House prices set for 'highly uncertain' year
The outlook for the housing market is 'highly uncertain', according to Nationwide, as it reported prices had edged lower in January...
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We analyse house price news and predictions and investigate what is next for the UK property market...
House prices: What next?
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Sunday, 6 February 2011
UK house prices: our special section on house price trends, predictions, news & advice
Saturday, 5 February 2011
Better Late than Never
John Wasik's 1998 book was one of the first to target middle-aged Americans who have saved little or nothing for their retirement. A journalist, Wasik crams the text with motivational tales from his own life and the lives of personal-finance gurus such as Suze Orman.The book isn't very well organized. Wasik tends to jump around and includes rambling personal stories that aren't always relevant. For example, you get his take on 1960s suburbia, the civil-rights movement, and the Beatles, plus a detailed account of his recent vacation to Ireland in the chapter entitled "Lifestyle Planning." Nevertheless, the book has several strengths. Wasik does a good job of reassuring readers that contrary to many media reports, Social Security probably won't go bankrupt. The chapter on eliminating nonessentials such as extra cars and expensive vacations is helpful if you need to cut back on spending to start investing.
Set for Life: Financial Peace for People over 50
Readers looking for plans they can act on and no-nonsense advice are better served by this book from Bambi Holzer, a retirement-plan consultant with PaineWebber. This guide covers much the same territory as Wasik's but skips the personal stories to focus on facts.Holzer starts with a chapter called "Where Do You Stand Today" and moves to detailed definitions of various retirement savings plans and investments. She also provides information on postretirement employment, taxes, and insurance. This book may be short on inspiration, but it's long on actionable advice for people ready to get serious about investing.
American Association of Retired Persons
The AARP's Web site is probably the best source of information about retirement planning for older adults on the Internet. Its Money and Work page features an A-to-Z index of financial-planning articles, such as "Setting Financial Goals" and "Planning Your Spending". All these articles are clearly written, suggest specific actions that readers can take, and include links to other useful Web sites. I highly recommend this free source if you're just starting to think about getting your financial life together.ThirdAge.com
You've probably seen this site's annoying and superficial TV ads featuring The Who's "My Generation" over a montage of 1960s protests and Woodstock scenes. (As a member of the so-called Generation X demographic, I'm begging for a moratorium on 1960s nostalgia, please!) The investing advice ThirdAge.com offers isn't very weighty, either. Although the site has a Money page, promising-sounding articles such as "The ThirdAge Retirement Troubleshooter" take the form of interactive quizzes and impart little substantive information or practical advice. You'd be better off ignoring this lifestyle site for more fertile fields, such as AARP's Money and Work page.MyPrimeTime.com
A slightly better boomer site, MyPrimeTime.com's Money section features actual articles, including the ethics-centered "Step-by-Step Program for Wisdom and Wealth". However, none of MyPrimeTime.com's articles are nearly as illuminating as similar pieces on the AARP site. But if you like to take personal-assessment tests, this is your destination. The site's not-so-subtly titled Me Meters department includes quizzes such as "What Motivates Your Money Decisions?" And personalized calculators allow you to determine your net assets, how much you spend, how much you should save, and so on.Life Planning for Women
Featuring data-sprinkled studies and detailed articles such as "Calling the Shots: Women Baby Boomers in Control of Their Financial Futures", this site is a good place for women to research retirement issues. The site asserts several startling facts, including that among female boomers surveyed, only 21% have established a nest-egg goal, only 37% know their pension benefits, and only 30% have researched their Social Security benefits. Ultimately, this site's actionable advice--that you buy its books and videotapes--is weak. But its shock tactics should motivate late-starting female investors to do something.Investor Protection Trust
This not-for-profit group's site promotes investor education and steers readers to information sources on a variety of topics. Under the heading Help! I Am Nearing Retirement is a list of links to the AARP site and several financial-planning organizations, such as the fee-only National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, for investors who think they may need professional help with planning their retirement.
Starting Late What Should I Invest In?
Starting Late What Should I Invest In?
We are 47 years old with no debt except our house, owe about 117,000. Together we make around 65k per year. Have only around 5k saved. How much should I save and in what types of investments to attemp...
We are 47 years old with no debt except our house, owe about 117,000. Together we make around 65k per year. Have only around 5k saved. How much should I save and in what types of investments to attempt to ensure a nice retirement. I have a 401k at work and they match 5 cents for every dollar I put in. Any help would be greatly appreciated.Thanks,
Dale
Common Sense
Yarcofin
Worldly25
Andrew J
Kuntree
jsforex.blogspot.com
phipsi32
bunnycon48
Matt D
Starting Late What Should I Invest In?
Starting Late What Should I Invest In?
We are 47 years old with no debt except our house, owe about 117,000. Together we make around 65k per year. Have only around 5k saved. How much should I save and in what types of investments to attemp...
We are 47 years old with no debt except our house, owe about 117,000. Together we make around 65k per year. Have only around 5k saved. How much should I save and in what types of investments to attempt to ensure a nice retirement. I have a 401k at work and they match 5 cents for every dollar I put in. Any help would be greatly appreciated.Thanks,
Dale
Thursday, 3 February 2011
Pensions : Directgov - Britons living abroad
UK pension forecast
You can ask for a forecast of the UK State Pension. You can expect to get a forecast up to four months before you reach the UK pension age.
Forecasts tell you what your pension is now and whether or not you can get more by the time you reach UK pension age. It will not include any insurance you have paid in another EEA country.
There are three ways you can get a forecast.
You can apply for a State Pension forecast online if you live in the UK.
You can ring the State Pension Forecasting Team on 0845 3000 168 (or if you live abroad +44 191 218 3600) and they will take your application over the phone.
If you are calling from the UK, lines are open from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm Monday to Friday and 9.00 am to 1.00 pm on Saturday. If you are calling from abroad, lines are open from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm Monday to Friday.
For security and quality purposes your call may be monitored and recorded.
You can also download, fill in and return an application form BR19 to:
State Pension Forecasting Team
The Pension Service
Tyneview Park
Whitley Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE98 1BA
United Kingdom
via direct.gov.uk
Money abroad : Directgov - Britons living abroad
Website of the UK government
Please note that this website has a UK government accesskeys system.
Public services all in one placeMain menu
via direct.gov.uk
Money, tax and benefits : Directgov
Changes you need to report and when
What changes you need to tell the Tax Credit Office about, how to contact them and when you need to do it
via direct.gov.uk
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