Planning Retirement

While a $331,200 nest egg in a 401(k) plan over 15 years is impressive, it is not the norm. Last year, the median retirement plan balance for workers age 45 to 54 was just $43,700, according to an analysis by the Vanguard Group. However, longer time on the job does …

Instead of splitting your deferrals across all of the available funds in your plan, think about your approach toward investing: Are you a do-it-yourselfer who will research and monitor your chosen funds? Or do you prefer to be hands off? “If you don’t know what you want to do, then …

Couples’ claiming choices are dwindling. The once-popular “file and suspend” strategy went away this spring. Another, called a “restricted application,” is now only available if at least one partner was age 62 before January 2, 2016. But you still have the option to claim your own benefit, or collect an …

If the Fed raises interest rates in December by a quarter-point, don’t expect to see a major boost for savings accounts and new certificates of deposit. At the moment, the most generous savings accounts are offering interest rates in the neighborhood of 1 percent, while rates on a one-year CD …

If your retirement plans include an encore career, look before you leap. Half of employees say they expect to work at least part-time while in retirement, according to a Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies survey of 4,161 workers from earlier this year. Continuing to work is a necessity for some, …

You don’t always get to choose when you retire, she said. A job layoff, health problems or caregiving for an aging parent could force you out of the workplace earlier than expected. If you’re leaving the workforce midcareer to care for children or an aging parent, keep a hand in …

When to claim Social Security is one of the most important decisions retirees can make. Many websites offer free estimates of how much you may receive depending on what age you decide to take benefits. Researchers from the Social Security Administration reviewed six popular online tools to compare their estimates …

Older Americans generally are worried about medical costs in retirement. Nearly half of them won’t talk about it. A survey from the Nationwide Retirement Institute released Wednesday said 45 percent of individuals polled have not discussed these expenses with anyone. And that’s too bad, because health-care costs can add up …

The Urban Institute’s study, which used Census data, found a wide gap between Hispanics and whites when it comes to wealth at ages 65 and over. In 2012, whites in that age group had median inflation-adjusted household wealth of $280,200, compared with $84,600 for U.S.-born Latinos and $30,900 for foreign-born …

There is no ironclad formula to rebalancing. It all depends on how comfortable you are with your portfolio deviating from its target allocation. Some investors rebalance portfolios quarterly, semi-annually or annually. Others prefer to rebalance only when a portfolio mix strays beyond a by a predetermined minimum percentage — such …