Free-Spending Pensioners Risk Running Out Of Cash

A think tank is warning that retirement savers in other countries with flexible pension freedoms like the UK often run out of money by the age of 75 years old. The study looks at what might happen if UK retirement savers cash in their pensions in the same way as those in the US and […]

Expat Retirees Need to Check the Pension Legislation Changes

Brits planning to retire overseas must start to familiarise themselves with the pension changes due to kick in on 6th April 2015, according to industry analysts. A lack of knowledge could result in thousands of pounds being wasted, with the pension freedoms actually having the potential to be used advantageously as they are extended from […]

QROPS for US Residents

QROPS were seen as an impossible dream for US residents with UK-based pensions up until 2010. The reasons for this were mainly based around the reporting requirements to the IRS. Pension trustees used to tend to overlook US residents for QROPS, because of the resources required to fulfil the reporting necessities. The relatively low number […]

U.S. public pension funding hits 75%

According to the latest annual report by Wilshire Consulting, American public pensions funding has grown after 2013’s larger investment returns. The investment analytics and consulting firm projected that 134 public retirement schemes had sufficient assets to cover almost three quarters of their obligations for the year ending on the 30th of June, 2013. This is […]

Rethinking the 4% retirement rule in America

Many experts in America believe the oft-cited “4% withdrawal rule” for retirement still holds up. The basic premise is that if pensioners withdraw 4.5% of their savings each year, their inflation-adjusted nest egg should remain for 30 years – the average time span used in retirement planning. Yet now, some experts are beginning to doubt […]

Illinois’ pension reform faces fresh problems

Late last year, Illinois governor Pat Quinn signed a bill overhauling the current process for how pensioners receive their funds. Before enacting this law, retirees would receive a yearly 3% increase to their stipends in line with inflation and the increased cost of living. These will be reduced come the 1st of June. However, many […]

Cautious Wealthy Investors Play Waiting Game

Wealthy investors are pulling back from the markets because they fear the global financial crisis may not be over. Despite policy makers like Ben Bernanke of the US Federal Reserve hinting that an economic turnaround is just around the corner, investors are cautious about buying. None out of 10 high-net worth investors – those with […]

US House Prices Are Building Up, Say Realtors

Real estate sales and prices in the US are on the up but tight credit and limited inventory are holding back demand, says the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Their index reveals that most regions in America have seen strong price gains compared to a year ago and sales have increased by 0.6% to nearly […]

Euro FATCA To Crackdown On Tax Cheats

Europe’s big five have pledged to crackdown on tax evasion by setting up a US FATCA-style information exchange. Here is a link to the IRS FATCA page Britain, France, Germany, Spain and Italy have initialled the deal, which will be ready to go in just a few months. The change is tax and financial information […]