Why target-date funds are so popular
When it comes to building their retirement nest egg, investors are increasingly betting on the set-it-and-forget-it approach of target-date funds.Such funds, which are designed to minimize risk over time by gradually shifting from stocks to bonds as an investor’s retirement date nears, hit a record $880 billion in assets last year, according to Morningstar Research... READ MORE
Are you sabotaging your investments?
The stock market has raced to record highs this year, but your portfolio may not show it.In some ways, that’s to be expected: A balanced portfolio won’t post the same returns as the Dow Jones industrial average or the Standard & Poor’s 500, nor should it. You would have to be 100 percent invested in stocks to mirror the market’s performance, and that kind of... READ MORE
Student loan debt hobbling more older adults
Older Americans are shouldering far more of the nation’s debt than in years past.The Federal Reserve Bank of New York released numbers recently showing that the share of all household debt held by people aged 60 and older has almost doubled: from 12.6 percent in 2003, to 22.5 percent in 2016. That’s nearly $3 trillion!Mortgages, auto loans, credit cards, and even... READ MORE
Why pay retail? Bills you can negotiate
The word “bills” used to be synonymous with “fixed expenses.” But there’s nothing fixed about many of the bills a typical household pays today.Some bills have introductory rates that expire, shooting monthly costs skyward. Others offer secret discounts or upgrades to those in the know.Providers constantly tweak their plans and pricing, which means long-term... READ MORE
How to find financial advice you can trust
The Department of Labor recently announced it will postpone putting the “fiduciary rule” into effect. And the Trump administration has signaled it wants to get rid of it altogether.The fiduciary rule stipulates that financial professionals who advise you on your retirement accounts must put your financial interests ahead of their own. Without the rule — and as things... READ MORE
They are hardly the retiring types
“I don’t feel like someone who shouldn’t be working.” said Mike Gimbel, a 65-year-old resident of Timonium. “Retirement hasn’t even been a thought.” Gimbel is a substance abuse consultant. He says, “Work keeps me going, physically and emotionally. I like being active, as well as being a contributing member of society. There will always be people [for me] to... READ MORE
When an elder needs financial oversight
Our financial decision-making abilities peak in our 50s and can decline pretty rapidly after age 70, researchers tell us. That’s how otherwise smart older people fall for sweepstakes frauds, Nigerian investment schemes and the grandparent scam — where con artists pretend to be grandchildren in a financial jam. But few people want to hear that they’re not as sharp as... READ MORE
How to fight medical insurance denials
When you or a family member experience a medical crisis, it can be hard enough to focus on getting the best care. The last thing you want to deal with is an overwhelming pile of medical bills.Health insurance claims specialists can help. They serve as experts, advocates and detectives — knowing how to deal with the mysterious and complex insurance system, translate the jargon and... READ MORE
A global mission to help others
Ellicott City resident Sean Callahan has spent half his life — 28 of his 56 years — working in countries throughout the world for Baltimore-based Catholic Relief Services (CRS). What accounts for his commitment to this organization? “Once you have had the opportunity to work with people — to offer them ways for respect and dignity in their lives — you feel something deep... READ MORE
What to expect from your bonds this year
The safest part of your 401(k) isn’t as safe as it used to be. But there’s still nothing safer, fund managers say.Investors have long taken comfort in the steady returns their bond funds have provided, particularly when stocks go on another of their gut-wrenching drops.But the bond safety blanket is getting more threadbare, a result of simple math. Bonds don’t pay as much... READ MORE
Money 2024
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