Educational Blogs
Schedule a Meeting With Lorraine Holt or Call 603-494-4661
“Third-Party Posts”
The views reflected by the author in this article are subject to change at any time without notice. L Holt Financial and Insurance deems reliable any statistical data or information obtained from or prepared by third party sources included in this article, but in no way guarantees its accuracy or completeness.
What will an ordinary Tuesday cost in retirement?
When people picture retirement, they tend to picture the good stuff. A trip they’ve been putting off. More time with the grandkids. A weekday tee time. But an ordinary Tuesday might tell you more about the retirement you’re planning for. Where will you wake up? How...
The Retirement Expenses You Won’t Find in Your Monthly Budget
You have estimated your monthly retirement income. You have added up the mortgage, groceries, utilities, and insurance premiums. The numbers appear to work. Then the air conditioner needs replacing. A dental bill arrives. Your vehicle becomes unreliable, or a family...
You’ve Built a Financial Future. Have You Protected It?
Building financial security takes years of effort. You save, manage expenses, pay down debt, and make decisions with the future in mind. Each step helps create more options for yourself and the people you love. But there is another question worth asking: How would...
The Retirement Paycheck Problem: You’ve Saved for 30 Years. Now What?
For decades, you worked for your paycheck. In retirement, your money needs to start working for you. But will it be ready? Think about the last 30 or 40 years of your life. You got up, went to work, paid the bills, raised a family, and hopefully set aside money for...
Has Your Financial Plan Kept Up With Your Life? A Fall Checkup Before Year-End
Life rarely changes all at once. A new job brings a different benefits package. A growing family adds responsibilities. Retirement moves a little closer. Everyday expenses gradually take up more of the budget. Individually, these changes may seem manageable. Together,...
7 Year-End Financial Moves to Consider Before December 31
As the year begins to wind down, your financial plan deserves a year-end review too. The final few months of the year can be an important time to evaluate retirement accounts, taxes, insurance coverage, income needs, and other financial decisions that may affect both...
You’ve Worked Hard to Build Your Future. Is Your Financial Plan Keeping Up?
A new home. A growing family. A career change. Retirement getting closer. Life rarely stays the same for long. Yet financial plans and insurance policies can sit untouched for years—even as the people and priorities they were designed to support change. You may be...
Could Your Retirement Plan Handle a Change of Plans?
You may have a clear picture of retirement: more time with family, a few trips you have been putting off, and the freedom to spend your days doing what matters most. But a retirement plan also needs room for the things you cannot schedule. An unexpected home repair. A...
The Four Risks That Can Quietly Undermine Your Retirement Plan
Retirement planning is about more than reaching a particular savings goal. Even a substantial portfolio can face pressure from risks that are easy to underestimate—including market volatility, inflation, rising healthcare costs, and the possibility of living longer...
The views reflected by the author in this article are subject to change at any time without notice. L Holt Financial and Insurance deems reliable any statistical data or information obtained from or prepared by third party sources included in this article, but in no way guarantees its accuracy or completeness.
AI-chip selloff erases Wednesday’s rally; stocks log a fourth straight weekly decline
The week in brief U.S. stocks ended the week lower after a volatile stretch. The S&P 500 fell 2.68% to 7,376.86, the Nasdaq Composite fell 3.37% to 24,579.42, the Dow fell 0.94% to 51,285.73 and the Russell 2000 fell 2.05% to 2,754.11. The Dow jumped 1,569 points...
Weekly Market Commentary
U.S. stocks climbed through Wednesday, then gave it all back. The S&P 500 slipped 0.6% and the Nasdaq fell 2.0%, each for a third straight weekly decline, and the Dow lost 0.9%. Small caps held up, with the Russell 2000 up 1.3%. The turn came after Alphabet and...
Weekly Market Commentary
It was another volatile week on Wall Street, with US indices ending the week with mixed results. Ongoing concerns about AI financing and its return on investment continued after Meta announced its 3rd-quarter results. The company beat estimates and offered solid...
Weekly Market Commentary
It was a chaotic week on Wall Street as investors tried to interpret mixed Q3 financial results, a spike in oil prices, sharp swings in yields across the curve, hotter-than-expected inflation data, dovish tones from central bankers, and renewed concerns about the AI...
Weekly Market Commentary
U.S. financial markets logged weekly gains as Wall Street shook off tech sector volatility and focused on stabilizing energy prices. Despite severe global bond market pressure, the S&P 500 rose 1.15% and hit an all-time high this week; the Dow Jones Industrial...
