New research from well-known, Boston-based money management firm GMO has an important warning for retirement savers of all ages when it comes to their glide paths (the gradual reduction in one’s allocation to equities as they get closer to – and then enter –retirement). As today’s article outlines, the research indicates that “No matter how young you are, chances are…
In a new survey conducted by Fidelity Investments, 75% of respondents reported feeling only somewhat confident to not confident at all about their retirement finances. Ultimately, those that lacked a financial plan for retirement lacked confidence, while those that had a plan also had confidence. As such, today’s article lays out “five small, practical steps you can take to boost…
The author of today’s article advises that “when it comes to selecting investments for each part of your portfolio, you can really skinny things down by focusing on investments that provide a lot of diversification in a single shot.” She proceeds to highlight a number of funds that both retirement accumulators and those who are already in retirement could consider…
Stocks? Bonds? Exchange-traded funds? Mutual funds? Annuities? Unit investment trusts? Real estate? Given the wide range of options available when choosing investments for an Individual Retirement Account (today’s article notes you can invest in “almost anything” with an IRA), the critical question is what to select. For some insights on this question, taking into consideration how far you are from…
Half a percentage point. That is what one assessment suggests to expect return-wise from a balanced U.S. stock and bond portfolio over the next 10 years (before fees and taxes!). So what would the effects of an era of “persistently low returns” be on retirement strategizing? Today’s article examines the implications for 401(k)s, annuities, Social Security, medical care, alternative investments…
What’s the best investment choice right now for investors who are retired or nearing retirement (and thus are looking for reliable income)? The author of today’s article notes that, while income investors turned to investments such as high-yield bonds, master limited partnerships, high-yield dividend stocks and more in recent years, “Today’s best investment choice for investors in or near retirement…
There are still a few weeks left of summer, but now may be time to start thinking about the end of the year – especially if you are in or nearing retirement. Today’s article outlines a number of ways that retirees and those planning their retirements can benefit by getting an early start on their year-end financial planning. For more…
“Annuities often get a bad rap,” states the author of today’s article, who acknowledges some of the drawbacks associated with these products. However, he notes that all investments have drawbacks – and that annuities can be “the hedge against the emotion of fear that you will run out of funds before you die.” He proceeds to outline the numerous ways…
If you’re a high-income earner, you might think that one popular retirement-saving vehicle – the Roth IRA – is not available to you due to IRS-imposed restrictions on who can contribute to these accounts. One strategy for high-income earners to get around these restrictions is the “backdoor Roth” – and while there has been concern about this strategy, the new…
The author of today’s article argues that the investments in your retirement account are likely not as diversified as they should be. Rather than the traditional approach to diversification (a mix of stocks, bonds and mutual funds), the author advocates “extended diversification”, which “requires a different set of resources than the traditional investment approach.” For more on how you can…