The economic status of older adults in the United States today is greatly improved, and there is much diversity of circumstances among different elder populations. In 2004 inflation-adjusted dollars, the median income of elderly households had increased from $13,228 in 1960 to $24,509 in 2004. Since the mid-1950s, poverty, as measured in 2005 by the U.S. Census Bureau’s poverty thresholds, has decreased for all age groups but most noticeably for adults age 65 years and older. (more…)

The main property types that attract pension funds to invest are office property, commercial, and industrial. Pension Fund Investments do not tend to invest in residential property. Big Funds Company prefers direct property investment; whereas small funds prefer indirect investment through exempt property unit trusts (like the Pension Fund Property Unit Trust).

The main targets of direct property investment are the attainment of a safe rental income and an increment of capital value. (more…)

Whether planning ahead for your college savings plan, for your retirement investment, or as an investment held in your IRA, having tropical hardwood trees grown for you, for harvest, for profit, may be a perfect solution.

Bloomberg Wealth Manager says that investing in trees grown for harvest is “. . . a source of almost assured growth in tumultuous times” and Smart Money Magazine writes that “. . . timber is a near perfect asset” and that ” . . . real prices for timber have steadily risen for more than 100 years . . ..” (more…)

The US Federal Government is in its death throes. It is thrashing around, writhing on the floor, like a person suffering a grand mal seizure.

The Obama Administration, The Federal Reserve and Congress are completely clueless on the methods necessary to bring America back from the financial precipice. (more…)

If you want to have a lot of money when you retire then it is important that you start early. To retire rich you need to have a plan of action so you know exactly how much you need to invests to reach your goals. Many people get involved in their 401(k) plan and they do not worry about making any other investments. (more…)

Some people may say that they will never retire, and they say and mean it frankly. But as you know the truth is, most of us do. The heavier physical work or stress in the job, the work is getting harder as we are growing older. Still for some who know this still find that time creeps up on us, so far from us, we will start off the brake. If someone said that he will not retiring, he should make a point to still saving for his own good. A retirement son-to-be friend of mine once said to me: “We had great, great time, lots of money spent on the road during travel, but I can now barely afford to retire. ”

Most financial planning advice is aimed to people who are staring into rearview mirror. (more…)

Pension investment policy is one decisive point in planning and implementing a successful pensions plans. This area should need thoughtfulness due to its vast responsibility factors: the consequences of investment performance results may adverse pension investment goal. Hence, it should not be delegated to external third party consultants or money managers. Pension boards, top managements, shareholders, taxpayers and nonetheless employees, should pay a vital role in monitoring and reviewing pension investment policy. In the first place, there should be policy which will communicate the objectives of the pension plan policy scope and objectives to those all parties involved. The policy should have several key elements and aimed in funding pension liability for Defined Contribution Plans and Defined Benefit Plans. (more…)

You may have heard lots of people say that their property is their pension. What do they mean by this?

Well, they are trusting that the increased value of their property can be converted into a big enough income or lump sum to see them through their autumn years. Looking at what’s happened in recent years – property prices booming while pension values have suffered due to stock market performance (more…)

Are you the type of person who only pay attention on chasing interest rate in choosing investing vehicle for your retirement plan? You better think again. In investing for your retirement, many novice investors only run after interest rate, but missing the point of inflation and tax. You may not realize, but after you take into after-inflation and after-tax, you might be losing your money. At the end, when you should reap the fruit of your saving on retirement days, you may realize the hard fact that it is not enough. Inflation really taking stroll in your retirement planning goal. (more…)