Retirement

Your retirement is far more than simply no longer showing up to work. It's about having the freedom to do what you want in life, and enough control over your personal finances to enjoy that freedom.

The rise of the 401(k) plan has spelled the end of employer-sponsored pensions for many workers. But don't count out pensions just yet.

It's time for some tough love. After all, I want you to have a comfortable retirement doing all the things you've desired.

I'm sure none of us has spent time with our grandparents without hearing statements like "I remember when the movies only cost a quarter," and "A thousand dollars sure doesn't buy what it used to."

The debate over U.S. health-care reform rages on. But why wait for someone else to dictate your future? You have many options -- if you're willing to take a vacation. If recovering from a medical procedure while lying on a palm-swept beach, relaxing by the hotel pool, or shopping for terrific bargains sounds good, then medical vacations may be exactly the right solution for you.

In stock investing, nothing stays the same forever. Yesterday's underperforming asset class could be tomorrow's overachiever.

Hey! Wanna buy a bond?

In bull markets, selling bonds to retirement investors is a tough job. Most folks -- especially those more than a few years from retirement -- tend to want to stick with stocks. And with good reason. Over long periods and through a full range of market cycles, stocks beat bonds.

You've probably heard all about The Secret by now. This movie (and book) insists that one can find success in anything by feeling that success inside.

I'm not saying the small sacrifices don't matter.

Yes, as everyone likes to point out, forgoing your daily cup of coffee at Fourbucks will help you save toward a comfortable retirement.

The news is certainly getting worse. Bank failures are mounting, oil prices -- while they've dipped a little in recent days -- are still way up over this time last year, and inflation rumbles continue.

A 100-year-old Texas woman recently celebrated her 85th year of employment at the same job.

The other day, I spent some time with a friend who was stressed out about retirement. His employer offered a 401(k) plan, but he had yet to enroll in it. He'd seen friends make money investing in real estate, and he wanted to do that, too. He handed me some paperwork and asked me what he should do. (If you know anyone in the same boat, forward this article to them.)

If older Americans are in trouble when it comes to their retirement planning, Generation X is in big trouble, because:

• Pensions have become things of the past.
• The Social Security system is failing.
• Debt, debt, and more debt.