Today’s article highlights three small steps you can take that can make a dramatic difference (or giant leaps) in the ultimate size of your retirement nest egg. Among these steps is one the author states “is often the epitome of small-step-but-big-leap planning, as it can have almost no impact on your current financial situation, but may have dramatic impacts on…
When it comes to retirement planning, the author of today’s article notes that “What’s been missing for most people is a simple way to calculate the level of spending that can be generated from a given savings amount, that takes into account realistic assumptions about a retiree’s longevity as well as a forecast for market returns.” However, there is a…
The Great Recession of 2007-2009 devastated many Americans’ retirement savings – and a new study finds that an experience many Americans face can be almost as devastating: divorce. Specifically, researchers found that “Divorce pushes up an individual’s retirement risk by 7 percentage points, [while] the 2008 financial crisis added 9 points.” What are the numerous reasons the authors of the…
The five years or so before retirement – and the moves you make during those years – can be critical when it comes to what kind of retirement you end up having. As today’s article notes, this has led some to refer to these years as ‘the fragile decade’, “because your investment returns then are disproportionately important.” Given this, the…
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” –…
“If you follow rich people, you’ll notice that they never actually sell any assets – they instead use them to generate more and more cash flow. We can – and should – do the same,” argues the author of today’s article – who proceeds to highlight five dividend paying (and dividend growing) stocks that have meaningful (above 5%) yields today…
The author of today’s article calls them “the single best way to maximize the chances of a rich retirement” – whether one is still decades away from retirement or is quickly approaching (or already in) retirement. The “them” in question? Dividend growth stocks – and with Congress forever kicking the can down the road on fixing Social Security, they may…
Whenever the next bear market arrives, it may be an especially devastating one for retirees – even those who have managed to build substantial retirement portfolios. Why? The author of today’s article lays out the case, which includes some recent revelations by the U.S. government regarding Social Security and Medicare that he states “will surely have far-reaching consequences.” For more,…
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…
Americans on the whole are not contributing enough to their 401(k)s to fund retirements that will not require a reduction in their standard of living. As such, the author of today’s article looks at “how you can meaningfully begin saving more today for your retirement”. For his insights – including what he identifies as “the simplest and most effective way…