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Investing for retirement Retirement Savings and Investments

Expert Interview with John DeGoey About Investing for Retirement

As a certified financial planner and finance expert with Burgeonvest Bick, John DeGoey has spent decades working with everyday people to figure out how to retire with a nest egg that’ll cover their needs. John was kind enough to share some insights with us about retiring – and how to do it right. What’s the…

April 3, 2015
Retirement living Housing and Home Equity

Expert Interview with Dan Hutson About Retirement Community Living

Many people assume that getting older is a drag but be.group disagrees. The California-based senior living company is unapologetically optimistic about aging. As one of the state’s largest nonprofit providers of senior living communities, be.group serves nearly 4,000 older adults in seven licensed senior living communities and 26 very-low-income senior housing communities. be.group’s communities vary…

April 3, 2015
Retirement software Retirement Planning

Expert Interview with Marc Des Rosiers About Retirement Software

Retirement for Baby Boomers and subsequent generations will look much different than it did for our parents and grandparents. Due to lifestyle changes and advances in medicine, Baby Boomers have a much longer life expectancy than previous generations. In fact, it’s increased more than six years since 1980, says Marc Des Rosiers, fellow of the…

April 3, 2015
Reverse Mortgages

Retirement Taxes: Reverse Mortgage Tax Implications

Tax season can seem like an overwhelming time of year. As you’re busy gathering all the receipts, statements and other necessary documentation on your retirement assets, you might want to consider how alternative investments, like getting a reverse mortgage, can impact your retirement taxes. In recent years, reverse mortgages have been garnering greater acknowledgement within…

March 30, 2015
Stock investing Retirement Savings and Investments

Stock Investing as a Retirement Tool: Legit, or Not?

Ten years ago, most people wouldn’t have thought to question stock market investing as a form of retirement. However, in 2008 and 2009, we watched as good people lost their retirements to bad investments. Since then, the market has recovered quite a bit, but it’s still a volatile place, leading to concerns for investors with…

March 27, 2015
Retirement Retirement Savings and Investments

How to Pay for College and Save for Retirement

As you approach retirement, you are often faced with difficult financial decisions that may affect your nest egg. For those retirees and soon to be retirees with children or grandchildren, you may find yourself having to choose between contributing to your own retirement account or paying for your child’s college tuition. If you have found…

March 26, 2015
Reverse Mortgages

Forget the Heirs — I Need Money Now: 1/3 of Reverse Mortgage Borrowers Are Unconcerned About Leaving a Legacy

Living longer than expected, insufficient savings, higher cost of living and medical expenses are just some of the things making it difficult for many older Americans to pay for retirement. Securing a reverse mortgage is one solution many people are exploring.  A reverse mortgage allows homeowners who are 62 or older to borrow their home…

March 25, 2015
Retirement Retirement Savings and Investments

3 Great Reasons to Take Your 401k Employer Match

Employer-Sponsored retirement savings plans, such as a 401(K) or IRA, help you prepare for the future. But are you using yours as effectively as you could? Saving less than you’re allowed or not taking full advantage of a 401k employer match plan at all could leave you unprepared once retirement rolls around. The good news…

March 23, 2015
Cash flow Budgeting & Spending

Expert Interview with Keith Whelan of Cash Flow Navigator On Wealth Vs. Cash Flow

Many of us want to be wealthy, but few of us realize what it takes to get there. That’s why Keith Whelan founded Cashflownavigator, a site that lets you track where your money goes and gives you the tools to redirect it. He was kind enough to speak with us about how to do more…

March 20, 2015
Financial Advisors

Pros and Cons of Obama Administration’s Proposed Retirement Planning Changes

A new proposal by the Obama Administration is taking unprecedented steps toward protecting people who are planning for retirement. President Obama is directing his administration to move forward with a proposed rulemaking that will protect families by imposing a “fiduciary standard” on retirement advisors. The fiduciary standard ensures  that advisors put the interest of average…

March 17, 2015
Retirement Planning

How to Plan Retirement When You Don’t Really Have a Plan

How to plan for retirement?  It is a question a lot of people ask, but not as many answer. Planning for retirement isn’t easy — and if you’re like most people, you’re probably putting it off.  A recent survey by Wells Fargo found that only 69 percent of middle class respondents aged 40-59 (the prime…

March 16, 2015
Annuity Annuities

Worried About Low Interest Annuity Rates? 4 Strategies for Better Returns

In recent years, many people have decided to invest in annuities as part of their financial plan in retirement. Payouts for these investments are typically better than other income-producing investments because those who purchase annuities pool their mortality risk with other annuity purchasers. Annuities can be a confusing product.  Learn about the pros and cons…

