How are so-called “super savers” – people who save 20% or more of their incomes – able to be super savers? New research has identified “the single biggest difference between what super savers spend less on, as compared to the rest of us” – something super savers spend just 14% of their incomes on compared to 23% for non-super-savers. To…
When it comes to credit scores, buying cars (and buying homes), 401(k)s (and Roth 401(k)s), savings accounts, life insurance (and auto and homeowners and long-term care insurance), wills and beneficiaries (and powers of attorney), Social Security and more, the author of today’s article poses the following question: “What does a good financial life look like?” For his 45-step roadmap to…
With most financial experts advising that primary wage earners delay taking Social Security until age 70 (as delaying can result in payments that are 70% higher), the author of today’s article acknowledges that “for those who do want to maximize their benefits, that means utilizing other assets in the meantime which requires some strategizing.” He proceeds to outline one potential…
It’s an unwelcome surprise for many retirees: having to pay more taxes in retirement than when they were working. In fact, one financial security expert cited in today’s article warns that “tax-deferred retirement accounts such as a 401(k), IRA, or 403(b) can be like sitting on a tax time bomb”. What are the two main reasons Americans are paying higher…
The median retirement account balance among all Americans of working age? $0.00. And that’s the median amount, meaning half of working-age Americans have even less than $0.00 to their name. And if the paltry state of Americans’ retirement accounts isn’t enough to convince you that there’s a retirement crisis, consider the fact that total U.S. consumer debt is now sitting…
“While the market has long periods of high returns, it has even more long period of low returns. Investors have seen entire decades delivering nothing but losses,” notes the author of today’s article – and this reality is critical for retirement planners to be cognizant of, given that financial advisors often use overly optimistic return assumptions when creating retirement plans…
When it comes to determining how much money you need to retire, there is no lack of opinions out there. Today’s article, however, highlights “an elegant solution to the problem” devised by one financial advisor that the author describes as a “divergent thinker”: a simple formula based on the market value of your house. For this formula – and why…
Only save in tax-deductible accounts – and disregard Roth accounts. Claim your Social Security benefit at age 62 – whether you need it then or not. Plan on your expenses dropping significantly once you leave the workforce. Double down on your employer’s stock. Ditch stocks for bonds when the market goes south. These are five of the 20 ways identified…
As part of its 2019 Guide to Retirement, J.P. Morgan Chase includes a simple chart that presents a “sound plan for retirement.” The chart depicts six different factors (two that retirement planners have total control over, two they have some control over, and two that are out of their control), with the investment bank advising to “Make the most of…
When it comes to de-risking your retirement portfolio, the author of today’s article suggests thinking of it as being akin to de-icing your car, noting that “de-risking is important. It helps insulate your future retirement income from a market plunge that could occur near, or soon after, your retirement date.” In terms of how to de-risk, however, she advocates taking…