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Half of All Americans Are Not Saving for Retirement

This article was written by in Investing. 18 comments.


In April, LIMRA, a think-tank for the financial industry, completed a survey intended to focus on the savings and investment preferences of those living and working in the United States. After receiving responses from 2,697 Americans, a representative sample of the country, LIMRA was able to determine that 49 percent of the country is not saving for retirement. Additionally, more than half of Americans between the ages of 18 and 34, at 56 percent, are not saving for retirement.

Saving for retirement — and receiving the associated tax benefits through typical investment types like 401(k) plans and IRAs — requires a public trust in the financial industry. On one side, financial planners, investment salespeople and brokers, columnists, and bloggers are encouraging the use of financial products that, through both apparent and hidden fees, enriches the industry, while on the other side, investment firms are the beneficiaries of massive taxpayer bailouts and frequently in the news for using taxpayer money for paying their executives bonuses that defy the laws of gravity.

Wall StreetIt may be true that the reason many Americans do not save for retirement is ignorance. There are typical excuses for not saving for retirement, such as the lack of good, seemingly trustworthy information about the options that are available, the lack of knowledge about the benefits of investing in 401(k) plans and IRAs, or the belief that during tight personal economic times, not a cent is available to save for the future. After the recession, however, many people just see the financial industry as unworthy of trust. Organizations like LIMRA, working for the industry and promoting financial products, are unlikely to bring this attitude to the public attention.

The industry is more interested in shaming people unwilling to get on the boats rather than analyzing the leadership capabilities and trustworthiness of the boats’ captains.

I’m saving for retirement with 401(k) plans and IRAs. When possible, I choose plans that have low fees, but the choice is not always up to me. Employees may be able to choose from a selection of investments inside their 401(k) plan, employees can’t choose their company’s 401(k) administrator and broker without a coordinated effort among a large portion of employees. That would be nearly impossible in a large company. Unions are intended to solve some of these issues, but it can often reach the point where being a member of a large union is much like working for a large employer. The power of any individual is limited.

The 401(k) is ingenious for the financial industry, particularly now that it’s automatic. In a perfect world, every single employee is enrolled in a 401(k) plan on their first day on their first job. The investments may not perform well over time, but that’s not particularly relevant for the financial industry. As long as every American is investing a portion of their paycheck every week, two weeks, month, or other period, 401(k) administrators and brokers will continue to thrive. The employee probably benefits when retirement approaches, but that is by no means guaranteed. All you need to do is look at the portion of Americans who planned to retire in recent years but saw their nest eggs trampled on during the recession.

Investors bear the responsibility for changing their risk profile as they near their planned retirement, but there is a mixed message. The financial industry says you need to stay invested in stocks (highly volatile, highly risky) as you approach retirement because most people need their funds to last several decades throughout retirement while at the same time warning people to risk only what they can afford to lose. When people receive conflicting information, making decisions becomes more difficult. And when the conflicting information is coming from the same source — that is, the financial industry — the default reaction is the lack of trust.

Does the financial industry wants to do American citizens a favor by providing options for saving for retirement? No. The financial industry wants its companies to not only stay in business but to profit as much as possible. And to that end, it sells products — investment opportunities — designed to enrich the companies and their shareholders. There’s nothing wrong with this, because consumers will only buy products they need or desire enough. Companies will sell towards that need. And when only half of Americans have discovered retirement savings vehicles like 401(k) plans and IRAs, the industry will resign itself to doing a better job in explaining to the country why their products are needs, not wants.

Saving for retirement is important. For most people, stocks are the only investment type that can grow wealth quickly enough to provide the dream retirement so impressed upon Americans through media. It’s risky, as recent would-be retirees have seen. Thanks to the cognitive dissonance resulting in the understanding that the promotion of retirement is a result of the financial industry trying to increase profits on a large scale rather than corporate concern for the well-being of a nation and the knowledge that Americans must do something drastic to save money in order to fulfill the dream of quitting work, some Americans choose to invest while others would sooner give away their firstborn rather than drink the financial industry’s Kool-Aid.

