The Means AND the Ends

The Means AND The Ends is the recognition that "getting there" is at least as important as where you're going. These posts are a curated collection of articles I've written as well as interesting finds that can be serious, humorous, and sometimes skeptical about investing and saving for retirement while being mindful that we must enjoy the ride all along the way.

Your Money: 3 moves you should make in the 3 years before you retire – Twin Cities

Lifestyle, Retirement

Life’s major milestones — graduations, births, weddings and cross-country moves — all require a certain amount of preparation.Retirement is no different. That’s why we believe it’s important for people to meet with a financial adviser several years before they retire so you can jump right into the retired life once you’re ready.

Read the entire article: Your Money: 3 moves you should make in the 3 years before you retire – Twin Cities

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Pass On Your Assets Wisely: How To Choose The Right Beneficiaries

Financial Planning, Lifestyle

I’m often asked by clients about who should be named as beneficiaries on their IRAs versus their retirement plans and other assets. This article provides a starting point. I have more detailed information if you wish… just ask. -Jeff

When you pass away, what you leave to your loved ones is important, but so is how you leave those assets. Determining the right assets to leave to different beneficiaries is an absolutely critical part of effective estate planning.

Read the entire article: Pass On Your Assets Wisely: How To Choose The Right Beneficiaries

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Making the case for the reverse mortgage as a retirement planning option | Financial Post

Financial Planning, Retirement

I may be in the minority, but I think that considering a reverse mortgage can, in certain instances, be a viable financial planning alternative scenario. -Jeff

It’s a problem — home-owning seniors retiring with reduced income but healthy levels of consumer and mortgage debt — that seems to contain its own solution.The solution: consider the house as an asset like the others and use it as a way of managing your financial affairs, a move that could make for a more carefree retirement.

Read the entire article: Making the case for the reverse mortgage as a retirement planning option | Financial Post

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5 New Realities of Retirement – US News

Health & Fitness, Lifestyle, Retirement

My experience has been that the happiest and healthiest retirees that I know find ways to stay socially and emotionally engaged in life all around them. For some, working or scheduled volunteering forces them to do this. Worth the read. -Jeff

Our parents were able to retire and collect full Social Security at age 65. Most baby boomers have to wait until 66. People born after 1959 have to wait even longer – until age 67 – before reaching what Social Security defines as “full retirement age.” And while the younger generations can still start collecting Social Security as early as 62, they will suffer a bigger penalty – a 30 percent cut to their full benefit, rather than 20 percent for those eligible under the old 65-year-old rule.

Read the entire article: 5 New Realities of Retirement – US News

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How Much Income Will You Need For Retirement? | KOB.com

Financial Planning, Retirement

Good article and something that reiterates the point that ‘rules of thumb’ are just not appropriate for everyone. -Jeff

The 80% rule is one of the classic rules of thumb for retirement advice. Financial planners often advise that in order to maintain your current lifestyle in retirement, you should aim to replace 80% of your working income from your retirement resources such as Social Security, investment dividends, and IRA withdrawals.

From that point, you gauge the total amount of money that you need based on when you plan to retire, in other words, how many years you are likely to need income?

Read the entire article: How Much Income Will You Need For Retirement? | KOB.com

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5 worst investment calls of this century

Behavioral Finance, Markets

There’s a reason that I think it’s foolhardy to put too much stock in the predictions of our so-called “experts” in times of duress. Their track record is often (ahem) less than stellar. -Jeff

A lot of people have given some bad advice over the years. Here are the five worst investment calls of the century, according to Howard Gold.

 

Read the entire article: 5 worst investment calls of this century

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Goldman Sachs Abandons Five of Six ‘Top Trade’ Calls for 2016 – Bloomberg Business

Markets

I’ve always been wary of group-think projections of the future. Man, did GS get this wrong. -Jeff

Goldman Sachs to clients: whoops. Just six weeks into 2016, the New York-based bank has abandoned five of six recommended top trades for the year.

The dollar versus a basket of euro and yen; yields on Italian bonds versus their German counterparts; U.S. inflation expectations: Goldman Sachs Group Inc. was wrong on all that and more.

Read the entire article: Goldman Sachs Abandons Five of Six ‘Top Trade’ Calls for 2016 – Bloomberg Business

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What Assets Need to Be Listed for Probate? | LegalZoom

Financial Planning

Whether it is necessary to probate property can depend upon how title to the property is held, or whether there is a designated beneficiary.

An estate probate can be time-consuming and expensive, so arranging proper titling and beneficiary designations can be important.

What Is Probate? Probate is a legal process, whereby a court oversees the management of a deceased person’s property (or assets) to as

Read the entire article: What Assets Need to Be Listed for Probate? | LegalZoom

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3 Smart Ways to Maximize Your Roth IRA — The Motley Fool

Financial Planning

The Roth IRA is an amazing way to create tax-free retirement savings, and it’s something that, frankly, too few people take advantage of. Since it’s our mission to help people invest better, we asked three of our top retirement planning contributors to discuss smart ways you can maximize your Roth IRA. Depending on your situation, there’s a good chance

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3 mistakes to avoid in your first 3 years of retirement – MarketWatch

Financial Planning, Retirement

When you’ve finally arrived at the stoop of retirement, your next steps are often some of the trickiest. So much time and effort goes into reaching this milestone that what you do next is often ignored. Not intentionally, it just happens.

While the day-to-day of the next stage of your life may be unknown, what not to do is actually quite clear: Don’t invest too conservatively, don’t overspend and don’t neglect your health. Seems like common sense,

Read the entire article: 3 mistakes to avoid in your first 3 years of retirement – MarketWatch

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How to Find Previous 401(k) Accounts — The Motley Fool

Financial Planning, Retirement

There are several ways you can try to locate lost retirement money.

Using an employer-sponsored 401(k) plan can be a great way to save for retirement. The downside of 401(k)s, though, is that they are tied to a specific employer. As a result, when you switch jobs, your 401(k) money won’t automatically switch with you. Rather, in many cases, it will stay in your account. Below, we’ll run through

Read the entire article: How to Find Previous 401(k) Accounts — The Motley Fool

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