For Mark Roberts' Use: The Social Security administration has announced that all benefits recipients will see a 1.7 percent increase in their monthly checks, beginning January 15, 2015. The increase is due to the program's annual cost of living adjustment (COLA), which is tied to the Consumer Price Index. When prices of goods and services [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: Most people are aware that having life insurance is important, but a much bigger question is usually, “How much life insurance do I need?”. The truth is that there is no single answer that will work for everyone. But there are definitely factors most of us need to consider before arriving [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: Many seniors hope to pay off their mortgages before they retire, allowing for a roomier budget and a more comfortable lifestyle. However, this isn't always possible for everyone, so one thing some retirees choose to do is refinance their current mortgages. Since interest rates remain very low right now, this might [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: If you're a small business owner, you probably know that attracting and retaining the best workers in your industry can be a challenge. The Affordable Care Act encouraged business owners to provide health insurance to employees, and many business owners have found that offering this benefit helps to promote a healthier [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: What would you do if you encountered high medical bills due to an accident or serious illness? If you're like almost 90 percent of middle-income Americans, you may be forced to dip into your retirement savings. Since it's generally a bad idea to take early withdrawals from a retirement savings account, [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: The recent housing crisis has had a detrimental effect on the plans of many retirees. Whether you were counting on a big profit from the sale of your home, or really need to unload it before you can move to the retirement location of your dreams, low values and sluggish sales [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: You've spent years dreaming and planning for retirement, so it wouldn't be surprising if you also wish you could retire early. Many Americans are so antsy to retire earlier than planned, that they would actually be willing to make some major changes in order to make it happen. A recent poll [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: In your younger days, you understood that life insurance was a vital component of protecting your young family in the event of your death. Now, however, your children are grown and self-supporting, and you may be wondering whether life insurance is still necessary. Before you drop your policy, there are a [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: Most workers expect to retire at age 65 or later, but in reality things do not always work out this way. In fact, 7 out of 10 current retirees stopped working before reaching age 65. Sometimes this is due to personal preference, but often an unexpected illness or disability forces an [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: If you're saving for retirement, chances good that you're focusing on meeting a particular savings goal before you can quit working. This dollar amount is probably based upon your expected living expenses, and the income you expect to receive by taking regular withdrawals from your retirement fund. But there's another important factor [...]