There is no simple answer, but consider some factors. You save for retirement with the expectation that at some point, you will have enough savings to walk confidently away from the office and into the next phase of life. So how do you know if you...
A classic mistake that can come back to haunt you. Have you invested too much of your 401(k) in company stock? This can happen – and you may not be fully aware of it. Back when corporations offered traditional pension plans, the federal government watched out for...
WEEKLY QUOTE“We are an impossibility in an impossible universe.” - Ray Bradbury WEEKLY TIP You can’t control what happens with interest rates or stocks in the future; you can control the amount you save for retirement. Boosting your personal savings ratio may bring you closer toward...
WEEKLY QUOTE“It is not fair to ask of others what you are unwilling to do yourself.” - Eleanor Roosevelt WEEKLY TIP Remember that a major life event may mean a change in your retirement, tax or estate planning approach. WEEKLY RIDDLE There is a word that starts and ends...
If the central bank ceased easing, could stocks continue their ascent? Could this bull market last with less help from the Federal Reserve? Is it propped up by the Fed’s stimulus, or strong enough to sustain itself if the central bank reduces its efforts? Some factors...
WEEKLY QUOTE“Let him who would enjoy a good future waste none of his present.” - Roger Babson WEEKLY TIP What’s more important for a young couple: an emergency fund, or saving for a down payment on a home? The emergency fund gets the nod if your...
WEEKLY QUOTE“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” - Anne Frank WEEKLY TIP Set aside a half-hour to organize your financial documents. It makes sense for tax season, and it makes sense all year. WEEKLY RIDDLE What should the...
Investors aren’t yet backing out of stocks this spring. Healthy skepticism hasn’t motivated much selling. An old belief has lingered on Wall Street for years – the belief that investors should get out of stocks in May and get back into stocks in October. But here...
How will the Fed taper off its bond buying program? In its May 1 policy announcement, the Federal Reserve reaffirmed its commitment to its current stimulus campaign, or QE3 – its monthly purchase of $85 billion in bonds.1 QE3 has undeniably boosted the stock market and assisted...
What makes financial sense for some baby boomers may not make sense for you. There is no “typical” retirement. Many baby boomers want one and believe that they will have one, and their futures may indeed unfold as planned. For others, the story will be different....