Month: April 2016

Getting ready to retire? Or, maybe you’ve retired, but you’re not sure your combined savings, Social Security, and pension (if you’re lucky enough to have one) will be enough for a comfortable living? You’re not the only one. According to the annual Retirement Confidence Survey released last month by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, only 21 percent of American workers feel “very confident” that they have enough money saved to fund their…

The Federal Reserve with its zero interest rate policy (ZIRP) has virtually killed the market for senior savers. Gone are the days of CDs and savings accounts that beat the combined costs of taxes and inflation. Even if you buy thirty year treasuries, a 3% return is about the best you can get and the risk to your capital is very high should interest rates normalize. There’s even been talk of the…

If you are like me, you didn’t expect to be where you are today, rapidly approaching retirement without a pension or comfortable nest egg. Your 401(k) or IRA isn’t earning what you thought it would, and even though you qualify for Social Security, you realize it might not be around (and the amount will almost certainly not be enough for most people to survive on). We’re not alone. According to the most…