From “Editors”; Kiplinger ~ Dec 05, 2015

After you turn 70½, you need to start taking required minimum distributions from your 401(k)s and traditional IRAs. The exact amount is based on the balance in your retirement accounts as of December 31 of the previous year and your life expectancy according to the IRS.
See Also: 6 Good Reasons to Work Past Retirement Age

By Naomi Jagoda; The Hill ~ Dec 05, 2015

Many lawmakers hope to vote by the end of the year on a bill that makes expired and expiring tax breaks permanent, but a number of hurdles remain.

Time is running out for Congress and the White House to come to an agreement on a broad “tax extenders” package. If a deal can’t be reached soon, lawmakers will likely end up just renewing the expired provisions for one or two years without making any permanent.

By Jonathan D. Rockoff; The Wall Street Journal ~ Dec 05, 2015

Dramatic price increases for several medicines are scheduled to be the subject of a congressional hearing in the coming week.

Companies including Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. and Turing Pharmaceuticals AG have been under fire this year from doctors, patients and lawmakers over rising drug costs. Such increases have prompted investigations by congressional committees, and House Democrats have established a task force to probe drug pricing. On Wednesday, the Senate Special Committee on Aging is scheduled to hold a hearing further exploring the matter.

By Julie Appleby; Kaiser Health News ~ Dec 03, 2015

Citing the flexibility they offer, many consumers choose health plans that provide some coverage outside the insurer’s network. Traditionally, such plans not only paid a portion of the bill, but also set an annual cap on how much policy holders paid toward out-of-network care.

Not anymore.

By Mike Sorrentino; MarketWatch ~ Nov 30, 2015

Today’s retirees are not to blame for the many hardships forced upon them. Many of the clients I work with have done everything right to prepare for retirement. They were frugal, careful not to accumulate too much debt, and even built nest eggs to supplement Social Security income and perhaps even modest pension distributions.

Typically, these retirees are also very conservative, dislike volatility, and have grown weary of the stock market after witnessing the dot-com bubble burst and the highly publicized Bernie Madoff investment scandal.

By Robert Powell; MarketWatch ~ Nov 30, 2015

New research calls the venerable 80% income-replacement rule into question

New research indicates that retirees—especially in higher income brackets—might need to replace less of their pre-retirement income than they think.

Financial planners have long suggested that individuals replace 80% of their income in retirement from various sources to maintain the same standard of living they had while working.

By Salvador Rodriguez; International Business Times ~ Nov 30, 2015

SAN FRANCISCO — AT&T is raising the price of its unlimited data plan by $5, joining a recent wave of wireless carriers trying to price customers out of limitless mobile Internet. The price hike will take effect in February and bring the cost of the plan to $35 per month, with texting and calling excluded.

By Sarah Ferris; The Hill ~ Nov 27, 2015

The presidential campaign is reigniting the battle over importing prescription drugs from Canada, with all of the leading Democratic candidates endorsing the idea.

Calls for allowing people to buy directly from Canadian pharmacies are also intensifying from some Republicans in Congress, including Sens. John McCain (Ariz.) and Chuck Grassley (Iowa).

From Anthony Ruben; Seeking Alpha ~ Nov 25, 2015

Summary

· T recently completed two acquisitions and a multi-year major wireless upgrade.

· Operating cash flow is surging while the dividend payout ratio is falling.

· Expect T to “celebrate” its success with a quarterly dividend increase of as much as $0.02/share.

AT&T (NYSE:T) typically announces the annual dividend increase in shareholder dividends in mid-December. The dividend, probably more so than even the stock price, is the main attraction for many, perhaps most, investors.

By Michelle Andrews; Kaiser Health News ~ Nov 24, 2015

Many primary care practitioners will be a little poorer next year because of the expiration of a health law program that has been paying them a 10 percent bonus for caring for Medicare patients. Some say the loss may trickle down to the patients, who could have a harder time finding a doctor or have to wait longer for appointments. But others say the program has had little impact on their practices, if they were aware of it at all.