Showing posts with label retirement planner. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 11, 2022

Outlook For Equities

The general outlook for equities is positive toward the end of the year and into 2022. Stocks performed relatively well through the autumn earnings season and, as a general rule, the fourth quarter tends to be the best one for stock performance. While the coronavirus, labor shortages, supply chain issues and rising prices have presented headwinds for the economy, low interest rates and positive corporate earnings have kept equity performance in good shape.¹

According to Charles Schwab, investors looking for a higher stock allocation should consider high-quality, reasonably valued companies poised to benefit from worldwide economic recovery. As for individual stock picks, she emphasized company fundamentals and the ability to weather different market conditions over specific sectors.²

If you’ve recently harvested any losses or gains and are looking to rebalance your portfolio, we’d be happy to help you vet investment opportunities appropriate for your situation. Please contact us to get started today.

Merrill Lynch believes the market environment looks to be supportive of stock investments
through the first two quarters of 2022. Its analysts expect job growth to continue and believe the United States will head toward full employment, which will help eliminate the current issues related to labor and supply shortages. Merrill Lynch also sees China’s recovery as a catalyst to spur overall global economic growth. For investors, the wealth manager recommends adding long term investment themes related to innovation. Diversification remains important but key sectors expected to thrive include industrials, materials, energy, financials and large-cap technology.³

Now that factories are back up and running worldwide, Goldman Sachs sees inventories building back up, continued innovations in health care and a boost in consumer spending due to pent-up demand. By the middle of next year, the wealth manager sees a moderate slowdown in the current growth rate of developing markets. It predicts global GDP will increase to about 4½% and does not expect the Fed to begin raising interest rates until July 2022.⁴

Speaking of the Fed, in November it announced plans to begin tapering bond purchases over the next six months. By the middle of 2022, it anticipates no need to ease monetary policy any further. In response to these actions, Morgan Stanley analysts believe that real economic growth will continue to improve in the New Year. Both America’s response to COVID and the new infrastructure bill place the United States in a favorable position relative to the rest of the world. Investors will likely have the confidence to buy riskier assets, whereas inflation risk will continue to put upward pressure on real interest rates.⁵

One thing to note about inflation is that it doesn’t necessarily bode negatively for stocks. In fact, according to research by Fidelity Investments, the stock market has performed relatively well during past historically high inflation periods (except for the 1970s). Energy stocks tend to be positively correlated with high inflation, while consumer discretionary and financials are usually negatively correlated with rising prices.⁶

¹Paulina Likos. U.S. News & World Report. Oct. 29, 2021. “Stock Market Outlook for Q4 2021.” https://money.usnews.com/investing/stock-market-news/articles/stock-market-outlook-for-q4-2021. Accessed Nov. 15, 2021.

²Ibid.

³Bank of America, Merrill. November 2021. “Here Comes The Pivot.” https://olui2.fs.ml.com/Publish/Content/application/pdf/GWMOL/Viewpoint_November_2021_Merrill.pdf. Accessed Nov. 15, 2021.

⁴Goldman Sachs. Nov. 8, 2021. “GS Macro Outlook 2022: The Long Road to Higher Rates.” https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/pages/gs-research/gs-macro-outlook-2022/gs-macro-outlook-2022-the-long-road-to-higher-rates.pdf. Accessed Nov. 15, 2021.

⁵Matt Hornbach. Morgan Stanley. Nov. 11, 2021. “What the Fed wants, the Fed gets.” https://www.morganstanley.com/ideas/thoughts-on-the-market-rates. Accessed Nov. 15, 2021.

⁶Jurrien Timmer. Fidelity. Nov. 3, 2021. “Top sectors amid inflation.” https://www.fidelity.com/insights/markets-economy/inflation-sector-returns. Accessed Nov. 15, 2021.

We are an independent firm helping individuals create retirement strategies using a variety of insurance and investment products to custom suit their needs and objectives. This material is intended to provide general information to help you understand basic financial planning strategies and should not be construed as financial or investment advice. All investments are subject to risk including the potential loss of principal. No investment strategy can guarantee a profit or protect against loss in periods of declining values.

The information contained in this material is believed to be reliable, but accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed; it is not intended to be used as the sole basis for financial decisions.