Weekly Market Commentary
As we move from the third quarter into the fourth, investors have a lot to consider in this crazy market. US equities finished the week mixed in volatile trade. A standstill in negotiations between the US and Iran pushed oil prices higher early in the week, but the...
Weekly Market Commentary
Markets finished the week mixed as interest rates increased across the yield curve. Oil prices swung significantly during the week as reports suggested the US and Iran were close to a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. This weekend, President Trump rejected the...
Weekly Market Commentary
It was a volatile week on Wall Street as traders assessed monetary policy decisions from several central banks, including the Federal Reserve. The Fed did, as expected, raise its policy rate by 25 basis points to 3.75%-4.00%, but Fed Chairman Warsh's very hawkish...
Weekly Market Commentary
US equity markets fell in the holiday-shortened week as oil prices surpassed $100 a barrel, raising inflation concerns and pushing interest rates higher. Additionally, elevated inflation data announced during the week increased the likelihood that the Federal Reserve...
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 (L Holt Financial and Insurance) is stated or implied. Ed Slott Group and Ed Slott and Company, LLC are not affiliated with L Holt Financial and Insurance.
For the detailed requirements of Ed Slott’s Elite IRA Advisor Group, please visit: https://www.irahelp.com/
What Is the Deadline for Taking an IRA Owner’s Year-of-Death RMD Without Penalty?: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst QUESTION: My dad died in December 2025, at age 95. I am the sole beneficiary of his traditional IRA. I just discovered that he never took his required minimum distribution (RMD) for 2025. Will his estate be subject to a penalty? ANSWER:...
Spouse Beneficiary RMDs: Calculation Basics
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst In the October 26 Slott Report entry (“Beneficiary RMDs: Calculation Basics”), we discussed the required minimum distribution (RMD) calculation rules for non-spouse IRA beneficiaries. Spouses, on the other hand, are a special type...
IRS Establishes New Correction Program for Fixing IRA Errors
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst A recently announced IRS program gives you new ways to fix certain IRA errors. Unfortunately, it won’t be as helpful as it seems. In the 2022 SECURE 2.0 legislation, Congress gave the IRS two years – until December 29, 2024 – to come up...
IRA Beneficiaries and the Roth IRA Five-Year Rule: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education QUESTION: I am age 84. My IRA beneficiaries are my two children (ages 52 and 56) and my grandchild (age 8). Who is a non-eligible designated beneficiary (NEDB) and who is an eligible designated beneficiary (EDB)?...
Correcting an Excess IRA Contribution After the October 15 Deadline
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Excess IRA contributions happen frequently and for a variety of reasons. Maybe your income ended up being higher than expected and you were ultimately ineligible for the Roth IRA contribution you made. Maybe you...
Beneficiary RMDs: Calculation Basics
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Although many IRA owners are required to take required minimum distributions (RMDs), much confusion remains as to how the RMD is calculated. Factors include whether the original IRA owner reached his required beginning date (“RBD”...
Health Savings Accounts and IRA Rollovers: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst QUESTION: I have a question regarding joint health savings accounts (HSAs). What happens if an HSA is shared with a spouse who is not yet eligible for Medicare? Can that spouse continue to contribute if they remain enrolled in a...
The Same-Property Rollover Rule Gets No Respect
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Many of you are probably aware of the 60-day rollover deadline and the once-per-year rollover rule. But there’s a third IRA rollover restriction you may be less familiar with: the “same-property rule.” The same-property rule is the Rodney...
5 Things to Know About HSAs at Age 65
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education The unfortunate reality for many Americans is that medical expenses will be a large part of their expected budget in retirement years. Health Savings Accounts (HSA), which continue to grow both in numbers and in...
The views reflected by the author in this article are subject to change at any time without notice. L Holt Financial and Insurance deems reliable any statistical data or information obtained from or prepared by third party sources included in this article, but in no way guarantees its accuracy or completeness.
Would You Choose Your Medicare Plan Again? 5 Things to Check Before December 7
Imagine picking up your first prescription in January and hearing a different price than you paid in December. Or calling to schedule a follow-up and learning that your specialist is outside your Medicare Advantage plan’s network for the new year. Even when your plan...
read more
Beyond the Premium: Five Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Medicare Plan
A low monthly premium can catch your attention. But it cannot tell you whether a Medicare plan fits your life. The questions that matter often come later: Can you keep your doctor? What will your prescriptions cost? How does coverage work when you travel? What might...
read more
Does Your Medicare Plan Still Fit Your Life? What to Review Before You Renew
The Medicare plan you chose last year may have made perfect sense at the time. But what happens when your prescriptions change, you start seeing a specialist, or your plan updates its costs and coverage? It is easy to assume that keeping the same plan means everything...
