Retirement planning

Older Americans are worried about numerous factors affecting their financial security and, thus, are very skeptical of financial planners who say they are building portfolios for them to mitigate risk, research by Hearts & Wallets found through nine focus groups across the country.

There are two proposed pieces of legislation sitting in Congress that would seem to be no-brainers for helping people save for retirement and helping advisors help their clients.

Investors (and advisors) need to read the fine print when it comes to one of the most popular retirement vehicle.

If the stock market and your clients’ declining 401(k) balances are making them feel like they’ll never be able to fully retire or become financially stable, they’re not alone.

Baby boomers are happy about everything – except for retirement, according to a new TD Waterhouse poll.

With expectations so low, plan sponsors are looking for assistance from retirement plan service providers.

As 401(k) balances rebounded in 2010, the executives running defined contribution plans named retirement readiness one of their top priorities, according to the “10th Annual 401(k) Benchmarking Survey,” conducted by Deloitte and the International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists (ISCEBS).

Retirement plan providers will be able to sue more people and have a legal leg to stand on.

Retirees who started saving in their 30s have an average net worth of $1.1 million, while people who started saving in their 40s are worth an average $868,000, a Consumer Reports survey finds.

The $1 million figure that is frequently cited as the silver bullet needed to enjoy a comfortable retirement is actually attainable, Consumer Reports found in a recent survey of 24,270 online subscribers age 55 and up.

Forty percent of the 14.8% of plans that suspended or reduced their matches already have restored them, the Profit Sharing/401(k) Council of America finds.

Workers around the world expect to retire at 61, a survey of 31,359 people by AXA Equitable found. In the U.S., people expect to retire at age 63.

Rollovers into traditional IRAs occur across the working years, not just at retirement, according to the Investment Company Institute.

The more education a person has is strongly correlated with how confident they are about their retirement and their ability to save and plan for it, according to the 11th Annual Transamerica Retirement Survey, released on Thursday.

According to a poll conducted in October and released on Wednesday by InCharge Debt Solutions Americans are significantly more concerned about future expenses than paying off existing debt or paying their current bills.

Advisers who have admonished clients to spend wisely during their working years and adjust their expectations for retirement can take heart: Americans are coming around, according to a study by Hartford Financial.

Low wage growth and no annual cost of living adjustments by Social Security will undoubtedly result in greatly reduced Social Security benefits, The Senior Citizens League said in a report issued Wednesday. Those who become eligible for benefits in 2011 will receive lower benefits than those born a year earlier.

According to a survey, nearly half restored matches, increased participation.

Baby Boomers are set to inherit $8.4 trillion, and have already inherited $2.4 trillion, according to The MetLife Study of Inheritance and Wealth Transfer to Baby Boomers. Overall, two-thirds of Baby Boomers stand to receive some inheritance in their lifetime.

According to a study by ING Retirement Research, investors who work with a a financial professional report saving significantly more for retirement.