Retirement planning

The average balance reached $71,500 at the end of 2010.

Planning for retirement isn’t just about hitting the “magic number.”

Fidelity Investments reported Thursday that one-third of all of the Roth IRA conversions it handled for advisers and individual investors occurred in December.

Pretirement described was supposed to be for those who were somewhere “between the rat race and the rocking chair," but over the last few years, the concept - if not the name itself - has begun to take hold among a much broader – and younger - group.

There's a post-retirement crisis coming. But research indicates that the very individuals that most need guaranteed income in their lives are most resistant, according to Shlomo Benartzi, an expert in how human behavior affects the financing of human lives.

In this environment, it is all about specialization and outsourcing. A good retirement plan recordkeeper can allow financial institutions to focus on key customer differentiators

An executive said that employees continue to be “grossly under prepared for retirement,” with over 82% reporting that they are not on track to meet their retirement goals.

John Hancock Annuities has created its second “Retirement Talk” module, this one focusing on retirement income and the emotions of a couple entering retirement.

As a House Judiciary Committee panel meets Monday to hold a hearing on public pensions and the need for state bankruptcy protection, pension and muni bond experts are opposing a recently introduced bill that would prohibit them from issuing tax-exempt bonds unless they subject their pension plans to federal oversight and regulation.

Although saving for retirement is critical for women - they live longer and make less money than men - women save 40% less than men, according to a new research study by LIMRA.

With regulatory reform bringing a wave of changes to defined contribution plans, advisors need to be even more conversant in the ins and outs of legislative requirements and other complexities. Which is why BlackRock is beefing up its commitment to advisors who work with these retirement plans.

On the eve of congressional hearings examining whether unfunded pension liabilities could trigger severe fiscal stress for state and local governments, a coalition of 10 groups representing state and ­local entities said public pensions are not in crisis and are not ­seeking federal assistance.

A survey indicates that retirement income planning and management is paying big dividends for advisors who take the time to understand their clients' unique needs and opportunities.

The bear market of the last three years has forced many retirees to reevaluate, according to a study by T. Rowe Price.

One third of forty-and fifty-something women figure on withdrawing 11% to 30% each year. That’s where you come in.

Nearly 875,000 employees increased their 401k contributions in 2010, a 21% increase over 2009’s level of 721,000 employees, according to Merrill report.

According to a new study, for many women, retirement means living single and that requires more preparation, and more advisor aid.

And 27% have no personal savings, a Harris Poll shows.

PHOENIX-- About 40 years ago, they were told to cut their hair and find a real job.

Just over one-third, 34%, of Americans have no retirement savings, and 27% have no personal savings, a November 2010 survey of 2,151 by The Harris Poll found.