To work or not to work? That is the retirement planning question. Let's take a closer look at this modern-day riff on the famous line in Shakespeare's "Hamlet," where Prince Hamlet laments about life's unfairness but reflects that the alternative (not being alive)...

Even retirees who do everything right can find themselves coming up short when it comes to affording some of the little luxuries they had planned for their remaining years. Just take a look at Mike and Judy, a hypothetical couple very similar to many retired couples,...

The wrong choice caused some to run out of money It turns out, many retirees choosing to take their employer’s 401(k) or pension as a lump sum for retirement are taking their lumps. About a fifth of retirement plan participants (21%) MetLife surveyed who received...

The great thing about fixed indexed annuities is that they are a reliable retirement planning vehicle appropriate for people in a variety of life stages. However, there are a few rules of thumb to follow when thinking about purchasing a fixed indexed annuity. Of...

So much for the "golden years." Some 28% of recent retirees complain that life is actually worse in retirement than it was when they were working, according to a recent survey by Nationwide. The cause may be mismatched expectations. Pre-retirees tend to overestimate...

Here's the state of retirement saving in the U.S., and what to do if you need to catch up. If you read the financial news often, you may have heard about the "retirement crisis" many Americans are facing. While it's true that the average American doesn't save nearly...

Balance Gained By Considering Alternative Financial Products Such As FIAs Americans need to take additional steps in order to ensure a financially stable retirement – one that allows them to pay for medical bills and essential costs of living while enjoying their...

Not married? Here are strategies to help you maximize your Social Security benefits. Key takeaways ✔ The longer you delay Social Security, the higher your monthly benefits. ✔ Divorced: Your benefit can be based on your ex-spouse’s work history. ✔ Widowed: Consider...

Most people expect to spend less money after they retire. But that might not be the case -- at least not at first. Spending rose for more than half of taxpayers during the first three years after claiming Social Security, according to a report based on tax data and...

“How can I feel fine?” That’s what Julie Elman, from Ohio, wants to know. Julie is 57, retirementis right around the corner, and she’s worried. Despite doing “all the right things,” whenever she spends time reviewing her financial situation, Julie never, ever feels...

Summer is here, and the future is brighter than ever. If you are busy planning, saving and budgeting for a summer vacation, use these tips to make the most out of your summer and get your retirement savings on track. 1. Spend less and save more. With this warmer...

Summer is here and that calls for some down time relaxing with family and friends. Whether you plan on spending your summer days in the sun or binge-watching your favorite television series, developing a summer savings plan will help you enjoy your days now, and stay...

“How can I feel fine?” That’s what Julie Elman, from Ohio, wants to know. Julie is 57, retirementis right around the corner, and she’s worried. Despite doing “all the right things,” whenever she spends time reviewing her financial situation, Julie never, ever feels...

Three key decisions to make before you retire When to take Social Security, how to pay for health care, and how to generate income. Key takeaways: ✔ The longer you can delay collecting Social Security, the higher your benefit. ✔ Plan for health care costs and figure...

You’ve walked across the stage, shook the university president’s hand, and waved to your beaming family and friends. All of those late nights in the library suddenly feel worth it, but you know with the student loans, the work of school is not quite yet complete....

Planning For Your Retirement: Understanding Annuities An annuity can be a very smart retirement investment for many people. That's not just because an annuity can provide a secure revenue stream — a monthly check — for the rest of your life, no matter how long you...

ANNUITY SHIFT National Retirement Planning Week took place in April, and the whole month was Financial Capability Month. April was full of encouragement for individuals to move their retirement savings plans forward. California’s insurance commissioner, Dave Jones,...

NEW STUDY: 1 IN 3 AMERICANS CONFESS STOPPING RETIREMENT SAVINGS AT LEAST ONCE While a whopping 94 percent of Americans currently give themselves a passing grade on retirement, a third of them have confessed to stopping retirement savings at least once, according to a...

