Retirement Planning

As with most financial habits, knowing what you need to do is the easy part. Following through with it is where most people run into trouble. To help you in that regard HERE are the 4 most important factors that help determine whether or not you’ll have a large enough nest egg to cover your living expenses during retirement.

In Canada "seniors" (what an awful word!) are the new elite. Politicians pander to them. They get tax breaks up the yin-yang. They suck up most of the health care. Their employers can’t even kick them out the door - not that most need to work. They’re rich.

Financial Repression is a form of wealth confiscation and redistribution that is in some ways as effective as taxation - but the government never directly calls it that. It never appears in the budget (directly), and while it is dependent on a comprehensive network of laws and regulations - none of those go through the legislature with a stated intention of creating Financial Repression. So while the economic net effects are similar to a huge and comprehensive set of investor taxes being used to pay down the national debt, the "taxes" are never a campaign issue because voters and investors don't understand what is happening - they only feel the results. [In this article I lay out for you what is slowly developing and expected to escalate dramatically in the next few years.] Words: 5800

According to the 4 percent rule, retirees who withdraw 4% of their initial retirement portfolio balance, and then adjust that dollar amount for inflation each year thereafter, can create a paycheck that lasts for 30 years. The concept has recently been criticized given the fact that the current crop of retirees are entering retirement during a period of historically low interest rates so the question of how much a retiree can safely spend each year is now more important than ever. This article reviews the original concept and puts forth a number of variations to help you answer the question put forth in the title: How much can I spend in retirement without running out of money?

There is a common notion that stocks, at least if held for a long-time, outperform other assets [and, as such,] should be the cornerstone of any long-term portfolio. [While that is indeed true,] it is best to focus first on how much you are able and willing to lose (i.e. what risk you are able and willing to bear) when determining the optimal allocation for your portfolio. [Only] then [should you] think about what potential investment returns you might be able to capture. [Let me explain.] Words: 1503

Weather and climate are important considerations for most people when they think about where they might retire. This short article provides you with 6 internet resources to research the weather wherever you might be considering moving or retiring, so you can make the best choice. Words: 380

Overall tax rates are going to continue creeping higher in the years ahead so take advantage of every legal means you can to shelter your wealth and watch it grow with as little interference from Uncle Sam as you can. Here are 4 such ways to do just that - pay less taxes!

By saving money, investing it in blue chip dividend growth stocks and reinvesting dividends and new capital, I plan to generate enough dividends to make me financially independent in a few short years without having to endure a lower standard of living.

According to Paris-based asset management giant Natixis, investors believe they need an average annual return of 9.3% - over and above inflation - to cover their costs in retirement, and 80% believe this rather, ahem, optimistic goal is achievable.

Planning, preparation and a little luck are key ingredients to any successful baseball player's career and the same applies to those of us suiting up for retirement.