mbeals

3/12/2014 - The Gray Jobs Enigma (New York Times)

In her years as a probation officer north of Dallas, Patricia Lowell reckoned that she would work until age 65, confident that she could then retire halfway comfortably on her pension and Social Security. After retiring, she thought, she would pick up some extra spending money by working part-time retail jobs during the holiday season.… Read more 3/12/2014 - The Gray Jobs Enigma (New York Times)

3/12/2014 - Why the U.S. gets no medals for retirement (MarketWatch)

American exceptionalism — the concept that we’re qualitatively different from other nations — certainly doesn’t hold up in the area of retirement, according to two recent studies that compare the U.S. retirement system to those of other countries. Read the full article at MarketWatch.

3/5/2014 - Sunbelt States Rank Low On Retirement Financial Security (Forbes)

Retirement in a warm locale sure sounds appealing, particularly given the brutal winter that much of the country has suffered through. But frigid Wyoming, Alaska, Minnesota and North Dakota come out on top in a new academic study of the state of retirement financial security in the states. Meanwhile, retirement meccas Florida and South Carolina… Read more 3/5/2014 - Sunbelt States Rank Low On Retirement Financial Security (Forbes)

3/5/2014 - Knowledge is power when it comes to retirement planning, Stanford researcher shows (Stanford Report)

A Stanford economics scholar found that people increase their savings when they use retirement income projections and have access to detailed information about the benefits of saving now for use later. When such information is absent, people save less. Read the full article at the Stanford Report.

3/4/2014 - Are women financially conservative or just economically realistic? (InvestmentNews)

Women are more conservative with their finances than men and slightly less confident, according to a survey by BlackRock Inc. More than half of women surveyed globally say that they are not willing to take any risks with money, and just 21% are willing to invest in stocks. According to the survey, men are much… Read more 3/4/2014 - Are women financially conservative or just economically realistic? (InvestmentNews)

2/27/2014 - Boomer workers get by with help from their friends (MarketWatch)

Boomer job seekers face age bias and other barriers when looking for work, but they do have one thing going for them: their connections. Read the full article at MarketWatch.

2/26/2014 - All is not ‘fine’ with pension coverage (MarketWatch)

It is not clear quite why it’s happening, but op-eds, articles, and conferences are out to show that the employer-sponsored pension system is fine.  I suspect that the financial services industry is worried about changes in the favorable tax provisions awarded retirement saving, and have launched a coordinated campaign to show that the private sector… Read more 2/26/2014 - All is not ‘fine’ with pension coverage (MarketWatch)

2/25/2014 - Do You Know Your Retirement Number? (U.S. News & World Report)

If you know how much money you need in the bank to comfortably retire, you’re in the minority: Only 1 in 10 people make such a calculation, according to the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies. That might explain why Americans are on track to replace an average of only 60 percent or less of their… Read more 2/25/2014 - Do You Know Your Retirement Number? (U.S. News & World Report)

2/19/2014 - Retirement Account Winners and Losers (U.S. News & World Report)

How much you are eligible to save in tax-advantaged retirement accounts each year depends on a host of factors including where you work, how much you make, your marital status, your filing status, how much your spouse makes, where he or she works and if you are self-employed. This complicated tax situation creates a variety… Read more 2/19/2014 - Retirement Account Winners and Losers (U.S. News & World Report)

2/18/2014 - Unique Retirement Planning Challenges Facing Hispanic Americans (Forbes)

While many Americans have some difficulty planning and preparing for retirement, unique challenges face certain demographic groups.  One such group is Hispanic Americans. A new study released by Prudential Financial PRU -0.33%, entitled “The Hispanic American Financial Experience,” sheds new light on the distinctive challenges facing Hispanic Americans as they plan for retirement. Read the… Read more 2/18/2014 - Unique Retirement Planning Challenges Facing Hispanic Americans (Forbes)