Retirement planning

The U.S. Labor Department has removed a controversial part of its proposed 401(k) fee disclosure rule that would have required retirement plan providers to create a summary document, or "roadmap," of all their fees for employers.

People are focused on the short-term aspects of life. So for retirement planning, advisors need to engage in a new conversation that is relevant to life today. And a lot of that will revolve around health issues and their costs.

With trust harder to come by, advisors should lean on personalized services and product fluency.

U.S. Retirement Market Projected to Hit $22 Trillion by 2016 The U.S. retirement market is projected to grow to nearly $22 trillion by 2016. That represents a 38% increase from an estimated $16 trillion mark for the end of 2011, due mostly to continuing market recovery.

The U.S. retirement market is projected to grow to nearly $22 trillion by 2016. That represents a 38% increase from an estimated $16 trillion mark for the end of 2011, due mostly to continuing market recovery.

Custom target-date funds are beginning to proliferate at the expense of their off-the-shelf counterparts. That’s due to plan sponsors wanting to have greater control over what’s in a fund and have access to a wider array of investments to put in them.

Retirement can be daunting — but having sound financial advice makes Americans feel like they have a better handle on it, according to a survey by Franklin Templeton.

Participants in defined contribution retirement plans want direction—and even prompts—from their employers when it comes to saving for retirement. That’s one of the findings from a survey by State Street Global Advisors, the asset management business of State Street Corp.

This week, IRA expert Ed Slott tackles questions about rolling inherited annuities into separate IRAs and the rules and requirements regarding SEP IRAs.

A study by Ameriprise Financial and Harris Interactive found that men outpace women in planning for the financial aspects of retirement at a ratio of 77% to 72%. However, women are more likely to say they have thought about what they would like to do during retirement.

The vast majority of U.S. households — regardless of demographic and financial characteristics — overwhelmingly support preserving the nation’s current tax incentives to encourage retirement savings.

Payroll and benefits outsourcing provider Paychex has launched Paychex Advisor Select 401(k), an offering designed for fee-based financial advsors.

Reports focused on Gen X and multi-age workers reveal varied confidence levels when it comes to planning a retirement strategy.

This week, IRA expert Ed Slott addresses questions about the tax implications resulting from tapping into Roth IRAs and the timing of required minimum distributions.

Financial planners know all too well how difficult it can be to get their clients motivated enough to make the sacrifices and investment decisions that are necessary to ensure a comfortable retirement. But what could possibly derail the retirement plans of those clients who are already doing everything right?

Financial planners know all too well how difficult it can be to get their clients motivated enough to make the sacrifices and investment decisions that are necessary to ensure a comfortable retirement. In fact, according to a recent ING Retirement Research Institute study, 71% of Americans – regardless of age – still lack a formal investment plan to help them reach their retirement goals. And the latest Retirement Confidence Survey from the Employee Benefit Research Institute found that more than half of all respondents are either “not at all” or “not too confident” that they’ll be able to afford the retirement and lifestyle they desire once they’re done working. This reality is keeping far too many Americans up at night, worrying about an uncertain economic future at a time when they’re living longer, retiring later and – most disturbing for many – have seen the value of their homes plummet virtually overnight. But what about those clients who have done everything right? They’ve been working with a financial planner, contributing to their 401(k)s, maybe have a pension in the offing, are saving money at a decent clip and are following the sound investment advice offered by the professionals but, according to Fidelity Investments, there's still a good chance they might not have enough put aside to live out their golden years in style. Here’s an interactive slide show detailing five of the biggest threats to even the most well-prepared investor's retirement plan. Source: Fidelity Investments

Americans overall aren’t saving enough for retirement, and as a group, women especially seem not to be prepared. Only 8% of women workers believe that they’re building a large enough retirement fund for themselves, according to the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies.

Americans overall aren’t saving enough for retirement, and as a group, women especially seem not to be prepared. Only 8% of women workers believe that they’re building a large enough retirement fund for themselves, according to a new study.

This week, IRA expert Ed Slott answers questions from people concerned about the details surrounding inherited IRAs and distribution options.

Schwab Retirement Plan Services already serves 1.5 million workers saving for retirement, but hopes that its new Schwab Index Advantage service will increase participation even more by demystifying the 401(K) saving process.