Retirement

John is a successful 45-year-old executive with a major real estate management company. His experience in real estate management and intimate knowledge of the South Florida marketplace has convinced him that he has found a $300,000 condo that may be the bargain of a lifetime.

Americans' confidence in their ability to retire appears to be stabilizing, but their preparations for retirement continue to erode, according to a new survey.

Women are more likely than men to seek help in financial planning, according to a new survey.

Archimedes Systems and Convergent Retirement Plan Solutions have introduced CPAroth.com, a portal for planning Roth IRA conversions.

What’s not to like about a Roth IRA? As with traditional IRAs, earnings accumulate tax free. But unlike the traditional IRA, withdrawals are tax-free and minimum distributions after age 70 ½ are not mandatory. Add to this the 2010 special incentives to convert a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA, and it’s a wonder taxpayers aren’t lining up to do the conversion.

Many U.S. employers intend to restore company 401(k) matches that were suspended or reduced during the market downfall, according to a new survey by HR consultancy Hewitt Associates.

The American Institute of CPAs is offering a CPA-oriented guide on Roth IRA conversions now that the old $100,000 income limit for converting a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA no longer applies.

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden previewed some of the major themes in the president’s upcoming State of the Union address, including a proposal to increase some tax credits for middle-class families.

Many wealthy Americans are rethinking their vision of retirement planning, according to a new survey of the affluent.

IMGCAP(1)]With middle-class families taking big losses in their 401(k) and other investments, many are concerned that they might not have enough money to retire without running out.

The recent implosion of the major stock market indices has hit Baby Boomers pondering retirement particularly hard - right in the proverbial nest egg. Many people are opting to remain in the workforce longer given the loss in their retirement portfolios. With this longer work horizon, planning for retirement and the location of retirement is still a goal for many.

The Governmental Accounting Standards Board has issued final standards on postemployment benefits and municipal bankruptcy.

The number of employers planning to offer annuities to participants in their 401(k) plans is expected to grow as companies look for ways to provide workers with a steady distribution of benefits during retirement, according to a new survey.

Promoters have been marketing on the Internet the use of 401(k) funds to purchase franchises or startup businesses, which normally require up-front material sums of monies to launch.

RAYMOND JAMES RAISES AUM MINIMUM FOR NEW ADVISORS

The Internal Revenue Service said it is temporarily closing its determination letter program for adopters of pre-approved defined-benefit plans.

For more than a decade, my mother resided in the bucolic hamlet of Ludlow, Vt. Those of you who enjoy winter sports may recognize the town as home to Okemo, one of the Green Mountain State's wildly popular ski areas. But nearly 70 years ago, the town received notoriety for something other than downhill racing or snowboarding. For it was on Jan. 31, 1940, that the town's Ida M. Fuller became the first citizen to receive an old-age monthly benefit check under the newly passed Social Security law. For those keeping score at home. Mrs. Fuller paid in $24.75 between 1937 and 1939 on an income of $2,484. Her first check was cut in the amount of $22.54.

BETTER ADVICE COULD REDUCE RETIREMENT PLAN FEES

When it comes to their retirement, 50-somethings seem to be in a state of denial about how long their retirement savings will last, according to a new study.

Congress decided last year to waive required minimum distributions from retirement savings plans for 2009, but there is still some confusion about how to apply the waiver.