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December 2018

Allocation, Cash Flows & Saving Your Retirement From A Stock Market Decline

How do you keep your retirement from becoming compromised due to a decline in the stock market close to your retirement? This is the question the author of today’s article gave some thought to after his uncle, who is planning on retiring in 2019, lost around 30% of the value of his portfolio in a matter of weeks thanks to… 

Check Your Financial Blind Spots – And Attain Financial Independence

If you want to arrive safely at your destination, you need to check your blind spots along the way – and this remains true even when the “destination” in question is financial independence. In today’s article, the author outlines several common “financial blind spots” he has observed which can, if not checked, have significant repercussions for your journey to financial… 

Charting Your Path To Financial Independence/Retiring Early

In regards to the FIRE (financial independence/retire early) movement, the author of today’s article notes that while “there are lots of moving parts…one crucial step toward achieving that coveted status is as easy to understand as it is difficult to execute” – and that crucial step is depicted in chart form in the article. For what this step is –… 

Mean Retirement: How Much The Average Retiree Spends Each Month (And On What)

The average household run by a retirement-age person (someone 65 or older) spends only $1,000 less each month than the average U.S. household. Surprised spending does not decrease more in retirement? In order to help you better plan your retirement finances today’s article breaks down the monthly spending of the average household run by a retirement-age person into seven categories.… 

The 411 On Potential 401(k) Regulation Changes

As the House of Representatives prepares to change hands in the new year, both the outgoing Republican chairman of the Ways and Means Committee and the presumed incoming Democratic chairman of the committee are proposing changes to retirement regulations – including changes pertaining to the risk of retirees outliving their savings. For more on these potential changes, how they could… 

The Who, What, When And How Of Income Annuities

“The challenging task of getting decades’ worth of savings to last a lifetime can be made more manageable with a single product: an income annuity,” notes the author of today’s article. However, despite this, income annuities have yet to really catch on with investors. Given this, the author proceeds to outline who may benefit from an income annuity (and who… 

From American Dream To Middle-Class Nightmare

“The American dream of a modest retirement after a lifetime of work now is a middle-class nightmare.” So concludes the author of a recent report from the National Institute on Retirement Security – and the author of today’s article expands on this conclusion, looking at just how retirement in America has gotten to this unfortunately place and how, “If the… 

Considerations For The Retirement Class Of 2019

If you are preparing to retire next year, today’s article provides an overview of critical considerations, including matters relating to retirement expenses, health care (the “often-overlooked” retirement cost), Social Security strategizing, income strategies (and the tax implications of those income strategies), portfolio risk – and preparing emotionally for retirement as well as financially. For more, CLICK HERE.

No Pension? No Problem With This Retirement Strategy

The findings of a recent study suggest that “retirees tend to reduce spending once they realize they are unprepared for how quickly expenses add up.” However, the study also found that certain subsets of retirees – such as retirees with pensions – spend considerably more than average, which the author of today’s article points to as reflecting “the power of… 

How “Shadow” Banks Could Decimate Your Retirement

It has been 10 years since the housing crash of 2008, the fallout from which decimated the retirement accounts of many – and now one financial security expert is warning that “the danger of another crisis lurks despite assurances to the contrary.” She cautions that “The massive regulatory response to the subprime crisis meant that banks were no longer allowed…