I visited recently with Lauren Young at Reuters to talk about my book, The Hard Times Guide to Retirement Security: Practical Strategies for Money, Work and Living. We discussed the reinvention of retirement, working longer and the future of Social Security; here’s the video of our interview, along with a brief book excerpt and a [...] [...more]
Are women at long last closing the long-standing pay gap with men? Median pay for American women was 22 percent lower than for men in 2008, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That gap hasn’t changed much over time, and it’s a key factor in the economic security challenges that women face in retirement. But [...] [...more]
The recession is eroding retirement security even more deeply, as more Americans tap into all available resources to meet current needs. In many cases, that means tapping into 401(k) accounts, IRAs, or taking Social Security early. Fidelity Investments reported recently that 11 percent of its active 401(k) plan participants borrrowed or withdrew funds from their [...] [...more]
What are the special considerations for retirement planning that gay and lesbian couples need to keep in mind? Retirement educator Steve Vernon offers an excellent run-down at CBS Moneywatch. Vernon delves into must-do beneficiary paperwork issues surrounding pensions and estates. But he also highlights a key benefit arena where not much can be done–Social Security. [...] [...more]
How much will you need to live on in retirement? You’ll often hear the big financial services companies offer this rule of thumb: Plan to replace 80 percent of your working income in retirement. Ellen Wagner tossed the rule of thumb out the window when she retired in 2008. Instead, she developed a plan to [...] [...more]
