Retirement

The Deep Recession Continues getty The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its latest estimates for the state of the labor market on August 7. The economy gained 1.8 million jobs in July and the unemployment rate fell to 10.2% in July from 11.1% in June. Still, 16.3 million workers were looking for a job but

By Richard Eisenberg, Next Avenue Managing Editor getty Life transitions can be jarring at any age, but they often pile on top of each other in your 50s and 60s. Transitioning to retirement…to empty-nesterhood…perhaps to a single life…living through a health trauma. Heck, it’s partly why our site is called Next Avenue. Bruce Feiler, author

Have you received a Form CRS in the mail from the investment firm(s) you do business with? This is a brand-new disclosure document mandated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Why A New Disclosure Document? I’ve been talking to my readers about Form CRS since the SEC first came up with the idea of

(Photo by Ben Birchall/PA Images via Getty Images) PA Images via Getty Images The Covid-19 pandemic derailed the world’s plans. Weddings, family visits, and business trips have been postponed or cancelled. But of all the derailed plans, the most important are older workers’ retirement plans. Here there are no redos—you only get one shot at

By Margie Zable Fisher, Next Avenue Contributor Rose Saulenas and her dog Sheba Courtesy of Sharon Saulenas As any family caregiver will tell you, caregiving is hard. In addition to the stress involved, family caregivers often take a financial hit. But there are ways to get a hand paying for the care you provide, including

Providing a guaranteed lifetime withdrawal benefit is a risky endeavor for the insurance company. The insurance company must manage both longevity and market risk, as they are obligated to provide lifetime income payments at the guaranteed level if the underlying assets held within the annuity have been depleted. The greater the investment volatility and the

Better Economic Outcomes Do Not Follow From Riskier Public Health Approaches getty The responsibility for balancing public health and an economic recovery has fallen on state governments. Some states, such as Massachusetts, New York and Washington, chose to go slow with lengthy stay-at-home orders and a gradual reopening. Others, such as Florida, Georgia and Texas,

getty On August 4th, the SBA released further guidance on PPP program questions after consultation with the Department of Treasury. The guidance was provided to supplement the PPP Interim Final Rules that were reviewed by my article posted here. These FAQs provide further disappointment for small business owners who would otherwise be able to receive

By Craig Miller, Science journalist and Next Avenue Contributor getty Scientists say 2020 is on track to be among the hottest years on record. They know this from a worldwide network of sensors and satellites that constantly monitor land and ocean temperatures. But my favorite index for global heating is Charlie, my 92-year-old father. I

Delaying retirement getty The economic damage of COVID-19 has surely been taking its toll on working Americans. Over 20 million Americans are out of work due to the pandemic. Twenty percent of small businesses, where 48% of Americans are employed, are temporarily closed, and over 100,000 have closed permanently. The future is fraught with economic

Learn about the features of your 401k plan when deciding how much to contribute. getty A recent opinion piece published by Bloomberg asserts that 401(k) plans no longer make sense for savers due to high fees and changes in tax laws. And just like the little girl in the classic Christmas tale, “Yes, Virginia, There

By Nancy Collamer, Next Avenue Contributor getty Catching the attention of a job recruiter has long been a challenge, but it’s especially difficult right now. In the week ending July 24, 2020, 1.4 million Americans filed for unemployment, marking the 19th straight week that jobless claims have topped one million. Still, since over 90% of

Lack of money, inflation, default. Young businesswoman looking with despair. Financial, economy … [+] concept getty Does the 401(k) no longer make sense? That’s what a recent article in Bloomberg Opinion is claiming because of lower tax rates and lower fees on investments outside of 401(k) plans. Before you cancel your 401(k) contributions, let’s look

Managing an investment portfolio in retirement is like playing a game of tug-of-war against yourself. On the one hand, you need to pull cash out of a portfolio for monthly expenses. On the other hand, you need your investments to grow to support future spending and offset the ravages of inflation. These twin goals often

the Caribbean coastline of Grand Cayman gets battered in a hurricane. getty Today’s market offers many alternative ways to pursue profits and hedge risk As a South Floridian, the best analogy I can make to the last few years in the stock market is to hurricane season. The thing about hurricanes is that they have

getty The pandemic inspired economic shutdowns have had a demonstrably negative impact on the economy. The Department of Commerce’s U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) issued its first preliminary estimate of second quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and it was devastating. While a “second” estimate will be released later this month, the BEA announced the

There is one thing about the current pandemic about which there is no controversy—seniors are most vulnerable. With every warning and every description of preventive measures telling seniors to self-isolate, stay home, and avoid others, there is an inevitable consequence: loneliness. Loneliness among elders was problematic before Covid-19. Now it is worse. And lip service

Senate Republicans proposed another stimulus check bill yesterday, the Coronavirus Assistance for American Families (CAAF) Act. Stimulus checks under the CAAF Act would provide $1,000 to eligible adults and dependents. As an example, an eligible family of four would receive $4,000. WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 24: Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) talks to reporters after leaving a

By Richard Eisenberg, Next Avenue Managing Editor getty Ever since I wrote the viral 2017 Next Avenue post, “Sorry, Nobody Wants Your Parents’ Stuff,” I’ve been a little obsessed with Americans’ love/hate relationship with their possessions and downsizing. So, I was fascinated to read University of Kansas sociology and gerontology professor David J. Ekerdt’s new

As benefits expire, rent comes due, the school year looms and states struggle, Washington’s warring factions are racing to rescue the economy—and their political fortunes. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images, Mario Tama/Getty Images, Alex Wong/Getty Images, Doug Mills-Pool/Getty Images. Design by Forbes The coronavirus pandemic has taken an inconceivable toll on the American