The location decision should go beyond financial considerations of cost of living and taxes One of the natural consequences of baby boomers getting older is an intense interest in exploring new living options. In 2020, some 71 million Americans will be 55 or older ¬– the time when most begin to think seriously about when [...]
The table has been beautifully set and the aromas from the kitchen are so alluring. The wine is chilling and the flowers in the centerpiece are both exquisite and pungent. You’re all ready to sit down and enjoy, but something is missing. You’re not hungry. Even though we design the most technically competent retirement plans, [...]
There’s a lot to like about income-oriented investments Bond funds don’t always get the attention that stocks get among investors. But fixed income investments are an important part of the capital markets that deserve to be included in most investors’ portfolios. In fact, bond mutual funds have become an accepted way for U.S. households to [...]
Long-term care insurance (photo from Shutterstock) Long-term care planning is really hard to talk about. It can be frightening to imagine ourselves with diminished capacity and needing help from others. And since we find it challenging to discuss it, we often don’t plan for it. Very wealthy people can pay cash for upscale [...]
“Americans—women especially—aren’t getting the message that they need to start saving for retirement with their very first job,” says personal finance columnist Liz Weston, author of Deal With Your Debt. As a working mom, whole weeks may go by without the chance to sit down or even think. You’re managing a career, making decisions for your family, [...]
Staying socially and emotionally engaged may be key to investing for your future Millennials are often criticized in the press for putting off financial planning and being too risk-averse. According to a 2014 survey, millennials devote less than one-third (28%) of their portfolio to stocks and over half (52%) to cash, while non-millennials keep almost [...]
Although the term retirement income replacement ratio sounds formidable, it's actually an easily understood concept that doesn't require any fancy math. The ratio helps you zero in on your retirement savings goal and periodically measure your progress as you move toward your target. Will you need 60%, 75%, 90%, or even 100% of the income [...]
Most everyone dreams of the day they can finally retire and live the life of leisure. Yet recent evidence suggests that most near-retirees and retirees need to do a better job of timing and long-term planning. One study, conducted by the Society of Actuaries, looked at retirement risk factors and concluded that while decisions around [...]
Although many Americans now plan for a retirement up to 20 years, your retirement may last much longer. Believe it or not, living nearly a century may someday soon be almost commonplace. As a result, rather than thinking of retirement as the final stage of life, a more realistic approach may be to view it [...]
For many investors, a large portion of their investments are held in 401(k)s, IRAs, or other tax-favored retirement vehicles. While these accounts can be ideal for sheltering retirement savings from taxes both preretirement and post-retirement, they can also be highly vulnerable to tax losses in an estate, if they are not bequeathed properly. For instance, [...]
