June-Marie Raw Food and Fitness Health videos in Princess Leia Halloween Costume 011 – Video
Posted: February 2, 2012 at 9:44 pm
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June-Marie Raw Food and Fitness Health videos in Princess Leia Halloween Costume 011 - Video
June-Marie Raw Food and Fitness Health 43 years old dancing ‘Princess Leia" costume 007 – Video
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June-Marie Raw Food and Fitness Health 43 years old dancing 'Princess Leia" costume 007 - Video
June-Marie Raw Food and Fitness Health 43 Years Old Dancing "Princess Leia" costume 005 – Video
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Players tackle Manning retirement rumors – Video
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Treasury, Labor Department announce retirement proposals
Posted: at 9:43 pm
The Obama administration proposed new rules Thursday to help retirees make their savings last throughout their lifetime -- by investing in annuities.
By taking out some of the regulatory roadblocks that have made annuities less attractive for employees and employers to add to their retirement plans, the government is hoping to give more Americans ways to keep income flowing later in life.
Annuities are investments that pay out fixed amounts of income at a future date. Depending on the type of annuity, you can receive payments on a monthly, annual or lump-sum basis.
The retirement rescue plan, which was announced in a joint press release by the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department, comes at a time when an increasing number of Americans are being forced to wait longer to retire and find themselves without enough money to live comfortably once they do reach their golden years.
The proposals are an extension of other measures that President Obama has put in place to help Americans save for retirement, including automatic enrollment in 401(k)s. The latest proposals will have to be approved by Congress.
Partial annuities: The first proposal would offer employees more options when it comes to how they cash out their pension plans at retirement. Upon retirement, employees typically face the option of either cashing out their pension or getting a lifetime income stream through an annuity. For many retirees, it's often much more appealing to just take the lump sum.
Don't outlive your savings: How annuities can help
Yet, this option often leads them to come up short on funds later on in retirement. To prevent this from happening, the government is encouraging retirees to take a combination of both approaches, or a partial annuity. The pension holder gets both a lump sum of money immediately upon retirement, but also receives income payments throughout retirement.
Many accounts don't offer this option, or if they do, employees are largely unaware it exists. In order to make this option clearer and more attractive, the government said it wants to simplify the way partial annuities are calculated, so that it's easier for employers to realize the potential benefit of this option and advertise it to employees.
Longevity annuities: The government also wants to make it easier for employees to invest in longevity annuities through their 401(k)s and IRAs. To do so, it wants to provide relief from minimum distribution requirements that could cause them to run out of money in retirement.
Want to buy an annuity? Don't wait for higher rates
Longevity annuities typically don't start making income payments until the investor is well into retirement, say 85 years old. When offered in 401(k)s and IRAs, these annuities are funded using part of the employee's retirement savings.
Under the minimum distribution requirement, individuals must begin taking payouts from their retirement plans soon after age 70. That minimum distribution amount is typically calculated by dividing the employee's entire account balance by their life expectancy.
Even though the retiree may not have access to the funds in the annuity, it's still used in the calculation that determines how much they must withdraw, putting them at risk of running out of money before they can access the funds from the annuity. As a result, many employees don't invest in longevity annuities.
In order to encourage more employees to choose this option, the government is proposing to ease the minimum distribution requirements for longevity annuities.
For annuities that cost up to 25% of the account balance or $100,000 (whichever is less) and that are scheduled to begin distributing income by age 85, the value of the annuity will not be included in the minimum distribution requirement calculation until the annuity begins.
401(k) fee disclosure: In addition to the new annuity proposals, the government also finalized a set of rules aimed at boosting transparency in the retirement market and allowing employers to shop around for the best plan.
Watch out for hidden 401(k) fees
The new rules require 401(k) providers to disclose to employers the fees that they pay for retirement plan administration and money management. The original deadline for compliance by the plan sponsors has been pushed back by three months, to July 1, the government said Thursday.
A separate proposal that would require 401(k) providers to publish a concise and easy-to-understand "roadmap" of their fees for employers was delayed prior to Thursday's announcement, but will be introduced in the "near future", according to the agencies.
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Retirement savings: Will $4 million be enough?
Posted: at 9:43 pm
I hope to have $4 million saved by the time I retire in 30 years. That sounds like a lot of money, but how much would that be in today's dollars? -- Brian
It would seem as if $4 million should be enough to fund a comfy retirement 30 years from now. But you're right not to assume it will be sufficient.
One key issue is the purchasing power of future dollars versus today's dollars. Most people are not accustomed to thinking of money in real, or inflation-adjusted, terms. They use a calculator, plug in the amount they plan to invest for the next 10, 20 or 30 years, throw in a rate of return (often too high) and come away with a big six- or seven-figure projected nest egg that they think shows they'll have it made in the shade in retirement.
