While pensions are not nearly as common as they once were, they are a very important part of the retirement plans for many of society’s most valued workers: teachers, police officers, fire fighters and more! However, it is surprisingly hard to find a reliable retirement calculator with pension controls. Whether you have a state retirement…
Pensions News, Information and Guidance
Here is a guide for how to find lost money — a lost 401k or other unclaimed retirement benefits. Finding a lost 401k or other retirement account is more tedious than treasure hunting,but perhaps just as rewarding. A few years ago, I received a strange notice in the mail: a former employer was discontinuing their…
If you are an employee at a school, church, hospital or other non profit, then you are eligible for a “tax-sheltered annuity” — also known as a 403(b) plan. (Don’t work for a non profit? Learn more about annuities and how to invest in them in a tax advantaged way. ) Your work may influence…
If you are debating whether or not to take a lump sum pension offer in place of lifetime benefits, it’s important to understand key information in order to make an informed decision. According to a new Government Accountability Office report, many of the informational materials provided by sponsors offering lump sums do not present enough…
Planning for retirement has changed a lot in the last 20 years, and it is safe to assume that it will be nearly unrecognizable in another two decades. When you’re already struggling to keep up with life, how can you expect to keep up with all the changes with retirement plans, let alone understand them?…
Anyone with a multi employer pension is at risk of cut benefits. You’ve probably seen it in the movies. A worker reaches retirement and the company presents him or her with a gold watch and a nice, comfortable pension. That kind of security makes devoting years of your work life to a single company or…
Dr. Ros Altmann of PensionsAndSavings.com is known as a consumer champion and has spent a good part of her career “highlighting financial injustice, helping ordinary members of the public pro bono and explaining complex financial or economic issues for the layperson.” With her vast experience and strong knowledge base, her insight on retirement and investment-related…
This is a contribution from Bud Hebeler who runs Analyzenow.com Lots of people plan to retire on a pension and Social Security with little savings. They have never done any serious retirement planning or sought any professional help. That can be a very big mistake unless they have taken into account the damage that can come from…
This week, New Jersey lawmakers passed a bill that severely cuts the benefits of government workers and retirees. This new legislation not only decreases union’s collective bargaining rights, it also raises retirement ages, increases the amount workers must now pay for their health insurance and suspends cost-of-living (COLA) increases to retirees’ pension checks, The most…
AP Newswire, March 8th, 2011 Pension Envy! The Next Big Fight/Debate!? You have probably read about the brouhaha in Wisconsin over pensions. More and more state and local governments find that they are not able to pay for benefits that public employees have been promised. A recent article from the Associated Press, “Anger brews over…
