My Retirement Blog

  • Important Retirement Ages

    Here is a listing of important ages and what they mean with respect to retirement: 59 ½: When you turn 59 ½, you can begin taking disbursements from your retirement plans (401k’s, 403b’s, etc) and from your IRAs (traditional, Roth). 60: If you are a widow or widower, you can begin collecting Social Security; though…

  • Presidential Candidates Weigh In On Social Security

    Social Security has been a hot issue this Presidential Primary campaign and now that the field has been narrowed to two in either party (though John McCain has pretty much sewed up the Republican nomination), it makes sense to take a look at what the candidates’ positions are on Social Security. CNN has a recap…

  • Reconsider Rolling A 401(k) Into Another 401(k)

    I’m a fan of flexibility and I like having my options as wide open as possible. That’s why I don’t like rolling over a 401(k) into another 401(k). After leaving my first job, I immediately rolled my 401(k) into a Vanguard mutual fund account. I felt that Vanguard would give me plenty of options while…

  • 401k Rollover Tip: Don’t Ever Cash Out

    When you leave a job, you will be confronted with a decision. If you had a 401k, you will have to decide whether you will keep it with the current plan administrator, roll it over into your new employer (if they offer a 401k), roll it over into a Traditional IRA, or cash it out.…

  • How To Become A Millionaire: Retirement Is Key

    On my mainstream personal finance blog, Blueprint for Financial Prosperity, I penned an article today called How To Become A Millionaire (In 6 Easy Steps!) that begins with a two steps focused solely on retirement. For the retirement saving savvy out there, these two steps are obvious and a staple of retirement planning. Step 1…

  • 2008 Tax Rebate Stimulus Package for Seniors

    With all the talk recently about 2008 the tax rebate stimulus package, I thought it was worth writing a separate article directly towards seniors to answer the question of seniors. Seniors were excluded from the original stimulus package (excluded unless you were a senior who earned more than $3,000 and paid taxes, social security didn’t…

  • 9 Retirement Killers? Try Only Three!

    The equation for the preparation for retirement has never changed: save early, save often, and be smart with your investments. The equation for retirement itself has never changed: be smart with your money, enjoy life, but do nothing in excess. So, why do we constantly see articles like this one about 9 Retirement Killers as…

  • Where Should I Open A Roth IRA?

    Fidelity, Vanguard, TD Ameritrade, Charles Schwab… there are just so many brokerages and mutual fund shops, which one should you sign up with for your Roth IRA? The answer is any of them. In fact, if you haven’t opened up a Roth IRA because you didn’t know which investment company would be best then you’ve…

  • 10 Facts About Social Security

    Here are ten random facts about Social Security that you may find interesting. Social Security was enacted when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act on August 14th, 1935. Social Security benefits weren’t indexed to inflation until 1972. Social Security actually has two parts: “Old Age and Survivors” program and the “Disability” program.…

Got any book recommendations?