But psychologists and behavioral economists are familiar with our tendency to overestimate the value of future dollars. They even have a name for this phenomenon: money illusion.
Four million bucks does sound like a lot of money -- and it still will be even 30 years from now. But it won't be worth anything close to $4 million today.
Unless we go through a sustained period of deflation, inflation will erode the future purchasing power of that sum until, to quote that great economic thinker Yogi Berra, "a nickel ain't worth a dime anymore."
Even if inflation were a relatively modest 2% a year, $4 million in 30 years would have the purchasing power of about $2.2 million today. And if inflation heats up to a 4% annual pace, $4 million in 30 years would be the equivalent to about $1.2 million today. Hardly chicken feed, but a long way from $4 million.
Best New Money Moves
If you'd like to see what any sum in the future is worth today at different rates of inflation, check out this present value calculator.
Another key issue is our propensity to view the goal of retirement planning as accumulating a single large sum. The best example of this way of looking at retirement is the too-often-heard phrase, "What's Your Number?"
It's better to focus on the annual income you'll need in retirement rather than some big lump sum. Yes, both are estimates, but income is something that's more easily translated to a lifestyle. Besides, a big number can give you a false impression of how well off you are, as it may not generate nearly as much annual income throughout retirement as you think.
For example, using the 4% rule, a common metric for turning assets into income with a high probability of it lasting at least 30 years, a $4 million nest egg would generate about $160,000 in annual retirement income.
That's in 2042 dollars, however. In terms of purchasing power, $160,000 would be the equivalent of about $88,000 today, assuming 2% inflation over the next 30 years, or roughly $49,000, at 4% inflation. Still meaningful sums, but they don't conjure up that feeling of having hit the jackpot that $4 million does.
One more issue that goes to the heart of retirement planning -- how do you know whether you're saving enough to give yourself a realistic shot at a secure retirement?
You hope to have $4 million socked away by the time you retire in 30 years. But what does that figure represent? Is it the amount you project having based on how much you save and what you expect your investments to earn? Is it the amount you think you'll need to maintain your pre-retirement lifestyle?
Should I contribute to a traditional or Roth 401(k)?
It's hard to get an accurate fix on how much you'll need to save for a retirement that won't begin for several decades. There are a lot of unknowns -- how much you'll earn in the future, what sort of lifestyle you'll lead over the next 30 years, how long you'll live.
You may not be able to save as much as you envision due to layoffs or higher-than-expected living expenses. Your investments might not earn what you expect. You could be forced into retirement earlier than you wish by health problems or a "rightsizing" at work. No one can foresee how things will shake out over the next 10 years, let alone the next 30. By going to a tool like our Retirement Planner or T. Rowe Price's Retirement Income Calculator, you can make some reasonable assumptions about how much you'll need for retirement, how much you should save and how you should invest. From that, you can get a sense of your chances of achieving a secure retirement.
Your assumptions aren't going to be spot on. Life and the financial markets are too unpredictable. But updating your information and assumptions in light of actual experience and re-doing this exercise every couple of years will help monitor your progress. You can make adjustments in the amount you save, how you invest or your planned retirement date. By making a number of small course corrections over the years, you'll reduce the chances of having to make dramatic changes on the eve of retirement.
Ask the Help Desk your retirement planning questions
Instead of wondering what $4 million will be worth in 30 years, I recommend that you focus on getting a realistic idea of how much you should be saving and how you should be investing to retire in comfort -- however many years from now that may be and however large a nest egg you'll eventually need.
MONEY magazine is researching an article on ways to reduce the financial pain of college. We're looking for families that can talk about new and creative ways that they're raising cash for college and cutting costs while they're there. Sound like you? Tell us your story and you might even get your picture in the magazine! E-mail Beth_Braverman@moneymail.com.
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Start Saving for Retirement Early
Posted: at 9:43 pm
Retirement saving is a long-term game, and we need to start preparing as soon as possible. It is getting more difficult every year to retire. Pensions are disappearing and Social Security payments might be reduced. And, according to Vanguard, the average 401(k) balance is less than $80,000, far below what is needed to retire comfortably.
[See The 10 Best Places to Retire in 2012.]
It is essential to keep retirement in mind as soon as you get your first full time job. You might not be able to save a lot right away, but there are two key things you can do to set aside funds for your retirement:
Avoid lifestyle inflation. Most of us are not saving enough. From new college grads to mid-career office workers, we are spending too much of our income without knowing where it all goes. There are so many things to spend money on, including luxury cars, expensive clothes, and the latest gadgets. All these things were not necessary 20 years ago, so why do we feel the need to spend so much money on such items now?
