3 New Year’s Resolutions that Reflect Reality
What a difference a year makes. The economy is struggling longer than many had expected, and now Americans are retooling their New Year’s resolutions to fit the times.
Articles from Contributor
How the Lost Decade is a Boon for Your Portfolio
The lost decade has a silver lining: investors who accumulate shares during long market dry spells end up with twice as much money, new research shows.
Student Loans: A Call for Creative Solutions
Universities raise tuition faster than the vast majority can afford. That leads to more government grants and government and private loans, which flow to universities. They then construct lovely new buildings, largely on the …
Retirement Planning Mistakes: Fear or Ignorance?
A new survey drives home some critical points about the recession’s impact on retirement planning. We fear the stock market even in the long run and probably should be taught more about money in school.
How to Earn 5% No Matter What the Economy Looks Like
A new study suggests that investing your retirement money half in bonds and half in stocks will produce 5% annual returns like clockwork, despite bumps in the economy. But is this a smart strategy for everyone? No.
How to Fix Your 401(k) Plan
As the traditional pension disappears, the 401(k) plan is evolving into something that one day might actually be just as good. That’s saying a lot. The certainty of monthly income for life, which traditional pensions promise, is a high bar. Meanwhile, 401(k) plans have taken their licks.
What We Can Learn from a Legendary Fund Manager’s Retirement
In the end, Bill Miller was doing what he had always done. But it stopped working, and now the legendary mutual fund manager is retiring. His inglorious departure from Legg Mason Value Trust offers a telling lesson in the perils …
8 Money Habits That Separate Doers From Dreamers
When it comes to securing financial security, are you a doer or a dreamer? By definition, financial doers have a better shot at reaching their retirement goals. No real surprise, they also have a much better shot at raising …
Pension Backstop Posts Record Shortfall. Is a Bailout Next?
Put another nail in the coffin of private pensions. The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., a government agency that insures corporate defined-benefit plans, has been running a record deficit. Now it’s sending up flares for either a taxpayer bailout or higher insurance premiums from the companies that still offer these plans. Good luck on …
Surprise! Warren Buffett Owns Tech Stocks
A week after disclosing that he had dived headlong into stocks dependent on a strong economy, Warren Buffett reveals he also bought 5.5% of the technology giant IBM. Cyclical and tech stocks are not usually high on Buffett’s wish …
Back to School? Why It Pays to Retire in a College Town
In a new survey, Coldwell Banker identifies the most and least affordable college town real estate markets. If you’re a retiree looking to downsize and stretch your nest egg, this is worth a look.
When a Savings Account is Not a Savings Account
Money market mutual funds are not the same as savings accounts. A lot of people don’t understand that, and now the SEC wants to make it clear.