifts anymore. Now, it's time to consider how the new rules affect your estate plan and revise your plan.

Married Couples And The New Estate Tax

Mar 29, 2013 by

Uncertainty about the estate tax is resolved. You don't have to worry about frequent shifts anymore. Now, it's time to consider how the new rules affect your estate plan and revise your plan. You know that the lifetime estate and gift tax exemption is set... Read More >>

Life can be difficult and complicated for surviving spouses. Contending with some financial rules and procedures in addition to everything else can amount to piling on. Yet widows and widowers need to make key decisions about their finances, and some decisions need to be made within deadlines.

Financial Tips For Widows, Widowers

Mar 22, 2013 by

Life can be difficult and complicated for surviving spouses. Contending with some financial rules and procedures in addition to everything else can amount to piling on. Yet widows and widowers need to make key decisions about their finances, and some... Read More >>

Most people make the wrong decisions about their Social Security benefits and, in doing so, leave a lot of money on the table. Married couples have the most flexibility and options. When a couple coordinates their Social Security retirement benefits, they increase by tens of thousands of dollars the amount of lifetime income they receive.

Maximizing Spouses’ Social Security Benefits

Mar 15, 2013 by

Most people make the wrong decisions about their Social Security benefits and, in doing so, leave a lot of money on the table. Married couples have the most flexibility and options. When a couple coordinates their Social Security retirement benefits, they... Read More >>

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