At this time of year there tends to be discussion about what our New Year’s resolution will be. Researchers suggest that only 9% of Americans that make resolutions complete them. In fact, research goes on to show that 23% of people quit their resolutions by the end of the first week, and 88% fail them within the first two weeks. It’s not a lack of willpower that causes them to fall by the wayside, it’s actually a function of fatigue. For most people there comes a point, usually at the end of each day, when we suffer from decision fatigue.

As we approach year end we are frequently being asked about what we call “Lost 401k” accounts. Perhaps you changed jobs, or your employer went out of business or merged with another company, or maybe you’ve just put the memories of a workplace that you left years ago far, far behind you. And now, you cannot for the life of you figure out how to track down an unclaimed pension or 401(k) plan. It’s a frequent problem for many people.  Did you know that a new federal Retirement Savings Lost and Found was required as part of the Secure 2.0

According to a national survey for LiveCareer in June, about 61% of working Americans are more afraid of retirement than of death. Why is this? The survey suggests the reason is that many Americans are financially unprepared to retire. About 20% of Americans ages 50 and older were shown to have no retirement savings according to an AARP survey in January, and 61% are worried they won’t have enough money for retirement. Call us if you have similar concerns. We have some options for providing an income you can’t outlive and protecting yourself from market losses on that money you

One way to approach retirement is to think of it in stages. While retirement might seem like the final step of a journey, your goals and lifestyle will likely continue to evolve, and your income strategy should reflect that. For example, consider looking at your retirement in five-year stages; can you meet your income needs for the next five years with relatively little downside?  This is another reason an annuity might help; an annuity can offer guaranteed income for life (backed by the claims-paying ability of the carrier) thus creating an income source you won’t ever outlive. If you’re interested,

According to the US Census Bureau, about 1 in 5 people over the age of 60 have married at least twice. However, all marriages are not created equal. The Schwab Center for Financial Research lets us know that “Unlike those just starting out in life, many older individuals have adult children, substantial assets, and established financial habits that may not easily mesh with those of another person.” One area that bears particular attention relates to how marriage may affect sources of retirement income, such as Social Security. For example, generally, you can collect 100% of your own benefits or up