Browse Retirement and Retirement Planning

Brazil. Russia. India. China. These four nations have some of the fastest-growing economies on earth and are becoming drivers in the world economy. In the coming decades, they may command as much attention as the U.S., Japan and other “heavy hitters” … or more. The future aside, we know one thing about the BRIC nations and other emerging markets: collectively, stocks in these countries have outperformedU.S.

Confusing doesn’t even begin to describe it. Throughout the very long debate over health care reform, a great deal of misinformation (spurred by presumption or misunderstanding) was circulating. Additionally, many changes and alterations to the proposed law were made along the way. At this point, some of the arguments your friends, neighbors or co-workers continue to debate don’t even factor into the legislation signed by President Obama. So what’s the truth behind the Affordable Health Care for America Act? Q: Will I be forced to change insurance? A: No.

Retiring from ones job can be a stressful time but it doesn’t have to be. Realize that it’s natural to be nervous, anxious and/or confused when you’re going through a major life change. Your decision to retire is causing you to step outside your comfort zone and is forcing you to make many new decisions and learn new things. Most importantly, remember that you only get one shot at retirement and you don’t want to make any mistakes. So here are some of the more common mistakes people make when retiring and how you can avoid them. 1.

Do you see a warning light flashing? Americans with high net worth and high incomes are preparing for the likelihood of higher taxes in 2011 and subsequent years. High earners are almost certainly going to take the hit if the EGTRRA and JGTRRA cuts fade away at the end of 2010. Here’s a summary of what’s happening – and a look at what might happen. There are some developments you will want to remember, and some tax breaks you might very well want to exploit.

Question: This stock market is nuts! How am I supposed to protect my IRA and 401k from losing money when I’ve only got three years until I retire? Bonnie, Ohio Answer: A few years before retiring, if possible, you should begin to accumulate an amount of money that's equivalent to 2-5 years worth of cash withdrawals (based upon your expected income needs). This systematic accumulation of cash is done on purpose so that you have a "safe-money" source to pull from when the balance of your investment portfolio and the stock and bond markets may be declining in value.

Question: I plan on retiring in 15 years (at age 60) and currently have 85% of my money in stocks. I’ve been maxing out my 401(K) since I was 21, and in the last year, I have seen some frightening drops in my funds. Should I be making any kind of changes to prevent more losses? Larry, Texas Answer: Larry, you’re the poster child for retirement. Congratulations for maxing out your 401k since your first started work.

Question: I’m 55 and not really happy with my job any more. I’d like to retire but I’m not sure I have enough money. What should I do? Liz, New York Answer: Liz, realize that you’re not alone. Many baby boomers are tired and burnt, and no longer want to wake up to their alarm clock come Monday morning. Here are a couple of suggestions. Talk with your employer about a phased retirement. For some reason, people think they need to stop working altogether or keep working full-time.

Editor's Note: The following is an excerpt from Retire in a Weekend! The Baby Boomers’ Guide to Making Work Optional. Catch a sneak peek of the authors DVD, The 10 Biggest Mistakes People Make When Retiring & How YOU Can Avoid Them at www.RetireinaWeekend.com.

Question: I’m turning 60 next year. While I don’t want to continue working full-time anymore, I don’t have the desire (or nest egg) to retire completely. What do you suggest? Doris, PA Answer: Doris, how about a phased retirement? Instead of working 40 hours per week, talk with your employer about a reduced workload with a corresponding pay cut. The result could be just the answer you’re looking for. Phased retirement is a new phrase being tossed around corporate America in recent years.

Every day, people draw on money they don’t actually have – via credit cards, payday loans, home equity lines of credit, and even their 401(k)s. Many of them end up making minimum payments on these high-interest loans – a sure way to stay indebted forever. If this is your situation, you may be wondering: how do I get out of debt? Let me give you some ideas. 1) Make a budget. “Where does all the money go?” If you are asking that question, here is where you learn the answer. You might find that you’re spending $80 a month on energy drinks, or $100 a week on lousy movies.

What should you do with your old 401k retirement plan if you change jobs? Uncertainty and inaccurate advice can cause anxiety and catastrophic financial consequences. As you may know, a 401k or other defined contribution plan is an excellent retirement savings vehicle. You can accumulate a substantial amount of money over many decades providing you let the money grow. With a traditional 401k, you also get the additional benefit of tax-deferred growth. With a Roth 401k, you forego the pre-tax advantage for tax-free withdrawals later in life when you take your money out.

