Most of us are looking forward to retirement, though it's also likely that we're at least a little worried about our income in retirement. We can probably count on some Social Security, but it was never designed to replace all our income. Thus, it's up to us to make sure we have sufficient income streams to support ourselves in retirement. I've written before about sources of retirement income, such as fixed [...]

Almost everyone faces economic trouble over the course of their career, and you can't let these tough times affect your future as a retiree. Fortunately, you don't have to. There are five simple steps to take throughout your life to help ensure you're well prepared for your later years. You can take all five of these steps now. But if you're out of work due to the coronavirus and can't [...]

There tends to be a lot of excitement in the air as one approaches retirement. Contemplating how to spend one’s golden years represents the culmination of decades of hard work and the ability to enjoy the fruits of one’s labor. While the enthusiasm is warranted, it’s also crucial to make some important financial planning decisions before the fun begins. Many of these decisions are uncomfortable as they involve changing aspects [...]

Millennials now comprise the largest living demographic group in the U.S. Thanks to innovation and advances in technology, this first generation of digital natives has enjoyed opportunities that were unimaginable a few decades ago. Their demand for transparency, relevance and authenticity in the way they interact with service providers has been the driver of unprecedented change across industries, including — and perhaps especially — financial services. The millennial cohort, which [...]

Retirement-planning stories tend to look through the lens of a two-person household, making certain assumptions about everything from income and insurance needs to estate planning as if every saver were part of a couple. This story is aimed at single retirement savers. Without the buffer of another person contributing to household finances for this life stage, people who were never married, or are widowed or divorced, need to be vigilant. [...]

You don’t need to be an actuary to predict that for married couples, there will come a time when one spouse will be aging alone. You can see insights on key differences between how men and women experience widowhood in a recent report from the Stanford Center on Longevity (SCL), published in The Journal of the Economics of Ageing. These insights can help married couples make critical decisions as they transition [...]