Are you getting the best rate of return on investment? Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine annually discusses ways to boost your investment yield in its latest issue. I have to say that I am always pretty disappointed with their recommendations. I love the magazine, but I didn't really care for a list of mutual funds and Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). But, I wanted concrete ideas on how to earn a 10% annual rate of return on my investments. US Treasuries are earning less than 1% and money market funds are not fairing much better. … [Read more...] about Ten Ways to Earn a 10% Rate of Return on Your Investments
How I Plan to Maintain My Lifestyle in Retirement
Note - The following post is the 3rd and final article in a series of retirement education blog posts on Money Q&A and sponsored by USAA. Be sure to check out the 1st and 2nd articles in the series, “Am I Saving Enough for Retirement?” and “How Long Will My Retirement Savings Last?”. Like always, all opinions are my own. With the cost of living rising at what seems like rapid rates every year, adults of all ages are beginning to wonder how they’ll ever manage to retire and still maintain the same standard of living they enjoyed during … [Read more...] about How I Plan to Maintain My Lifestyle in Retirement
How to Turn Down Family Members Who Keep Asking for Money
A wise person once said, “Most stress is caused by three things: family, money, and family with no money.” Family means the world to a lot of us, but when they start asking for money, that’s when things start to get complicated. A recent study found that over a third of respondents said that money was the primary cause of friction in their relationships, and stress in any relationship can be detrimental. Whether your spouse is bad with money, a family member was hit hard by unexpected financial setbacks or a friend keeps asking you for money … [Read more...] about How to Turn Down Family Members Who Keep Asking for Money
How Long Will My Retirement Savings Last?
Note - The following post is the 2nd in a series of retirement education blog posts on Money Q&A and sponsored by USAA. Be sure to check out the 1st article, “Am I Saving Enough for Retirement?”. Like always, all opinions are my own. If you’re worried that you’re doomed when it comes to retirement, then you might be surprised by how many options there are for supplementing and stretching your retirement income. Now that you’ve put a great deal of thought and planning into your retirement investing, as you start to look at retirement … [Read more...] about How Long Will My Retirement Savings Last?
Am I Saving Enough for Retirement? Here’s How to Find Out
Note - The following post is part of a series of retirement education blog posts on Money Q&A and sponsored by USAA. But, like always, all opinions are my own. There’s a lot of doom and gloom reporting these days about Baby Boomers not saving enough for retirement. The lack of savings is only expected to get worse for Millennials, who are saddled with comparatively more student loan debt and struggling with slower rates of wage growth compared to their parents and grandparents’ generations. Whether you’re trying to save … [Read more...] about Am I Saving Enough for Retirement? Here’s How to Find Out
7 Lesser Known Tips for Saving Money
Let's face it; you work hard for your cash. Unfortunately, it may not be working as hard as it could be for you. While most of us tell ourselves that we're doing the best we can with the cash that we have, the truth is that there are plenty of lesser-known ways to save money that could end up placing more of your pennies back into your pocket. If you've tried all of the obvious tips for saving money, like tracking your expenses with an online app and making sure that you have a list when you go food shopping, give these ideas a try … [Read more...] about 7 Lesser Known Tips for Saving Money
How to Protect Elderly Family Members from Financial Scams
By some estimates, financial scams targeting seniors cost victims over $2.9 billion per year. In some instances, family members, friends or neighbors are the perpetrators of these scams – also referred to as elder financial abuse – while in other instances, it’s an anonymous cyber criminal casting a wide net to see how many seniors unwittingly take the bait and send money. Perhaps you’ve seen an elderly family member or neighbor fall victim to a financial scam before or you’re growing increasingly concerned about an older loved one’s ability … [Read more...] about How to Protect Elderly Family Members from Financial Scams