How do you know when it's time to retire? Try some of the following on for size... 1. Work has begun to interfere with all the many other things you want to do - fitting them all into weekends and holidays is becoming more impossible or unpalatable. 2. Life just seems too short to carry on working. 3. You crave your freedom. 4. You want to have control over your time. 5. You want to retire while you have the health and strength to do everything that you enjoy. 6. You have a sense that you would regret continuing to work full time if you did it for much longer. 7.

We all tend to invest in companies which are earning good profits and have a good future earning potential but how many of us tend to care about what the company tends to do with these profits. Very few retail investors tend to look into whether the company intends to re-invest the past profits or does it tend to distribute this profit among the shareholders as dividends. Some analysts prefer high dividend paying companies and other analysts prefer companies which tend to re-

I've been thinking about the advantages and disadvantages of downsizing to a smaller home after retirement. This is what I've come up with so far... Advantages The first and most obvious advantage is that, if your existing home is worth a lot of money because of its location and size, and/or you have a lot of equity in it, the sale of the home could give you a cushion of money to make life in retirement a little easier and fund some of those 'bucket list' adventures.

Many Baby Boomers are literally built to last 100 years. In fact, the CDC estimates at least one million boomers to achieve that goal. Will you become a member of this one-in-a-million longevity club? Could be. Afterall, living a long time takes more than smart-genes and dumb-luck. Eighty ...

Want tonn... jump-start your life, a quick-fix of new energy and purpose? n... stop running in five directions at once? n... get in sync with your mate? n... find some life balance, harmony, and meaning?nnMaybe it's time to take control. nnLike making a no-nonsense plan for the rest of your life. nSomewhere between about 45 and 60, we must take inventory. (Although it's never too soon to start banking that 401k.) nnBy 50, nature is through with us. We're on borrowed time. We'

The day has finally arrived. You just said goodbye to your colleagues and now you are retired. For years you dreamed of this - being able to stay up late, sleep in when you choose, go on vacation during what USED to be your busiest period at work. nnWhat’s it really like? nnMost people feel euphoria when they taste the freedom that comes with their first pension cheque. Their time is now their own, to do what they want WHEN they want. After six months or so, though, if

One challenge facing today's two career families is how to deal with the issue of both husband and wife retiring. At some point these couples will confront situations they may not have anticipated. Making plans for one retirement is stressful enough but without addressing potential problems ...

1. Make an early start on planning and thinking about your life after retirement - not just the financial aspects of retirement, but the way that you want to live your life, where you want to live it, how you want to spend your time, who you want to spend it with, etc. 2. Try to become less absorbed in your work (especially if you have a tendency to become absorbed to the point of the exclusion of other, life-enhancing pursuits and activities) - aim to get (and maintain) a good work/life balance. 3.

'It's just a stage you're going through...' - how many times have well-meaning friends and family members said that to you over the course of your lifetime? And don't expect them to stop now, because, as far as retirement is conce ed, there are six identified stages that most retirees go through to varying degrees. In this article I take a look at Stage 4 - The Disenchantment stage. The Disenchantment stage is where letdown - a feeling of disappointment or uncertainty - can occur.

Before Sandy moved to a senior living community, she lived alone in a Pasadena condo. Early retirement from an engaging and challenging career meant the loss of daily contact with friends she was accustomed to and enjoyed. Her daughter, Michelle, began to worry about the toll isolation was having on her mother. Michelle considered building an addition to her home for her mom to live in, but the cost was prohibitive. And, honestly, Sandy didn’t really want to burden her daughter’s family.

WHY ARE WE STILL talking about the murder of 14-year-old Emmett TilL some 50-plus years postmortem? I blogged on the topic last August upon the 56th anniversary of this young African American boy’s brutal death back in 1955. Now his name is frequently appearing as national and international reporters, civil rights observers and historians link some aspects of Till's Mississippi lynching to the recent killing of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida.

The following comment was made regarding retirement planning. "Hobbies and civic activities should only be included if they relate to your job or if you have achieved some level of distinction in doing them."nnNow just a minute! Unless the brain is to be retired immediately, this is in no way the facts. The body can be slowed down as it gets older, if we choose to do so, but certainly we do not want to slow the brain. Medical experts tell us to keep the brain active to avoid

'Retirement is often viewed as an 'event' when retirement is actually both a process (requiring planning and adjustment) and a life stage (lasting for multiple years.)'Christine A. Price, Ph.D rn'It's just a stage you're going through...' - how many times have well-meaning friends and family members said that to you over the course of your lifetime? And don't expect them to stop now, because, as far as retirement is conce ed, there are six identified stages that most retirees go through to varying degrees. They are: 1. Pre-Retirement (the working years) 2.

