For Mark Roberts' Use: Are you confident that you will have enough money to cover basic living expenses in retirement? Seven out of ten workers aged 50 and older feel as though their retirement plan will provide enough money for basic necessities. But what about your ability to actually live comfortably in retirement? If you're [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: The recession may have created high unemployment rates and significant financial difficulty for many American households, but many reacted by holding onto their jobs longer. The average length of employment has lengthened, but you still may find yourself moving on to a new job at some point in the near future. [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: As you plan for retirement, you may be presented with several different investment options. It can be hard to know which savings vehicles to pursue, but one very important factor you should always consider is the tax benefits of all options. At some point you may consider purchasing an annuity. In [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: If your New Years resolution focused on renovating your financial life, you may be thinking about paying down debts or upping your retirement plan contributions. But your home life can be a major source of money loss, and impact your ability to save money. Take a look at your habits around [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: Do you imagine what will happen to your estate after your death? Undoubtedly, you want your loved once to receive what you've left them, and you don't want it to take a long time. But if your estate is subject to the probate process, the lengthy process could prove to be [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: Whether you're preparing for retirement or you've already begun that chapter in your life, you know that making every dollar count is a major key to your financial success. Before retirement, stretching your budget helps you to find extra money to stash in savings. After retirement, living a thrifty life helps your [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: Back in your working days, you looked forward to your annual raise. It helped to offset inflation, and provided you with extra cash to spend on luxury items or save for retirement. Now that you're retired, you may find that your “raises” from Social Security are less exciting. But you still need [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: Inflation – the rise in prices of goods and services over time – can have a significant impact on your retirement budget. Once you stop working, you will most likely be faced with the prospect of living on a fixed income for the rest of your life. When prices of food, [...]
For Mark Roberts's Use: Estate planning can be a complicated process for anyone. You have to consider the possible needs of your heirs during a difficult time in life, and balance those needs with the legal and tax ramifications of your decisions. As a business owner, you have the same considerations of anyone else, but [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: Throughout your career, contributions to the Social Security fund have been deducted from your paychecks. You expect those benefits to be available to you when you need them someday, and you may even be depending upon Social Security as a significant part of your future retirement income. It's important to keep [...]