After a difficult winter which saw many parts of the Midwest and East Coast suffer through severe cold and snow, there is no doubt that much of the country is ready for Spring! And although many in California are likely wishing for our own winter-like conditions to ease the drought, there is still no denying [...]
For many retirees and their families, Social Security provides a dependable source of income. In fact, for the majority of retirees, Social Security accounts for at least half of their income (Source: Fast Facts & Figures About Social Security, 2013). However, more of that income is being spent on health-related costs each year, leaving less [...]
Spring training is a tradition that baseball teams and baseball fans look forward to every year. No matter how they did last year, teams in spring training are full of hope that a new season will bring a fresh start. As this year's baseball season gets under way, here are a few lessons from America's [...]
A Business Plan Is Your Vision of Success What is your business's key to success? Unique products, flawless customer service, nimble operations--or something entirely different? As a business owner, you may instinctively know what makes your organization succeed in today's competitive marketplace. A business plan helps you share that knowledge with important stakeholders--including key employees [...]
It’s not often that we can gain investment insights from an 18-year-old wunderkind. Many of us marveled at the performance of American Mikaela Shiffrin at the Sochi Winter Olympics, where she became the youngest Olympic slalom champion. What makes Shiffrin remarkable is not only her success, but also her approach to the sport. Unlike many [...]
You've decided to go back to school--congratulations! As it turns out, you're not alone. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the number of full-time students age 65 and over in degree-granting schools increased 36% between 2007 and 2009, while the number of 50- to 64-year-old full-time students increased 42%. Heading back to college [...]
Fifteen years ago, the Social Security Administration (SSA) launched the Social Security Statement, a tool to help Americans understand the features and benefits that Social Security offers. Since then, millions of Americans have reviewed their personalized statements to see a detailed record of their earnings, as well as estimates of retirement, survivor, and disability benefits [...]
December and January are the perfect months to look back at what you earned, saved, and spent during the past year, as W-2s, account statements, and other year-end financial summaries roll in. So before Punxsutawney Phil comes out of his burrow to predict when spring is coming, take some time to get your financial house [...]
Women can face special challenges when saving for retirement. Generally speaking, women tend to spend less time in the workforce, and when they do work, they typically earn less than men in comparable jobs. As a result, women's retirement plan balances, Social Security benefits, and pension benefits are often lower than their male counterparts. In [...]
If you're like most people, you probably want to know what return you might expect before you invest. But to translate a given rate of return into actual income or growth potential, you'll need to understand the difference between nominal return and real return, and how that difference can affect your ability to achieve financial [...]