It’s one of the most important numbers when it comes to devising your retirement plan – but also one of the most difficult to pinpoint: how many years will your retirement last? The author of today’s article notes that “for many people this number is basically a wild guess, if it’s considered at all. That’s a problem because getting this…
When it comes to amassing enough wealth to be able to fund the retirement lifestyle of your choosing, there are a number of potential sources to consider beyond a 401(k), including Social Security, pensions…and employee stock options. In regards to the latter, how can employee stock options be best incorporated into one’s overall retirement plan? Acknowledging that “the answer can…
“There are factors threatening your plans for lifetime income security,” cautions the author of today’s article, who further observes that, while some of these factors are nothing new, “others are relatively new, or are becoming more significant.” He proceeds to detail the five trends and factors that he sees as the “paramount threats” to the income security of those in…
“While the post-work years can truly be golden for those who plan for them, many retirees are caught off guard by the facts of their new life,” warns the author of today’s article. He proceeds to outline several facts about retirement that, while not necessarily fun facts, are things that he believes those approaching retirement should be cognizant of before…
With retirement comes a shift from receiving a consistent paycheck to needing to tap your various income streams to cover your various expenses – and the author of today’s article argues that “this shift requires a new investment strategy and mindset.” In order to develop this strategy and mindset, she advises to think of retirement as consisting of three unique…
If you even have a retirement plan at all you are undoubtedly ahead of most Americans. Still, even if you have taken this important step, the question needs to be asked: is the retirement plan you have drafted viable? The author of today’s article outlines how pre-retirees can go about assessing the adequacy of their savings rate – and how…
There are many actions (and inactions) that can wreck retirement plans. As such, while the author of today’s article acknowledges that the $1 million figure frequently cited as how much one needs to amass for a comfortable retirement may be arbitrary, he stresses that “what is not arbitrary is it takes discipline and it requires avoiding mistakes and pitfalls to…
How far a $1 million nest egg will get you in retirement depends on where that retirement takes place. Today’s article highlights the findings of a new report which assessed how many years $1 million would last for retirees 65 and older for each state, with numbers ranging from 26.3 years in one state to 11.9 years in another. Where…
A significant percentage of Americans are not saving enough (or at all) for retirement – and the U.S. government seems to be doing everything it can to exacerbate this problem. The latest example of this is the Treasury Department’s canceling of the Obama-era myRA program for individuals who did not have access to a 401(k) or other retirement plan at…
The transition from building up savings leading up to retirement to spending down those savings once in retirement can be challenging, both strategically and psychologically – and thus mapping out an in-retirement financial plan is critical, notes the author of today’s article. To aid in this complicated endeavor, she lays out “the key tasks to tackle” when devising such a…