Investment Advisory Services are offered by Imber Financial Group, LLC., a Registered Investment Adviser. Insurance services are offered through Imber Wealth Advisors, Inc. Imber Financial Group, LLC. and Imber Wealth Advisors, Inc. are affiliated companies

Saturday, August 14, 2021

Retirement Withdrawal Strategies

As hard as retirement saving and investing may seem, that’s the easy part. The real challenge is figuring out how to make your accumulated savings last throughout your and your spouse’s retirements. You need a strategy, and it’s best to have that strategy developed before retirement begins.

Because life expectancy is longer these days, many retirees need to maintain a growth component in their investment portfolio during retirement. That adds an extra challenge to your distribution strategy. The goals for drawing down funds include minimizing market risk to an equity allocation, coping with variable income that may be impacted by market returns, minimizing taxes, and supporting an increase in income needs associated with late-stage medical and long term care. It’s important to understand how these goals and needs interact to customize a retirement distribution strategy, and we can help you with that. Contact us to learn more.

Given that an investment portfolio may need to keep growing even after you retire, it’s important to consider “sequence of returns” risk. This basically means that if you retire around the time of a significant market decline, you can greatly deplete the principal from which you draw retirement income throughout the long term, subsequently having to reduce your retirement lifestyle or risk running out of money. To combat this risk, retirees should remain flexible. For example, continue to work past your planned retirement date if the market has a setback, or even re-enter the workforce post-retirement to help supplement your income and give investments time recover.¹

Once you retire, you can set up a systematic withdrawal plan if you need to supplement your regular household income. If your retirement plan indicates you’ll need more money at different stages, consider the bucket strategy, wherein you allocate certain investments (“buckets”) for different stages so you have new assets to tap as you age. This strategy may also enable you to retain a more aggressive equity allocation in buckets you plan to tap later.²

To help minimize taxes in a retirement portfolio, alternatives could be to first withdraw from taxable assets (e.g., brokerage account), then tax-deferred plans (e.g., 401(k) and traditional IRA) and finally tax-free assets (e.g., Roth IRA). This approach gives your tax-advantaged accounts more time to grow tax-deferred. By planning to tap tax-free assets last, there’s a better chance of leaving tax-free income for your heirs.

However, it’s important to tailor your draw-down strategy for your personal circumstances, taking into account your retirement tax bracket. For example, a moderate-income household with multiple account types may want to draw a combination of tax-free, taxable and tax-deferred assets from the beginning to stay within a lower marginal tax bracket.³

It’s also important to consider the best time to start receiving Social Security benefits. Here, too, conventional wisdom recommends delaying as long as possible; preferably to age 70 for maximum accrual. Wayne Pfau, co-director of the New York Life Center for Retirement Income, would like to see the Social Security Administration extend the age to which additional delayed retirement credits (8% a year starting at full retirement age) accrue on benefits until age 72. This would be an effective way to encourage people to work longer and reward them for doing so. Even if they don’t work longer, investors can draw down income from their taxable accounts to reduce the value of their employer accounts and IRAs. Then, when they do begin drawing their larger Social Security benefit for life, they also benefit from lower required minimum distributions (RMD) to help them stay in a lower income tax bracket.⁴

The key is to customize a retirement distribution strategy for each household’s situation, taking into consideration factors such as health and life expectancy (of both spouses), retirement income needs, where assets are invested, tax bracket management and what assets are best positioned for an inheritance.

We take pride in assisting our clients with incorporating all aspects of their life into their Retirement Roadmap 360®. Take control of your financial future and give us a call at (734) 769-1719 today to see how we may be able to help you!

¹ BlackRock. 2021. “Will my income last a lifetime?” https://www.blackrock.com/us/individual/insights/retirement-income. Accessed June 4, 2021.

² Curtis V. Cloke. Retirement InSight and Trends. May 4, 2021. “Advanced Annuity and Tax Strategies for Retirement Income.” https://www.retirement-insight.com/advanced-annuity-and-tax-strategies-for-retirement-income/. Accessed June 4, 2021.

³ T. Rowe Price. February 2021. “How to Get More Out of Your Retirement Account Withdrawals.” https://www.troweprice.com/content/dam/iinvestor/resources/insights/pdfs/how-to-get-more-out-your-retirement-account-withdrawals.pdf. Accessed June 4, 2021.

⁴ Ginger Szala. ThinkAdvisor. May 6, 2021. “Wade Pfau Makes Case for Raising Top Social Security Claiming Age to 72.” https://www.thinkadvisor.com/2021/05/06/wade-pfau-makes-case-for-raising-top-social-security-claiming-age-to-72/. Accessed July 7, 2021.

