by: Joshua Geary
The 40 Year Plan is Over
What is truly driving the market of self directed retirement investing?
Is it the buff real estate market?
Or are there other economic factors?
Unbeknownst to 98% of working people, the 40 year plan is over.
Statistics show that by age 65 less than 2% of Americans can truly retire in comfort without the help of family members or the government.
The lackluster performance of the stock market over the past 6 years has dashed many people's hopes of retiring early.
It used to be that you could get a great education, get a great job and settle with a company by 25 years of age, keep your nose clean, work your way to the top, invest in your companies stock and by age 65 retire the company you sacrificed for will take care of your retirement and medical expenses for life.
For many now this is just wishful thinking and a pipe dream.
Today's norms:
The harsh reality is:
Corporate down-sizing (e.g. Gillette, Ford, and GM).
Corporate bankruptcies - Enron, Worldcom). Company's robbing company pension plans and judges are allowing it to happen just ask people working for the airlines, illegal insider stock trading, age discrimination, companies cannot afford to pay health insurance premiums because they have sky-rocketed and people are living longer.
Other forces:
World Instability, unfettered nuclear proliferation, Sept 11th, natural disasters all cooked together.
Yes, the poor performance of the stock market, lower interest rates and the real estate boom have contributed greatly to people looking for alternative investment strategies such as self directed investing of retirement funds in real estate.
The Internet, information proliferation, people's ability to share information, online financial software, and real time stock quotes.
Benefits of investing with self directed ira funds:
? Stimulates the economy?
It is great for recession proofing an economy.
Money from retirement funds keep construction crews working
? With the ability to look outside the stock market, you may find alternative investment vehicles that are safer with higher returns which will allow you to make up for lost time.
? The government and taxpayers do not have to pick up the tab in order to help someone maintain their lifestyle during retirement.
? Permits true retirement diversification and wealth accumulation in tangible assets.
? Global investing?
With your self directed IRA, you can invest in international real estate.
Granted self directing your retirement portfolio is not for everyone.
But what are your legitimate alternatives?
About The Author
Joshua Geary is an avid writer, business strategist and online marketing consultant.
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Don?t Knock Taking Your Employer Stock
Don?t Knock Taking Your Employer Stock
by: Ken Morris
Don?t Knock Taking Your Employer Stock
Given the growth of employee-employer savings to meet retirement goals, it is not uncommon for employees to have a significant amount of employer stock in their qualified retirement plans.
When it comes time for employees to leave the nest, most are willing to directly rollover all qualified plan assets into a traditional IRA.
A traditional IRA rollover offers avoidance of an immediate income tax consequence, the retiree remains in control of his/her retirement assets and the benefits of tax deferral can continue.
However, there may be another option available that should be considered, a type of combination approach.
This option involves distributing employer stock to the retiree and directly rolling over the remaining balance of the plan assets into a traditional IRA.
This combination approach, though not for...
Ira > Don?t Knock Taking Your Employer Stock
Know How To Take Your Lumps
Know How To Take Your Lumps
by: Ken Morris
If you are about to retire or change jobs, or if your employer is terminating the company retirement plan, you may be eligible to receive a "lump sum distribution" as defined in the Internal Revenue Code.
Such a distribution may be substantial and may represent the cornerstone of your retirement security.
So it is important to consider your options carefully before making a decision regarding distributions.
Basically, you are faced with two main options.
Should you take a direct distribution and pay your taxes now?
Or should you roll your distribution over into a traditional Individual Retirement Account (IRA)?
If you decide not to roll the distribution over into a traditional IRA, you must pay tax on the distribution in the year you receive it. You will, of course, be able to invest the remainder as you please.
The main benefit of paying taxes on your...
Ira > Know How To Take Your Lumps
Concerned You Will Not Retire In Comfort?
Concerned You Will Not Retire In Comfort?
by: Joshua Geary
Traditionally people have considered their retirement 401Ks and IRAs to be like safety nets rather than wealth builders. However, with the self directed IRA, you need not be satisfied with growth rates in the single digits. It is possible to realize phenomenal growth potential outside of the traditional IRA markets, tripling and quadrupling your IRA's value is not uncommon, within relatively short period of time. It will not just happen, however. You have to take the reins of your retirement portfolio, put in the time and effort, and do your research. The possibilities are endless to those who are prepared to make the investment paradigm shift.
Most savvy investors, due to the ups and downs of the stock market, are frankly not as confident as they once were in the old financial planner adage that the stock market is going to go up forever. If your memory is a little foggy, then reflect...
Concerned You Will Not Retire In Comfort?
Ira > Concerned You Will Not Retire In Comfort?