Retirement Planning

In reality most Americans are winging it when it comes to their retirement plans. The plan for most will be the default with Social Security which was never intended to be the primary source of incomes for millions of Americans. The new retirement is no retirement and working well into old age. If that's you here is how to avoid such a future.

With defined benefit pension plans slowly going extinct and Americans not saving enough for retirement it is becoming tougher for Americans to retire and is setting the stage for a retirement disaster...

If you are retiring soon you might well be considering relocating to somewhere less expensive and with a slower pace and better weather. This post outlines retirement destinations well worth considering.

More and more retirees are looking to retire abroad where the sun shines almost daily, the weather is temperate, the lifestyle is enjoyable and the cost of living is a fraction of their current expenses. Here are a number of countries worth considering.and the merits of each destination.

The Securities and Exchange Commission is worried that municipal bankruptcies, combined with an expected spike in interest rates, means that the muni bond market could face "Armageddon" with devastating consequences for the individual investors (74% of the total) who hold the paper of which many are retirees. Words: 490

When the government runs out of money, or they face a drying up in interest for its debt, they will come for the $19.4 trillion in Americans' retirement accounts. It seems that day may be finally drawing near. Here's why.

More than 25% of American workers (33% of those in their 40s) with 401(k) and other retirement savings accounts use them to pay current expenses, new data show, [which is] undermining already shaky retirement security for millions of Americans. With federal policymakers eyeing cuts to Social Security benefits and Medicare to rein in soaring federal deficits, and traditional pensions in a long decline, retirement savings experts say the drain from the accounts has dire implications for future retirees. Words: 890

Mexico, with the world's 13th largest GDP, is no longer a "Third World Country", but rather a fast growing, economically secure state. [Mexico is a great place to visit for a week or the winter, take early retirement to, and/or to invest in. This article outlines the new economic reality of the country.] Words: 785

The mortgage interest deduction — considered by many to be the sacred cow of tax breaks — has joined the list of possible items on the chopping block in the growing debate between President Obama and Congress about the so-called “fiscal cliff”. [Below is research on the merits of such a tax break elimination, the extent of the income tax increases on different income groups, the possible effects on the home ownership rate, type of houses purchased and house prices in general and their conclusion as to whether or not the elimination of such a tax break would be a sound decision.] Words: 1023

The past few years have really put the squeeze on cash-strapped states to find new sources of revenue. This environment has generated a level of tax aggression from certain states, which in turn has resulted in a net loss of revenue instead of the intended gain. Residents have begun voting with their feet, deciding to move out of the state instead of thinning their pocket through unwanted taxation. So which states are chasing away their residents? How does it impact you if you live in one of them? We track migratory patterns through our residency product data, and while some of the states are no-brainers, others may surprise you. [Take a look.] Words: 691