“When Should I File for Social Security Benefits?”

It's the question every Boomer needs to answer. Rich or poor. Whether you'll need Social Security to make ends meet or whether you intend to use it to fund an investment program for yourself or, say, your grandkids' education. Or anything else in between. Unfortunately, the answer to that question is complicated. The accumulation phase …

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Women Live Longer, But Aren’t Planning Longer

By Glenn Ruffenach When it comes to retirement planning, women need to “out-plan” men. That’s the lesson at the heart of a new report from the MetLife Mature Market Institute and the Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University. The study asserts that women – given the unique financial risks they face during their working years …

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Rules for Required IRA Distributions

After you reach age 70½, you must start withdrawing money from your account. Here's what you need to know. It’s the time of year when I start receiving questions about required minimum distributions from IRAs and other retirement-savings plans. Generally, you must take distributions every year after you reach age 70½. Here are some of …

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The Estate of Steve Jobs

Yesterday I found article on the web version of Financial Planning magazine. In it the authors extolled the steps they thought Steve Jobs had taken regarding his estate to minimize the estate tax bills that will eventually come due. They never said what his estimated estate might have been but did suggest that the tax …

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US car sales rebound strongly in September

US car sales rose strongly in September, with gloom over economic prospects offset by consumers’ need to replace old vehicles, easier credit conditions and an improved supply of Japanese vehicles. According to preliminary data, light-vehicle sales climbed to slightly more than 13m units at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, from 12.1m in August and 11.8m …

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China Anyone?

Amid all the talk about Europe, about who is running for President in this country in 2012, you’ll find comments about what China is doing, and whether they present a threat to us, be it economic or military or whatever. As we wonder how we are going to solve our problems, be it unemployment, housing, …

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Gold Bugs Beware – the Bubble is Bursting

By Mark Williams Gold is losing its glimmer. Last month, gold prices dropped more than $300 an ounce – the largest short-term fall in more than 20 years. This suggests that a decade-long bull market is ending. Gold’s recent volatility is spooking investors and destroying demand. The last bull market for gold ended in 1980, …

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Greatest Moral Hazard, Says Paul McCulley, Is Austerity Here And Now

This post has to do with Global Economics and our financial future. That’s both YOURS and MINE. It deals with an interview done by a Kate Welling talking with Paul McCulley, the recently retired director of PIMCO. You may have heard of PIMCO. It is a global investment solution provider, headquartered in Newport Beach, CA. …

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3 Principles, 1 Realization

There are three basic investment principles to which I adhere and one realization. The three principles are: 1. Seek to minimize losses; 2. Seek to minimize fees; 3. Diversify. Diversification can mean different things to different people. To me, it is not a blind "spread it across all asset categories" approach. Although this is what …

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Capital Market Insights – OCTOBER 3, 2011

Here is your Weekly Insights update from Curian’s Asset Management Group. This informative capital market update is designed to help those who want to manage your own money stay informed about important developments in economics and the markets… CONTINUE READING …