7 Retirement Mistakes Gen X Is Making: Retirement Scan

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7 retirement mistakes Gen X is making
Although Gen X workers started building their nest egg at age 27 and feel they will need $1 million to support their lifestyle through their golden years, their median retirement savings is only $70,000, a survey finds. But it's not too late for Gen X'ers to do something to improve their retirement prospect, an expert says. First, they need to estimate what their retirement needs really are. They also need to stop tapping their retirement savings for other purposes. Read about these and other mistakes they make, as well as tips on how they can avoid such blunders. -- Forbes

Private equity is coming to a 401(k) near you
401(k) participants can expect private-equity funds as an investment option in their retirement plans in the early part of 2015, according to an article in The Wall Street Journal. The idea isn't entirely new as such investments have been available to pension-fund investors and included as options within some defined-contribution plans, according to an expert from Towers Watson.  -- The Wall Street Journal

How 6 Types of Retirement Income Are Taxed
When retirees compute their living expenses, they fail to account for the taxes on withdrawals from their retirement savings, according to an article in Kiplinger. Deciding on the order of accounts to be tapped can be crucial as it will ultimately determine how much will go to taxes. So retirees are usually told to withdraw from their traditional IRA and other taxable accounts before tapping tax-deferred accounts. Read the discussions on how much retirees will pay for income from various retirement accounts.  -- Kiplinger

How to navigate the complicated world of 401(k) fees
Retirement investors may find 401(k) plan fees difficult to absorb, but can seek help from their human resources representative or a financial advisor to fully understand these fees, according to an article in U.S. News & World Report. These experts can tell whether the 401(k) participants or the plan sponsor covers the plan administration costs. They can also explain any revenue sharing in the plan and how participant forfeitures are being used.  -- Yahoo Finance

DOL questions 401(k) brokerage windows
The Department of Labor is putting the brokerage window in 401(k) plans under scrutiny to determine if the participants stand to gain from the plan feature. And employers can be held accountable for their workers' investment decisions, according to this Forbes article. The department also seeks information about the costs of putting up a brokerage window, the advisers' role, and the fiduciary duties of employers. Brokerage windows are added by employers to respond to the demands of their senior management, according to the article.  -- Forbes

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