The Coming Changes in Government Retirement Benefits
In recent months, as the country debated the federal government recent debt ceiling issue, I have had discussions with many people about the federal government retirement programs and the problems they present to the country. The big question is, if and when these programs will change in the future. These programs affect how we plan for our own retirement. In this post I will provide some government figures and my thoughts on this issue. The reader, as always, can make his/her own assessment.
How a Young Investor Should Invest Retirement Funds Today
I recently had lunch with a former co-worker who asked me straight up how I thought she should be investing for retirement in the current investment environment. She is only in her early 30s but has been saving diligently for retirement and seems genuinely concerned about the current economic climate. So, I thought I would write a post on the investment approach I would take today if I were in my 30s. This will also allow me to re-emphasize some important points I have discussed in previous posts.
Integrating Real Estate into your Retirement Plans
I have written a few blog posts on why I think real estate investments can be a good supplement to a retirement plan. But how can real estate investments be integrated into a retirement plan? To wrap up my discussion on real estate investing, I will provide a suggestion on how this might be done.
How to Decide Whether to Sell Investment Real Estate
I received an inquiry about selling investment real estate that leads me to think that the discussion in my previous post on the decision to sell investment real estate may have been confusing to some readers. In this post I will expand further on my discussion to the approach I use in deciding whether to sell investment real estate.
How to Purchase Investment Real Estate, Part II
Earlier I stated that when investing in real estate, I always assume no property appreciation. I am not saying you should not hope for some capital appreciation on your investment; only that property appreciation should not drive your investment decision. However, it is possible to increase your odds of capturing market appreciation. That will be the topic of this post.
How to Purchase Investment Real Estate, Part I
I wrote in my last Blog Post, “The Biggest Mistake Made by Real Estate Investors,” that most novice real estate investors make the mistake of purchasing real estate for capital appreciation rather than for income. In this post I will discuss my approach to deciding which properties make a good investment.
The Biggest Mistake Made by Real Estate Investors
There are many missteps that a beginning real estate investor can make. Fortunately, most mistakes are correctable once they are discovered. But, in my opinion, there is one mistake most novice investors make that can haunt them for years. In this post I will discuss this mistake and share the details of my first venture into real estate investing where I made this big blunder.
Invest in Real Estate? Are You Crazy?
I received a comment from a reader who pointed out an apparent inconsistency in my last post, “Why Invest in Real Estate,” where I discussed how real estate is a great investment vehicle. The reader pointed out that in an earlier post I stated my belief that real estate values may not re-gain their high water mark values of the mid-2000s for another decade or so. It is true I did make both these statements. In this post I will address this question and add some additional comments to provide some additional context to my previous post on investing in real estate.
Why Invest in Real Estate?
In my most recent Blog Post “Other Retirement Income” I suggested that investing in real estate is still one of the best methods for the average person to accumulate wealth. I truly believe this. In this post I will discuss why I think real estate is still a good investment tool to use to supplement your retirement income.
Other Retirement Income
Many baby boomers nearing retirement today did not have a disciplined savings plan starting at an early age. This is why many financial advisors are recommending that people work part time in retirement to supplement their other retirement income. If you find part time work that you enjoy, then continuing to work a few hours per week is a great idea. But what if your goal is to travel or enjoy other pursuits rather than work in retirement or, perhaps, you may not be able to find any decent paying work? The answer to these questions may not be known before retirement. Therefore I think it is imperative to develop another source of income to supplement your retirement savings plans.