retirement

We all know how unprepared Americans are as a whole are for retirement. Just google “retirement crisis.” The statistics are ugly. There are too many reasons to list as reasons why many Americans do not have enough money saved for retirement. Stagnant wages coupled with rising life...

With the U.S. economy booming and unemployment rates at their lowest level in decades, American disposable income has reached an all-time high of $16.45 trillion. Younger earners who have never started investing before, Americans who have maxed out their 401(k) contributions or even retirees...

More than 41 million U.S. households have at least one family member with a 401(k) plan. As of early 2018, the average balance of a 401(k) account was $102,900, and the total amount of 401(k) assets was more than $5.3 trillion. Retirement investment accounts are a great way to plan for the future,...

This weekend's Barron's cover story offers advice for choosing a retirement home. Baby boomers have changed the game, forcing the senior housing industry to keep up. A companion article provides suggestions for investors looking to play this changing market. This weekend's Barron'...

Wells Fargo & Co (NYSE: WFC) said Tuesday that it reached an agreement to sell its Institutional Retirement & Trust business to Principal Financial Group Inc (NASDAQ: PFG). What Happened Wells Fargo is divesting its IRT business — which includes its retirement plan...

Each day, Benzinga takes a look back at a notable market-related moment that occurred on this date. What Happened? On this day in 1975, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. paid out its first check. Where The Market Was The S&P 500 was trading at 81.59 and the Dow closed the day at 739.05. What...

We all hear a lot about the importance of saving for retirement. And for many workers, access to a 401(k) plan is a key component in long-term planning. But there are some workplaces that don’t offer a 401(k). Instead, they may offer 403(b) plans. If you work for a nonprofit organization, a...

Debt is a major barrier to financial well-being among Americans. While we tend to think of debt as an issue affecting young and middle-aged people, the truth is that senior citizens carry debt, too. Among seniors approaching retirement, debt can be an obstacle to maximizing savings. Retirees living...

Was one of your New Year’s resolutions to improve your financial planning? We’re still in the front end of 2019, so to help you remain on track, consider using a tax return estimator to make sure you’re on good terms with Uncle Sam. What Is an Income Tax Estimator? An income tax...

If you’re getting ready to retire, you may be expecting your tax bill will be lower with lower income compared to your working years. However, each retirement scenario is unique, and each has different tax consequences. As you approach retirement, you can take several steps to keep your taxes...

One of the things you have to consider when changing jobs or nearing retirement is what to do with your old workplace savings plan.  The more frequently you’ve changed jobs, the greater the chance that you may still have an old 401(k) with a former employer, maybe even one you forgot...

In recent months, there’s been a lot of press around the concept of FIRE, which stands for “financial independence, retire early.” At first glance, you might assume the movement is all about pinching your pennies for several years, working overtime, and then scrimping after you...

Retirement planning can seem like a daunting task, but there are measures you can take along the way to help you get on the right path. Below you’ll find four steps that can help as you assess your retirement plan.   1. Consider Your Income Streams Two types of income streams to consider...

Some people spend decades focusing on retirement planning, only to get derailed by unexpected events such as a job loss, market downturn, medical scare, death of a spouse who’s been the primary provider, or other untimely circumstances. Preparing for unexpected events with an emergency fund,...