Using a Vacation Home for a Vacation

A new word added to our recession vocabulary is “staycation” which translates to “taking a vacation at home.” The word may be new but the concept isn’t. Vacation home owners have been taking staycations for years. Isn’t that the purposes of owning a second home? There is nothing disappointing or less fun about a vacation home staycation if done right. Read more

Building a Better CD Ladder Online

With many baby boomers saying “never again” to stock market risk, interest in low-risk investments is increasing. One safe investment strategy being followed is CD laddering. I’ve learned about an online tool that can make it easier to build and optimize a CD ladder. Read more

Asset Allocation Strategies and Online Calculators

Perhaps more has been written on the topic of asset allocation than any other aspect of long term investing. There are so many different strategies and calculators available that it is hard to decide which even should be considered. I have given a lot of thought to asset allocation in our retirement portfolio. Here are some asset allocation models and tools that I have used or at least looked at. Read more

New Rules for the Older Investor

I read an interesting article this week suggesting that for the older investor (e.g., baby boomer and retirees), the old investing rules may no longer apply.  Those investing rules of thumb we have heard for so many years may have become the rules of “dumb.” Read more

Are You Ready to Retire?

Will this become the ultimate question for baby boomers: Am I ready for retirement? Most baby boomers would likely have a negative answer to this question in 2009. But that won’t prevent us from asking it, at least to ourselves, as economic conditions change. Read more

Equity Indexed Annuities – Problems, Risks and Benefits

Baby boomers nearing retirement have taken an increased interest in equity-indexed annuities.  The reason is that an equity indexed annuity (EIA) is a financial product that allows its owner to participate in stock market gains while limiting downside risk if the market drops. Read more

Save Money on Health Care

Need ideas and strategies for saving on health and medical care? I have some suggestions. Read more

Jobs for Baby Boomers – Update on New Online Resources

Several months ago I started a list of online employment and job search resources for baby boomers. This week I learned of three more sites that fall into this category and added them to the list. Two of them are focused in certain geographic areas (Denver and Arizona).  There are now 14 different sites on the list. All are worth a look if you are a 50+ worker who is unemployed, under-employed, or simply looking for a different career. Read more

Compare Insurance Rates Online

If you are like me, you prefer finding and comparing insurance rates online rather than having to call a broker. Whether you are looking to save money on car insurance, health insurance or term life insurance, there are online resources available. I have some suggestions. Read more

Create a Free Financial Plan

I have previously written about free retirement and financial planning resources. This post is more specifically focused on tools you can use online to create a financial plan and, optionally, obtain the assistance of a financial planner. Since writing that first post, I have learned about two other sites where you can create your own plan in an expert environment, for free! Read more

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