If you check your paycheck stub, you find an entry labeled FICA, which is an acronym for Federal Insurance Contributions Act. Your “contribution” is matched by your employer and is deposited in the Social Security Trust Fund. It shows you how much money was paid into the Trust Fund by employers, employees, and the self-employed in 1998 (the figures used are from the IRS). (more…)

The last ten to fifteen years have been financially very good for most of us. With a little effort and a lot of market tailwind, our retirement accounts have grown at an amazing rate. With annual stock returns as high as 20% or more, most of us who have private retirement investment accounts (401K, IRA, etc.) were feeling pretty good. In most areas of the U.S. real estate values spiraled up and up. The combination made many of us who owned homes and stock/bond investments paper millionaires. Then along comes 2008. Our stock investment portfolio values dropped 35-40% and our once fat equity position in real estate rapidly shrunk. Your retirement account doesn’t look so secure anymore. (more…)