The SECURE Act, which went into effect on January 1st, will change the way workers save for retirement, the way retirees spend down their retirement savings, and the way beneficiaries will receive money from inherited retirement accounts. But the various provisions of the SECURE Act aren’t the only ways that saving for retirement will change this year. As today’s article…
While some argue it’s not enough – and others argue it’s needlessly high – the figure of $1 million is frequently cited as the amount to strive for when it comes to retirement savings. And with the average 401(k) and IRA accounts having balances of around $100,000, today’s article lays out scenarios to get from this starting point to $1…
You’ve probably heard of dollar-cost averaging (investing a fixed amount of money at regular intervals over a long period of time to minimize the impact of volatility), but what about “dollar-cost ravaging”? The strategist interviewed in today’s article sees dollar-cost ravaging as a problem that can cause a lot of damage to the portfolios of retirees – especially in the…
Interval funds. Non-traded real estate investment trusts. Private placements. In the hunt for higher yields, superior total returns and diversification, the author of today’s article notes that retirees “are venturing into some murky waters” – and cautions that “Investors considering a foray into less-liquid, more-complex holdings need to scrutinize these investments’ fees, withdrawal restrictions, valuations, volatility and other risks.” For…
What makes the stock highlighted in today’s article “one of the best stocks for retirees and dividend investors”? Among other things, 36 consecutive years of dividend growth (including a recently announced 2% dividend increase), rewarding investors with big cash returns through share buybacks (including a recently announced $4 billion share buyback), and capital appreciation thanks to steady share price growth.…
When it comes to how to approach investing in retirement (where retirees face several different kinds of risk, including the risk of running out of money due to insufficient portfolio growth and “sequence of returns” risk), the author of today’s article notes that “you need to balance the risk of too little growth with the risk of too much equity…
What’s the “nastiest, hardest problem in finance”? According to Nobel Prize-winning economist William Sharpe, it’s turning retirement savings into retirement spending or, as today’s article puts it, “knowing how to strike a balance between having enough income to meet your current needs (and wants, assuming you’ve saved enough) and having enough to get you through your lifetime.” What insights does…
With their own distinct risk and reward characteristics, foreign government bonds can be a useful addition to a diversified portfolio. But do they make sense for retirees now at a time when approximately 25% of the foreign bond market trades with negative yields? Surprisingly, they might — under the right circumstances. This is due to what the author of today’s…
Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) and Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) have been gaining popularity as investment approaches, but are ESG/SRI funds good for retirees and soon-to-be-retirees? The author of today’s article believes that “The ensuing debate over SRI and ESG investing is potentially an existential one for retirees and soon-to-be retirees”, given the question as to whether these approaches…
While fixed income investing tends to be associated with retirees (and, indeed, retired investors are one of three investor profiles that the author of today’s article believes should consider devoting a significant part of their portfolios to fixed income), it’s an investing strategy anyone can benefit from, with the author noting that “The low-risk, predictable nature of this investment can…