A noted economist disputes that generalization. True or false? You may have heard this claim before (or something like it): “Many Americans are being forced to retire later because their savings and investments took a hit in the Great Recession.” Recently, a big-name economist disputed that belief. In a commentary for Bloomberg, former White House [...]

Are you taking full advantage of your company’s 401(k)? The 401(k) plan is one of the most widely-utilized wealth creation tools offered Americans. These retirement savings plans have several advantages, including dollar cost averaging, tax savings and tax deferral.  However, one of the most powerful advantages is the company match. If your company offers a [...]

Some tax consequences to remember. There are times when people really need money – and in those times, a retirement account may seem like a conveniently liquid resource to tap. What’s the harm in taking early distributions from a tax-deferred retirement plan? Well, the tax bite could be considerable. Big taxes may await you. If [...]

While the idea of retirement has changed, certain financial assumptions haven’t. We’ve all heard about the “new retirement”, the mix of work and play that many of us assume we will have in our lives one day. We do not expect “retirement” to be all leisure. While this is becoming a cultural assumption among baby [...]

A cottage industry of condescending books doesn’t address the real issue. Why do we cling to the myth that women don’t understand money as well as men? If you look at the personal finance books out right now, some of the titles might convince you that women need “special help” when it comes to figuring [...]