When it comes to funding his retirement, the author of today’s article intends to do it with the dividend income his equity portfolio generates, noting that “Dividend payments are more stable than share prices and the potential for capital gains, which makes them an ideal source of income for retirement. Historically, US dividend growth has exceeded the rate of inflation.…
While the author of today’s article acknowledges that there is much to make dividend-paying stocks appealing as a source of cash flow in retirement, she warns “I get nervous when retirees use them to take the place of bonds altogether. And I think retirees should get nervous, too.” What’s not to like, for retirees, about dividend payers, according to the…
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…
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…
Why would you pretend you still have debts to pay off when you don’t, or open a Health Savings Account and then not use it? Because those are among some of the easiest and most effective ways to help save for retirement, as outlined in today’s article. For more on these two retirement saving suggestions and several more (including why…
This retirement strategy is on the rise – and it also has a fancy name: geo-arbitrage. With geo-arbitrage, individuals accumulate retirement income in the U.S. and then relocate to locations around the globe with a lower cost of living. Noting that “it’s a big world, and every country poses unique opportunities and complications”, today’s article outlines “five practical questions” for…
If you want to arrive safely at your destination, you need to check your blind spots along the way – and this remains true even when the “destination” in question is financial independence. In today’s article, the author outlines several common “financial blind spots” he has observed which can, if not checked, have significant repercussions for your journey to financial…
The average household run by a retirement-age person (someone 65 or older) spends only $1,000 less each month than the average U.S. household. Surprised spending does not decrease more in retirement? In order to help you better plan your retirement finances today’s article breaks down the monthly spending of the average household run by a retirement-age person into seven categories.…
How should you invest your retirement accounts? With IRAs holding about $9 trillion and 401(k)s holding about $5 trillion, that is the critical question that today’s article tackles. In seeking to answer it, the author highlights the importance of intrinsic stock value, reinvested dividends (and tax deferral), diversification – and Warren Buffett. For more on investing your retirement accounts, CLICK…
High-deductible healthcare plans can be unappealing thanks to that high deductible. However, high-deductible healthcare plans are increasingly being offered along with health savings accounts – which, along with their traditional uses (as short-term vehicles to cover out-of-pocket healthcare costs and as long-term savings vehicles for the “wealthy and healthy”) can be used in other ways that get less attention. Specifically,…