Retirement Planning: Most Popular Articles

Roth IRA
What you need to know about a Roth IRA from your About Retirement Planning Guide

Defined Benefit and Contrib...
Do you know the difference between defined benefit and defined contribution pension plans? Do you know the advantages and disadvantages of both? Here you will find the differences, advantages and disadvantes of defined benefit and defined contribution pension plans

2008 401k Contribution Limit
Be sure you are maximizing your 401(k) by checking to be sure you are contributing the maximum allowed in 2008.

IRA Rollover
What You Need to Know About IRA Rollovers from your About Retirement Guide

Traditional vs. Roth IRA
There are two common types of IRA, traditional and Roth. Here you will see a brief explanation of the differences between the two.

Traditional IRA
A Traditional IRA is a tax-deferred individual savings plan. Contributions are made up to a specified limit with the contribution tax deductible upt to the phase-out limitation. Money invested and earned in a traditional IRA are subject to income taxes at time of withdrawal. Withdrawals can be made without penalty once you reach the age of 59 1/2 years of age and you must begin withdrawing from your account when you reach the age of 70 1/2.

Calculators
Calculators for calculating for your retirement from your About Retirement Planning Guide

401k Loans
Is taking out a loan on your 401k a smart idea? If you are thinking about borrowing from your 401k and haven't thought about the implications, this article will help you consider these.

Maximizing Your 401k Plan
A 401K plan is a company sponsored qualified retirement plan for employees. Contributions and earnings in a 401K plan are not subject to federal and most state income taxes until the funds are withdrawn. A 401K plan allows you to save money on a pretax basis with most employers contributing matching funds to make the plan even more lucrative.

About 401k Plans
401k plans and 401k investing from your About Retirement Planning Guide

Series EE Bonds
Series EE bonds earn a fixed interest rate that is set when the bond is purchased and will remain the same during the 30-year life of the bond.

Stretch IRA
A Stretch IRA is a method used to extend the period of tax-deferred earnings on an inherited IRA. The Stretch IRA allows a person to provide the longest allowable period of tax-deferral on assets that must be distributed with an inherited IRA.

What You Need to Know About...
A series of articles to help you thorough the retirement planning process whether you are just starting your career or nearing retirement.

Income Tax on SS Benefits
Your Social Security benefits could be subject to federal income tax. If you find your benefits are taxed, you can have a percentage of your benefit withheld by the Social Security Administration by following this simple procedure.

Inheriting an IRA
Some rules to consider when you inherit an IRA

Keogh Plans
A series of articles to help you thorough the retirement planning process whether you are just starting your career or nearing retirement.

401k Plan Explained
A 401(k) plan is a company-sponsored qualified retirement plan for employees. Your 401k contributions will be deducted from your paycheck before taxes are withheld. Here's how a 401k works.

2007 401k Contribution Limits
Be sure you are maximizing your 401(k) by checking to be sure you are contributing the maximum allowed in 2007.

Intro to 401k Plans
A 401(k) plan is a company-sponsored qualified retirement plan for employees. Your contributions will be deducted from your paycheck before taxes are withheld. If you're like most people, you have questions about your 401k retirement plan. You might be wondering how a 401k works, exactly what a 401k is, or how you can revive the dwindling balance in your 401k plan. You might also want to know what the contribution limits are and how to do a rollover.

Estate Executors Tasks
If you are asked to be the executor of an estate, be sure you understand what all is involved in this task. It might not be as glamorous as it sounds. It could be downright nasty if the estate is complicated. You could be working non-stop for several months and you could get sued by tempermental heirs. On the bright side, you could be doing deceased a big favor and knowing who is handling their affairs might be comforting to them.

Intro to IRAs
An Individual Retirement Account or IRA is the perfect way to save for retirement. An IRA can be a traditional tax-deferred IRA or a Roth that accumulates interest tax-free. There are certain requirements for setting up and contributing to an IRA but it is a good choice for retirement savings for a high percentage of people.

