The Big Debt Threat: Retirement Scan

August 13, 2014, 10:28 a.m. EDT 2 Min Read

Our daily roundup of retirement news your clients may be thinking about.

Debt: The big threat to a happy retirement
Debt is becoming an increasing concern for retirees and pre-retirees, as elderly people are accumulating more debt than they did in the early 2000s, according to a report. One option to ease debt is consolidation, which allows clients to transfer balances at zero- or low-interest rates. It is also important for clients to trace the source of existing debt to address such concerns, to reduce spending, and to ensure that a proper retirement is in place. -- USA Today

Student debt threatens the safety net for elderly Americans
Data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York show that individuals aged 50 and older account for just 17% of all student debt in the U.S., but their debt is increasing more rapidly compared with other age groups. When government student loans are left unpaid over time, it is possible for collectors to seize a portion of Social Security payments in addition to wages. -- Bloomberg Businessweek

Accessing your retirement income: Sooner or later
Regardless of whether business owners wish to get hold of their hard-earned retirement income at some point, it is important to know the ways to access them, according to Forbes. Owners wanting to withdraw their retirement funds early can do so through qualified money, life insurance, and recapitalization. For those interested in delaying the flow of retirement money, setting up a backdoor Roth account and using deferred income annuities could be considered. -- Forbes

When stock and real-estate bubbles collide
The expanding stock market bubble may not be offset by reinvesting in the real estate market, as the characteristics of this economic bubble are different from those of the last recession, according to MarketWatch. The real estate sector is in a bubble itself, as prices are overvalued by as much as 50% in densely populated urban areas. Clients should play it safe with real estate investments, and unload overpriced properties, which are extremely vulnerable in the event of economic slowdowns.
-- MarketWatch

How todays workers can dodge the retirement crisis
Several experts don't agree with research findings that 52% of households will be unable to build enough of a nest egg for their golden years. The replacement rate set by the study is unrealistic as it is based on pre-retirement cost of living that could be higher than the actual spending in retirement, experts say. However, it is uncertain if spending does decline in retirement, so clients are encouraged to scale back their lifestyle to make sure they won't outlive their retirement savings. -- CNN Money

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