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Asset Allocation

Often financial "experts" make asset allocation difficult to understand. My goal in this series of articles is for you to understand asset allocation thoroughly, in an easy to understand format.
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NATIONAL OVERNIGHT AVERAGESTODAY+/-LAST WEEK
30 yr fixed mtg 3.80% 3.76%
15 yr fixed mtg 3.11% 3.02%
5/1 ARM 2.69% 2.68%
30 yr fixed jumbo mtg 4.38% 4.39%
5/1 jumbo ARM 2.94% 2.89%
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NATIONAL OVERNIGHT AVERAGESTODAY+/-LAST WEEK
$30K HELOC 4.60% 4.59%
$50K HELOC 4.24% 4.24%
$30K home equity loan 5.77% 5.76%
$50K home equity loan 5.50% 5.47%
$75K home equity loan 5.47% 5.44%
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NATIONAL OVERNIGHT AVERAGESTODAY+/-LAST WEEK
36 month new car loan 3.13% 3.13%
48 month new car loan 3.24% 3.25%
60 month new car loan 3.34% 3.35%
72 month new car loan 3.31% 3.31%
36 month used car loan 4.36% 4.36%
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NATIONAL OVERNIGHT AVERAGESTODAY+/-LAST WEEK
6 month CD 0.46% 0.46%
1 yr CD 0.70% 0.70%
5 yr CD 1.38% 1.38%
1 yr IRA CD 0.71% 0.71%
5 yr IRA CD 1.49% 1.49%
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Making the Most of Your Retirement Rollover

Colleen Mulder-Seward, MBA
Retirement Calculator, Inc.
retirementrollover.com

Making the Most of Your Retirement Rollover

Millions of Americans change jobs or enter retirement each year.When you are one of these millions of Americans, you are faced with many important decisions. One of the most important decisions you will need to make is what to do with the money you have invested in your former employer's retirement plan.

You need to consider your options carefully. Your long and short term retirement goals must be kept in mind. A careful choice can keep your retirement plans on target. Each rollover option has both advantages and disadvantages. The table below explains your rollover options.

Rollover Options

Options

Advantages

Disadvantages

Direct Rollover to Your Own IRA

Your former employer transfers funds directly from your retirement plan into your IRA.

Investments can grow income tax deferred and avoid potential tax penalty.

More investment options.

May be eligible to roll over assets to new employer's plan.

May receive substantially equal periodic payments prior to age 59½ without 10% tax penalty, but subject to income taxes.

Certain investment options in your employer's plan may not be available in an IRA rollover.

Loans are not available from an IRA.

Direct Rollover to Your New Employer's Plan

You may be able to directly transfer the proceeds from your former employer's plan into a new plan. Check with your new employer to make sure that it will accept the transfer before you arrange for the rollover.

Investments can grow income tax deferred and avoid potential tax penalty.

Current federal income taxes and tax penalties are eliminated.

Loans may be available with new plan.

Limited investment choices.

Limited access to funds.

New plan restrictions are possible.

Indirect Rollover -Take cash and roll it over yourself into Your Own IRA

You may instruct your employer to pay the distribution to you in cash. You have 60 days from the date of distribution to roll it over into an IRA.

Temporary access to 80% of proceeds.

Investments can grow income tax deferred and avoid potential tax penalty.

More investment options.

May be eligible to roll over assets to new employer's plan.

May receive substantially equal periodic payments prior to age 59½ without 10% tax penalty, but subject to income taxes.

Employer is required to withhold 20% federal income tax on distribution.

You must make up the 20% withheld from own pocket.

Proceeds must be rolled over in 60 days to maintain tax-deferred status.

Amount not rolled over subject to income tax and possible tax penalty.

Loans are not available from an IRA.

Keep Your Current Plan

If balance is at least $5,000, you may have the option of leaving your assets in your former employer's plan.

Investments can grow income tax deferred and avoid potential tax penalty.

Same investment options.

Limited investment choices.

Limited access to funds.

Rights under plan may change.

Loans are not available.

NOTE: If you are over age 70½, you may be required to begin Minimum Required Distributions (MRDs) and may not be eligible for some options listed above.

You should consult with a qualified tax adviser or your financial advisor about your individual circumstances before making any tax-related investment decisions.  Making the right rollover decision will help to secure your dreams of a comfortable retirement.

How do I keep up-to-date on the latest news impacting my retirement?

To keep informed about retirement topics, try a FREE membership to Retirement Intelligence Information Services. At no cost to join, you will receive a bi-monthly newsletter full of financial information to inform and empower you to have a successful retirement. As an added bonus, www.retirementcalc.com will include the Retirement Calculator Software Version 2.0 (a $24.95 value seen live on CBS TV) for FREE. 

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Analysis of the Economics of Early Social Security Withdrawal

Robert J. Phillips
Chief Retirement Consultant

Deciding whether or not to take the early withdrawal of social security at age 62 can be difficult. If you need this income at 62 to fund your retirement the decision is fairly straightforward. Take it early! On the other hand, if you have another source of revenue to fund your retirement your decision will be primarily based on lifestyle, health and investment preferences.

Several factors can affect your decision. First is your life expectancy. If you are in good health and have a family history of living beyond 90 then waiting for full benefits may be best. Two other factors impact this decision. First and most important is the value of money or your expected return from your investments. If you are using other investments instead of social security to fund your retirement you should use the rate of return of these investments as your value of money. There is another way to look at the value of money. If you do not require the social security money to live, you can invest the distributions for the future. The rate of return of this investment is your value of money. If your investments will make larger returns such as stocks this would favor taking the early withdrawal.

The last factor impacting your decision is inflation. Social security includes an annual adjustment based on inflation. You cannot control this variable but you should be aware of its impact. If future inflation is significant it will favor a later full distribution

FREE Social Security Calculator:

Find Out Your Breakeven Age

We developed a calculator to assist in analyzing the impact of taking early benefits at age 62 or waiting for full benefits at age 66 to 67 depending on the year you were born...If you were born in 1960 or later your full benefits will begin at age 67 and your reduction for early benefits at age 62 will be 30%. If you were born between 1946 and 1960 your full benefits begin as early as age 66. We have included a chart that summarizes information.

To use the calculator you need to input your year of birth. You also need to input a value of money up to 10% and a projected inflation adjustment. The calculator analyzes income generated over time from both the early and full benefit investments. It calculates the age at which full social security will catch up and breakeven with the early withdrawal. If you were born before 1960 your breakeven age will be impacted by the year you were born. An early breakeven age favors waiting for full benefits.

The social security calculator is not the final answer whether to take an early withdrawal but it does give you additional economic data to assist in that decision. Ultimately you must balance income, investments and lifestyle to optimize your enjoyment during your retirement years.