Get your employee's retirement portfolio in fighting shape

Our daily roundup of retirement news your clients may be thinking about.

Get your client's retirement portfolio in fighting shape
Clients who want to make their retirement portfolio resilient to market volatility should veer away from core stock and bond holdings, according to this article on Kiplinger. Instead, they should consider stock funds that focus on high-quality companies with high dividend potential. “I love dividend growth for retirees” as this provides “nice defensive characteristics,” says an expert with Morningstar.

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A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018. U.S. equity indexes climbed higher after a rocky start, and the benchmark gauge for U.S. share volatility reversed course after hitting a two-year high. Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg

Study: Some public pensions funds could run dry in downturn
A study by The Pew Charitable Trusts has found that many pension funds are facing considerable unpaid payouts and an economic downturn could worsen the situation, according to this article on CBS Moneywatch. "Even after eight years of economic recovery — eight straight years of stock market gains — the public pension plans are more vulnerable than they've ever been to the next recession," says one of the researchers.

More people are saving $1 million in their 401(k)s. Here's how you can too
Data from Fidelity show that about 157,000 clients have stashed away $1 million or more in their 401(k) plans with the company, according to this article on CNNMoney. Some 148,000 clients also have the same level of savings in IRAs with Fidelity. Most of those with at least $1 million in savings are baby boomers, which means that time is a crucial factor in amassing such fortune. "I think the most important behavior is to start saving early," says an expert with Fidelity.

How freelancers can save for retirement — in 4 easy steps
There are a number of tax-advantaged savings vehicle options that freelancers and other self-employed workers can choose from to build their retirement nest egg, according to this article on Money. For example, they can stash away whichever is lower between 25% of their eligible compensation and $55,000 in a tax-deductible SEP IRA. “At the end the day, as a gig employee you may be able to put away more than you could as an employee,” says a certified financial planner.

Strategies for women to bridge a retirement shortfall
Retirement planning can be more challenging to women than it is for men, as female clients earn less and live longer than their male counterparts, according to this article on Morningstar. To ensure that they are ready for retirement, women who have only 10 years before retirement should determine their current expenses as well as retirement resources, and see if they have extra money left to set aside for retirement, says the expert. They are also advised to save their tax windfall in retirement accounts. "Under our new tax reform, there's really an opportunity here; 90% of the population will have a tax decrease this year."

This article originally appeared in Financial Planning.
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Retirement planning Retirement readiness 401(k) IRAs Roth IRAs Pensions Pension funds
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