Legacy Blog Posts
Legacy is one of the six essential pillars of the written plans we help families and individuals create, called a RetireSecure Roadmap. A well-prepared legacy plan can extend your impact on loved ones and charitable organizations when you are gone. This pillar may include strategies for passing on your wealth in a tax-efficient way, ensuring your remaining spouse or other beneficiaries are taken care of, and establishing medical and legal directives to ensure your wishes are honored.
Estate planning decisions that seem simple today can create unexpected taxes, delays, and loss of control later. Here are four common mistakes to watch for, along with steps to help […]
Losing a spouse can change more than the emotional landscape of retirement. Social Security benefits, pension income, taxes, and required minimum distributions (RMDs) can all shift. Understanding those changes ahead of time can […]
Retirement brings decisions that affect both spouses, from how you want to spend your time to what happens to income when one spouse dies. These five conversations can help couples identify differences, understand potential […]
Inheriting an IRA can create new opportunities, but it also comes with important tax rules and deadlines. Learn what has changed, the options available, and how to make thoughtful decisions […]
Estate planning today is about much more than avoiding estate taxes. This blog explores how changes to tax laws, the SECURE Act, probate rules, and beneficiary planning are reshaping the […]
A look at the massive wealth transfer underway, why families struggle to talk about inheritance, and how thoughtful planning can protect both wealth and relationships. The Largest Wealth Transfer in […]
A brand-new Merkle Retirement Planning magazine is here, and its first issue puts a spotlight on Adventurous Angie—an energetic retiree proving that retirement isn’t the end of the story; it’s […]
This Indiana Jones–inspired episode of Retiring Today with Loren Merkle turns a common worry—how to start planning for retirement at 55—into a guided trek through six milestones: lifestyle, income, taxes, investments, health care, and legacy. We […]
Our journey takes place inside the Cave of Questions because retirement often begins with more questions than answers and figuring out where to start can feel like navigating a dark cave. While inside, we discover that a map is a great place to […]
Legacy planning isn’t always top of mind when preparing for retirement, but overlooking it can have costly and stressful consequences. You’ve worked hard to build your wealth—now it’s time to […]