Question: My husband and I have made the decision to start working with a financial planner this year. The problem is there are so many to choose from. How do I know who I can trust and who is a good fit for me?

Your life after retirement must be a new beginning. Most people come to the realization that when they reach retirement age that they have no plan for their retired lives. Many folks have a plan in place for their lives, including investing time at college to find a suitable career, setting career goals, then getting into a house and beginning the family. Your retirement plan should be as well thought out as your career. You should work to have the most enjoyable fulfillment

If you’re like me, it’s easy to make your New Year's resolutions but hard to keep them. You may start off strong and have good intentions, but the demands of everyday life get in the way, or the goal becomes overwhelming. This is true for getting your financial house in order too.

We’ve all heard about the “new retirement”, the mix of work and play that many of us assume we will have in our lives one day. We do not expect “retirement” to be all leisure. While this is becoming a cultural assumption among baby boomers, it is interesting to see that certain financial assumptions haven’t really changed with the times.

Those of us in the boomer generation may remember a television show called “The Millionaire” where an anonymous philanthropistrngave unsuspecting ordinary Joe citizens a check for $1,000,000 and watched how their lives were vastly changed by the ability to buy virtually anything they wanted in life. Today, a million dollars just doesn’t buy what it used to. A modest three bedroom home in L.A. or a $40,000 annual retirement income. Do you feel like a millionaire when you

For a great number of us, work is the primary domain from which our sense of self is derived. For better or for worse, we live in a culture which strongly dictates that we identify with our work roles, defines who we are by what we do and routinely structures our lives so that we know where we ...

Hardly a week goes by without a personal finance magazine commenting in one way or anotherrnthat Americans are ill-prepared for retirement. Yet, in spite of these alarming and repetitive warnings, we Americans and specifically we Iowans appear to be in denial that the post World War II affluence we’ve enjoyed could evaporate during our expected “golden years.” It’s news we don’t want to hear. We are in denial – and its time for us to find a road to recovery right

DO YOU HEAR a growing rumble in the distance? Chalk it up to the coming the Baby Boomer Express, an enormous number of older folks in this country getting ready to retire. In fact, every 7 seconds an American turns 50 -- more than 12,500 people every day, the U.S. Census Bureau reports. Just three years ago, Boomers began turning 65, took their IRAs and pensions (if they had them), and started quitting their jobs and drawing social security en masse. Who are these boomer-people, and why do they seem to scare so many politicians and younger folks?

'It's just a stage you're going through...' - how many times have well-meaning friends and family members said that to you over the course of your lifetime? And don't expect them to stop now, because, as far as retirement is conce ed, there are six identified stages that most retirees go through to varying degrees. Stage 3 of the retirement process is The Honeymoon phase. This is the time when many of the fun trips, projects and activities that you spent all those years planning are executed.

When you are young, it seems as if there is always something to look forward to. From the weekend to a birthday party, summer vacation to Disney World there is always an event on the horizon. However, as you age it seems as if there are fewer events to look forward to. Birthdays just symbolize one year added to your life, there is no summer vacation and most weekends are a time to catch up on chores around the house. As human beings though it is extremely important to have so

Just because you are retired, it doesn’t mean that you aren’t still capable of working, and that you don’t still have a lot to offer. A lot of retired persons are taking on flexible jobs that allow them to earn additional income without having to be stuck in a job that they hate, and working long hours when they should be enjoying their retirement. Today, we are going to take a look at some of the many benefits of flexible jobs for retirees. 1. Extra Income A lot of peo

'It's just a stage you're going through...' - how many times have well-meaning friends and family members said that to you over the course of your lifetime? And don't expect them to stop now, because, as far as retirement is conce ed, there are six identified stages that most retirees go through to varying degrees. Stage 5 of the retirement process is the Reorientation phase. After the honeymoon and the subsequent letdown of the disenchantment stage, Reorientation is the process of adjustment and adaptation to the reality of retirement.

