When it comes to managing financial matters, you can't go wrong by hoping for the best but planning for the worst. In other words, underpromise and overdeliver. What does that look like in real life? Read on for some figures and calculations that point the way towards prudent retirement planning.
In 2001, Nicole B. Simpson was just another Morgan Stanley financial planner on the 73rd floor when the 9/11 attacks struck. She survived, but the emotional trauma left her old life in the wreckage. Eventually, though, she found a new purpose in helping others through traumas of their own.
Even if you've saved enough to live comfortably, the golden years don't buy you a reprieve from money worries. In fact, being retired can make you even more vulnerable to fiscal strife, if you're not prepared. Consider Tom Binns, who retired after a lifetime of savings, only to find that financial responsibilities didn't end with his 9-to-5.
An estimated two-thirds of baby boomer households will receive an inheritance at some point, with a median amount of $64,000, according to an AARP study. I recently received an email from a reader who has fallen deeply into debt in anticipation of her legacy -- and is now worried that her bailout may not be at hand.
After last week's latest nauseating bout of volatility, here are several thoughtful strategies to help get the average investor through the storm.
With little in the way of financial education in schools, most of us don't learn how to save and spend wisely until we're out on our own -- and then the process can be a painful one of trial and error. Here's one person's plan to start her daughters early on the path towards financial fluency.
Having a plan in case of a major life crisis is important and, according to State Farm's Financial Plan B survey, 81% of us know it. But only 45% of those surveyed said they've actually planned ahead for that crisis. If you have a plan, it may not be a solid as you think. And if you don't, here's how to begin creating one.
For children, excursions with grandmother are an adventure. As time passes, however, the ride into the golden years can get bumpy; if you're financially unprepared, it can take a dramatic turn for the worse, and even drive you and your family into bankruptcy. Here are some steps you can take to prevent that.
America is DIY Nation, but in certain financial situations, a do-it-yourself strategy can make a bad situation much worse, because in investing and money matters, most of us don't know what we don't know. Here are eight times in your life when the high stakes demand that you call in the experts.
When it comes to money, mindset really matters. What you tell yourself over and over again becomes what you do -- over and over again. Don't fall into the trap of shoddy thinking: Here are 10 bad memes that can seriously mess up your financial health, and advice on how to avoid them.