Hardship Withdrawals
If you have certain hardships, you might be able to use the funds in your 401K plan but it will cost you. To take advantage of a hardship withdrawal, your employer must allow such withdrawals and you will be responsible for the taxes and possibly a 10 percent early withdrawal penalty.

SIMPLE IRAs
A SIMPLE IRA is a retirement plan for employees working in a company with less than 100 employees

A Woman's Guide to Retirement Planning
A great place for your research into retirement planning for women from your About Retirement Planning Guide

Cash Balance Plans
What you need to know about cash balance pension plans

Can I Survive My Retirement
”How much money will I need when I retire?” This is the question almost everyone wants answered when they start thinking about retiring. This is one of the most asked questions and the hardest one to answer. No one answer fits all. Everyone requires a different answer depending on their lifestyle and retirement goals.

How to Set Up a Spousal IRA
If you have a spouse who is unemployed and certain requirements are met, you can contribute to a spousal IRA.

What You Need to Know About IRA Rollovers
What You Need to Know About IRA Rollovers from your About Retirement Guide

Roth IRA Phase-out Rules
If you have an earned income or your are the spouse of someone with an earned income, you can contribute to a Roth IRA. If that earned income reaches a certain level, the amount you can contribute to a Roth IRA is reduced or phased out all together. The income level where this phase-out occurs depends on your income tax filing status.

5 401k Plan Mistakes
Are you getting the most out of your 401k plan? If you are making any of these 5 mistakes, you probably aren't making the most of your investments.

Defined Benefit Plans
A defined benefit retirement or pension plan is becoming more and more obsolete in favor of defined contribution plans. There are, however, several companies that still offer these plans to their employees. If your company offers a defined benefit pension plan, you need to understand what this means.

IRA Contribution Limits
Be sure you are getting the most out of your traditional IRA and Roth IRA by knowing the maximum contribution limits.

16 401k Questions
Do you know what you should about your 401(k) plan? If you can answer these 16 questions, you are well above the average. Most workers don't have a clue when it comes to their retirement plan. Look over these questions and if you don't have the answers, make sure you get them.

Early Withdrawal Penalty
About.com glossary of 401k terms - Early Withdrawal Penalty

IRA
An Individual Retirement Account or IRA is a plan that allows a person to make contributions each year if they meet the contribution requirements. If you are age 50 or older, you can contribute even more to your IRA.

Calculating Your Net Worth
To get an accurate statement of net worth, you will need to list all your assets. Assets are what you have, either in money form or property form.

Divorce and Retirement
Divorce and your retirement benefits from your About Retirement Planning Guide

Tips for Living on a Fixed ...
Tips for living on a fixed income or for just frugal living

Planning for your Benefits
If you're like most people, you plan to work hard all your life and you want a comfortable retirement. While no one should rely on Social Security as their sole source of retirement income, it can be a nice addition to other retirement income. Social Security can provide support for you and your family if you become disabled. Social Security can also provide support for your family when you die.

IRA 101
There are several types of IRAs. Each type of IRA will be discussed in detail in this article.

The Solo 401K
A “Solo 401k” offers great tax deferral and retirement planning opportunities for the self-employed. Starting in 2002, self-employed people may establish a 401k plan easier and with greater tax deductions than ever before. If you are self-employed, and do not have a 401k, you may wish to consider if it is appropriate for you.

Rollover IRA
Once you leave a job for whatever reason, if you have a retirement plan at your company, you need to make a decision as to what to do with this retirement plan. You can either choose to rollover the plan into an IRA or take the lump sum and pay the tax and penalties.

IRA Deduction Phase-Out
If you have an earned income or you are the spouse of someone with an earned income, you can contribute to an IRA. If you or your spouse has retirement plan at work, you might not be permitted to take a tax deduction.

Late Planning
If you are in your 50s or 60s and have little or no retirement savings, don’t panic. It’s not too late but you shouldn’t procrastinate any longer. You will have to be very creative with your planning but it can be done.

Saving on Gasoline
10 Ways to save money on gasoline

More Than Money
Planning your retirement should include more than saving or investing money

Keogh Plan
About Retirement Planning glossary of terms Keogh Plan

What is Retirement Planning...
What is retirement planning all about?

