http://www.theretirementpros.com/blog Retirement Planning Blog Topics: Social Security, Investments, Safe Money advisory, Retirement Video Seminars Thu, 01 Jan 2009 08:14:05 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en The Dow Jones Industrial Average (a hallmark of stock market performance) opened 2008 at 13,044 and as this is written stands at 8,590 – a loss of 34%. As mentioned in my retirement blog, if your retirement money was in the market you’ve suffered a comparable or greater loss.  This ... http://www.theretirementpros.com/blog/2009/01/01/has-your-retirement-money-shrunk/ The current meltdown in the stock market has had mixed impact on annuities.  As mentioned in this retirement blog, Variable annuities “vary in value” and have suffered sizeable losses during the market meltdown.   Fixed annuities, on the other hand, have avoided losses because they are guaranteed not to lose ... http://www.theretirementpros.com/blog/2008/12/09/are-annuities-a-good-choice-for-bad-times/ As I mentioned in my Retirement Blog, Aging Americans face the major risk of needing convalescent care at some point in their lifetime.  Roughly 70% of those aged 65 and over can expect to need long-term convalescent care, and the probability increases dramatically with age.  If needed, the expense is ... http://www.theretirementpros.com/blog/2008/12/04/the-best-exit-from-a-two-tier-annuity/ The election is over but the economic and financial fundamentals have not changed.  Nor is change expected until the bailout programs loosen the credit market, the recession (or worse) runs its course and economic downsizing reverses directions.  Meanwhile, as I mentioned in this retirement blog, the market is unpredictably volatile, ... http://www.theretirementpros.com/blog/2008/11/11/are-annuities-offered-by-insurance-companies-safe/ In recent weeks the financial markets have been in utter turmoil.  Massive failures, forced mergers and unprecedented losses have all but wiped out Wall Street.  Credit markets are frozen, and banks are dangerously close to Armageddon. Hard working families have had their retirement accounts shredded by stomach-churning losses in the ... http://www.theretirementpros.com/blog/2008/11/06/the-last-retirement-account-standing/ Updated - As I mentioned in a previous post in this retirement blog, if you have retirement money in a 401(k) sponsored by your employer, you’re agonizing over giant paper losses over the past year. If you’re retiring soon, these paper losses will become real. You’ve no doubt ... http://www.theretirementpros.com/blog/2008/10/05/hows-your-401k-doing/ Typical retirement-minded boomers along with most retirees, as mentioned in this retirement blog, are agonizing over the downward spiral in the value of their retirement nest eggs.  Their money was committed to mutual funds, stocks, bonds, variable annuities and other “securities” because they listened to the loud voices of ... http://www.theretirementpros.com/blog/2008/10/03/theres-one-bright-star/ The retirement-minded have been glued to the developing bailout of Wall Street knowing that the side-effects are going to impact their retirement.  Whether you’re just thinking about retirement or are already there, the bailout of Wall Street, banks and mortgage holders will have consequences – and so will no bailout ... http://www.theretirementpros.com/blog/2008/09/30/bailout-and-your-retirement/ Despite the current trauma associated with all financial markets, most boomers still harbor an aspiration to retire on-time and in good financial shape. However, since October 2007, as mentioned in this retirement blog, they’ve witnessed a decline of almost 23% in the value of their 401(k) plans and are ... http://www.theretirementpros.com/blog/2008/09/24/tapping-into-401k-money-before-retirement-made-easy/ If you’ve read my book Guide to Social Security… and A Better Retirement and I talked about it in my retirement blog, you know that postponing Social Security until age 70 makes a great deal of sense for most healthy, married Americans that can do without the income.  Of course, ... http://www.theretirementpros.com/blog/2008/09/23/little-known-social-security-benefits/