read more
Medicare Changes for 2027: 7 Things You Need to Review Before Keeping Your Current Plan
Your Medicare coverage may look the same on the surface, but important changes to your benefits, prescription costs, and provider networks could affect what you pay next year. For millions of Americans, Medicare provides essential health coverage and greater...
read more
Your Medicare Plan May Be Changing—Even If Your Health Hasn’t
You’re happy with your doctors. Your prescriptions haven’t changed. Your Medicare coverage worked well this year. So, is reviewing your plan really necessary? It’s a worthwhile step. Your healthcare needs may stay the same while your plan’s costs and coverage change....
read more
Medicare Open Enrollment 2027: 7 Things to Review Before December 7
Medicare Open Enrollment is one of the most important times of the year for people who already have Medicare. From October 15 through December 7, 2026, Medicare beneficiaries have an opportunity to review their current coverage and make changes for 2027. Any coverage...
read more
Before Your Next Appointment: 5 Medicare Questions That Can Help Prevent Costly Surprises
You schedule an appointment, hand over your insurance card, and assume your coverage will take care of the rest. Then a bill arrives—or the pharmacy tells you that your new prescription needs approval. Understanding your Medicare coverage before you use it can help...
read more
Your Medicare Plan Changed. Did You Notice?
You recognize the insurance company. You have the same membership card. Your coverage has worked well so far. But does it still fit the year ahead? It is easy to treat Medicare coverage as a decision you have already finished. Yet a plan that met your needs last year...
read more
7 Medicare Enrollment Mistakes to Avoid When Turning 65
Turning 65 is an exciting milestone—but it also brings important Medicare decisions. With multiple enrollment periods, coverage options, and deadlines to understand, even a small mistake could lead to delayed coverage, unexpected expenses, or lifelong penalties. Here...
read more
Would You Choose Your Medicare Plan Again? 5 Things to Check Before December 7
Imagine picking up your first prescription in January and hearing a different price than you paid in December. Or calling to schedule a follow-up and learning that your specialist is outside your Medicare Advantage plan’s network for the new year. Even when your plan...
Beyond the Premium: Five Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Medicare Plan
A low monthly premium can catch your attention. But it cannot tell you whether a Medicare plan fits your life. The questions that matter often come later: Can you keep your doctor? What will your prescriptions cost? How does coverage work when you travel? What might...
Does Your Medicare Plan Still Fit Your Life? What to Review Before You Renew
The Medicare plan you chose last year may have made perfect sense at the time. But what happens when your prescriptions change, you start seeing a specialist, or your plan updates its costs and coverage? It is easy to assume that keeping the same plan means everything...
Medicare Changes for 2027: 7 Things You Need to Review Before Keeping Your Current Plan
Your Medicare coverage may look the same on the surface, but important changes to your benefits, prescription costs, and provider networks could affect what you pay next year. For millions of Americans, Medicare provides essential health coverage and greater...
Your Medicare Plan May Be Changing—Even If Your Health Hasn’t
You’re happy with your doctors. Your prescriptions haven’t changed. Your Medicare coverage worked well this year. So, is reviewing your plan really necessary? It’s a worthwhile step. Your healthcare needs may stay the same while your plan’s costs and coverage change....
Medicare Open Enrollment 2027: 7 Things to Review Before December 7
Medicare Open Enrollment is one of the most important times of the year for people who already have Medicare. From October 15 through December 7, 2026, Medicare beneficiaries have an opportunity to review their current coverage and make changes for 2027. Any coverage...
Before Your Next Appointment: 5 Medicare Questions That Can Help Prevent Costly Surprises
You schedule an appointment, hand over your insurance card, and assume your coverage will take care of the rest. Then a bill arrives—or the pharmacy tells you that your new prescription needs approval. Understanding your Medicare coverage before you use it can help...
Your Medicare Plan Changed. Did You Notice?
You recognize the insurance company. You have the same membership card. Your coverage has worked well so far. But does it still fit the year ahead? It is easy to treat Medicare coverage as a decision you have already finished. Yet a plan that met your needs last year...
7 Medicare Enrollment Mistakes to Avoid When Turning 65
Turning 65 is an exciting milestone—but it also brings important Medicare decisions. With multiple enrollment periods, coverage options, and deadlines to understand, even a small mistake could lead to delayed coverage, unexpected expenses, or lifelong penalties. Here...
L Holt Financial and Insurance Location
Bedford New Hampshire
264 S. River Road, Ste. 514
Bedford, NH 03110
Office: 603-494-4661
lholtinsurance@hotmail.com