Defined Contribution Plans
More and more companies are shifting to defined contribution retirement plans such as 401(k)s and other plans where the employee decides how much to contribute. If your company offers a defined contribution plan, you need to understand what this means.

Working After Retirement
Even though retirement is seen as a time to stop working, you might want to continue working well into your retirement years. There are some things you need to know if you plan to work after your retirement age.

Preparing for Retirement
Everyone who plans to retire some day should take time to prepare. Here are 10 ways you can prepare for your retirement.

SS Full Retirement Age
If you continue working after you decide to start receiving your Social Security benefits, you could have a reduction in those benefits if you haven't reached the Social Security full retirement age.

Education IRA
You can set up an IRA for your child’s education. The money you put into this IRA is taxed but the earnings are not taxed as long as the student withdraws the money to pay for qualified education expenses. The student is designated as the beneficiary and can make withdrawals at any time. You can set up an IRA for your child or grandchild if he or she qualifies.

Retiring in North Carolina
what you need to know about Retiring in North Carolina from your About Retirement Planning Guide

10 Planning Mistakes
When thinking about planning for your retirement, be sure you don't make these 10 common retirement planning mistakes.

Social Security's Future
The future of Social Security

Tips to Save Some Money
Saving a little money here and there can amount to a lot over the long run. These tips will help you save a little from time to time and could make your bank account or IRA grow.

5 Reasons to Open a 401K Plan
5 reasons to help you decide if a 401K plan is best for you.

401k and Changing Jobs
When you change jobs, you have choices for what your should do with your 401k. You can leave it, roll it to your new company's 401k plan, roll it to an IRA, or cash it in. Each has good and bad points but the least desirable choice is cashing it in.

IRAs for Children
Give your child the gift of a lifetime, give him or her an IRA

Life Insurance
Retirement planning and life insurance from your About Retirement Planning Guide

Your Monthly Budget
A monthly budget will help you have enough month left at the end of the money. By planning and setting up a monthly budget, you will learn where your money is coming from and where it is being spent.

Self-Employed Plans
Just because you are self-employed or the owner of a small business doesn't mean you can't take advantage of a tax-deferred retirement plan. There are several plans for both you and your employees. You can contribute to a retirement plan whether you have a sole-proprietorship, S or C corporation, partnership, or an LLC.

Retirement Planning Primer
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Arizona
What you need to know about Retiring in Arizona from your About Retirement Planning Guide

Limits on SEP-IRAs
If you have a SEP-IRA, there are contribution and compensation limits you must follow. Each year these limits can change so you need to keep up to date with these changes.

Budgeting Goals
One of the most useful things you can do for your retirement planning is start and stick to a budget. Whether you are just getting started in the employment world or are nearing retirement age, a budget makes good sense.

Early Retirement Packages
In an effort to cut costs, companies offer early retirement packages to some older employees. These severance packages can be extremely attractive but before you accept an early retirement package, be sure you evaluate whether or not it's a good decision for you and your needs.

Age Matters
In order to enjoy your retirement, you should have a good idea of how much money you will need each year to fund your desired lifestyle. Here are some important age milestones to consider.

Fixed Income Fund
About Retirement Planning glossary of terms Fixed Income Fund

Retirement Budgeting
Budgeting after you retire can be a daunting task. Your income is probably limited and your expenses are variable. You wonder if you will have enough income to see you though your retirement years. With a little planning, you could make sure your money lasts as long as you do. Once this is resolved, you can relax and enjoy yourself.

Quicken WillMaker Plus
When creating an estate plan or will, there are several things you need to know. This software can help you understand the process and answer many questions prior to talking with your legal counsel. Quicken WillMaker Plus 2007 gives you lots of estate planning essentials to help you quickly create wills and living trusts, living wills, powers of attorneys, financial arrangements and much more. This program also has forms for your executors to use.

Working During Retirement
You have worked towards your retirement your entire adult life and now if you would like to work some while retired you should get all the retirement benefits you have earned. We all expect this but just like planning for retirement you should also plan your new career during retirement. If you don’t plan properly you could lose or be denied some of your retirement benefits.

