Retirement Archive

People are living longer and longer. This means more of life is lived in retirement; so much so that it is now recognized that retirement potentially represents a third of your life. While most people …

Social Security was instituted in 1935 as a way of caring for Americans who, due to the Stock Market Crash of 1929 or the effects of the following Great Depression, had either seen their savings …

When to start Social Security is a very personal decision that each person should make according to his/her individual situation. The temptation to retire 3 years early costs real money, 25% of full earned benefit, …

Retirement is an important life event which can have significant impact on the lives of the retiree and his or her dependents. Those who have prepared themselves well for retirement should enjoy retirement life to …

Whether self-funded or dependent upon a government pension, most retirees find that money is somewhat restricted. What’s more, food prices seem to be constantly on the rise. Short of going on a permanent fast (which …

It is not possible to abolish Social Security Benefits! The political pressure on any group, or coalition wanting to abolish this great institution would be too great. However, we must think in terms of modifications …

An IRA is an acronym for Individual Retirement Account. An IRA allows individuals to put aside a lump sum of money each year to be used later, when one retires. Here’s the important point to …

The majority of the answers on the debate of “Should Social Security Be Abolished” are “no”.  I was pleasantly surprised to see this answer on this issue.   I am a firm believer in continuing the Social …

The single best reason to wait to retire until past over age 65 is money.  The second best reason is opportunity.  While many people in the United States think the retirement age is 65, it …

Like all investment strategies, this really depends on several factors such as: start up capital; risk tolerance; and how comfortable you are letting someone else (or you) invest your hard earned money, to name just …

Picture a rickety rocking chair holding a rickety old lady, in a dusty basement suite. You are old and gray and spend your days knitting, crocheting and doing needlepoint. You don’t go out much these …

The Golden Years are when the lifetime of hard work and sacrifice is supposed to pay off. Unfortunately, many senior citizens are discovering that their nest eggs will not amount to much due to rising …

A small amount of money, equal to the cost of a latte per day, invested in a stable mutual fund will grow to provide a foundation for a solid retirement income. Wealth is built long-term …

A fixed annuity is an insurance product designed to assist in the retirement planning process. It offers one of very few ways to guarantee an income that you can not outlive. Annuities have several important …

A unique characteristic of the annuity concept is that you have guaranteed lifetime income. Insurers provide you with the assurance that they will disburse payments to you until the day that you die. The magnitude …

Planning for retirement is one of the hardest financial decisions for a person to make because there are so many unknown factors that could affect the outcome of the decision. Many people do not want …

While politicians often view the United States’ Social Security system as a kind of third rail of politics and numerous pundits often refer to the Social Security system as a sort of Ponzi scheme, the …

As the economic climate of the country continues to deteriorate and threaten the stability our finances, many people are trying to figure out a way to save money for their retirement needs. As we witness …

Can you see into the future? It’s likely that you cannot. Can you use the present as an indicator of the future? Certainly you can. You can choose to justify that you won’t need to …

The Pension Protection Act (PPA) of 2006 can seem like a maze of confusing laws. In reality, this law has many practical aspects that retirees and those still dreaming of retirement should be aware of. …

The first quarter of the year is a great time to open an IRA because you can jump-start your savings with contributions for this year and last year. You just need to have earned income …

Being retired you have to manage the rest of your life as best as you can. However, there are many things to manage, such as your time, your money, your health and your relationships. For …

What kind of a life do you envision in retirement? Depending on how many year away retirement is for you, that may seem a bit fuzzy in your mind. You can eliminate some of the …

Finding ways in retirement to become more frugal on a limited income is important. Since it is very difficult to increase your income, you have to learn how to reduce expenditures. One place where there …

As you approach retirement, finding the right insurance agent can be difficult. The key word is trust. You need an agent that is customer driven not commission driven. Yes, your agent will make money if …

We all worry about our retirement investments declining in value, outliving our money, and inflation reducing our purchasing power. Not to mention that we could develop a health problem or have to retire earlier than …

Annuities are varied financial products that provide financial benefits for annuitants in exchange for contributions. The Fixed Index Annuity (FIA) – also known as equity-indexed annuity- is a type of fixed annuity. While it is …

You have made the decisions about how you want your estate divided after you die. The hard work of who gets what is on paper. Now, you need an attorney who can help you forge …

An Individual Retirement Account (IRA) is a method of saving aimed at providing retirees with considerable financial compensation at the time of retirement. The individuals themselves usually start these accounts before retirement and depending on …

The new term for jobs for older people—usually defined as age 50 and above—is “retirement jobs,” though perhaps “alternative-to-retirement jobs” would be more fitting. There are many reasons people in their 50s, 60s, and even …