Among the concerns that weigh the most on retirees and those nearing retirement is health care expenses in retirement. And with various entities coming out with projected health care expense figures for the average couple in retirement – and many of those figures being staggering – it is no wonder. But is this degree of concern warranted? The author of…
“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…
Retirees face two possible worries, depending on how the market performs during their retirement: they could generate above-average returns and risk having underspent in retirement, or there’s the bigger worry: they could generate below-average returns and risk running out of money. In regards to the latter risk, today’s article outlines two research studies that provide retirees with techniques to reduce…
“I think there should be a big difference between a retiree portfolio and a retirement portfolio,” argues the author of today’s article, noting that, while a retirement portfolio (held during the pre-retirement accumulation phase) should focus on growth first and foremost, a retiree portfolio (held in retirement) requires a shift in focus to income generation and lower volatility. He proceeds…
What’s the best way to ensure that your retirement funds will last as long as you do? A research team at Stanford sought to answer that question, and after analyzing 292 retirement income strategies, has identified what it believes is the best strategy – one which “produces more average total retirement income expected throughout retirement compared to most solutions… and…
While social security benefits, employer pensions and personal savings are the three traditional streams of retirement income, the author of today’s article points out that “there are…other potential sources of retirement income that are not mentioned often enough” – and he proceeds to outline three such nontraditional sources. For a discussion of these unconventional income sources and why they may…
Traditional corporate pensions have largely fallen by the wayside in recent decades – but there is a way that investors in particular situations can still get a pension-like benefit in retirement: personal defined-benefit plans. The author of today’s article notes that, while few investors are even aware they exist, “they very much do, though now it’s up to us to…
Leverage and retirement don’t conventionally go together – but a new exchange-traded fund targeting retirees who require more income than they can get from a typical 60-40 stock-bond portfolio is looking to include a leverage component in an effort to provide investors with superior returns. As today’s article outlines, “this fund takes those vanilla investments, adds a dollop of exposure…
The common belief about retirement assets is that they are systematically drawn down by retirees over the course of their retirement. However, it turns out that this may not actually be the case. Today’s article highlights a surprising research finding: most current retirees, across all wealth levels, have been holding onto the bulk of their retirement savings, even 20 years…
Of early retirement, the author of today’s article notes that, while the idea of it is appealing to most people, “the discipline and sacrifice needed to adequately prepare for it may be significantly less appealing.” So is early retirement a realistic prospect – or, for that matter, even a worthwhile one – for you? The author proceeds to outline a…