Question: In a recent post you had strategies for strengthening your retirement picture for people in their 50’s and 60’s. What about those of us in our 20’s to 40’s? Maxine, Tenafly, NJ Answer: Maxine, I didn’t mean to leave you and the other youngsters out. Here’s a checklist to get you on track in 2010 as well! 1. If you haven't started already, open an IRA and/or fund a 401k.

About twenty years ago, I became incredibly curious about how the second half of one's life can develop. Some of this interest came from observing my family: when I was born, my grandparents were in their early forties, and I was fascinated with choices they made in life. We talked about their professional lives, their interests and hobbies at length, and it was only later in life that I came to fully understand and appreciate the value of the insights they gave me.

In a recent interview, I was asked the following question: What are your best tips for single women who want to plan their retirement? This was my answer: 1. If you haven't done so already, start to think about what a successful retirement would look and feel like for you. What do you think are the component parts of a successful retirement? Write them all down. Try to define your successful retirement in a paragraph.

Retirement planning is one of the most important plans for the future an individual can have, because it will allow you to know how you will live during your retirement years. There are many things to consider during this process, including the future costs of daily living expenses, your ideal retirement age, and where your retirement funds will come from. For this reason, saving for retirement is an essential part of retirement planning. Many employers assist their employees

“People who lived through those days will tell you that something shifted in their hearts after Medgar Evers died, something that put them beyond fear…. At that point a new motto was born: After Medgar, no more fear.” Maryanne Voller, Esquire THERE MAY BE SOME WHO still ask "who was Medgar Evers and if they recognize the name, at all, what role did he have in the modern civil rights movement?" After all, American history books rarely do much service in telling the true and complete stories of this country’s early and modern civil rights movements.

To survive as a stranger in a strange land – a visitor in a new land – requires education and enough personal depth to avoid unfair prejudices that result from ethnocentrism. AFTER WORKING nearly eight months months to get a special “pensionada” visa, scouting out the correct pet carriers to bring along her dog and cat, holding umpteen garage sales and finally selling her mission-style bungalow at a small profit – all to retire in Paraguay as an expat – Bess G. flew off to retirement paradise. By the end of three months, Bess returned home.

With the current economic climate everyone is looking for money management tips that will help ensure financial security. We all want to save money and get the best value for our dollar, yet it often seems as if we struggle just to make ends meet, leaving little left at the end of each month. If you feel this way, then it may be time to step back and re-evaluate your finances, or adopt a different point of view with regards to your money and the way you spend it. 1.Don't pu

Preparing for your retirement is a task that should never be ignored. While most people would like to "deal with it later", saving early for this soon-to-be stage of your life can make a huge difference in the future, particularly if you desire to quit your job and enjoy life sooner. Investing to retire early will help you not experience as much anxiety and worry later in your life knowing that you have taken care of it before time. Early Retirement Planning Here are a few ti

Two of the potential pitfalls of the 'Routine' stage of retirement are becoming set in your ways by having too rigid a routine and leaving no time or scope for fun and spontaneity in your life. With that in mind, here are my top ten ideas for bringing more everyday 'adventures' into your life: 1. Start by being open to new ideas and opportunities. Look out for them. Write them down in a diary or journal so that they don't evaporate into the ether. 2. Do your very best to try something new every day...

THE BEST TAX TIP…EVER!

Don't be idle with all the opportunities out there! Check out the many, many listings for paid jobs, volunteer opportunities, and even internships at any of the websites below. Many volunteer jobs provide training and/or open the door for positions with remuneration, so keep an open ...

Question: I’m a 57 year old clinical physician thinking about slowing down in the next few years. I don’t feel I have enough money to retire but maybe I do? How do you analyze a client’s finances to make this determination? Any thoughts you could provide would be greatly appreciated. Lia, MA nn Answer: In essence Lia, you want to know when enough is enough. It’s a tough question to answer because everyone’s “enough” is different. As an advisor, I like to perform

That is the question being contemplated by millions of American’s and their tax preparers. In case you haven’t heard, beginning January 1, 2010, any investor may convert their traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. Unlike prior years where where there were income limitations, no IRS income limits will apply or stand in the way of the conversion starting in 2010. So why is this a big deal and should you convert?

ARE YOU A retiree who is looking for something intriguing and fun to do, while making extra money? If your answer is yes, you are not alone. In fact, most older employees (65 percent) recently told researchers they would like to have some form of work in their retirement, according to a 2011 Harris Interactive survey of 1,001 people age 55 and older commissioned by Sun America.