Neither the firm nor its agents or representatives may give tax or legal advice. Individuals should consult with a qualified professional for guidance before making any purchasing decisions. We are an independent firm helping individuals create retirement strategies using a variety of insurance and investment products to custom suit their needs and objectives. This material is intended to provide general information to help you understand basic financial planning strategies and should not be construed as financial or investment advice. All investments are subject to risk including the potential loss of principal. No investment strategy can guarantee a profit or protect against loss in periods of declining values.

The information contained in this material is believed to be reliable, but accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed; it is not intended to be used as the sole basis for financial decisions.

Investment Advisory Services are offered by Imber Financial Group, LLC., a Registered Investment Adviser firm. Insurance services are offered through Imber Wealth Advisors, Inc. Imber Financial Group, LLC. and Imber Wealth Advisors, Inc. are affiliated companies

Wednesday, August 4, 2021

Demographics Differing on Retirement Plans

According to PwC’s recent Retirement in America report, the median retirement savings among people ages 55 to 64 is $120,000. Unfortunately, that likely would provide less than $1,000 per month for a retiree, for only 15 years.¹

There’s an interesting dichotomy among demographics when it comes to retirement planning these days. There are those who believe they will work beyond age 70, or even never retire. Some believe they’ll need to keep working for financial reasons, while others simply want to stay engaged.² But then there’s another cohort (one-third of workers younger than 54) who aspire to retire by age 55, according to a 2020 survey by the research firm Hearts & Wallets.³

Clearly, the pandemic affected some households’ financial situation more than others. But the primary way to successfully fund retirement is to have a plan, and those who want to retire early generally do. Those who think they’ll never be able to stop working may have either failed to plan adequately or circumstances conspired to send those plans awry. Wherever you are in your planning stage, it never hurts to get advice. We’d be happy to review your current finances — and your retirement plan if you already have one — to either get you on track or ensure you’re still on the right path to retiring when and how you want.

Bear in mind that approximately 40 million people do not have the advantage of investing in an employer-sponsored retirement plan because they work for a small business. There appears to be a growing trend to address this situation, as multi-employer and pooled-employer plans (MEP/ PEP) are starting to come on board. These plans are designed to allow small employers to share investment and administrative costs.⁴

A 2019 survey of retirement plan participants by American Century Investments found that the number one regret among retirees was not saving enough money for retirement. Not saving enough could lead to working longer than you wanted or scaling back to a lower-cost retirement lifestyle.⁵

For current retirees or those expecting to retire soon, recognize that the recent rise in inflation is not without its advantages. For example, in April the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) increased to 4.7% over 12 months ago. This inflation measure is the one that Social Security uses to make annual cost of living adjustments (COLA) to benefits — which means the next COLA increase could reflect that 4.7% increase next year. For context, Social Security benefits rose by only 1.3% in 2021. The actual adjustment will be calculated later this year based on how inflation continues to perform, with the final determination generally announced after the third quarter.⁶

Content prepared by Kara Stefan Communications.

¹ PwC. 2021. “Retirement in America: Time to rethink and retool.” https://www.pwc.com/us/en/industries/asset-wealth-management/library/retirement-in-america.html. Accessed June 15, 2021.

² American Advisors Group. May 6, 2021. “Nearly One in Three Seniors Plan to Work Past 70 or Never Retire, According to AAG Survey.” https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nearly-one-in-three-seniors-plan-to-work-past-70-or-never-retire-according-to-aag-survey-301285256.html. Accessed May 31, 2021.

³ Hearts & Wallets. March 16, 2021. “Retirement Resurgence: Americans Who ‘Aspire to Retire by 55;’ Anticipation of Increasing Number of Income Sources.” https://www.heartsandwallets.com/docs/press/press_release_2021-03-16_Retirement_Resurgence_Americans_Who_Aspire_to_Retire_by_55_Goal_More_Income_Sources.pdf. Accessed June 15, 2021.

⁴ Stephen Miller, CEBS. Nov. 16, 2020. “DOL Final Rule Paves the Way for 2021 Launch of Pooled 401(k) Plans.” https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/benefits/pages/dol-final-rule-paves-way-for-2021-launch-of-pooled-401k-plans.aspx. Accessed June 29, 2021.

⁵ Brian Mayfield. American Century Investments. 2021. “4 Reasons to Rethink Cashing Out Your Retirement.” https://www.americancentury.com/content/direct/en/insights/guidance-planning/retirement/saving-for-retirement/rollover-options/cashing-out-retirement-401k-ira-four-considerations.html. Accessed May 31, 2021.

