Briefly Noted Articles
Investors Uncertain, But Saving and Budgeting More
Nearly half of affluent investors expect today’s economic uncertainty not only to continue, but also to be “more of a permanent reality,” according to the latest Merrill Lynch Affluent Insights Survey. Read more »
Worries About Retirement Spread
More Americans are worried about having enough saved for retirement, according to the Pew Research Center. Read more »
Questioning High Approval Rates for Executive Compensation
Overwhelmingly, shareholder votes are approving executive compensation. Read more »
On the Bookshelf
Comments on new investing books Read more »
Retirement Savings Advice From Retirees
Fifty-four percent of current retirees are confident they will be able to live comfortably throughout retirement, in contrast to only a quarter of those below the retirement age and currently employed, according to a new survey. Read more »
On the Bookshelf
Comments on new investing books. Read more »
Retirement Savings Have Not Adjusted to Changed Risks
Americans’ ratio of wealth-to-income declined in 2010, based on an analysis of the Federal Reserve’s triennial survey of household wealth. Read more »
401(k) Changes Leading to More Participation and Diversification
Changes in the 401(k) landscape have resulted in employee participation rates remaining high and leading to more diversification, according to an Aon Hewitt study. Read more »
Emerging and Persistent Investor Threats Named
The list of potentially dangerous financial products and practices updated by the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) includes practices designed to exploit new and existing federal laws. Read more »
Ready for Retirement at Age 65? 70?
A study cited by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) cast doubt on whether most Americans will be ready to retire at age 70, let alone age 65. Read more »
The Impact of Experience on Performance
Individual investors adapt their trading strategies over time, but only partially learn from their mistakes. Read more »
On the Bookshelf
Comments on new investing books. Read more »
Poor Advice About Social Security
When to start taking Social Security benefits is a difficult decision that has a significant impact on retirees. Yet, a new working paper finds that individuals who turn to financial advisers for help are often misguided. Read more »
Forthcoming Changes in Employee Benefits
Employees, and possibly even retirees, could be looking at higher expenses, but potentially more choices, when it comes to benefits. Read more »
From the Bookshelf
Comments on new investing books Read more »
401(k) Plans Changing, But Not Communication
The big trend among employer-sponsored retirement plans is automatic features. Read more »
Target Date Funds Growing in Popularity
Target date funds are growing in popularity among defined-contribution participants, according to Vanguard. Read more »
Bad Behavior in the Financial Industry
A sizeable number of financial services professionals said they have either observed, have firsthand knowledge of or feel pressured to engage in unlawful or unethical behavior, according to a new survey. Read more »
From the Bookshelf
Comments on new investing books. Read more »
Look Beyond Asset Allocation for Retirement Security
Asset allocation is an important part of investing—but it is not the most effective option to ensure financial security in retirement, according to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. Read more »
Retirement Strategies for Volatile Markets
Volatile and uncertain market conditions are particularly troublesome for those who have recently retired or are near retirement. Read more »
Gender Gap in Financial Literacy Is Growing
The gap between men and women in knowledge and awareness of personal finances is growing, according to a new survey by Financial Finesse. Read more »
Early Retirement, Early Death?
A study by Josef Zweimuller, Andreas Kuhn and Jean-Philippe Wuellrich at the University of Zurich suggests that early retirement could lead to an earlier death. Read more »
Five Steps for Increasing Retirement Income
Fidelity Investments modeled five steps that investors of all ages can use to increase their retirement income. Read more »
From the Bookshelf
Comments on new investing books. Read more »
Mutual Fund Fees Decline, Slightly
Average expense ratios for mutual funds that primarily invest in stocks declined four basis points last year, according to the Investment Company Institute (ICI). Read more »
Are Financial Advisers Encouraging Bad Behavior?
