What’s the best age to buy long-term care insurance?

In general, it's a good idea to buy long-term care insurance before you’re 60, for two reasons:

1. The younger you are, the less likely it is that you’ll be rejected when you apply for the policy. If you apply in your 50s, there’s a one in ten chance you’ll be rejected. If you apply in your 60s, the chance of rejection is two in ten. If you apply in your 70s, the chance of rejection is four in ten.

2. The younger you are, the lower the...

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Your 401k Plan | Disclosure of 401k Fees Coming Soon!

401k Plan Fees have typically been elusive to say the least. Employees fall into the following categories with regards to knowledge of the charges within 401k plans.

Don’t think they exist, 401k’s are free aren’t they?

Know 401k fees exist, but out of sight out of mind

Have tried to research 401k expenses, but information is elusive

Participants in 401k plans shouldn’t celebrate quite yet, but they may have full disclosure of their retirement plan fees in the not too distant future.

House Passes 401k Expense Bill

A House panel...

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Use Capital Losses to Take Advantage of Bad Investment Performance

Unfortunately, with the recent stock market activity, many investments are much lower than the price at which they were purchased.

While this is not desirable, there is a little bit of a silver lining that can be gleaned from the investment losses. You can sell your position, as long as it is held in a taxable account, and deduct a portion of that loss from your income for the year. Here is the definition of a capital loss, followed by a short example of a...

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Planning Strategies for College

The cost of a college degree continues to trend upward, year after year. As a result, prospective students who have not done adequate college planning are behind the 8 ball out of the gate.

However, the benefit of a college education can not be understated.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in the year 2007, the average male college graduate, aged 25-34, earned close to 60 percent more than the average male who completed only high school or had a General Education Development (GED) certificate. Among women the same age, college...

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Retirement is Confusing, then Throw in Healthcare

Most retirement decisions are unique to each individual or couple. The options open to us, however, are frequently determined by our financial resources…our ability to pay. Please keep in mind, that this is an article about the current environment, and is subject to change as a result of legislation.

This review of the various ways to pay for health and long-term care costs during retirement is offered in the hope that it will be of assistance to you as you make decisions regarding your retirement plans.The options available...

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The United States Healthcare System and Universal Health Insurance

Love it or hate it, it would appear that we are being faced with a nationalized or universal healthcare system.As it usually is, Democrats and Republicans are refusing to budge an inch on this bit of change that the Obama administration has put at our feet. Democrats argue that healthcare is a right to the masses, while Republicans have taken the stance that a government run health insurance system would end up as a bureaucratic monstrosity.

The Obama Administration’s Healthcare Solution

Reform the health care system:

We...

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The Latest Layoffs and Unemployment Statistics

It was the quietest week since the layoff tracker started watching layoff announcements last November. However, the unemployment rate is now 9.4%, a figure not seen in a quarter of a century. The latest Layoff and unemployment statistics are listed below.

Latest layoffs and unemployment statistics:

June 2: Deere & Company ( DE - news - people ) lays off 689 in Iowa as part of ongoing reductions.

May 30: Deere & Company ( DE -...

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Are Deferred and Income Annuities the answer for your 401k Plan?

Given the stock market’s volatility, a number of 401k plan sponsors are seriously discussing adding an annuity option to their 401k plans. With most employees’ 401k accounts decimated, the idea of providing guaranteed post-retirement income seems attractive, experts say.

But while many companies are talking about annuities, very few employers are actually adding them to their 401k plans.

Only 8 percent of 401k plans allow participants to roll over their...

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GM Pension Plans Remain Ongoing During Company Bankruptcy

The automobile industry, some would argue, created the middle class in America.

Decades of prosperity brought unprecedented benefits and raised the quality of life for generations of low- and semi-skilled workers. But General Motors Corp.’s filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Monday has many wondering: Did GM’s past write checks its future can’t cash?

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation...

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General Motors, a long time pillar of the American economy, is filing for bankruptcy this morning. Despite numerous government bailouts and rescue plans, there just seemed to be no other option. eRollover has listed the details on the GM bankruptcy below, as there have been various reports of clouded data regarding the process. Of particular interest is the role that Canada's government will play in the process.

General Motors Bankruptcy Details

General Motors will file for bankruptcy early this morning, giving the U.S. government a 60 percent equity stake and naming an outsider as chief...

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