My Retirement Blog

My Retirement Blog

  • How Are Social Security Benefits Taxed?

    Recently a reader asked: I would like to know the breaking points for annual income that affects the percentage of social security that is taxable. example…low income only 15% is taxable. Social Security is normally not taxable unless you earn over a certain amount. This lower amount is called the base amount and depends on…

  • SIPC Insurance Explained

    With the recent high profile bank “failures,” they’re really just liquidity crises that forced the FDIC and Fed to intervene, you might be wondering if your investments are safe. In a nutshell, your investments are protected by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) up to $500,000. The coverage is such that you get what you…

  • Don’t Compulsively Check Your Retirement Investments

    I have a nasty habit of checking stuff all the time. Whether it’s the traffic stats on my blog or the performance of my retirement investments, I feel a compelling need to “check in” on things all the time. How often is all the time? I once checked how many times I checked stock prices…

  • Proposed Improved 401(k) Disclosure Laws

    Every quarter, I receive disclosure forms from my employer’s 401(k) plans. They discuss my current account balance, my gains and my losses, the fees I’m paying, and a broad look across all the funds available to me. It’s a good quarterly snapshot and one that I felt was adequate. I had online access to my…

  • Asset Allocation Mix: Not Just Stocks, Bonds & Cash

    When it comes to asset allocation, it’s important to get the right mix of equities (stocks) and bonds but those aren’t the only two asset classes you should be aware of. The general rule of thumb, that your percentage of retirement held in stocks should be 120 minus your age and the rest in bonds,…

  • New 401K Debit Card Legislation

    I’m not a big fan of 401(k) debit or credit cards because I’m not a fan of raiding your retirement accounts to pay for non-retirement expenses. I think that the retirement bucket should essentially be a lockbox (*gasp* the dreaded lockbox phrase) that you don’t touch unless you’re actually retiring. However, the cat’s been let…

  • Bear Market Means Stock Market Discounts

    I you’re a young investor, with decades before you’ll need the assets in your retirement portfolio, this bear market should make you happy. While it’s difficult to swallow the losses your retirement account has made, think of it as a 20% discount on what you’ll be buying over the next few years rather than a…

  • McCain Collects Social Security

    Presidential hopeful John McCain agrees with many expert’s opinions that the Social Security program is in trouble. In fact, he called it “a disgrace,” but that doesn’t stop him from cashing the checks the SSA sends him. In 2007, he received $1,930 a month in benefits and has received benefits for the last six years.…

  • Banks Cannot Garnish Social Security Payments

    The Social Security Administration recently released a report on an investigation into the practice of banks garnishing Social Security and disability payments for third party creditors, a practice that is illegal. It was discovered that approximately $171.4 million was garnished from accounts receiving direct deposits of SS benefits and other direct deposits and an additional…

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