Blogs

“Third-Party Posts”

Why Retirement Gets Better With Annuities

Why Retirement Gets Better With Annuities

Everyone aspires to have a steady source of income after retirement that replaces as much as possible of their pre-retirement earning. But for many people, one big challenge in saving for that goal is to find the right financial product that accommodates their...

read more
Results From the 2024 Retirement Confidence Survey Find Workers’ and Retirees’ Confidence Has Not Recovered From the Significant Drop Seen in 2023, but Majorities Remain Optimistic About Retirement Prospects

Results From the 2024 Retirement Confidence Survey Find Workers’ and Retirees’ Confidence Has Not Recovered From the Significant Drop Seen in 2023, but Majorities Remain Optimistic About Retirement Prospects

Summary - However, almost 8 in 10 workers and 7 in 10 retirees are concerned that the U. S. government could make significant changes to the American retirement system - A new report published today from the 34th annual Retirement Confidence Survey finds workers’ and...

read more
Why Retirees Are Carrying More and More Debt

Why Retirees Are Carrying More and More Debt

Federal Reserve data shows sharp rise in amount Americans 65 and older owe Americans across generations are carrying more debt than they did three decades ago, according to Federal Reserve data, but the rise has been especially steep among the oldest age groups. The...

read more
3 Changes Are Coming to 401(k) Plans in 2025

3 Changes Are Coming to 401(k) Plans in 2025

Three significant 401(k) plan changes coming in 2025 are worth paying attention to, regardless of when you plan to retire, whether you work full-time or part-time, or whether you even have a 401(k) yet. In late 2022, Congress passed a law to help savers build their...

read more
6 Retirement Savings Changes To Expect in 2025

6 Retirement Savings Changes To Expect in 2025

Big changes are coming to retirement savings in 2025. The shifts in retirement planning come after Congress passed the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (SECURE Act) in 2019 and its 2022 follow-up, the SECURE 2.0, which further expanded and...

read more
7 Things to Know About Working While Getting Social Security

7 Things to Know About Working While Getting Social Security

If you claim benefits early, income from work can reduce your monthly payments “Retirement” used to be synonymous with “not working.” Not anymore. More than a quarter of U.S. adults ages 65 to 74 are still in the workforce, according to the federal Bureau of Labor...

read more

 

Weekly Market Commentary

Weekly Market Commentary

-Darren Leavitt, CFA US equity markets posted a third week of gains as global central banks continued to cut monetary policy rates.  China, Switzerland, Mexico, Hungry, and the Czech Republic cut their policy rates.  Chinese markets gained on the news that several...

read more
Weekly Market Commentary

Weekly Market Commentary

The S&P 500 notched its 39th record high in 2024 on the back of a fifty-basis-point rate cut by the Federal Reserve. Global central banks took center stage this week, with the Fed playing the headliner. Leading into the Fed’s decision, the street was divided over...

read more
Weekly Market Commentary

Weekly Market Commentary

-Darren Leavitt, CFA Markets bounced back nicely in the second week of September.  It was an intriguing week of trade with several undercurrents to consider.  The first and likely only Presidential debate between Harris and Trump appeared to be won by Harris, although...

read more
Weekly Market Commentary

Weekly Market Commentary

-Darren Leavitt, CFA Global equity markets tumbled due to economic growth concerns as the US Treasuries extended their gains from August. The holiday-shortened week started with weaker-than-anticipated manufacturing data out of China, which highlighted just how weak...

read more
Weekly Market Commentary

Weekly Market Commentary

-Darren Leavitt, CFA The final week of August was all about NVidia's second-quarter earnings results and the Fed's preferred measure of inflation, the PCE. Expectations for NVidia's earnings were so high that some decided to throw pre/post-earnings parties to...

read more
Weekly Market Commentary

Weekly Market Commentary

-Darren Leavitt, CFA US financial markets inked another week of gains as investors cheered what they heard from global central bankers at the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium. In fact, the bulk of the gains were made on Friday after Fed Chairman Jerome Powell...

read more

Ed Slott’s Elite IRA Advisor Group (Ed Slott Group) is a membership organization owned by Ed Slott and Company, LLC. Logos and/or trademarks are property of their respective owners and no endorsement of  (Gulf Financial Group) is stated or implied. Ed Slott Group and Ed Slott and Company, LLC are not affiliated with Gulf Financial Group.

For the detailed requirements of Ed Slott’s Elite IRA Advisor Group, please visit: https://www.irahelp.com/EliteGroup

 

Jelly-of-the-Month Club

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst   I counted them. This year the Slott Report published 101 blog articles. While other sites add “pay-for-content” firewalls, we continue to pump out incredibly valuable and important information, week after week, totally free...

read more

Holiday Cheers and Wishes

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst   This is the time of year for good cheer and holiday wishes. In keeping with those traditions, here are some cheers and wishes for the IRS and Congress: Cheers to the IRS: Yes, it did take the IRS 4½ years to issue final required...

read more

4 Things to Know About Rollovers Between Calendar Years

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education   The IRA rollover rules are always tricky. However, if you are rolling over an IRA distribution when the calendar year changes, the rules can become especially challenging. Here are four things you need to...

read more

The QCD Dance

  By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Tis the season for giving, and qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) are a popular way to donate to a favorite charity. However, rules must be followed. In a recent Slott Report entry (“QCD Timing,” December 4), I...

read more

Who Must Take a 2024 RMD?

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education   The holidays are upon us. There is shopping to do, gifts to wrap, and parties to attend. Amidst the hustle and bustle of the season, you may be forgiven if your retirement account is not at the top of your...

read more

QCD Timing

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst   Year after year, this topic continues to bubble up. Confusion exists over when a QCD can be done in relation to the RMD. Qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) can offset all or a portion of an RMD (required minimum...

read more

Find a Gulf Financial Group Location

The place to build your future is right down the road.

Aiken, South Carolina

 900 Trail Ridge Rd #146 Aiken, SC 29803
 803-508-8701

 rhonda@gulffinancialgroup.com

Atlanta, Georgia

400 Galleria Parkway Atlanta, GA 31339
 833-403-4041

 rhonda@gulffinancialgroup.com

Destin, Florida

 34990 Emerald Coast Parkway #300 Destin, FL 32541
 833-403-4041

 rhonda@gulffinancialgroup.com

Miramar Beach, Florida

 495 Grand Blvd., Ste. 206 Miramar Beach, FL 32550
 833-403-4041

 rhonda@gulffinancialgroup.com

Mobile, Alabama

62 St. Joseph St Mobile, AL 31339
 833-403-4041

 rhonda@gulffinancialgroup.com

Panama City Beach, Florida

 2015 Wilkinson St #D, Panama City Beach, FL 32408
 833-403-4041
 rhonda@gulffinancialgroup.com

Pensacola, Florida

13 Palafox Place Ste. 200 Pensacola, Fl 32502
 833-403-4041
 rhonda@gulffinancialgroup.com

Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina

 530 Causeway Drive, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480
 910-833-4638
 sherrio@gulffinancialgroup.com