Saving for Retirement

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3 Ways To Recover From A Late Start On Retirement Planning

By Walter Updegrave, RealDealRetirement @RealDealRetire

Ask Real Deal Retirement

I haven’t made the best decisions when it comes to retirement planning. As a result, my wife and I are in our early 50s and have next to nothing saved for retirement. Do we have any hope of a secure retirement? More»

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Do You Really Need A Financial Adviser?

By Walter Updegrave, RealDealRetirement @RealDealRetire

Ask Real Deal Retirement 

If I just invest my money in some good low-cost mutual funds, do I really need to pay a financial adviser for help?

—Daniel

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A Geezer Journalist’s Financial Advice For College Grads

By Walter Updegrave, RealDealRetirement @RealDealRetire

[Editor’s note: This column originally appeared a year ago. The advice still applies today, so I’ve re-published it for 2018 grads. Enjoy!]

It’s that time of year again, when politicians, activists, business honchos and other luminaries don cap and gown to dispense sage advice to newly minted college grads in the time-honored form of commencement speeches. Somehow I didn’t receive a request to speak. Maybe my less-than-cum laude record as a student at Penn more than 40 years ago scared schools off. But I’ve never been one to let the mere lack of an invitation stop me from weighing in. So here, from someone who’s spent the bulk of his career writing about personal finance, are five tips and observations designed to help recent grads get onto the right financial path. More»

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How Can I Tell If I’ll Have Enough Saved To Cover My Spending In Retirement?

By Walter Updegrave, RealDealRetirement @RealDealRetire

Ask Real Deal Retirement

Most retirement projections seem to be based on how much income you’ll need in retirement. But shouldn’t my planning be based on how much I’ll actually spend after I retire? How do I figure out what my spending might be and whether I’ll be able to meet my spending needs? More»

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The 2 Moves You Need To Make Now To Improve Your Retirement Prospects

By Walter Updegrave, RealDealRetirement @RealDealRetire

In case you missed the memo, let me to be the first to alert you: This is National Retirement Planning Week. Okay, maybe you’re not the kind of person who’ll mark this august occasion by taking to the streets carrying pro-401(k) banners while chanting slogans touting the virtues of target-date retirement funds. But given the stock market’s recent erratic behavior and concerns about the impact a trade war could have on the economy, you may at least want to set aside some time to see where your retirement plans stand and how well they might hold up if the prospects for the market and the economy turn south. Here are two steps you can take toward that end:  More»

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Late Start On Retirement? Here’s How To Catch Up

By Walter Updegrave, RealDealRetirement @RealDealRetire

Ask Real Deal Retirement

I’m in my early 50s and just beginning to plan for retirement. I recently opened an IRA, but what else can I do to catch up? More»