Personal Finance - Financial and Retirement Planning - Investment Guides - The BlueCollarDollar

American Confidence, as might be expected, has been shaken to the core. John Whitesides offers this look at recent poll.

Emily Brandon offers a look at the latest report from the Congressional Budget Office. Over fifteen months, as of June 30th, we are down $2 trillion in retirement savings.

Still calculating the value of your home in your retirement plan? Perhaps that is not such a good idea. Retirement Planning and Your Home's Net Worth

529 Plans Are they worth the tax break?
Career or Job Do you know which one you have?

Do you know the Right Investment for Your Age?
Is your tax deferred retirement plan tax efficient?
The Unkindest Cut
Six Habits for Repairing Your Credit
Five Keys to Understanding
Your Credit Score

"Social Security: Obama Would Strengthen It, McCain Would Put Retirement at Risk", these thoughts on the candidates stance according to Seth Michaels

According to Mary White: "Mostretirees don't want to return to the same highly stressful, full time occupations they left, but still find the idea of continuing to work during their retirement years to be very appealing.

The Investment Company Institute has recently published a look at where we are retirement-wise. You can download the pdf here.

"If the trend toward working longer continues, the number of retirees will be even lower, according to the report." Could this be good news for Social Security? Sara Hansard reports.

What you may not know about working in retirement. It pays better (later) than you might think.

Everywhere you turn, it seems there's another pinch in the pocketbook. Five areas where you can save money By Claudia Buck

Our poor retirement savings may be saving Social Security. How? We are working longer and tapping those benefits later. Download the Boston College study on the subject.
Are you unsure what your retirement benefit is?

The downside risks in annuities are something to consider and if you don�t, the attraction these instruments have can be problematic. Mutual Funds vs. Annuities

James Caron, head of global rates research at Morgan Stanley in New York, said, "I think that's [the economic stimulus package now making its way to taxpayers] a good thing, but then where's the stimulus in the fourth quarter?"

Is it possible that Social Security? may be getting some estimates wrong? According to a website that caters to retirement planners it is. Will this simply add to the confusion? You be it will. Article by Ellie Behling

Personal Finance Notebook: Learning the score on handling money By Claudia Buck
Last month, at the California Financial Literacy Summit in Sacramento, hundreds of financial experts, teachers and nonprofit groups zeroed in on a common denominator: getting kids prepared for the real world: personal finance.

Not-So-Personal Finance >By Alex Williams
As Ilana Arazie, 32, an online video producer for a media company in Manhattan, said, "If we can talk about how many orgasms we have with our mate, why can�t we discuss how much we make?"

We all know what optimal portfolio performance is. Right? No? Without a lot of the mathematical twists and turns, it is the perfect balance in a risky portfolio.

The Phase-in Option
Economic worries and the rising cost of health care have many baby boomers concerned that they'll outlive their retirement savings.

FHA loans may be only game in town for many borrowers, and that's good
Personal Finance by Kathy Kristof
With the housing downturn and credit crunch in full force, it might be time for home buyers and homeowners to learn more about a federal mortgage program launched during the Great Depression.

Did you know that the IRS keeps Statistics on your income? Here's how to avoid an IRS audit

Four Steps to
Repairing Credit

You are a mutual fund investor. So why should you worry about Hedge Funds?

Worried about Social Security? So are we

Consumer Alert A new law entitles you to free credit report. But is it really free?

Vacation plans? Five ways to stay on budget.

CDs are back and paying some healthy returns.

Marriage plans involve money. Fix those issues now!

A Look at Sudden WealthInheritances, Windfalls, and Money from Heaven:

Special Report: On Poverty The first of a two part series: Farewell Mollie Orhsansky
In our second part of the series, we look at the causes of poverty in America

Special Report: This three part series on Mortgages is a must read for investors, home owners, and economy watchers.
Return to Lender
Searching with Credentials
Losing Proposition

Inside each of us, hidden away and waiting to be tapped, is a Financial Planner. All you need do is ask the right questions.

Saving for college? Take a look at 529 plans

Should you convert your IRA to a Roth

If you have an Adjustable Rate Mortgage, should you sell, stay or bust?

The tax breaks on a Roth 401(k) may be hard to ignore.

What's good for the economy isn't good for everyone
By Helen Huntley
As Ben Bernanke and the white knights at the Federal Reserve ride to the rescue of the nation's credit markets, Tampa Bay area retirees can be forgiven for holding their applause.

What's in a number? According to ING , the answer is your retirement.
ING today released the results of its recent Retirement Number Study. The survey, conducted with Ipsos Public Affairs in January 2008, polled more than 1,000 U.S. adults to learn what numbers are most important in their life. Participants also responded to a series of questions to see how -- if at all -- they consider their retirement number. This number is the dollar amount an individual or couple needs to have saved by the time they retire and is unique to their personal retirement goals.

Do Women Save Enough?
Shelagh Hamer, pensions specialist at NFU Mutual comments, "The impacts of increased life expectancy and the raising of the State Pension Age are likely to be particularly felt by women. This is because women on average not only have smaller pensions savings than men, an issue often compounded by career breaks, but their higher life expectancy means that their smaller funds have to last longer."

Do you have a plan in place for a financial disaster? Three steps to protect you from divorce, fire and natural disasters.
A Small Business Special How to be a big a business thinker on a small business budget
More than one person has asked this question over the years. At what point
do I hire out?
Do you have a short term savings goal such as a house or your child's college. Here are some suggestions on how to get there.
Do you have a will?
How will your survivors invest their inheritance?
My late father was fond of saying, "you knew you were making money if you were paying taxes". Do you know your tax rate?
The odds are stacked against a pristine credit report. How does yours stack up?
On the Pension front, the average employee is not as prepared for the future as one would imagine.
Conservative investing is a winning value strategy?
Looking for the top 4 conservative investments for your money? We have prepared a look at the top four places in money markets, CDs, and REIT funds.
What the Jobs Report means
Who Should Pay? There is a national crisis surrounding who will pay for the health costs of children.
Please read the following list for manufacturers whose products are made in this country by workers who have demanded dignity in the workplace.
Retirement planning is on everyone's mind. Are you asking the right questions?
Five simple ways to protect your personal data
Now, there is help for irrational investors
New parents have many things to consider. Employers do too.
How to avoid the Mommy Drain
Do you know your
Financial ABCs - Age, Balance, and Continuity?
Avoiding Being Kicked When Down
The search for disability insurance

The Social Security Administration is a harsh administrator when it comes to doling out funds for the truly disabled.

Our 2009 Outlook