5 Life Events
Your retirement plan can be affected by quite a few events. These 5 events are the major ones that can break even the best retirement plan unless you are prepared for them. Your retirement goals should include responses these events just in case you have to address them.

Debt and Retirement
Retirement is just around the corner and you are deep in debt. Recognize this fact? There is a growing number of persons reaching retirement age who are in debt and have no idea how to resolve the problem. If you are just itching to retire but can't seem to figure out how you can do this with all your debts, these five steps should help you.

401K
About Retirement Planning glossary of terms 401(k)

If You Inherit a 401k
If you inherit a 401k, you need to know the best way to deal with this inheritance. Not knowing can be quite costly. There are certain rules for spouse and non-spouse beneficiaries in addition to the rules of the plan itself.

The Budget Kit
A book review of an excellent book on budgeting--The Budget Kit by Judy Lawrence

401k Plan Fees
Do you know how much fees are costing your 401k plan account balance? Most plan participants don't have a clue what these fees might be or how much they are paying. The disclosure of information about the fees and expenses associated with 401k plans is important so that participants will be able to make better decisions on their investments.

Retirement Transition
Retirement! You've finally made it! Now what? Are you as prepared for retirement as you thought you would be? The transition to retired life can be an emotional roller coaster and it's not for the feint of heart. Someone once said getting old wasn't for wimps and I believe retiring can be just as daunting for those who aren't prepared physically and emotionally as well as financially.

Rolling a 401k to an IRA
Failing to roll your 401k over to an IRA can cause some serious tax burdens for a non-spouse beneficiary if you should die. This article discusses the tax burdens and that your beneficiaries could face if you neglect this important issue when your retire.

Long Range Planning
Long range retirement planning for those who are in their 20s, 30s and older.

Payroll Deduction IRA
The Payroll Deduction IRA was created in 1997 as an option for employers to offer their employees who wanted to save toward their retirement. Payments to the Payroll Deduction IRA are made through a payroll deduction, just the same as other benefit deductions.

Do I Really Want to Retire
Everyone dreams of the day they can retire but do they really want to retire? With all the medical break throughs, people are living much longer than their parents or grandparents so retirement could last several years. With out some serious planning, it might be hard to survive emotionally or financially for that many years.

The Retirement Planning Pro...
A series of articles to help you thorough the retirement planning process whether you are just starting your career or nearing retirement.

A Survival Plan for 401(k)
If you watch the news or follow the stock market, you know the market is quite volatile right now. Almost everyone is wondering how this might affect their 401(k) plan and what they should do. Advisors keep telling us there is no need to worry but how should we react when faced with the possible loss of our retirement savings? What can we do to protect our 401(k) plan so that we will have funds when we retire?

What is Retirement Planning?
Everyone talks about retirement planning but do they truly know exactly what retirement planning is? Most might tell you it's saving money for old age and others might tell you it's having a pension or retirement plan at work. Both are partly correct but retirement planning is much, much more. Retirement planning is the time and preparation you put into making sure your years after you decide to leave the workforce are happy, healthy, fulfilling, and exciting.

Roth 401K Rules
The IRS proposes a Roth 401(K) for employees to save for retirement. The contributions and earnings would be tax free when the participant retires if certain rules are met.

Retiring in Florida
What you need to know about retiring in Florida from your About.com Retirement Planning Guide

Considering Where to Live
There are 5 major things you might want to consider before making a decision on where to live after you retire. You might decide to stay where you raised your children and would never think of leaving ‘home’. You might be adventurous and want to start a new life in another area. What ever you decide, the following suggestions will help you make an educated decision.

Pension plan
About Retirement Planning glossary of terms Pension plan

Frequently Asked Questions on Retirement Planning
Frequently Asked Questions on Retirement Planning from About's Retirement Planning Guide

401Ks and Social Security FAQ
Frequently asked questions on Retirement Planning from About's Retirement Planning Guide

Books on Retirement Planning
There are lots of retirement planning books to choose from and these are just a few that I've found that are quite interesting and informative.

