Darla Mercado

Darla Mercado writes about retirement issues and products, including taxes, annuities and 401(k) plans. She welcomes feedback and tips from readers on interesting topics. Outside of the newsroom, Darla spends her time inline skating, biking, running and swimming. She Tweets at: @Darla_Mercado

Darla Mercado
Displaying 883 results
RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING JAN 04, 2014
Secrets for successfully decanting trusts

Moving a trust to another state can extend its life or reduce a client's income taxes

RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING JAN 04, 2014
Strategies to mitigate new surtax could kick Medicare prices higher

Advisers need to watch that clients do not inadvertently inflate their income and Medicare costs

RETIREMENT TAX JAN 02, 2014
Hefty tax bills could lurk in failed life insurance policies

Investors who surrender or let policies lapse risk big tax bills for so-called phantom income.

RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING DEC 31, 2013
How to get a jumpstart on 2014 tax planning

Ease the bite of new tax rules with these strategies

RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING DEC 23, 2013
Variable annuity sellers clamp down on payments to existing contracts

Two of the largest variable annuity sellers sharply pulled back on additional premiums into existing contracts during a busy third quarter for the sellers.

RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING DEC 19, 2013
Small can be big in 401(k) plans

RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING DEC 19, 2013
Hefty tax bills could lurk in failed life insurance policies

Investors who surrender or let policies lapse risk big tax bills for so-called phantom income.

RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING DEC 18, 2013
Workers pay little attention to 401(k) fee disclosures

According to advisers and recent data from Limra, workers seem to be doing precisely what they would be expected to do with 20-page disclosure documents: Tossing them in the circular file.

RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING DEC 17, 2013
MassMutual 401(k) suit takes litigation into new territory

A recent lawsuit against MassMutual over excessive 401(k) fees raises the possibility that group annuities and stable-value products could become a focus of future complaints.

NEWS RIAS DEC 16, 2013
Last-minute scramble to save on taxes: A couple oldies-but-goodies and a few interesting new ideas

Decisions clients make in the next four weeks can make a significant difference in their annual tax bill.