It's probably no surprise to you that the structure of the average American family has changed drastically in the past forty years. In 1970, 40 percent of American households consisted of married parents living with children under 18 years old. But by 2012, that description only fit 20 percent of households. Today, there is no [...]
Toward the end of August, we experienced a shocking slump on Wall Street. For those planning for retirement, or beginning to think about investing in a retirement fund, this news might have been discouraging. After all, you've pinned your future on the health of your investment portfolio. For Mark Roberts' Use: On the other hand, [...]
You're looking forward to your retirement, but you may also feel a bit anxious. You might wonder what you will do all day once your career has ended, or whether you will even enjoy retirement. As you continue to prepare for retirement in a financial sense, take the time to mentally prepare yourself by learning [...]
As we all know, Wall Street conditions can be unpredictable. Even in times of relative stability, we all know it won't last forever. It is always best to look ahead to the future and prepare for every situation, particularly when it comes to your retirement fund. Review your asset allocations. Each investor has their own [...]
Donating to charity can be one of the best decisions you ever make, from both a personal and financial perspective. But when you claim your charitable contributions on your income tax return, it’s easy to make mistakes. Since these oversights can trigger an audit, or even cause you to be penalized for unpaid taxes, make [...]
Hopefully, you aren’t too surprised by your tax bill each spring. If you have been unpleasantly shocked in the past, you may be looking for ways to reduce your tax burden in the future. But before you act, keep in mind that things may not work out the way you had hoped. Talk to a [...]
Once you enter retirement, you may be living on a fixed income. You might think that your federal income taxes will stay the same or even be lower, but it's important to remember that the IRS taxes different types of income at different rates. As you're planning for retirement, it's a good idea to understand [...]
For years, we have all been hearing the predictions that the Social Security fund will have a difficult time paying full benefits by about 2033. But now researchers from Dartmouth and Harvard have suggested that the actual day of reckoning could arrive sooner than expected. These researchers believe that the actuaries for the Social Security [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: The average retiree lives on a fixed income, which can sound scary as you're looking toward the future. With careful planning, it is possible to enjoy a generous budget in retirement. But even the most confident retirees and pre-retirees should keep an eye on these four factors, because they can significantly [...]
You've heard a lot about the wage disparity between men and women. So it probably comes as no surprise that retirement savings differ between the genders as well. A 2014 study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute uncovered a significant gap in the savings of men and women. According to the study, the average IRA [...]