⁶David Payne. Kiplinger. June 28, 2021. “What is the Social Security COLA?” https://www.kiplinger.com/article/retirement/t051-c000-s010-what-is-the-social-security-cola.html. Accessed June 29, 2021.

The information contained in this material is believed to be reliable, but accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed; it is not intended to be used as the sole basis for financial decisions.

Wednesday, June 2, 2021

Gen X Prepares to Ascend the Throne

Generation X, comprised of adults between the ages of 40 and 55, have entered their prime earning years while at the same time enjoying a bull market for stocks. This demographic represents about a quarter of households in the U.S. (26.8%) and a similar share of

household net worth (26.9%). However, many economists see Gen X as the next generation to hold significant wealth.1

While the declining Baby Boomer generation now accounts for only 22% of American consumers, Gen X is expected to grow to more than 38 million households by 2027. Furthermore, this group is expected to reach $34.6 trillion in investable assets during that same time frame, up from holding $9.2 trillion in in 2017.2

If you or someone you know is earning a good income but has little investment experience, we’d be glad to help. Forming a trusted relationship with a financial professional can be the key to designing and achieving a plan for a financially confident retirement. Please feel free to give us a call or refer us to family, friends and colleagues.

A new study of Generation X women found that more than half (54%) of those with partners earn as much as or more than their spouse. In fact, nearly a third of Millennial and Gen X women report that they are the primary breadwinners of their household. With earnings and financial planning top of mind, about 77% of Gen X women say they are making sure their children learn about managing finances.3

However, Gen X largely represents the last of the old guard. This generation grew up believing in the American dream – get an education, work hard, buy a house with a 30-year mortgage and save for retirement. In contrast, the generations following are more skeptical of these principals. Having lived through and witnessed the effects of two recessions and a global pandemic on their parents’ finances, Millennials and Generation Z are more likely to question the cost-value proposition of a college education and the wisdom of committing to a 30-year mortgage – especially while carrying student loan debt and an auto loan.4

Gen X may be more interested in a job that provides health benefits, while younger generations tend to be more entrepreneurial, and choosing the entrepreneurial path, benefits are not always included with the job. As such, Gen X is more old school when it comes to investing, contributing to traditional savings vehicles and adopting a buy-and-hold mindset. In some ways Millennials are proving more sophisticated; using apps to actively buy and sell stocks, invest in fractional shares, and mix up their savings vehicles among tax-advantaged accounts such as a 401(k) or a Roth IRA.

In many ways, Generation X is in a prime position. Although overlooked by the larger, more influential Baby Boomers and Millennials, Gen X has benefited from being sandwiched in the middle. They’ve inherited the values of the American Dream. Many got their college education before tuitions skyrocketed and student loans became prevalent. Some had bought their first house and had a firm foothold in their career before the 2007 recession.

At the same time, they grew up with computers and easily adapted to smartphones and other new technology. Gen X has accumulated assets that are well positioned to continue growing and help ease them into retirement, not to mention the potential for inheriting wealth from their parents.5

1 Howard Schneider. US News & World Report. March 29, 2021. “Gen X Emerging From Pandemic With Firmer Grip on America’s Wallet.” https://money.usnews.com/investing/news/articles/2021-03-29/gen-x-emerging-from-pandemic-with-firmer-grip-on-americas-wallet. Accessed April 11, 2021.

dont-call-them-slackers-why-gen-x-is-really-gen. Accessed April 11, 2021.

3 Jacqueline Sergeant. Financial Advisor Magazine. April 1, 2021. “The Buck Increasingly Stops With Millennial, Gen X Women.” https://www.fa-mag.com/news/the-buck-increasingly-stops-with-millennial–gen-x-women-61202.html. Accessed April 11, 2021.

4 Andrew Lisa. Yahoo Finance. April 6, 2021. “What Millennials Can Learn From Gen X’s Money Mistakes.” https://finance.yahoo.com/news/millennials-learn-gen-x-money-201401828.html. Accessed April 11, 2021.

5 Andrew Lisa. Yahoo Finance. March 24, 2021. “Surprising Ways Gen X and Millennials Are Worlds Apart Financially.” https://finance.yahoo.com/news/surprising-ways-gen-x-millennials-110017806.html. Accessed April 11, 2021.

The information contained in this material is believed to be reliable, but accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed; it is not intended to be used as the sole basis for financial decisions.