1 in 4 workers have less than $1,000 saved for retirement You're not alone if you have next to nothing saved for retirement. But that doesn't mean you're in good company. Almost one-quarter of workers said they and their spouse combined have less than $1,000 saved for...

The power and pitfalls of retirement savers' illusions Study finds that the format in which information is presented affects an individual’s perception of wealth (or poverty) A new study has found that one difficulty workers saving for retirement have in judging...

10 misconceptions about saving for medical care in retirement Retirement isn’t the only thing workers have trouble saving for; the other big gap in planning is health care. According to a Voya Financial survey, Americans just aren’t ready to pay for the health care...

The power and pitfalls of retirement savers' illusions Study finds that the format in which information is presented affects an individual’s perception of wealth (or poverty) A new study has found that one difficulty workers saving for retirement have in judging...

4 Things to Eliminate From Your Life for a Happy Retirement What you remove is just as important as what you add. Many retirement articles have been written about all the wonderful things you can do with the free time you will have after you retire. Once you leave...

What Are the Different Types of Annuities? Fixed vs. Variable Annuities In a fixed annuity, the insurance company guarantees the principal and a minimum rate of interest. In other words, as long as the insurance company is financially sound, the money you have in a...

5 QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE PURCHASING AN INDEXED ANNUITY Indexed annuities offer a unique and attractive blend of safety, growth potential, tax advantages, lifetime income and liquidity. But, it’s important to understand the terms of your individual contract. Here are...

How to Save For Retirement When You’re Raising Kids Alone It can be hard to save when you’re the only adult in the house, but putting money aside for retirement should be non-negotiable. Whether you are divorced, widowed or a single parent by choice, raising kids...

DON’T TAKE THE JOURNEY THROUGH RETIREMENT SAVINGS ALONE We live in a high-tech world where information about all topics under the sun is available at our fingertips. We are moving toward self-service and automatic access to everything. You can look at your checking...

Fixed Indexed Annuities: Principal Protection and Growth Potential Whether aiming for asset growth or protection, clients today face tough decisions when it comes to investing their retirement assets. They may be concerned about tying up money in a low-rate fixed...

CELEBRATING THE 22ND ANNIVERSARY OF FIXED INDEXED ANNUITIES Move aside, Valentine’s Day… there’s another reason to celebrate! This week, we’re commemorating the 22ndanniversary of Fixed Indexed Annuities (FIAs). While we can’t guarantee flowers or heart-eyed emojis,...

FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN Finding your soulmate and saving for retirement actually have a lot in common. Both can be intimidating, require careful planning and lead to some nerve-wracking decisions. However, making informed steps in both scenarios...

Why Retirees Should Consider Indexed Annuities Given their inverse relationship, when bond interest rates begin to climb, bond prices decrease in market value—as they have been for the last year especially. When approaching retirement, what strategies are retirees...

20 Things You Can Learn From Your Parents’ Retirement Millennials are saving more than ever for retirement, at an average 7.5 percent of income. Still, this number, which was released as part of a recent report on retirement readiness from investment firm Fidelity, is...

New Study: America's Retirement IQ is Low Boomers Lack Knowledge & Are Undersaved for Retirement A startling number of baby boomers don’t know how much money they need to live comfortably during retirement, and without a target in mind, have ended up saving very...

BRINGING BALANCE TO YOUR RETIREMENT PORTFOLIO In our hectic lives, balance is something many of us strive to achieve. From work-life balance to finding balance in your yoga class, we’re all looking for a little more of it. In terms of planning for the future, have you...

Offer FIAs to take advantage of retirement income opportunities   Gen X designate more than $25 trillion in financial assets for retirement income. This is roughly double the amount today. Jafor Iqbal, assistant vice president of the Secure Retirement Institute...

11 Money Lies to Stop Telling Yourself   Nope, credit cards aren't evil. Sometimes it’s easier to believe a fantasy than it is to face reality — and when it comes to money, many people hold false beliefs. When you’re young, the future seems far away, and you...