I'm not saying you need to live like a pauper. But if you carry a credit card balance, then you should re-examine your spending habits. Cutting back on unnecessary luxuries can allow you to save more for your future and avoid lifestyle inflation. One easy thing that you can do is to allocate a portion of any raises or bonuses you may receive toward your savings instead of spending it. This way you will increase your savings rate every year.
[See How to Save for Retirement on a Low Income.]
Build wealth. The other essential component to retirement saving is to build wealth. There are many ways to accomplish this over the long term. Many people focus on doing a great job at work and subsequently climb the corporate ladder. But it is important to be aware of other avenues of wealth building, too. You could learn to invest in the stock market, become the landlord of a rental property, or freelance on the side. Many people return to school and invest in an advanced degree to increase their earning potential. Some of us even make a bit of extra money from blogging and other online ventures.
Once you have increased your personal income, you need to learn to invest it. That way the funds will keep on growing with a minimum amount of effort on your part.
[See How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures.]
Building retirement savings is not easy, so the earlier you start, the better off you will be. A new college grad may not earn enough money to save much of it, but if she keeps her lifestyle inflation down and takes advantage of wealth-building opportunities, then she will be able to grow her retirement savings steadily over her working life. If we increase our efforts to save a bit every year and also take steps to earn more, retirement may not be so far out of reach.
Joe Udo is planning an exit strategy from his corporate job by reducing expenses and increasing passive income. He blogs about his journey to early retirement at Retire by 40.
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Jamming to KevinKookyumjian’s Street Performance Fisherman’s Warf – Video
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Jamming to KevinKookyumjian's Street Performance Fisherman's Warf - Video
Performance gives perspective on revolution
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While most students have heard about the uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia through various media outlets, four students went straight to the source to gain perspective on the events.
Last night in Stewart Theater, the group Poetic Portraits of a Revolution presented its first public performance of their discoveries while in Egypt and Tunisia. The group includes four young men with a strong purpose to display through art. They spent last summer traveling through Egypt and Tunisia to observe the revolutions and created art based off the experience.
Among those who took the journey were University students Mohammad Moussa, who served as translator, and Sameer Abdel-khalek, who served as photographer. Will McInerney and Kane Smego are part of the group as well.
The group compiled many forms of media during their trip in hopes of sharing what they saw and felt while in a country experiencing a lot of change.
The goal of the project was simple: inform the world about the events and revolutions occurring in Egypt and Tunisia in a way that would truly capture what the citizens of the countries were experiencing. Unlike the average early morning news reports, Poetic Portraits of a Revolution spoke to average people and presented their findings in a way that is not sensationalized.
"On one hand you want to make sure that you captured the stories in the right way and on the other hand you want to give the stories justice and portray them in a light that the people who were telling these stories would appreciate and approve of," Moussa said.
Sharing and teaching the audience about their experiences is one of the main goals of the group. They aim to encourage others to change as well, according to Moussa.
"The performance is a challenge to the audience, to continue this work. It's an idea that stories are powerful and human stories can rely understanding and we can use art to help us creatively express that, but at the end of the day it all boils down to human stories," McInerney said.
Josie Miller, freshman in international studies, came to the performance after hearing about its strong message.
"I think it's good to make college kids aware of the outside world because we don't really travel outside of our campus," Miller said.
The theater performance complied their findings into a moving masterpiece, filled with poetry, interviews, photographs and video footage.
The performance began with a story to introduce the American stereotype of Egypt and Tunisia and then followed a script that included interviews of Egyptians and Tunisians, spoken prose and personal testimonies.
Miller said she was especially interested in the project because people who are in college or recently graduated created it.
"When people are that passionate about something, it's hard not to be affected by it. It's so powerful especially when you see some people my age doing that," Miller said.
The performance concluded with a question and answer session that allowed students and others in attendance to learn even more about the project. The speakers carefully addressed all questions to give everyone a full understanding and presented a charge to the audience.
"Don't let the inspiration stop after the show ends; take it and make it your own," Moussa said.
The photographs of their journey are still on display in the Craft Center until March 2. If you missed the event and would like to see it, the group will present it again at N.C. State for University Scholars in late February. This will be followed by a more theatrical performance at The Arts Center in Carrboro.
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Performance gives perspective on revolution
Overbought: PetroChina (PTR) Weekly Bull Breakout Tops – Video
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Overbought: PetroChina (PTR) Weekly Bull Breakout Tops - Video