Friday, May 28, 2021

Investment Consolidation Strategies

Throughout investment industry and financial media sources we constantly hear the message that our money should be diversified. By spreading assets throughout a number of different vehicles, we can take advantage of various market opportunities while helping protect them from some investment risks.

But how much diversification is too much? And what exactly should it cover?

For example, should you spread out your money across brokerages and custodians, or maintain a small number of accounts with one or two financial institutions? As young investors, we are often tempted to try out different investment opportunities in response to broker solicitations, direct mail advertisements, money managers we hear on television or radio, as well as a number of other mediums that seem promising.

But as we near retirement, it’s usually a good idea to begin consolidating accounts. This is because it can often be easier to manage fewer accounts as we grow older. It also can help our loved ones or a hired financial professional step in to find and manage money on our behalf. If you have reached this stage and would like to get your finances organized and consolidated, we can help you decide the best options for your situation. Don’t hesitate to call.

Should you consolidate down to just one brokerage and/or one bank? That may depend on the total value of your assets. Note that the Securities Industry Protection Corporation (SIPC) insures up to $500,000 in each account held at each institution. In other words, if you hold a taxable account and a tax-deferred account at the same brokerage firm, each is insured for up to half a million dollars. Also note that your money is kept separate from the assets of the brokerage firm itself. Therefore, if the company gets into trouble, it can’t tap its customers’ money to bail itself out.¹

There are some good reasons to consolidate with one brokerage firm. First of all, it’s simply easier to monitor performance. Second, you also may enjoy additional perks if your total account size exceeds a specific threshold. For example, as a “premium investor” you may be eligible for free advisor consultations, free notary services, etc.

However, just because you consolidate with one broker doesn’t mean you need to put all of your money in one account. In fact, it can be a good idea to vary products for tax diversification. A combination of taxable and tax-free accounts — such as traditional and Roth IRAs (which do not require minimum distributions) – can reduce your tax liability during retirement.

However, be aware of portfolio overlap as you diversify your investments. Your investments — particularly mutual funds and ETFs — may share many of the same securities. When you consolidate, it can be a good time to cross reference your investments to identify security duplication and concentration. One rule of thumb is to consider holding no more than 10% of your total investment in any particular industry or company. Otherwise, a performance decline may dramatically affect your income during retirement.²

Another idea is to consolidate into a “Target Date” fund which is designed to adjust its allocation mix as you approach the target date (often your retirement date). In doing so, you benefit from a single diversified portfolio managed by financial professionals who periodically rebalance the investment mix to stay on target with its timeline and performance goals.³

Be aware that as working spouses begin to consolidate their individual accounts, they may have many of the same underlying investments. Review all accounts to determine an appropriate asset allocation and retirement timeline for each spouse as well as the household.

If you are considering consolidating multiple 401(k) plans, your choices may be limited by what your past and current plan sponsors allow. Sometimes it’s easier to roll over those assets to a traditional IRA, especially if you tend to change jobs relatively often. The IRA becomes a repository to consolidate old 401(k) assets and maintain a strategic asset allocation without being overly diversified or having too many overlapping securities. Consider your 401(k) options:⁴

· Leave the assets in the current 401(k) if allowed by your former employer’s plan.

· When changing jobs, roll your old 401(k) account assets into your new employer’s plan — if allowed by the new plan. This may be preferable if the new plan permits loans, but be sure to compare new and old plan fees and investment options to ensure you get what you want.

· Roll over your old 401(k) into an individual retirement account (IRA) — do this with each career/company move to maintain one consolidated reservoir. Be aware that an IRA does not permit loans and there may be negative tax consequences if you have significantly appreciated employer stock.

· Cash out your old 401(k) only if you need the money. Not only are those funds considered taxable income and subject to an immediate tax withholding, but you also may be subject to a 10% tax penalty if you cash out too young. Moreover, you could miss out on future tax-deferred gains.

¹ Teri Geske. Investorjunkie. Feb. 23, 2021. “Can You Have Multiple Brokerage Accounts?” https://investorjunkie.com/stock-brokers/can-you-have-more-than-one-brokerage-account/. Accessed April 2, 2021.

² T. Rowe Price. Spring 2021. “Focus on Diversification.” https://www.troweprice.com/content/dam/iinvestor/planning-and-research/Insights/investor-magazine-spring.pdf. Accessed April 2, 2021.

³ T. Rowe Price. Spring 2021. “A One-Stop Approach to Retirement Investing.” https://www.troweprice.com/content/dam/iinvestor/planning-and-research/Insights/investor-magazine-spring.pdf. Accessed April 2, 2021.

