Matt Becker, CFP

We have a combined pension and Social Security income of $8,400 per month that will only drop to $6,730 if one of us passes away. Our RMDs will start soon and we have $1.6 million in a 401(k) which we feel we can use a low-cost (expense ratio 0.12%) total return target fund to avoid… read more…

I’m in my first year of required minimum distributions of $36,000, which is causing me to be taxed on my $33,000 in Social Security benefits. What is a good strategy to reduce my RMDs below $25,000 so my Social Security benefits do not become taxable? Would taking a lump sum from my pre-tax IRA and… read more…

Should we take out money from our retirement investment fund to pay off our home loan and make improvements? Retirement fund is losing money and home values are going up. The fund is around $85,000-$90000. The balance on our home is $34,000 and we want to make $20,000 in improvements. We are both retired and… read more…

I lost my wife to COVID-19 on Feb. 3, 2021. She worked several years at the same company that I’m still employed at now. I tried to talk to my local Social Security office right after her death, but they were no help. Can I apply for any of the Social Security benefits that she’s… read more…

My wife and I are both 56. We have around $1.2 million saved – approximately $450,000 in company 401(k)s, $650,000 in a managed account, and approximately $70,000 in personal stocks. We also have approximately $22,000 in savings. Our home is worth $700,000 or more and we owe $197,000 with a 3.875% interest rate. Our advisor… read more…

I’m 54 with 26 years of service as a nurse. We go by the rule of 80 (your age plus years of service = 80) on our retirement plan. It will cover my health insurance. My pension will be around $7,000 per month minus taxes. I have a combined $750,000 in a 403(b) and Roth… read more…

I currently have $680,000 in a 401(k), $150,000 in savings and a pension of $1,600 per month. Can I retire at age 62? – Hieu This is a good question and the answer depends primarily on what your expenses are and how much you will collect from Social Security. What we can do here is… read more…

I’m 58 and I have $700,000 in 401(k)s and IRAs. I have no credit card debt, no auto loan payments and no student loans. I sold my home in California and paid cash for a house in Texas, so I have no mortgage. I’m retired military and bring in about $2,200 per month after taxes.… read more…

I am 74 years old (I was born Feb 2, 1948). My wife and I both worked for Aetna, but have retired and have 401(k)s from work that are with Vanguard. I received her 401(k) as a spousal inheritance and maintain it in a separate account. I plan to take RMDs on her account but… read more…

I’m 49 years old and I’ve had a steady job for over 15 years now as a government contractor. I plan to retire at around 65. I have $500,000 in savings between my 401(k), IRA and individual savings accounts. I’m renting, I don’t have any debt and I have a small family of three. I’m… read more…

I am selling my house and the price is $504,999. After paying off this house I will net $400,000. Do I have to pay a capital gains tax as I’m planning to pay off my retirement home with the money I netted? – Thomas The answer is solidly “it depends,” both in terms of whether… read more…

Is it wise to start converting my 401(k) into an IRA (and then Roth) by 10% per year in order to avoid having to claim too much income each year when converting and also avoid RMDs as much as I can? -Cathy It’s definitely smart to be thinking about this, Cathy. Systematic Roth conversions like… read more…

I’m 73 and my 401(k) hasn’t been doing well for the last few years. Would it be a good idea for me to withdraw my money from my 401(k) and pay the tax that I will have to pay eventually anyway, and then invest the rest of my money in CDs? -Archie Your desire for… read more…

I have $800,000 sitting in a money market account because I don’t know what else to do with it. My hope was that I could put it in something that can yield around 4-5% growth. I also have $900,000 in my 401(k) that is sitting in minimal-risk accounts with Vanguard. I will be turning 62… read more…

My husband and I are both in our early 40s, and he recently received a monetary gift from his deceased father of more than $20,000. We have nothing to speak of in regard to savings or retirement funds. As we’re in our 40s, what would you recommend we do? –Aubrey First of all, I’d like… read more…

The existence of fiduciary duty does not prevent potential conflicts of interest. Could you explain a little more about this idea? What types of conflicts could arise even with a fiduciary? – Marianne Finding a fiduciary is a great start… read more…

Is it possible to have someone advise me on only part of my portfolio and does that make sense? -Marda It really depends on both what you’re trying to achieve and what your financial advisor is willing to accommodate. In… read more…

My company provides both a traditional and Roth 401(k) option. My question is whether I should contribute to a traditional 401(k), Roth 401(k) or a mix of both. I am 31 years old, single and live in San Francisco. My… read more…

Our investments were $450,000 and are now $250,000. How much do I lose before I cash in investments? -Liz I’m sorry that you’ve experienced such a significant financial loss. I know that can be stressful and scary as you wonder whether… read more…

I’m afraid of the stock market. With my first investment, I lost 60% of my money. So I’m strictly into bonds. With interest rates low, what’s your advice? Should I stay or try something else? -Jerold It’s reasonable to be… read more…

How can I find a certified financial planner (CFP) who is not associated with a brokerage house? I want truly independent advice and not steered toward selling me securities. I especially want tax advice. Everyone I have called turned out… read more…

I am a 43-year-old divorced father. I have $315,000 in a traditional individual retirement account (IRA), $90,000 in a Roth IRA, $22,000 in a health savings account (HSA), $8,000 in a 529 college savings account, $30,000 in a traditional 401k,… read more…

Why does a financial advisor get a fee of 1% or more? That seems really high. If my return is only 4% (for example, in dividends), I am giving away 25% of my return, which is even worse with a… read more…