Contributing to tax-deferred retirement accounts is an attractive option for building your nest egg. However, the author of today’s article cautions that “While contributing to your 401(k) account can be beneficial, exceeding the statutory limit could cost you a lot.” In order to ensure that your contributions are all above-board, the author proceeds to outline the rules pertaining to contributing…
What does the current amount of your retirement nest egg translate into in terms of future monthly retirement income? In light of the fact that a recent piece of research found that more than half of U.S. workers aged 20 to 79 have difficulty figuring out this conversion, today’s article identifies two ways to estimate that monthly income figure –…
The FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement has been gaining traction – but, as today’s article seeks to make clear, as wonderful as the prospect may seem, extra-early retirement isn’t for everyone. Specifically, the author outlines some of the financial and emotional consequences of early retirement – as well as some questions to ask yourself if you are still considering…
“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…
Today’s article highlights three small steps you can take that can make a dramatic difference (or giant leaps) in the ultimate size of your retirement nest egg. Among these steps is one the author states “is often the epitome of small-step-but-big-leap planning, as it can have almost no impact on your current financial situation, but may have dramatic impacts on…
If, like many Americans, you find yourself behind when it comes to having enough saved for a financially secure retirement, one potential way to increase your retirement savings is by taking advantage of catch-up contributions. The author of today’s article cautions “Don’t fall into the trap of underestimating how much these extra contributions can potentially benefit your upcoming retirement” –…
The single biggest risk you face in retirement may be that you will outlive your nest egg – and the author of today’s article warns that Wall Street’s solution to this risk – the 4% withdrawal rule – is fatally flawed. Instead, his solution is to “build a retirement portfolio with an outsized dividend yield.” Why does he argue that…
According to the American College of Financial Services, Americans are not particularly knowledgeable about how to preserve their accumulated assets and create sustainable streams of income in retirement. As such, the central question of today’s article is “How do you convert your nest egg into a stream of retirement income that lasts as long as you do?” The author outlines…
Robo-advisory services are increasingly getting attention from baby boomers looking for retirement guidance. As today’s article notes, robo-advisors now go beyond simply helping clients save for retirement, offering “tax-efficient strategies for turning nest eggs into steady streams of retirement income, as well as recommendations on Social Security, Medicare and long-term-care insurance.” To see what those in or approaching retirement can…
Half of retirees don’t need to worry about it at all. Others will have no way of avoiding it. And more and more retirees will fall victim to it in the coming years. It’s the ‘tax torpedo’, which the author of today’s article explains is “a name given to the unexpected way that Social Security can get taxed, depending on…