Topic: Retirement Planning
Top galleries, list articles, quizzes
-
Seven retirement questions you need to answer
Retirement planning isn't easy. Nearly half of Americans don't feel financially prepared to live to age 75, according to a survey from Northwestern Mutual. But the process is a lot less burdensome if you break the task down into simpler parts. Here are seven questions to ask as you plan for your long-term financial security in retirement.
-
Income tax refund: five tips for maximizing it
People are always looking for ways to get every dollar back they deserve at tax time. Fortunately, there are some smart moves you can make before April 17 to help maximize your income tax refund. Spending a few minutes now will save you time preparing your taxes and can help you get big savings. Here are five tips to get you started:
-
Pentagon budget: top 3 winners and losers
In Pentagon parlance, the word “cut” is a relative term. The Defense Department’s base budget decreases from $553 billion this year to $525 billion in 2013, but it rebounds steadily to $567 billion in 2017. With this in mind, here are the top three winners and losers:
-
Election 101: Where the GOP candidates stand on immigration, abortion and other social issues
Social policies are a defining issue in this, or any, Republican race. With the GOP electorate increasingly focused on social issues in recent decades, their leaders' views have shifted in kind. Take a look at where each of the candidates stand.
-
Stock market jitters: Eight reasons investors are on edge
Stock markets have been swinging wildly of late. Even though corporate earnings have shown strength over the past year and not all economic indicators have been gloomy, investors are on edge. Uncertainty looms on several fronts – from concerns about the basic health of the economy to doubts about fiscal policies in the United States and Europe. Here's a look at the forces weighing on investors' outlook:
All Content
-
Retirement: 3 ways to enrich it without adding money
Retirement planning is about more than saving money. It's about what you're going to do. Here are three ways to stay active in retirement.
-
Saving Money
10 money mistakes everybody makes
How many of these common money mistakes have you made?
-
The Simple Dollar
Student loans: Pay them off, or invest elsewhere?
Student loans at currently low interest rates should be paid off as quickly as possible, because there aren't many better investments out there. Student loans are question one in this week's mailbag.
-
Seven retirement questions you need to answer
Retirement planning isn't easy. Nearly half of Americans don't feel financially prepared to live to age 75, according to a survey from Northwestern Mutual. But the process is a lot less burdensome if you break the task down into simpler parts. Here are seven questions to ask as you plan for your long-term financial security in retirement.
-
The Simple Dollar
401(k) savings: Huge plus, even when retiring at 45
401(k) savings defer taxes and can fund second retirement phase for high earner who wants to retire at 45. See question No. 2 in the reader mailbag for 401(k) discussion.
-
The Simple Dollar
401(k) plans: A way to save for house down payment?
401(k) plans sometimes allow you to borrow from them. So are 401(k) plans a good way to save for buying a home? Question No. 6 in this reader mailbag.
-
The Simple Dollar
Retirement savings: How much is enough?
Everyone wants to know how much money they need to save for retirement. When planning, don't forget to account for inflation and fluctuations in investment returns, Hamm says.
-
Retirement strategy for small-business owners: Grab the tax break
Retirement might seem like the last priority for small-business owners. But funding your retirement plan can save 30 to 40 cents on the dollar because of tax breaks.
-
401(k) plans? Nice, but don't forget the IRA.
401(k) plans are a great way to save for retirement. But adding IRAs to 401(k) plans gives savers additional flexibility.
-
Tax deductions: 12 ways to save, from mortgage interest to moving costs
Tax deductions can require some extra reading of instructions, but there's big money to be saved when you file your tax return.
-
Tax deductions: There's still time for small business
Tax deductions for retirement savings are still available through April 17. File an extension to get more time to qualify for tax deductions.
-
The Simple Dollar
Student loans: the more you can pay at once, the better
Student loan bills reach six figures for one married couple, who wonder if they should throw as much money at the loan as possible or stick to the payment plan. Student loans are question 6 in this week's mailbag.
-
The Simple Dollar
Student loans are $300,000. Prepay them or save?
Student loans are so high, couple wonders whether to pay them off early or save $5,000 a year for retirement. Question on student loans is No. 6 in this reader mailbag.
-
The Simple Dollar
401(k) plans available at work? Sign up. Now!
401(k) plans offer tax advantages in addition to convenience. If your employer's 401(k) plan offers to match your contributions, then you're losing money out on free money.
-
Income tax refund: five tips for maximizing it
People are always looking for ways to get every dollar back they deserve at tax time. Fortunately, there are some smart moves you can make before April 17 to help maximize your income tax refund. Spending a few minutes now will save you time preparing your taxes and can help you get big savings. Here are five tips to get you started:
-
Bankruptcy jitters in Stockton. Will other cities fail?
Bankruptcy of Stockton, Calif., looms large as city enters talks with creditors. But most other troubled California municipalities are taking drastic steps to avoid bankruptcy.
-
Retirement planning: Stocks rebound, not confidence
Retirement planning looks as daunting as ever, according to a new survey. Although the stock market has rebounded, only 14 percent of Americans, a historic low, are very confident their savings and retirement planning will be adequate.
-
Social Security: eight key things to know
Social Security recipients should look into the possibilities of spousal benefits, as well as their own, to maximize their Social Security income.
-
The Simple Dollar
Student loans or house downpayment? Where to spend $25,000.
Student loans worth $25,000 will start accruing interest in November, but a young couple wants to buy a house in 2013. Should they pay off the student loans or buy a home? See question No. 4 in this reader mailbag.
-
The Simple Dollar
Are you feeding that retirement fund?
Retirement contributions can be difficult to fit into your budget, but your take home pay won't go down as much as you think.
-
The Simple Dollar
Investing 101: How to invest your retirement savings
Don’t put off investing because you’re not sure what to invest in. Instead, make a sensible choice and start saving now.
-
Tax VOX
Obama's budget means retirement savings for all
With its Automatic IRA and extra incentives for employers to offer a 401(k) plan, the president's budget will enable almost all Americans to save for retirement.
-
Saving Money
Retirement plans? Don't forget about state, local taxes.
Retirement plans should include an appraisal of the impact of state and local taxes. Levies on income, benefits, property, purchases, and estate can make a difference in your retirement plans.
-
The Simple Dollar
Roth IRA: Use ShareBuilder or Vanguard?
Roth IRA is easy to set up immediately in ShareBuilder, but patience and Vanguard mean fewer fees in the long run for your Roth IRA. See question No. 7 in the reader mailbag.
-
The Simple Dollar
How to find a retirement saving plan that works for you
Everyone has a different idea for how they want to spend their retirement. Given how varied people's goals are, why is it reasonable to think that everyone should have the same retirement saving plan?
Become part of the Monitor community
36K on Facebook | 12K on Twitter | 2,250 on YouTube