Retirement planning

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

Individuals aren't as interested in Roth conversions as many advisers expected.

For younger employees the possibility of an enjoyable retirement is dwindling.

A paradigm shift is occurring in how bank investment program executives see retirement planning, according to Scott Stathis, managing director of Kehrer LIMRA. Stathis discussed with me some of the key findings of his retirement roundtable back in October.

For younger employees the possibility of an enjoyable retirement is dwindling.

Thirty-one percent of employers say they will offer a Roth conversion option within their 401(k) by the end of next year, but few employees seem interested.

Retirement benefits, specifically defined benefit programs, are critical when it comes to attracting and retaining employees.

Where you live may have a big impact on both your emotional and financial preparation for retirement, according to survey released Tuesday by Ameriprise Financial.

Twenty-three percent of middle-class IRA remained undecided in October about converting to an IRA, according to a study by First Command.

Baby boomers have seen first-hand the value of long term care insurance: Among those whose parents collected on a policy, 72% said it was a good value in a Mathew Greenwald survey.

The average 401(k) participant needs to work until age 73 to be able to afford retirement, according to an analysis of 10,000 accounts by employee benefits consulting firm Nyhart.

AllianceBernstein has partnered with three leading insurers—AXA Equitable, Lincoln Financial Group and Nationwide Financial—to provide guaranteed income for target-date funds in large 401(k) plans.

Retirees will be rolling over $303 billion a year over the next few years, according to Pershing, and with this tremendous opportunity at hand, the company has issued a report for financial advisers called, “The Secret Knock: Unlocking the Retirement Opportunity.”

With the U.S. Department of Labor poised to toughen rules for consultants and advisers to retirement plans, industry practices are under a new spotlight. Some like SEI may exit the business all together.

Think tank comprised of 14 executives will meet quarterly to discuss challenges and best practices.

The stable value account guarantees principal and accrued interest.

Some 51% of respondents have failed to make a rent, mortgage, credit card, auto loan or college loan payment over the last year because they were short of funds.

More people get more retirement money from employer plans today.

Affluent Americans are so concerned about not having enough money on hand for emergency expenses that they are putting their retirement savings at risk by keeping money in low-yielding products, such as savings accounts, CDs and money market funds.

Imagine this: An entire generation of investors has accumulated a significant amount of investable cash, but was too apprehensive of the stock market, of advisors, and of the potential costs, to know how to invest the money.That is the scenario that today’s financial advisors are likely facing with Generation X and Generation Y investors, according to MFS Investment Management, a Boston-based money management firm, that released a study on 613 retail investors with $100,000 in household investable assets. Investors under age 46, or those considered Generation X, displayed a much more conservative approach than anticipated, the company said in a study released last Thursday.