A recent study found that three in five Americans are very likely to work longer than desired – an additional two years on average – to meet their retirement goals. Having to work longer than expected is just one of the many surprises that those approaching (and those in) retirement encounter. In today’s article, a number of financial planners reveal what…
In today’s article, the author shares some of the investment-related issues that he sees being most commonly misunderstood by those in – or approaching – retirement. Which “all-time classic” retirement funding strategy does he state “unfortunately…has never really worked, at least over any substantial period of time”? Why does he argue that dividends are not income, even if they feel…
With the stock market of the world’s second-largest economy – China – having dropped by more than 20%, what does this mean for retirees in the U.S., who often hold significant positions in non-U.S. stocks? The author of today’s article notes that such a divergence between the U.S. stock market and a leading foreign market is increasingly rare – and…
With almost half of retirement savers having their entire account invested in a single target-date fund last year, the author of today’s article acknowledges that “Target-date funds are taking over retirement accounts” – and this may not be a good thing. He proceeds to explain how a combination of issues with target-date funds “could easily add up to 1 percent…
Retirement investments are different – or, as the author of today’s article puts it, “Picking safe investments for retirement is a skill separate from making money in stocks, real estate, and other investment vehicles.” Given this, he proceeds to outline a number of options available when it comes to picking safe investments for retirement. For more – including a list…
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” –…
Despite an awful lot of prognostications, nobody knows for sure when the next bear market will be. What is known, however, is that the five major stock bear markets of the past 45 years wiped out 40% of the stock market’s value on average – and, as today’s article notes, “in the two most recent bear markets, you would have…
Today’s article describes it as “The single most important retirement strategy” – and how much of an impact it can have on your standard of living in retirement may well surprise you. That strategy, according to a new study? Working a little bit longer – maybe even just an extra few months. For more on the surprisingly large impact working…
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…
The author of today’s article outlines how retirees – or any bond investor – “can construct a portfolio of bonds whose total return will almost certainly be higher than the average of those individual bonds’ yields.” How does one accomplish this? By bond laddering – and while you are probably familiar with the concept of bond laddering, you may not…