LIMRA may be right — that most people who do not invest for retirement with 401(k) plans and IRAs have not done so because the industry’s message hasn’t successfully penetrated their consciousness. That may be due in part to a lack of education, but for others, it’s a lack of faith and trust in the industry.

Photo: zoonabar
LIMRA

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Podcast 143: Tax Law Changes in 2012

This article was written by in Podcast. 3 comments.

Today on the Consumerism Commentary Podcast, Bryan J Busch talks to Kathy Pickering, Executive Director of H&R Block’s Tax Institute.

They discuss the difference between smart investments vs. emotional decisions, the importance of financial planning, and how most people are better off just buying an index fund and ignoring investment gurus.

Consumerism Commentary Podcast
Tax Law Changes in 2012: S06E13 / 169

Download – RSS – iTunes

Table of contents

Consumerism Commentary Podcast[00:00] Introduction from Bryan J Busch
[00:34] Interview with Kathy Pickering
– [00:48] Do an annual review of life changes
– [01:26] Extending the Payroll Tax Holiday
– [02:43] Federally declared disasters and casualty losses
– [04:39] Energy efficiency credit (check the list at energystar.gov)
– [05:51] American Opportunity Credit for college students, tuition and fees deductions, and the Lifetime Learning Credit
– [08:16] Tax credits for adoption
– [11:10] Credit for some plug-in cars
– [12:10] Brokers are now required to report cost basis of the sale of stocks and securities
– [12:59] Health care reform affects on individual and small business taxes
– [17:59] Expired hiring credits
– [18:55] Changes to be aware of for 2013
– [21:31] E-filing is heavily encouraged and improved
[23:56] End

We always welcome feedback from listeners. If you have any comments for this episode or for any other, or if you have suggestions for future episodes, please leave us comments here or email us at podcast at this domain name.

Theme music by Mindcube.

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Good Debt and Bad Debt

This article was written by in Debt Reduction. 16 comments.

Misuse of credit can destroy a family’s financial life. A household can crumble under the weight of debt, whether it has increased from a poor house-purchasing decision, a drastic change in the real estate market, a shopping addiction, an unexpected medical bill, or the lack of preparedness for an emergency. It’s no surprise people consider debt to be “bad.”

Is there any situation where debt can be “good?”

I have a problem with the good debt vs. bad debt argument. Good and bad are polar opposites, and most issues tend to sit somewhere on a spectrum between two extremes. In fact, issues don’t often sit; they can shift position. The requirement to declare anything, particularly “debt” as a concept, as either good or bad is oversimplification. There’s a tendency to want to make issues simple. Catchy soundbites reducing issues to the most basic terms attract people, and no one ever won a Presidential election while talking about nuances.

See-sawPeople who are looking to sell you something, like car salesmen, college recruiters, investment professionals, and real estate brokers, are more likely to be willing to point out how debt can be used effectively.

  • In real estate transactions, debt allows more families to afford a house, and in some cases, that could mean a healthier environment for raising children. Leverage also helps you reflect a higher rate of return if your home value increases and you decide to sell.
  • If you can borrow money at a low interest rate and use that cash to invest at a higher rate of return, you are using someone else’s money to benefit yourself financially. You can pocket the difference in interest rates or rates of return.
  • Getting a college education increases your lifetime earning potential, and going into debt for a bachelor’s degree could pay off.
  • If you work in a career where image is important, a higher-priced and otherwise-unaffordable car could help you succeed in your business.

Risk makes debt dangerous. There’s a risk that house prices go down. Since the housing bubble burst, that risk should be more apparent. Leverage may amplify your return, but it also makes losses more severe. You could lose your house. If your hot investment doesn’t pan out, you might not be able to pay back your borrowed money. If you find yourself in a career not earning much money, you could struggle to pay off your student loan debt. Using debt to focus your image doesn’t always pay off.