⁴ T. Rowe Price. Spring 2021. “What Should You Do With an Old 401(k)?” https://www.troweprice.com/content/dam/iinvestor/planning-and-research/Insights/investor-magazine-spring.pdf. Accessed April 2, 2021.

The information contained in this material is believed to be reliable, but accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed; it is not intended to be used as the sole basis for financial decisions. If you are unable to access any of the news articles and sources through the links provided in this text, please contact us to request a copy of the desired reference.

Thursday, May 6, 2021

New Status on Pension Plans

Financial professionals and economists have been talking about the “graying of America” and the retirement crisis for at least a couple of decades. Now, it seems, things have reached a tipping point.

Even labor union workers, largely beneficiaries of rich benefits and pension plans, have been hit hard. Throughout the past century, unions set up multiple-employer pension plans so that unionized workers in the trucking, trade, construction, ironworking, carpentry and other industries could change employers throughout their career while staying with the same union and continue accruing pension benefits from job to job.¹ Despite that effort, more than 1,400 multiemployer pension plans covering about 11 million U.S. workers have fallen into a financial hole.

For example, a worker who retired in 2009 with 37 years paid into his pension fund was due $4,265 per month for life. However, in 2015 his pension benefit was slashed to $2,217 per month due to underfunding.²

This problem doesn’t just affect pensioners, it affects the nation’s overall economy. According to the National Institute of Retirement Security, each $1 spent on pension benefits supports $2.19 in economic output. In some coal-mining areas, entire towns are supported by union pensioners. In Detroit, nearly a third of income comes from pensions, union retiree health, Medicare and Social Security. If pension plans fail, communities throughout the heartland, including Ohio, Kansas, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Indiana, will suffer immeasurably.³

Union pensions are not the only plans under financial pressure. According to the 2020 Social Security Trustee report, the Social Security retirement trust fund was scheduled to run out of money by 2034. But that estimate was before the pandemic, when unemployment and suspended FICA payroll taxes significantly reduced Social Security revenues while at the same time millions of people retired early and began tapping their benefits. The new trustee report, due in a few months, will likely update that depletion date to 2032 or sooner. Without changes, Social Security benefits soon will be funded solely by current payroll taxes, which would reduce benefits by as much as a quarter of previous estimates.⁴

It may be a good time to review your individual retirement plan to shore up any gaps that may be affected by reduced pension and government benefits. Feel free to contact us to discuss your situation and explore tax-efficient ways to provide more financial confidence to your retirement plans.

The recent $1.9 trillion stimulus bill took a first step to help stabilize pension plans. It authorized funding by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) for eligible multiemployer plans to enable them to pay benefits at plan levels and remain solvent. The funding is being paid out from general revenues of the U.S. Treasury.⁵

¹ Martha C. White. NBC News. Feb. 8, 2021. “Stimulus checks that don’t get used right away are still ¹ Chris Farrell. Marketwatch. March 15, 2021. “The new stimulus bill will help shore up some shaky pension plans.” https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-new-stimulus-bill-will-help-shore-up-some-shaky-pension-plans-11615586775?mod=home-page. Accessed March 22, 2021.

² Teresa Ghilarducci. Forbes. March 15, 2021. “What Is The Pension Provision In The Stimulus Package? An Explainer.” https://www.forbes.com/sites/teresaghilarducci/2021/03/15/what-is-the-pension-provision-in-the-stimulus-package-an-explainer/?sh=7fdbc4c257d1. Accessed March 22, 2021.

³ Ibid.

⁴ Bob Carlson. Forbes. Feb. 22, 2021. “Changes Must Come To Social Security.” https://www.forbes.com/sites/bobcarlson/2021/02/22/changes-must-come-to-social-security/?sh=44501abc15e4. Accessed March 22, 2021.

⁵ Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. March 12, 2021. “American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.” https://www.pbgc.gov/american-rescue-plan-act-of-2021. Accessed March 22, 2021.

⁶ Jory Heckman. Federal News Network. Feb. 24, 2021. “USPS 10-year plan looks to redefine ‘unachievable’ service standards.” https://federalnewsnetwork.com/agency-oversight/2021/02/usps-10-year-plan-looks-to-redefine-unachievable-service-standards/. Accessed March 22, 2021.

⁷ Govtrack. Feb. 2, 2021. “H.R. 695: USPS Fairness Act.” https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/117/hr695. Accessed March 22, 2021.