Vesting
About Retirement Planning glossary of terms Vesting

More Tips for Living on a F...
tips for living on a fixed income or just frugal living

Retiring on Social Security
Before you decide to retire on only Social Security, you should do some calculations.

Earned Income
About Retirement Planning glossary of terms Earned Income

Intro to Retirement Planning
To understand retirement planning, you need to have the basics of some of the plans that are offered. The following articles will help you understand a 401k plan, a SIMPLE IRA, and a Roth IRA. You will also find information on the differences between a traditional and a Roth IRA along with the difference between a defined benefit plan and a defined contribution plan.

When to Start Saving
Everyone wonders when they should start saving for retirement but most have never found a clear answer. We think a person should start saving for retirement as soon as they receive their first pay check.

Reverse Mortgages
If you think a reverse mortgage might be right for you, you should evalute one to be sure.

Elderly Parent's Finances
It's difficult to discuss your elderly parent's financial situation but sometimes it's necessary. If your parents haven't mapped out a plan for their later years, they could be in for some serious trouble. Here are some tips on how to best approach this subject easily.

Guide to Retirement Planning
We all know we should plan for our retirement but for most of us, that event could be many years down the road. What we don't realize is when we do decide to retire, we might need to provide an income for many years and we need to start planning for this right now if we are going to reach our retirement dreams.

My Retirement Story
Retirement is many things to many persons. A great retirement to one person might be a drag to another. Here is a profile of my retirement for you to compare with your story. My first retirement was from a business I owned and operated. I didn't have a retirement plan so I don't count that as a real retirement.

State Agencies on Aging
A listing of state agencies on aging by About's Retierment Planning Guide

Single Women and Retirement
10 things a single woman needs to know about retirement planning.

Reviewing Your Retirement P...
Step-by-step instructions on how to review your retirement plan.

30 Something Planning
During your 30s, retirement is still decades away but creeping closer and closer. If you didn't think about retirement while in your 20s, you probably should at least ponder the thought and start planning. You've no doubt settled down a bit and have possibly started a family or are working you way up in your career. There isn't a better time to start thinking about your later years than right now.

Retirement Planning - Articles
An index of Articles for the Retirement Planning guide site.

4 Roth IRA Reminders
Even though the earnings from a Roth IRA aren't usually taxable, there are a few things you need to remember before the federal income tax deadline each year.

Whole Life Insurance
About Retirement Planning glossary of terms Whole Life Insurance

Social Security
About Retirement Planning glossary of terms Social Security

5 Questions to Ask Yourself
Here are 5 questions you should ask yourself about your retirement plan

Those at or Near Retirement...
The retirement planning process is important for those at or near retirement age. At this time of your life, you will move your plans from accumulating wealth to decisions about maintaining your assets.

Retirement Preparation
Retirement can be the best or worst time of your life, it all depends on how you look at it and plan for it. Some see retirement as an end but in reality, retirement is a beginning. It is a beginning of just another stage of your life and adjustments must be made to endure the changes. Just as you made adjustments and plans for life after school, you must make adjustments and plans for life after work.

Are You Ready for Retirement
Money is important for retirement but your emotional and mental frame of mind are equally important.

Term Life Insurance
About Retirement Planning glossary of terms Term Life Insurance

Money Saving Tips 4
Here are 10 more tips for living on a fixed income. These tips are also useful for those who just want to be frugal.

A Satisfying Retirement
Seven Steps for Creating a Satisfying Retirement

10 Things You Shoud Know
If you don't know anything else about retirement planning, you should learn these 10 things.

Reasons to Have an Estate Plan
If you have a sound estate plan, you decide what happens to you and your assets in the event of your death or incapacitation.

About Retiring in Delaware
What you need to know about Retiring in Delaware from your About Retirement Planning Guide

Free Access to Credit Report
Now everyone in the United States and its territories can get a free credit report once a year thanks to the FACT Act. Now you will be able to verify the accuracy of information on your credit report and check for questionable information.