Not only do many financial advisers fail to discourage behavioral finance errors by investors, but many advisers also reinforce behaviors that are in their own best interest, according to a new working paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Read more »
Americans Worried About Retirement Savings, But Saving More
The proportion of Americans who are worried about not having saved enough money for retirement is increasing, according to The 2012 Scottrade American Retirement Study. At the same time, more Americans are seeking ways to save more money. Read more »
Be Wary of Crowd Funding Start-Ups
Later this year, or early next year, you will have the chance to buy shares in privately held companies through a process known as crowd funding. If an offering seems interesting, tread carefully, do as much research as you can and only commit money you can afford to lose. Read more »
From the Bookshelf
Comments on new investing books. Read more »
Target Date Funds Misunderstood
A new survey by ING revealed gaps in investor understanding of how target date funds are designed, how they are managed, and what they are designed to do. Read more »
Life Spans, Health Care Costs and Rethinking Retirement
Three out of four affluent Americans would change how they approach money management if they knew they would live to be 100, according to the Merrill Lynch Affluent Insights Survey. Read more »
10 Tips for Getting More out of Your IRA
The effectiveness of an individual retirement account (IRA) can be maximized through a combination of strategic planning and careful decision-making. Read more »
On the Bookshelf
Comments on new investing books. Read more »
A Majority of Advisers Are Investment, Not Financial, Planners
Many advisers are misclassifying the types of services they provide, according to Cerulli Associates. Read more »
Current Conditions Alter Future Expectations
Researchers at the University of Michigan found that expectations for future events are influenced by current economic conditions. Read more »
Investments That Concern FINRA
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) recently listed several types of investments with heightened conduct and suitability issues. Read more »
Younger and Older Investors Use Conservative Allocations
Retirement investment styles are not differing by age group, according to a survey of nearly 600 higher education employees by Fidelity Investments. Read more »
Baby Boomers and Stock Valuations
Will the retirement of baby boomers impact the valuations of stocks? Research published by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco argues it may. Read more »
From the Bookshelf
Comments on news investing books. Read more »
Age and Reactions to Financial Advice
How a person reacts to financial advice depends on age, according to a preliminary study conducted by The College of William & Mary’s Mason School of Business. Read more »
Bond Commissions Are Misunderstood
Bond commissions are a mystery to many investors, according to a study conducted for Charles Schwab. Read more »
The Impact of Online Forums on Financial Decisions
Participation in online communities can lead to riskier financial decisions. Read more »
What Defines a Bear Market?
The severity of a market fall determines how it is categorized and helps to provide a sense of how quickly a rebound may occur. Read more »
Regulators Warn About Self-Directed IRAs
A recent increase in fraudulent investment schemes involving self-directed individual retirement accounts (IRAs) has caught the attention of regulators. Read more »
Understanding the Impact of Compounding Increases Savings Rates
Knowing how big of an impact compounded returns will have on retirement savings can prompt investors to save more money. Read more »
Fidelity Top Choice for IRA Rollovers
Investors who recently rolled over their 401(k) plan to an IRA chose Fidelity more than any other brokerage firm, according to a recent survey by Millionaire Corner/Spectrem Group. Read more »
Protecting Elders From Financial Abuse
Investors can call for free advice and guidance on how to protect themselves and loved ones against financial abuse and scams on November 10, 2011. Read more »
From the Bookshelf
Comments on new investing books. Read more »
Couples Lack Communication on Retirement Goals
Less than half of couples jointly handle retirement savings investment decisions, according to a new study by Fidelity Investments. Read more »
From the Bookshelf
Comments on new investing books. Read more »
Marital Status and Retirement Preparation
Marital status has a big impact on how prepared an individual is for retirement, according to a working paper published by Michael Hurd and Susann Rohwedder of the RAND Corporation. Read more »
SEC Issues Family Office Rule
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted a new rule defining “family offices.” Read more »
The Recession and Retirement Income
The “Great Recession” of 2007–2009 will reduce average annual incomes at age 70 by 4.3%, or $2,300, according to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. Read more »
The SEC Warns About Reverse Mergers
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a bulletin about reverse mergers in early June. The bulletin provided information about reverse mergers and advice on how investors can protect themselves. Read more »
From the Bookshelf
Comments on new investing books. Read more »
Researching Adviser Fees Gets Easier
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has made it easier for investors to look up and compare financial adviser fees and policies. The Form ADV Part II Brochure now discloses information that advisers previously did not have to include in regulatory filings. Read more »
Briefly Noted
Current news items of interest to individual investors. Read more »
Briefly Noted
Current news items of interest to individual investors. Read more »
Briefly Noted
Current news items of interest to individual investors. Read more »
