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Retirement Planning

From QCDs To QLACs: What To Do About Unneeded Required Minimum Distributions

It may be a nice problem to have as a retiree, but it’s still a problem: what do you do with your required minimum distributions (RMDs) from your retirement accounts – which, as their name indicates, are required – if you don’t need the money for living expenses? Today’s article outlines a number of strategies, from QCDs to QLACs, to… 

The Formula For Paying No (Or Low) Federal Income Taxes Once You File For Social Security

When it comes to how much income you can earn without having to pay any federal income taxes, this is a relatively simple determination for most people when Social Security is not a factor. “Once people file for Social Security, though,” the author of today’s article notes, “things become a bit more complicated.” He charts out the tax-free limits with… 

How You Can Cut Your Retirement Number In Half

How would you like to only have to save half as much as you otherwise would for retirement? The author of today’s article outlines how you can turn that fantasy into a reality with proper fee management, pointing out that “You lose over half a million dollars just from [a] small difference in fees, because small amounts multiplied over 40… 

The Next Great Retirement Portfolio Dividend Stock

With numerous studies indicating that “steady buying of quality companies at reasonable to attractive valuations is far better than market timing”, the author of today’s article buys $750 of a dividend stock every week for their retirement portfolio. For the three stocks under consideration for this week’s purchase and an in-depth look at the pros and cons of each, CLICK… 

From 4% To 44%: How Much Of Your Income Do You Need To Save For Retirement?

How much of your income do you need to save for retirement? As little as 4% — or as much as 44%! That’s what’s revealed in a new chart posted by data visualization site FlowingData.com, with where you fall on the 4% to 44% saving spectrum depending on when you start saving for retirement and when you plan to retire.… 

SRI & ESG Investing: An “Existential” Question For Retirees

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… 

Is Using Covered Calls To Generate Extra Retirement Income A Good Call?

With interest rates back on the decline and the bull market in stocks in its latter stages, the author of today’s article advises that those investing for retirement “should broaden their knowledge of the tools at their disposal” for generating retirement income – including “one somewhat obscure strategy”: selling covered calls. What are covered calls, what are the risks associated… 

Restricted Stock Units: A New, Flexible Building Block For Retirement (And Other Financial Goals)

Despite having “restricted” in their name, the ultimate benefit of restricted stock units (RSUs) is their flexibility. As today’s article explains, RSUs are a type of equity compensation for employees that offer “a new building block toward retirement, while also opening doors for investments, experiences and major purchases throughout the course of your life.” For more on the basics of… 

The “Cornerstone Of Retirement Planning” (That Most Americans Don’t Understand)

It’s “the cornerstone of retirement planning” – yet in a recent study, 92% of the American adults surveyed either demonstrated a lack of understanding of it or couldn’t even define what it was! What is this retirement-planning cornerstone? Fixed-income investing – and one portfolio manager cited in today’s article warns that “The lack of knowledge about fixed-income investing is a… 

A “Perverse Conclusion” On Investing For Retirement

“Here’s a sobering thought: Much—and perhaps most—of the money you’ll accumulate for retirement will reflect the raw dollars you sock away and not the investment returns you earn,” begins the author of today’s article, who proceeds to outline some examples to illustrate this fact, as well as examine its implications. For more – including the “perverse conclusion” this leads the…