March 13, 2015
Reverse Mortgages

Reverse Mortgage Financial Assessment Set to Begin in April: What it Means to You

The reverse mortgage Financial Assessment, which was originally supposed to take effect March 2, 2015, has been pushed back several weeks to allow both lenders and prospective borrowers more time to prepare for the upcoming rule change. Now, borrowers who get a reverse mortgage on or after April 27, will be subject to the Financial…

March 11, 2015
Financial Advisors

What is a Certified Financial Planner — CFP: What They Do, How to Choose, Benefits of Using, Differences from Other Financial Advisors, Fees and More…

What is a Certified Financial Planner? It seems like every day Americans are reminded how ill-prepared they are for retirement — especially as numerous reports highlight the country’s lack of savings. If this is you, you might consider working with a certified financial planner (CFP). The benefits of teaming up with a financial planner to…

March 10, 2015
Social security Social Security

How Can I Be Sure it’s the Right Time to Start Taking Social Security?

Choosing when to claim your social security benefits can be one of the most important decisions that you make in retirement. Proper timing is important, but with conflicting information and advice, it can be hard to determine what the best course of action is for you. Let’s explore what factors you should consider when making…

March 9, 2015
Long Term Care

Paying for the Booming Costs of Alzheimer’s Care

The cost of Alzheimer’s Disease care has risen in overwhelming proportion, but the reality is it’s a cost that many Americans are facing now, and will continue to face in the future. Recent studies show that the cost of caring for Americans with Alzheimer’s and other related dementias has surpassed the cost of treatment for…

March 6, 2015
Housing and Home Equity

The 5 Best Places to Retire Abroad

Are you worried about making ends meet for an American retirement? Then you may be among the 3.3 million pre-retirees who are planning to retire abroad, seeking destinations that offer not only more bang for their buck, but accessibility, favorable climates and rich cultural experiences. For some in this cohort, retiring abroad is all about…

March 5, 2015
Retire Housing and Home Equity

Where Should I Retire to? 6 Questions to Ask Yourself

You’ve probably seen endless articles with lists of the best places to retire. These rankings often change as home prices and cost of living fluctuates. Though these might be a good place to start your search, the truth is, choosing a location to retire to is an extremely personal decision that depends on a number…

March 4, 2015
Social security Social Security

How is My Social Security Payment Calculated?

You can reasonably count on Social Security benefits once you retire, but determining how much you’ll receive is a different story. There is a formula, of sorts. But as Mark Miller for Morningstar explains, it’s still complex. Although you might not come to a precise dollar amount in predicting your benefits, it’s still interesting to…

March 4, 2015
Retirement Planning

Retirement Income Planning: Americans Want Lifetime Income but Are Not Sure How to Get It

Eighty-four percent of Americans say having a guarantee of monthly income for the rest of their lives is important to them, yet nearly half (44%) are unsure if their current retirement plan offers them the option of receiving a monthly paycheck in retirement, a new study shows. In addition, having guaranteed money every month to…

March 3, 2015
Retirement Budgeting & Spending

5 Reasons You Want Good Credit as You Head Into Retirement

As you approach retirement, you have a lot on your mind. Deciding how and where you would like to spend your retirement years and making sure that you have the funds to do so are probably at the top of your list. Chances are that you are not thinking much about your credit score, but…

February 27, 2015
Retirement Savings and Investments

Have Enough: Top 7 Strategies for Generating Adequate Retirement Income

Generating enough retirement income is a top concern for many Americans. In fact, the number of Baby Boomers who are confident in their efforts to prepare financially for retirement has dropped nine percentage points, from 44% in 2011 to 35% in 2014, according to the Insured Retirement Institute’s fourth annual report on retirement preparedness of…

February 27, 2015
Retirement Retirement Planning

How to Deal with the Emotional Challenges of Retirement

Like any other transition, retirement presents some unique challenges. Though this is a major life stage, there isn’t usually much discussion about the emotional challenges of retirement. However, in the end, knowing how to deal with retirement emotionally can be just as important as financial preparation. How Many People Experience the Emotional Challenges of Retirement?…

February 26, 2015
Work during retirement Retirement Jobs

Ric Edelman on Whether You’ll Have to Work During Retirement

Retirement is not what it used to be. In the past, retirees could get by on a combination of Social Security payments, their company’s pension, and their retirement savings, but this model is slowly fading. Now, many people don’t have enough to fund their retirement and find that they have to work during this time…

February 25, 2015

NewRetirement Planner

Take financial wellness into your own hands and do it yourself retirement planning: easy, comprehensive, reliable.