When Fed Chief Ben Bernanke said he would hold short-term interest rates near zero for at least two more years, the stock market, at least initially, whooped it up. In the middle of the party, though, millions of retirees …
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Retirement
Retirement Study: More Americans Calling It Quits, Even With Less to Live On
With stocks tanking and nest eggs cracking, retirement is clearly less affordable. Why, then, has there been a surge in folks calling it quits?
How to Retire Like George Soros – Even If You’re Not a Billionaire
Last week, George Soros‘ firm announced it would stop managing money for outside investors, formally ending the legendary financier’s high-profile, 40-year career. With a personal net worth of $15 billion, his future will include …
Too Cute to Fail: Grandparents Bailing Out Their Grandchildren
When times get tough, big banks and auto companies have the government to bail them out. Kids have their grandparents.
Scary Fact: 42 Million Americans Blindly Relying on Pensions
A lot of folks nearing retirement still have a traditional pension. But a new study suggests they don't know how to figure it into their plans. Here's a start.
The Falling Stock Market’s Evil Twin: The Falling Dollar
A sinking dollar may be great for parts of the U.S. economy but it sure is tough on certain investors and retirees. Here's how to deal with the fallout.
Hit by the Fine Print: Three Ways the Debt Deal Could Hurt Seniors on Medicare
Medicare turned 46 last week, but instead of celebrating its major accomplishment — keeping millions of older Americans healthy — it finds itself under siege. The program appears to have squeaked through unscathed in the debt …
Singles Have Significantly Less Saved for Retirement Than Couples
If you are on your own, you’re probably not saving enough for retirement. That’s the conclusion of a new study published this week by the National Bureau of Economic Research on retirement readiness from two researchers at the …
Why is the Government Accountability Office Recommending Annuities?
The Government Accountability Office is supposed to be a government watchdog: keeping an eye on public funds and looking out for self-dealing, all while making sure that the taxpayers are getting a fair shake.
The 4% Myth: Where the Wisdom on Retirement Goes Wrong
The conventional thinking on spending money in retirement isn't really true.
Why It’s So Hard to Fix the 401(k)
A few years ago, policy wonks, retirement experts and politicians came up with what they thought was a great way to fix the 401(k) system: automatic enrollment. So in 2006, they passed a law that allowed businesses to put a …
Mortgage Giants Wells Fargo and Bank of America Opt Out of Reverse Mortgage Business
At the height of the real estate market, I recall driving past a Bay Area billboard for an apparently conservative financial advisory firm that read something like: “Your home is not a retirement plan.” At the time, the …