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Is Your Retirement Plan Robbing You Blind?

Fri, 26/10/2007 - 17:43 by Tim Hanson

AIG (NYSE: AIG) should be ashamed of itself -- and not because its ads aren't as good as they used to be.

The company should be ashamed because it's charging tens of thousands of American teachers far too much to manage their 403(b) plans, and it's not forthcoming about it.

How to Retire on Less

Sat, 13/10/2007 - 09:56 by Selena Maranjian

You can boil down retirement planning to a few simple numbers -- such as these:

Let's spend a little time thinking about that last item. Your withdrawal rate is rather critical, you know. There are conservative and less conservative ways of looking at it.

Think Twice About Equity-Indexed Annuities

Sat, 13/10/2007 - 09:44 by Selena Maranjian
If you've ever heard of equity-indexed annuities (EIAs), there's a good chance you did so from your mom or dad. And there's a good chance they learned about them at a "free seminar." I know that that's how I first heard about them. My dad enjoyed the free meal and the sales pitch (er ... seminar), but told me he was skeptical about the EIA he was being pitched. He understood that this particular EIA would put a cap on his potential gains. Well, it turns out dad may have been more right than he realized.

Retirement Gimmicks Gone Wild

Sat, 13/10/2007 - 09:33 by Dan Caplinger
You can tell that the baby boom generation is nearing retirement. Everywhere you turn, fund companies are coming up with new ways to help retirees manage their finances more easily. From target retirement funds to immediate annuities, the industry has been gearing up to capture more and more of the growing pool of retirement assets.

Prevent a Retirement Nightmare

Wed, 10/10/2007 - 16:23 by Dayana Yochim

Horror flicks, haunted houses, sticky-fingered goblins, and fake spiders in the office fridge -- it's all standard fare this time of year.

But if you want to see something really scary, check out the nightmare today's retirees face every single day of the year.

A Disastrous Retirement Scenario

Tue, 09/10/2007 - 14:10 by Chuck Saletta
A Sicilian man recently lost his primary source of income and access to his home. At 61 years old, this was a tough break, and, sadly, he needed police intervention to get his life back to normal.

Why You'll Have a Worry-Free Retirement

Mon, 08/10/2007 - 15:49 by Tim Hanson

What a load off, huh?

According to a recent study by Towers Perrin reported in The Wall Street Journal, "The pension plans of Fortune 100 companies ended 2006 with 102.4% of the assets needed to pay pensions indefinitely." That's right ... indefinitely.

The 3 Things You Need to Retire

Sat, 06/10/2007 - 09:42 by Chuck Saletta
First the bad news: The conventional retirement system is rapidly falling apart. Social Security doesn't expect to be able to make all its expected payments starting in 2041. Many of the companies that still have pension plans are either cutting them back or eliminating them entirely.

Plan the Perfect Retirement

Sat, 06/10/2007 - 09:34 by Motley Fool

By Robert Brokamp

You have three big questions about your retirement plan:

They're easy to ask, but not quite so easy to answer. That's because your retirement plan has many moving parts -- at least eight, in fact. Are all your moving parts working together to produce a well-oiled, accelerating retirement plan -- or will your retirement be ready for the scrap heap by the time you arrive at age 65?

Can You Ever Retire?

Thu, 04/10/2007 - 16:58 by Motley Fool

BY Chuck Saletta

Some people live for their jobs -- I just don't know any.

For the rest of us, work is a means to support ourselves and our families. If you're in that second group, chances are that you've asked yourself if you'll ever be able to retire, and if so, when.

One Man's Retirement Advice

Thu, 04/10/2007 - 15:22 by Selena Maranjian

I love hearing from readers. (You can reach me or just about any Fool writer by clicking on our hyperlinked bylines or on our names at the bottom of our articles.)

The other day, after my "Prepare for a Gruesome Retirement" article ran, I heard from Marc D., who wanted to share some thoughts. He said: "Your article was sure scary, but I have a few recommendations to pass on." He then offered several simple steps to help you secure a comfy retirement. I'll present a few of them below, along with some further thoughts of my own.

The 5-Minute Retirement Plan

Wed, 03/10/2007 - 10:10 by Motley Fool

By Robert Brokamp

You managed to put on a shirt that isn't too wrinkled, made lunches for the family that weren't too unhealthy, dropped the kids off at school without being too late, and got to work without being too frazzled.