Your Year-End Financial Check-up

 The next couple weeks will highlight some items you might want to do before saying goodbye to 2011.  They may seem minor, but little year end moves may lead to significant improvements down the road.  So, before you pop open the champagne to ring in 2012, connect with your advisors before the new year starts.  Did you have a significant birthday this year?  Remember if you turned 70 ½ that you need to start withdrawing money from your IRA accounts - aka RMDs (required minimum distributions).  If you turned 50, you can start saving more into your retirement accounts.  Medicare starts at age 65 and most are eligible for social security at 62.  In the same light, are you having these significant bdays in 2012?  Get with your advisors early to start planning so you can maximize benefits.