You can only determine whether a risk, like borrowing, is worthwhile after the fact. Hindsight provides perspective. If borrowing allowed you to triumph financially, it was “good” debt. If the debt was unmanageable or caused financial ruin, it was “bad” debt. Taking on debt to purchase an asset that increases in value would always be “good,” while using debt to finance an asset that decreases in value would always be “bad.” The problem is being able to accurately predict the future. The assets we hope will increase would be a house, an investment portfolio, lifetime earning potential, and career opportunities.

The determination of whether debt is “good” or “bad” also depends on the individual or household involved. What could be a good use of debt for one family might not be a good use for another.

There are often other options rather than increasing debt. While it may be expensive to attend an out-of-state private college, you could save money by enrolling in an in-state public college or by taking advantage of grants and scholarships. The Consumerism Commentary Podcast interview with Zac Bissonnette, author of Debt-Free U: How I Paid for an Outstanding College Education Without Loans, Scholarships, or Mooching off My Parents, can offer more insights on how to obtain a valuable college degree without going into debt.

If you are able to postpone desires until you’ve diligently saved for a purchase, you can avoid debt and its possible pitfalls. Not everyone has the opportunity to save, though. A college graduate without any money might need to buy work-appropriate clothing in order to get a job. The credit card comes out, and she buys a week’s worth of outfits to get her to the first paycheck. This may not be “good” debt, but if she didn’t earn and save enough money while achieving her degree, it could be a short-term necessity.

Then again, another way to look at this need for credit to prepare for the first week in a professional environment is an excuse for not following a solid financial plan over the course of her higher education and the start of her life as an adult.

In another example, a savvy investor could use borrowed money to invest in a business that succeeds. Financial analysts can often determine whether a risk is acceptable, and individual investors can use the same approach. For example, if you could borrow a sum of money at an introductory rate of 0% APR on a credit card for 12 months with no fee, as new customers of this Discover More Card offer can do right now, deposit that in a savings account with 1% interest, you can keep the proceeds as long as you pay the credit card bill on time each month and in full by the end of the introductory period. Back when interest rates were higher, this “credit card balance arbitrage” was a more worthwhile endeavor.

Today, however, most investments that would make borrowing money from a 0% APR credit card worthwhile are riskier than a savings account. Even when the safe interest you could earn was more favorable, there was always a risk of missing a credit card payment and owing penalties and interest to the issuer. If you completed the arbitrage scheme and succeeded in increasing your bank account balance, you’d consider that debt to be good. If not, the debt would be bad.

Do you believe that all debt is bad debt, or are there some situations where it’s worthwhile to pay interest and accept the risk of defaulting?

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Boost Your Human Capital: Increase Your Education

This article was written by in Education. 16 comments.

Last year, I offered ten ways to boost your human capital. I’ve spent the past few years concerned mostly with the net worth, income, and expense measurements of personal finance, but human capital is just as important as monetary capital. By increasing human capital, you increase your value to society as well as potential future income. In this series, I’m taking a deeper look at how you can increase your human capital.

If you read a fair amount of financial writing, whether in mainstream media or on personal finance blogs, you may have come to question the value of higher education. It’s a reasonable question. After all, student loan debt has surpassed credit card debt as the Untied States’ heaviest pull on net worth. An increasing number of students leave college with student loans that will take an increasing amount of time to pay off, and in an economy where graduates are lucky to have jobs that pay well, or even lucky to have jobs, the increasing cost of college is raising questions as to whether the financial sacrifice is worth the education.

Numerous surveys should that in general, income levels increase significantly with each degree, with the most significant increase being from a high school degree to a bachelor’s degree. Despite this, the increases don’t always continue into advanced graduate degrees or professional degrees if you look at each industry separately. As a result, financial writers look at the return on investment (ROI) of any particular education and often determine that for many people it makes more sense to join the workforce right out of high school.

