Medicare Open Enrollment runs each year from October 15 through December 7, with changes taking effect January 1. For 2027 coverage, the window closes December 7, 2026. It is the window when people with Medicare can review and change their health and prescription drug coverage. Because healthcare is one of the largest and least predictable expenses in retirement, this annual review works best when it is coordinated with your broader retirement plan, including your income, taxes, and long-term care considerations, rather than treated as a standalone insurance task.

It may be time to consider a new financial advisor if you rarely hear from them, your plan hasn't been reviewed in over a year, you don't clearly understand what you're paying, or the advice no longer fits your goals.

The Federal Open Market Committee voted unanimously yesterday to raise the federal funds rate by 25 basis points, bringing it to a range of 3.75% to 4%. It's a notable moment — this is the first rate increase in three years, reversing a stretch of holds and cuts. The Fed pointed to inflation that's stayed stubbornly elevated, driven in part by rising energy prices and ongoing geopolitical pressure on global markets.

Life insurance isn't just a payout after you're gone — it's a planning tool that can protect the legacy you're building right now. Used well, it can provide immediate liquidity for your family, help equalize an inheritance among heirs, cover estate taxes or final expenses, and give your loved ones certainty at a time when very little else feels certain. September is Life Insurance Awareness Month, and it's a good moment to ask a simple question: does your coverage actually match the legacy you want to leave?

We get some version of this question almost every month: "Are you fee-only, or fee-based? Which one should I be looking for?"

It's a fair question, and it deserves a straight answer. But after years of sitting across the table from people planning their retirements, we've come to believe it's not the most important question. It's a good starting point — not the finish line.

Earlier in your working years, a portfolio that's slightly out of alignment has time to self-correct. Close to or in retirement, that margin shrinks. This is exactly the stage where ongoing attention — not a "set it and forget it" account you check once a year — tends to matter most.

Left a 401(k) with a former employer? Compare your 4 options — leave it, roll to a new plan, roll to an IRA, or cash out — and the tax tradeoffs of each.

A power of attorney is one of the most important documents in your financial and estate plan — and one of the most commonly overlooked. Many people sign one once, file it away, and never look at it again. Years later, when the document is actually needed, it may be outdated, inconsistent with current state law, or no longer accepted by the bank or medical provider it was meant to work with.

There's no universal "right" order — it depends on your bracket, your RMDs, your Social Security, and your goals for any given year. That's exactly why this is worth mapping out with a tax professional rather than eyeballing it. Small changes in which bucket you tap can add up to real money over a multi-decade retirement.

A will and a trust aren't competitors so much as different tools for different jobs. A will directs your assets and names guardians; a trust can avoid probate, plan for incapacity, and give you more control over timing and privacy. Plenty of families use both. The right mix is a personal decision best made with an estate planning attorney — and it's worth coordinating with your financial and tax advisors so every piece works together.

Do you need long-term care insurance if you have savings? Often, savings alone isn't enough. Here's how to protect your nest egg from care costs.

What happens to your annuity when you die depends on the payout option, whether income started, and your named beneficiary. Here's how each works.

The 2026 federal estate tax exemption is $15 million per person. So if your estate is smaller, do you still need a plan? Short answer: yes. Here's why.

CDs vs. annuities for retirement income in 2026: a straight comparison of safety, FDIC vs. insurer guarantees, liquidity, and taxes.

We tend to treat our finances like a New Year’s resolution — a flurry of intentions in January that quietly fade by spring. But the most disciplined investors and business owners we work with do something different: they pause at the halfway mark and ask a simple question. Am I still on track?

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, roughly 70% of Americans who reach age 65 will need some form of long-term care services at some point in their lives. Yet most people either assume it won’t happen to them, believe Medicare will cover it, or simply put off planning until it becomes a crisis.

Most people spend decades saving for retirement — contributing to their 401(k), paying down the mortgage, building a nest egg. But when it comes to actually planning for retirement, many pre-retirees overlook three critical conversations that can have a significant impact on their retirement security.

Learn how to build a retirement income floor using fixed solutions like Social Security, annuities, and pensions — and why it may be the most important retirement planning step you haven’t taken yet.

If you’ve spent decades diligently saving in a traditional IRA or 401(k), you may be surprised to learn the IRS eventually requires you to start taking money out — whether you need it or not. These mandatory withdrawals are called Required Minimum Distributions, or RMDs, and for most people, they begin at age 73.

Understanding how RMDs work — and planning for them before they arrive — can mean the difference between a manageable tax situation in retirement and a costly surprise.

You’ve spent decades building your wealth. Now, as retirement approaches, one of the most important — and most often overlooked — steps you can take is making sure that wealth goes where you intend it to go.

Estate planning isn’t just for the ultra-wealthy. If you own a home, have a retirement account, or have people you care about, you have an estate. And without a proper plan in place, the state of Indiana — not you — may decide what happens to it.