retirees

Ahead of AARP's planned "secret" salon on the future of Social Security, we offer two retirement experts' dramatically different proposals for solving the crisis. Chuck Saletta's view: You can't fix the program with tweaks and small changes.

The woes Social Security faces have generated plenty of worried talk lately, but even if nothing changes, it'll be solvent until 2036. But Medicare, the other major government program that retirees rely on, is on course for financial disaster years sooner. That program, of course, is Medicare, and the funding situation for the portion of its benefits that retirees receive looks even scarier than Social Security's prospects right now.

Described as a "fear tactic" by critics, the White House warned Tuesday that if Congress fails to raise the debt ceiling soon, come August, millions of Social Security recipients may find themselves without a check. The comments were met with a firestorm of criticism by seniors and their advocates.

Shacking up isn't just for young folks anymore. Plenty of unmarried retirees are spending their golden years together. And while skipping the "I dos" can seem like the easier course, just living together can be complicated at this time of life. But we've got some tips to help you avoid the pitfalls.

Job growth in the traditional market is tepid, but among contractors, freelancers and e-lancers, hiring is booming. Of course, if you go that route, that means you have to handle a host of things your employer used to, but there are ways to make it less of a chore -- and new companies looking to help.

Like a tree laden with ripe summer fruit, plump 401(k) accounts can appear as tempting sources for an easy loan, especially when other financial resources have dried up. And more people than ever have been plucking from that tree. It's not always the wrong move, but here's why it should be a last resort.

Wouldn't it be great if you could plot your retirement with one simple mathematical equation? We're not there yet, but Lincoln Financial Group comes close. Their formula: Just save up 10 times your annual income for retirement. But does the 10x Rule really work?

The Tea Party-led Republican Party has already won the battle to cut this year's federal budget, and it has announced a plan to dismantle Medicare. Is a proposal to cut Social Security payments next?

During the past three decades, businesses of all sizes have shifted away from traditional defined-benefit plans to defined-contribution plans, also known as 401(k)s. Now, states and local governments are doing the same, even though many workers lack the necessary investing savvy.

What do you think you'll be doing at age 67? According to a survey by Sun Life Financial of a sampling of people aged 18 to 66, 49% of Americans believe they will be retired and not working at all; 24% think they'll work part time and 25% say they'll still be working full time when they hit 67,...