Who says retirement portfolios have to be complicated? Whether you are in the pre-retirement accumulation phase or are already in retirement, and whether you are looking for single-fund options or want to take a building-block approach to your retirement investments, today’s article highlights a number of funds that allow you to “skinny things down by focusing on investments that provide…
The GOP’s new tax bill – the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) – is far from a done deal (see the GOP’s failure on healthcare reform). Still, the author of today’s article advises that “those living in retirement and saving for retirement should start to review their sources of income, their expenses, prior tax returns, and conduct what-if analyses…
With their (at least) 25 consecutive years of dividend hikes and steady-eddy nature, Dividend Aristocrats are appealing investments for retirees or any other income-focused investor. For those looking for an even greater income stream, the author of today’s article suggests an additional investment which – combined with a Dividend Aristocrat portfolio – “could be a profitable combination for income seekers.”…
Whether you are in your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, or 60s and beyond, today’s article has some tailor-made investing guidance for you – including some specific funds for those in each decade of life to consider. In addition, the article examines whether – contrary to conventional wisdom – a 50-50 stock/bond split may be appropriate for retirees, as has been…
Of all the stocks currently listed on the U.S. market, is a simple basket of just five of them all that is needed for a lucrative retirement? Yes… or at least that is the case the author of today’s article makes. But doesn’t holding just five stocks mean that a portfolio would not be sufficiently diversified? To the contrary, the…
A recent survey of 401(k) participants found that almost 70% believed they would be able to save enough for a financially secure retirement. The problem? Two-thirds of those surveyed believed that returns going forward will be in line with – or higher than – returns in the past, while most analysts expect that returns will be lower – perhaps significantly…
Are you willing to give up an hour (actually less than an hour) of your time in the interest of helping to ensure that your retirement savings will be sufficient? If so (and who wouldn’t?), today’s article lays out three easy steps to complete in this regard. Those three steps? Estimate your life expectancy, determine the appropriate equity percentage for…
When it comes to the various financial needs that people approaching retirement seek to address, the author of today’s article places them in four groups: “liquidity for emergencies, income to last a lifetime, growth for inflation protection and estate planning for our legacies.” The problem with how most people go about addressing these needs, according to the author? They jump…
When it comes to two insurance products that might appear attractive to retirees in this low interest rate environment, today’s article cautions that prospective buyers should look carefully before leaping into these complicated investments. The two products at issue? Indexed annuities and indexed universal life insurance. Here’s what one advisor cited in the article has to say: “With indexed annuities…
Of the retirement savings of American retirees and soon-to-be retirees the author of today’s article cites that “over half (54%) of “Boomers & Seniors” report savings and investments that fall far short of the typical yardsticks for their age group.” While the usual recommendations for individuals in this position are well-known (e.g. work longer), the author suggests a more “unusual”…