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Women’s Wage Gap and its Retirement Implications
The very real issue of wage disparity between men and women has gotten quite a bit of press over the years, much of it oriented toward current workforce scenarios. But what about the financial implications in retirement? Bruce Helmer and Peg…
Social Security Spousal Benefit Rules–Some Clarifications
Couples thinking about claiming Spousal Benefits have a few rules that need to be considered as part of their decision-making process. In an article posted on time.com, Philip Moeller, co-author of “Get What’s Yours: The Secrets to Maxing Out Your…
Disability Fraud…Another View
Allegations of massive fraud in the Social Security disability program are popular topics to write about, but the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities offers a different perspective. In a recent policy brief, the CBPP provides a view on why the problem…
Baby Boomers need $1 million to retire comfortably, survey says
A recent survey by Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies reports that Baby Boomers (and all future retirees, for that matter) feel that a million dollars in retirement savings will give them a comfortable retirement. For Millenials, the figure doubles. Erin E. Arvedlund, Inquirer…
Taking a look at longevity annuity contracts as a retirement planning option
An article posted by retirement columnist longevity Mark Miller on news.morningstar.com takes a fairly detailed look at qualified longevity annuity contracts (QLACs) and what role this form of deferred income annuity (DIA) might play in a financial plan for retirement. Read the article here……
Social Security Myths and Misconceptions
There are a lot of thoughts and opinions floating around the media on the subject of Social Security, many on the program’s long-term viability, some on its basic operational processes, some on eligibility criteria, and so on. In an article titled…
Take a look at the “fourth leg” of your retirement stool…
John F. Wasik, freelance columnist for Morningstar.com, suggests that the inclusion of home equity as part of retirement planning needs to be re-examined in the wake of changes in the housing market over the past few years. What was once a solid…
Some thoughts on Social Security funding and lower income levels
C. Carl Pegels, professor emeritus in the School of Management at the University at Buffalo, presents a set of viewpoints on the impact of FICA taxes on low-wage earners in an article posted on Buffalonews.com. The article calls for reducing…
An argument for market-proofing Social Security
The importance of maintaining long-term stability in Social Security by avoiding privatization of assets is clear, given the program’s purpose of ensuring a likewise stable source of retirement income. Recent stock market events have heightened this opinion, as explained in…
Women are gaining in the retirement savings race, but still lag
For a variety of reasons, women lag substantially behind men in the accumulation of savings for retirement. The gap may have lessened somewhat, but it’s still a problem according to a survey soon to be released by Financial Finesse. The…