Basics
Here’s what you should have already done to get ready for retirement at 50
Some people plan for retirement all their lives. But many Americans do little or no planning for retirement. In fact, for some, the first real discussion of retirement comes when they go to see a financial planner a month before retirement. A good financial planner will tell you it’s never too early to start retirement…
Read MoreBiggest Mistakes People Make Getting Ready for Retirement
It’s always good to learn from your mistakes. But, it might be even better to learn from other peoples’ mistakes. With that in mind, let’s talk about some of the big mistakes people make when it comes to preparing for retirement. (We’re going to skip over some of the more obvious ones, like not saving…
Read MoreThree Retirement Tips for the New Year
As we get further into the new year, our thoughts need to be on more than just last year’s taxes. We should also be thinking about what we need to do to make our retirement the best it can be – whether we’re already retired or getting ready for the big event. As I say…
Read MoreOne year before retirement: Here’s seven things you can start right now
It doesn’t take a financial planner to tell you this: Any successful retirement these days starts with a plan. The more planning you do, the more likely it is that you will see a successful retirement. That said, many people may still enter retirement without confidence in their plans. With that in mind, people may…
Read MoreRetirement approaching and you haven’t saved enough? Your options are limited
Americans’ habit of spending and not saving is about to catch up with them. We’re still operating as if we were our parents, who worked their entire lives for a company who then provided them with a pension for life, as well as health insurance and other retiree benefits. Those days are long gone. Very…
Read MoreEmergency Budget
There are many Americans who are not saving and, for these people, even a small unexpected expense will likely cause a financial setback. A survey of 1,000 Americans by Bankrate said nearly 60 percent of Americans would not be able to pay an unexpected emergency expense from their savings. Forty-five percent of those surveyed said…
Read MoreTry to Avoid These Retirement Mistakes
There’s a reason I advise readers to talk to a financial professional well before they retire. There is so much more to retirement than saving money, and many Americans can’t even do that. There are a lot of things to consider, foremost among them how long that nest egg will last so you don’t want…
Read MoreDownsizing Your Budget in Retirement
Many people nearing retirement already know they may need to downsize from those big family homes. Why pay for all the maintenance and upkeep when the kids are gone? But they need to also think about downsizing their finances. Reducing that pre-retirement budget can be critical to a successful retirement. Some people start reducing their…
Read MoreYear-end Retirement Savings Tips
Here we are, once again, in the midst of people’s favorite holidays. Between Christmas and New Year’s, it’s time for good food, visiting friends and relatives, gifts, and of course, popping champagne. It’s also time for New Year’s resolutions (which most people forget about by February anyway). It’s the perfect time to assess your financial…
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