The numbers don’t tell the full story, however. Someone whose job is a mortgage broker might not see an income gain from finishing a bachelor’s degree. In fact, he could earn more by starting right out of high school with a head start of up to four of five years. This can be a lucrative position for someone particularly skilled at sales. However, as many mortgage brokers have seen since 2008, the income potential can be limited by the economy. Most brokers are primarily paid in commission, and if banks aren’t lending, brokers make very little money. Most quit.

University of Delaware Memorial HallWith a boarder education, such as a degree in a different field or certification in something related, like financial planning, they would have flexibility. Their income would not be subject to market forces as much if they had education that might take them elsewhere.

Again, looking at averages, it’s not always the subject of a degree that’s important. Most jobs require a college degree, but the degree doesn’t always need to be in the same field as the job. One type of degree could increase your suitability for a number of jobs. At one time, I was considering going back to school to earn a law degree. I wasn’t interested in being a courtroom lawyer, but the degree could have opened doors for me in the future in any number of fields.

It can be difficult to earn degrees later in life when there are more responsibilities to be concerned about, but it can be done.

  • If you don’t have a bachelor’s degree, earn one now. If you’re interested in boosting your human capital and allowing yourself greater flexibility, don’t be concerned about which school. Find a convenient program, perhaps at a local community college, and take classes at night until you can walk away with a bachelor’s degree.
  • Take classes online. Regardless of whether you’re aiming for a degree, consider enrolling in online courses. While the difficulty of the courses can be higher than classroom-based courses, you may have freedom to learn the material on your own schedule. In my experience, online courses required more teamwork than traditional courses, so you’ll need to reserve time to work together with your classmates.
  • Have a goal of certification rather than a degree. Friends of mine who enjoy technology found more opportunities for greater income when they became certified with certain hardware and software.
  • Enroll in classes unrelated to your field. If you’re not passionate about your work, you may benefit from changing course. You don’t necessarily need to leave your current job behind, but taking classes that allow you to learn more about a topic you’re passionate about can increase your versatility as well as invigorate your desire to succeed in any field. Over the last few years, I’ve been taking photography classes, and it’s helped me view the world more artistically, and that may pay off some day if I focus on taking photography to the next level, or it may only pay off in the way I look at the world around me.

Most importantly, and particularly for younger people, higher education and the habits that come with succeeding at higher education help develop advanced cognitive skills that allow people to have a better understanding of the world around them. That’s a concept to which it’s difficult to assign a finite value, but it is important in the development of someone seeking to reach the top of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs pyramid.

Education is an important component of human capital. Do you consider it worthwhile to increase your education?

Photo: mathplourde

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Quicken Loans Review

by Flexo

For the time being, S&P’s downgrade on United States debt has yet to produce an increase in mortgage interest rates as some predicted. Borrowers can still find mortgage loans for such a low cost that if they qualify, low interest rates combined with lower house prices would make owning a house more affordable than ever. ... Continue reading this article…

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TradeKing $100 Cash Bonus For New Accounts and Free Trades

by Flexo
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From now until August 31, 2011, the TradeKing discount brokerage is offering a $100 cash bonus for all new accounts that are funded with at least $2,500 and execute three trades. If you happen to lose money in an investment, you won’t be penalized and will still receive the bonus. $100 bonus The $100 cash ... Continue reading this article…

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6% Real Estate Commission

by Flexo
House for sale

When selling a house with the help of a real estate agent, that 6 percent real estate commission can eat into any profit the seller might receive from the sale. In today’s depressed real estate market, that fee could even result in an overall loss. Even with the funny accounting used when people sell their ... Continue reading this article…

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The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

by Flexo

Last November, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau began to take shape after being a part of a bill in Congress signed into law in July 2010. Now, a year later, the bureau is ready to launch. Elizabeth Warren was appointed by President Obama to assemble the bureau, and in this role, Congress pressed her on ... Continue reading this article…

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