Financial planning

Ninety-four percent of Americans wish they did a better job of managing their money, and 89% of respondents in other parts of the world shared that sentiment, according to the ING Retirement Institute Research Institute.

As 401(k) balances rebounded in 2010, the executives running defined contribution plans named retirement readiness one of their top priorities, according to the “10th Annual 401(k) Benchmarking Survey,” conducted by Deloitte and the International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists.

After three years of cautious spending and paying down debt, American households have significantly improved their balance sheets. Yet consumer confidence slipped in December as more people worried about the job outlook.

Despite the increasing proliferation of target-date funds in employer-sponsored retirement plans, many sponsors aren't very knowledgeable about the funds, Janus found in a survey.

It's no secret that the fiscal environment for all public agencies around the country is challenging, to say the least. Sales and property tax revenues are in decline. State budget cuts mean reduced cash flow for operating expenses, including salaries and benefits.

Employers gradually are becoming aware that the financial health of employees can have a resounding impact on a number of job-related factors, including absence, presenteeism, disability, retention and turnover, and productivity.

Peter Browne may well be one of the most distinguished individuals on the sales side of today's financial services industry. His career spans five decades as a manager and leading producer at Union Central Life and co-founder of Price Raffel and Browne of New York and Los Angeles.

Rollovers into traditional IRAs occur evenly across all age groups and play a significant role in the growth of IRA assets, according to research by the Investment Company Institute and the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association.

No question about it the recession hurts. But women will heal faster from the economic turmoil than men, according to a Bank of America research note.

Workers around the world expect to retire at 61, a survey of 31,359 people by AXA Equitable found. In the U.S., people expect to retire at age 63.

The $1 million figure that is frequently cited as the silver bullet needed to enjoy a comfortable retirement is actually attainable, Consumer Reports found in a recent survey of 24,270 online subscribers age 55 and up.

Assets in U.S.-listed exchange-traded funds and exchange-traded products surpassed $1 trillion for the first time, reached $1.027 trillion on Dec. 16, reports BlackRock.

Americans are significantly more concerned about future expenses than paying off existing debt or paying their current bills, according to a poll conducted in October by InCharge Debt Solutions.

More Americans plan to consider financial resolutions when the clock strikes midnight on Dec. 31, a new Fidelity Investments survey finds.

The more education a person has is strongly correlated with how confident they are about their retirement and their ability to save and plan for it, according to the 11th Annual Transamerica Retirement Survey.

Baby Boomers are set to inherit $8.4 trillion, and have already inherited $2.4 trillion, according to The MetLife Study of Inheritance and Wealth Transfer to Baby Boomers. Overall, two-thirds of Baby Boomers stand to receive some inheritance in their lifetime.

For younger employees the possibility of an enjoyable retirement is dwindling. According to a study by Aon Hewitt, Generation Y workers can expect stagnant wages, job insecurity and a steady decline in pension plan and retiree medical benefits.

BB&T Bank’s institutional division has added a fixed-annuity option to its 401(k) product, which is called ClearCourse. It’s a Genworth fixed annuity guaranteeing its buyers lifetime income stream.

Twenty-three percent of middle-class IRA remained undecided in October about converting to an IRA, according to a study by First Command, a financial-education firm.

Legg Mason recently announced it has formed the Legg Mason Retirement Advisory Council, comprised of 14 industry leaders who will meet quarterly to discuss major challenges facing retirement products, service provides and best practices.