This is a comment I came upon recently but cannot source. Mindful that the deficit is a major concern for all of us, and mindful that I am personally a recipient of a monthly check from Social Security, I want to share this with you. The question whether I am contributing to the deficit by …
Continue reading Expert: Social Security Doesn’t Contribute to the Deficit
What we’ve talked about in Part I & II is a basic application of the time value of money, given today’s interest rates. So, is it time to take up boozing, smoking and to hell with the exercise bike? Maybe. As a financial advisor, I can provide you with reams of data that suggest, over …
Continue reading What Does Retirement Really Cost? – Part III
This is a question that surfaces in one form or another in virtually every conversation I have with a client or prospective client. The central point is that no one knows. How's that for insight? "Retirement" is that point in your life when you stop working for money and whatever money you have accumulated has …
As of 2011, The Investment Company Institute reports that the 401(k) plan retirement system holds over $3,000 billion in assets, over 50% of which are found in stock-based mutual funds. Despite their popular use, many investors are uncomfortable with them and unfamiliar with the "rules of the road" when it comes to the proper care …
Continue reading Top 5 Critical Retirement Plan Mistakes To Avoid
By Liz Ann Sonders - Senior Vice-President and Chief Investment Strategist at Charles Schwab Today, housing represents a record low of US gross domestic product at about 2 per cent compared with more than 6 per cent at its 2005 peak. But the psychological impact of housing on individuals, the stock market and the broader …
Continue reading Time for Policymakers to Get Real on US Housing
( I swore to myself that I would have a post today with a "positive" message. Sorry.) By Howard Gleckman on October 26th, 2011 The Metlife Mature Market Institute has released its annual survey of the cost of long-term care services, including nursing homes, assisted living facilities, adult day programs, and home care. And the …
Some time ago I posted an article called Cognitive Dissonance. It put me in mind of something that frustrates me. I’m where I am in life and perhaps you are where you are as a result of forces in this country that created what we think of as the ‘great middle class’. You know these …
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 …
Continue reading “When Should I File for Social Security Benefits?”
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 …
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...
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