Stretching your dollars
tips for living on a fixed income or just frugal living

About Retiring in South Carolina
What you need to know about Retiring in South Carolina from your About Retirement Planning Guide

All About 401k Plans
Here are links to what you might want or need to know about 401K plans.

Get It Together- -Book Review
[i]Get it Together[/i] by Melanie Cullen is a step-by-step guide to collecting and organizing your important papers and information for yourself and your loved ones. This book is a must have for every person, young or old.

Annuity
About Retirement Planning glossary of terms annuity

Wake Up and Plan
If you are planning to retire some day, you must start planning right now. You can't afford to wait another day. You never know when an event can throw a clinker into your plans and leave you without any security for your later years. This could be a wake up call for all who intend to retire someday.

Living on a Fixed Income
This is a collection of tips for those on a fixed income or for those who just want to save money.

About Retiring in Hawaii
What you need to know about Retiring in Hawaii from your About Retirement Planning Guide

10 Questions to Ask
As you near retirement age, you have to begin to wonder whether or not retirement is for you. You are probably wondering what you will do if you are no longer working at your career. You might wonder if you want to live in the same house or area or move. There are lots of things to consider when you are trying to decide if retirement is for you.

Defined Contribution Plan
About Retirement Planning glossary of terms Defined Contributon Plan

20 Something Planning
When you are 20 something, retirement is probably the furthest thing from your mind. While this period of your life is decades away, it's not too soon to make some plans. Chances are when you retire, your wants, needs and lifestyle will require some sort of funding on your part. Now is the time to start thinking about how you will fund the later years of your life.

CD
About Retirement Planning glossary of terms CD

403B
About Retirement Planning glossary of terms 403(b)

How To Prevent Identity Theft
How to prevent identity theft

SEP-IRA Basics
A SEP-IRA (Simplified Employee Pension) is a retirement plan that is available to self-employed individuals and small businesses. A SEP-IRA is a written plan that allows a self-employed person to contribute towards his/her retirement and to contribute towards employee’s retirements without the complexity of other plans.

Organizing Your Vital Records
Do you know where your vital papers are? Are they up to date? If you keep good records, you won't miss important information for your taxes and could save money in the long run.

Employee Contribution
About Retirement Planning glossary of terms Employee Contribution

Medicare Basics
Our older citizens are eligible for government sponsored health insurance called Medicare. Medicare is also available for some persons with disabilities and for people with end-stage renal disease.

An Extension of Living
Retirement is somewhat like starting out in life. You need to know where the money will come from, where you will live, and what your goals are.

How to be Happily Retired
When you are young, you can't wait until the day you can retire but once that day arrives, is it all that great? It will be if you know what it takes to make you happy. If you like to work, your retirement might include working. If you like to travel, take this opportunity to do just that. You can make your retirement happy if you take some time to decide what you want to do.

Funding Your IRA
If you are expecting a tax refund this year, why not invest it in an IRA? You can invest in a traditional IRA and take a tax deduction next year or you can invest in a Roth IRA with no tax deduction but when you start making withdrawals at age 59 1/2, the earnings will be tax free.

Preventing Investment Fraud
When the stock market is volatile it is a prime time for investment fraud. Con artists are lurking everywhere trying to get rich from unsuspecting investors who are looking for ways to recoup their lost savings. You need to be aware of some of the scams that are being used everyday by these con artists.

Tax-deferred
About Retirement Planning glossary of terms Tax-deferred

United States map, courtesy of the Camping guide
Retirement Living by State Click on the map to select a state or choose from the list below. Alabama

Reviewing Your Retirement Plan
It's time to review your retirement plan from your About Retirement Planning Guide

Your Emergency Financial Kit
When an emergency forces you out of your home you won't have time to find your financial papers but these might be quite critical to have. An emergency financial kit can ensure you have this information when you need it. Once you have assembled your emergency financial kit, be sure to keep it in a safe but accessible place. This kit could be just as valuable to thieves as it is to you so protect it.

Retirement Planning Guide
A book review of Ernst & Young's Retirement Planning Guide