Your 401(k) offers tax-deductible contributions, tax-deferred growth of earnings potential and a variety of investment options — so it’s a great tool for building retirement savings. Yet, like all tools, your 401(k) must be used properly to get the best results. That’s why you should review your 401(k) at least annually and make whatever adjustments are needed.

Depending on where you work, you may get some 401(k) review help from your plan provider. But if that assistance isn’t available, you might want to consult with a financial professional to make sure you’re getting the maximum benefit from your plan. read more »

What’s the most prominent thing you notice about mutual fund advertisements? In most cases, it’s the fund’s return. Quite often, these returns are truly eye-popping. But if you look closer at the ads, you’ll see that many of the highest returns are for short periods of time, such as one year or three years. And a mutual fund’s short-term return is not, by itself, reason enough to buy that fund. read more »

What’s the most prominent thing you notice about mutual fund advertisements? In most cases, it’s the fund’s return. Quite often, these returns are truly eye-popping. But if you look closer at the ads, you’ll see that many of the highest returns are for short periods of time, such as one year or three years. And a mutual fund’s short-term return is not, by itself, reason enough to buy that fund. read more »

Although he may never have said it, Mark Twain, the author of Huckleberry Finn, is often credited with this quote: “Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.” Unfortunately, just about the same thing can be said about saving for retirement: We all think about it, but we don’t take much action. read more »

Now that Labor Day is behind us — the day when we “officially” recognize the contributions that workers have made to this country — why not also consider how hard your money is working for you? You may be surprised by what you find.
Don’t Overload on “Lazy” Investments… read more »

If you invest in stocks, you may have had a bumpy ride over the past year or so. In fact, the numbers haven’t been real pretty. Let’s take a look at them:

• The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 6.2 percent in 2000, followed by a 7.1 percent decline in 2001. As of the end of the third quarter in 2001, the Dow had fallen 24 percent year-to-date.
• The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index fell 10.1 percent in 2000, then dropped another 13.04 percent in 2001. As of the end of the third quarter in 2002, the S&P 500 was down 29 percent year-to-date. read more »
  Select ratingCANCEL MY RATING1234567

   

The national unemployment rate stands at 4.5 percent. Consequently, good workers can “pick and choose” the best opportunities. This means that recruiting and retaining high-quality employees has become a significant challenge. read more »