Retirement Savings and Investments

There are a lot of questions about retirement savings and investments.

With regards to savings, you need to know: How much to save (did you know that some people save too much)? How much savings you will you need for retirement? Where should you save? Should you save pre-tax (traditional, SEP & Simple IRAs, 401ks, 403bs, 457s, 529s, HSAs, etc…) or after-tax (Roth IRAs and 401ks)? How do you find more money to save?

And, there are probably even more questions about investments: What should you invest in (stocks, bonds, real estate, funds)? How should your investments change over time? How do your financial values impact your investment strategy? What is the ideal asset allocation for you? What should you do when the market swings wildly?

See below for articles covering the answers to these questions and more.

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Are TIPS the Tips You Need with Inflation on the Rise?

Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) are touted as good investments for inflation protection. But, they have significant downsides. Explore the pros and cons.

December 16, 2021

Should You Pay Off Mortgage or Invest?

Get insights for the best way to use your money. What are the pros and cons of paying off mortgage vs. investing?

December 9, 2021

Cryptocurrencies and Your Retirement

Is investing in cryptocurrencies a good idea for retirement? Explore the pros and cons of this volatile asset class.

November 18, 2021
what rate of return to use for retirement projections

What Rates of Return Should You Use for Retirement Planning?

Get details on historic returns and a framework for making your rate of return projections. Here is info you need for a more secure future.

November 11, 2021
asset allocation as you age

Best Asset Allocation at Different Ages

The best asset allocation strategy for you today? As you age? Is age the best way to determine investment strategy? Get answers.

November 11, 2021
how to invest for retirement

7 Simple Tips for How to Invest for Retirement

Knowing how to invest for retirement can be complicated and it is not an innate skill. However, you can do it with these 7 simple tips.

November 11, 2021

The Biggest Risk in Financial Planning: Avoiding Risk

According to experts, one of the biggest risks in financial planning isn’t investing in a volatile portfolio, but rather avoiding risk altogether.

November 3, 2021

Are Alternative Investments a Good Idea for Your Retirement?

Should you consider alternative investments as part of your retirement asset allocation? Probably not, but it depends. Explore the pros and cons.

October 21, 2021
donor-advised funds

What is a Donor-Advised Fund?

Learn about donor-advised funds and the significant tax advantages they offer. Explore the downsides to this charitable giving strategy as well.

October 7, 2021

10 Recent Economic Headlines and What They Mean for Your Money (Will Roth Conversions Be Scrapped?)

As summer ends and the economy continues to reopen, there has been a lot of significant economic news. Here are 10 recent headlines and what each of them means for your money. Some of these headlines report on events that have happened. Others are anticipating future events. Each may have a significant impact on your…

September 30, 2021
reduce 401k fees

401(k) Fees: Get to Know What You Pay and Reduce the Expense

Many of us are oblivious to the fees, but almost everyone with a 401(k) pays them. Get 7 ideas for reducing costs to greatly increase wealth.

September 23, 2021

Solo 401k: Massive Savings Opportunities for the Self-Employed

The ability to open a Solo 401k is a big perk for the self employed. Learn about 12 big advantages, including the huge contribution limits.

September 16, 2021

Rebalancing Your Portfolio: Why, How and When

Rebalancing is a critical part of any investment strategy. Learn about setting asset allocation targets and the finer points of rebalancing.

September 16, 2021

Podcast: Renee Schaaf — Past, Present, and Future of Enterprise Retirement Plans

Steve Chen is joined by guest Renee Schaaf — the President of Retirement Income Solutions at the Principal Financial Group

September 9, 2021
retirement investing

6 Competing Retirement Investing Goals and How to Sort Them Out for Long-Term Wealth

Saving for retirement is hard. However, when you are still working, creating a retirement investment plan can be relatively straightforward. The goal is to simply grow the money. But, when you retire, your investment goals become multi-faceted, layered, and downright complicated. You still want your money to grow, but you have a whole lot of other…

September 1, 2021
Roth Conversion 2018

Why a Roth Conversion or Backdoor Roth IRA is a Good Idea Right Now

Doing a Roth conversion — also known as a “backdoor Roth IRA” — is perhaps even more appealing in 2018 than ever before. Why? Low 2018 tax rates. What is a Roth Conversion? Backdoor IRA? A Roth Conversion is when you convert money that you have in a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. This…

August 15, 2021

Monte Carlo Simulations: A Sophisticated Way to Predict Your Chance of Financial Success

Hear Monte Carlo simulations and think gambling? Nope. Learn how this mathematical formula can be used to predict your financial future.

August 5, 2021

Are You Wealthy? 19 Ways to Define Wealth

Are you wealthy? Are you defining wealth correctly? See how people think about wealth and compare your financial well being to others’.

July 29, 2021
retirement income plan

3 Steps to a Retirement Income Plan: Nobel Prize Winner Helps You Figure Out Your Best Options for a Secure Future

Nobel prize winner Robert Merton outlines the 3 steps you need to take to create a retirement income plan for a secure future.

July 18, 2021

Financial Wisdom from Jack Brennan, Former CEO of Vanguard

Get great investing and planning tips directly from Jack Brennan, former CEO of Vanguard (the handpicked successor to Jack Bogle).

July 15, 2021
lost 401k

Find Lost 401k: How to Find Out If You Have Lost or Forgotten Retirement Accounts

Here is a guide for how to find lost money — a lost 401k or other unclaimed retirement benefits. It can be as easy as 1,2,3!

June 15, 2021
lockbox strategy william sharpe

The Lockbox Strategy and 10 Other Retirement Income Tips from Nobel Laureate, William Sharpe

William Sharpe has contributed significant brain power to solving for retirement security. Learn about the lockbox strategy and other ways to set up your retirement income.

June 10, 2021
charitable giving

Charitable Giving in Retirement: 4 Questions to Ask

For many of us, the desire to engage in charitable giving — giving  to our family, communities or world — only grows as we age. And there may be good reason that we want to give.  It turns out that giving is good — very good.  Numerous studies have found that there is a huge…

June 7, 2021
how to save more money

How to Save More Money for Retirement: 23 Smart and Easy Ways to Boost Savings Big!

You’ve probably heard a lot of advice about how to save more money for retirement. Everyone tells you that you really need to do it. And if you’re like a lot of people, you probably think that it’s a great idea — you are just not exactly sure where to find the cash.Learn how to…

May 27, 2021

NewRetirement Planner

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