Retirement

June, by tradition has always opened the peak wedding season —but the pandemic’s pause on in-person ceremonies has surprisingly multiplied the number of marriage invitations this year. One survey found 2022 is a banner year with invitees attending five weddings on average –the most since 1984. And, while most guests will choose their gift off

Now that we’ve celebrated our nation’s Independence Day, we might want to start thinking about our own “financial independence day.” That’s the day you work or don’t work because you want to, not because you have to. Here are the steps you can take to turn your dream into a reality. 1) Define your dream.

America’s severely underfunded public pensions are allocating ever-greater assets to the highest cost, highest risk, most secretive investments ever devised by Wall Street, such private equity, hedge funds, real estate, and commodities—all in a desperate search for higher net returns that, not surprisingly (given the outlandish fees and risks), fail to materialize. Transparency—public scrutiny and

Topline Amid the market’s worst first half of a year in over five decades, tech and cruise line stocks have been among the worst performers in the S&P 500, while energy, healthcare and consumer companies have all seen shares outperform despite rising recession fears. Key Facts The benchmark S&P 500 index is down more than

By Richard Eisenberg, Next Avenue Love is lovelier the second time around, according to the 1960 Frank Sinatra song. But what about money and second marriages? That’s a more complicated story, especially for couples with adult children. After all, most people who are 52 or 62 have more money when they marry than those who

By Barbara Sadick, Next Avenue The American health care system is complicated, difficult to navigate and can kill you if you aren’t prepared, proactive and knowledgeable. From finding good doctors to being able to afford medication, the hurdles can feel insurmountable. So says David Wilcox, who has spent nearly 30 years working in various capacities

Bear markets can be emotionally fraught times, as investment balances fall, and the economy slows. Potential concerns over layoffs and budget cutbacks often also rear their head. It can certainly be tempting to cut your contributions to retirement funds to attempt to avoid further losses, or warehouse cash positions to invest when things “get better”,

By Jaya Padmanabhan, Next Avenue On a busy day last year, 61-year-old Neil (not his real name) got a call from a man who called himself “John” and said he was from Apple AAPL Tech Support. He claimed to have received a report that Neil’s laptop was infected with a virus and offered to fix

Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Tax-exempt bonds have gotten a lot cheaper. Here’s a guide to finding the best deals. Rates up, prices down. The bond market crash has not spared municipal-bond funds. In the first half of the year they have managed to lose as much as 30% of their

Saving for retirement is one of the biggest financial challenges most working families will face. People are living longer, which means more years of retirement to pay for. Costs for healthcare and long-term care remain high. Meanwhile, incomes are being squeezed by higher inflation and rising costs for housing, college, and other major life expenses.

By Mindy Charski, Next Avenue Kyla Moles has purchased many cars in her life, but her latest quest for a vehicle felt more like a competition than a shopping expedition. “It was a harrowing experience,” says the 53-year-old office manager and mom of three. Her more than seven-month attempt to buy a new 2022 Hyundai

By Susan Schaefer, Next Avenue Jim Fetig approached retirement the same way he approached the rest of his life: always on the go and eager to test his mettle. As a soldier’s son and later an Army officer himself, he has lived in 19 states and 3 foreign countries, traveled to 50 states and 44

Topline Stocks fell in volatile trading on Thursday, wrapping up their worst first half of a year since at least 1970 as the S&P 500 remains in bear market territory, with investors continuing to sell off shares amid rising recession fears sparked by surging inflation and rate hikes from the Federal Reserve. Key Facts Stocks

Topline Stocks have struggled for direction since falling into a bear market earlier this month amid looming recession fears, but history shows that the market’s rapid pace of decline this year could actually be a positive sign—with stocks set to rebound if the broader economy avoids a downturn. Key Facts The S&P 500 officially fell

Now that 401(k) investors are free to jeopardize their retirement security by gambling on private equity and crypto, maybe its time to allow lottery tickets in 401(k)s. Get ready for “slots of fun!” In June 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor opened the door for plan sponsors to add private equity funds to their 401(k)

Topline Cruise stocks tanked on Wednesday after yet another major Wall Street firm warned that weak demand and higher costs could sink industry profits and lead to another demand shock, with Morgan Stanley cautioning that Carnival shares could lose all of their value if the economy falls into a recession. Key Facts Shares of Carnival

At a recent conference, I had a conversation with James, a sales representative from Florida, about Medicare. He is retiring this fall and has decided he’s going to get a Medicare Advantage plan. I asked him how he came to his decision and he replied simply, “I don’t want to pay all that money for

The standard format for overseas retirement—that is, permanent relocation to a new country—isn’t for everyone. For many, applying for and the implications of residency abroad aren’t worth the hassle. Others have a hard time landing on just one retire-overseas locale or want to see as much of the world as possible, traveling without limitation. Overseas

Topline Stocks fell for a second day in a row on Tuesday as markets failed to build on last week’s strong rebound from 2022 lows, with investors once again selling off shares amid looming recession fears and new economic data showing that consumer confidence plunged to a 16-month low. Key Facts Stocks erased earlier gains

Topline A leading indicator for housing market activity—pending home sales—unexpectedly jumped in May and reversed six straight months of declines, according to new data from the National Association of Realtors on Monday, though experts warn that higher mortgage rates will continue to weigh on demand. Key Facts Pending home sales, which measure signed contracts on