Study: Employees Will Work into their 70s-80s
What Will Happen to Retirees’ Pensions? 
Average 401(k) Balance at Record High
RETIREMENT PLANNING » IRA & ROTH Accounts
We recently sat down with Julismiles (a.k.a., Juli A.H. Evans, CPA) to talk about her new book, Organized and Profitized. As a Financial Relationship Expert and Edutainer, she helps businesses turn big profits and navigate uncertain times. Here’s what she had to say about getting real, staying organized and realizing financial security.
Q: Tell us a little about Organized and Profitized.
A: My book presents readers with the Top 10 questions they should ask about their finances. This is a warm and friendly 10-step guide that simply and joyfully walks its readers through their honest and factual path to profits. 
In 2011, you should see a 2 percent increase in your paycheck, in addition to any other raises you receive. You don’t have to do anything to get this windfall, and you’ll never have to pay it back or include it on your tax return. Your check will be a little bit bigger this year–with no fanfare or effort on your part.
Finally, some good financial news. And from the IRS, no less!
The average 401(k account balance showed a significant increase at the end of 2010, according to a new study released by Fidelity Investments. On average, accounts held $71,500 during the year, which was the highest average account balance revealed by Fidelity in 10 years.
Accounts Up 11 Percent from 2009
What would you rather be doing besides planning your retirement? Probably a lot of things, which is likely why this highly important subject of finance often goes neglected. It can be hard to put away money for something that seems so far away, but retirement planning is just as important whether you’re 25 or 55. You should be thinking about your retirement savings strategy and contributing to a fund regularly now.
However, even if you are a diligent saver and are expecting a very comfortable post-career life, know that you may not be in the clear yet. Many people exit the workforce without any clue as to the retirement challenges they’re about to face. If you really want to be ready for the day when you can finally say goodbye to the office, consider the common pitfalls new retirees often deal with so you can be prepared:
The world of reality TV has exploded from a few shows in the early 90s, like “Cops” and “The Real World,” to a massive amount that seems to outnumber actual sitcoms and dramas. While many cringe at the often talentless display of so-called reality we’ve grown accustomed to seeing, some can’t get enough of the real-life drama. This is why reality “stars” are suddenly earning larger incomes than ever before.
If you’re looking for ways to speed up your retirement savings, you might consider taking the reality TV route yourself. As appalling as it may sound to some, it has lucrative potential and, if managed correctly, could actually lead to early retirement.
Have you ever turned over a couch cushion and found a couple dollars in change or pulled a $10 bill out of the pocket of your jeans while doing laundry? Remember the spark of joy you felt, however small, at finding missing money you didn’t even realize existed? Well, just imagine how you’d feel if you found out the government has been sitting on unclaimed money of yours, too, and all you have to do go get it.
That’s the position thousands of people are in and most don’t even know it. In fact, the government has over $33 billion in missing funds that is waiting on owners to claim. Maybe some of it belongs to you.
Setting aside retirement and personal savings has been difficult for a lot of Americans, according to The Harris Poll. In fact, a survey released this week by the internet-based market-research panel found that around one-third of Americans have no retirement savings or no personal savings.
Number of Americans with No Savings is Growing
While deciding what retirement age is appropriate based on economic struggles and a lack of retirement funds has been a major nationwide issue, teachers in Ohio have decided to take matters into their own hands to save their pensions. On Thursday, the State Teachers Retirement System board approved a number of changes to their benefit program, one being that the minimum retirement age would be set at 60.
Ohio Teachers’ Pensions Were In Danger
Rock star, novelist, fashion designer. We all have a dream job, but the number of us who are actively pursuing it is probably pretty small. That’s because there are quite a few factors that prevent people from finding success in their ideal careers, such as lack of talent, a high level of competition or most importantly, low pay along the way to the top. So while obtaining your dream job may be the answer to finding true joy in life, consider whether you can really afford to be that happy.
Dream Job With Dream Pay Not Likely
There are quite a few financial deadlines to remember over the course of 12 months and it’s probable you’ve missed one or two in the past. Are you familiar with the sense of panic that accompanies waking up on April 15th and realizing you haven’t started your taxes? Did you forget to max out your retirement account contributions last year? If you need some assistance remembering all your important 2011 budget and planning dates, here’s a quarterly calendar to keep you on track.