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• Even at Low Yields, Fixed Income Is Essential for a Retirement Portfolio

  By Scott Burns Q. I have around $1.2 million, mostly in equities. My house is paid for. There will be around $300,000 in company profit sharing when I retire, and that has been my ace in the hole for the conservative portion of my investments. If I were... Posted Jun 18 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: Q&A (from print), Retirement

• Investment Returns: It’s Always Relative

  By Scott Burns Q. My wife and I are nearing retirement, maximum two years away. In his recent letter to stockholders, Warren Buffett said that investment returns from 1901 to 1999 averaged 5.3 percent plus 2 percent additional for dividends. He described... Posted Jun 11 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with no comments Filed under: Q&A (from print)

• Death, Taxes and Required Minimum Distributions

  By Scott Burns Q. When I started taking required minimum distributions from my IRAs, I used a withdrawal formula based on dividing the value of my IRA by 27.4. I understood that this value would have to be withdrawn annually until the IRA was depleted... Posted Jun 04 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with no comments Filed under: Q&A (from print), Taxes & Other Disasters

• Immediate Annuities Can Be a Useful Tool

  By Scott Burns Q. I wonder if single-premium immediate annuities (SPIAs) are for me. I am 75. My wife is 73. We have no debt, $850,000 in IRAs (mostly in the American Fund family) and $150,000 in a ROTH, again with American. We also have $150,000 in CDs... Posted May 14 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with 6 comment(s) Filed under: Q&A (from print), Variable Annuity Watch

• You Can Retire Early, but It May Require a Major “Reset”

  By Scott Burns Q. Am I too young to retire and survive? I am 55 years old, and before company reorganization and the elimination of my position, I had a plan. I was cutting back on spending and focusing on retirement, 401(k), savings and paying off my... Posted May 07 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with no comments Filed under: Q&A (from print), Retirement

• Same Fund Family but Less Risk

  By Scott Burns Q. I'm semiretired, married, with no children. We own our home. I'm 62, have no pension. Our total savings is $95,000 in Vanguard Target Retirement 2010 fund in an IRA. I just moved it there about six months ago. In the last year... Posted Apr 30 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with no comments Filed under: Financial Planning, Q&A (from print)

• When Investments Go Down, the Value of Attentive Spending Goes Up

  By Scott Burns Q. I am a Couch Potato investor. From regular news stories--- and some of your columns--- one might deduce the financial end is near. Should I stay the course or trim the sails? ---F. S., San Antonio, TX A. The day-to-day news is dismal... Posted Apr 23 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with 3 comment(s) Filed under: Couch Potato Investing, Q&A (from print)

• Stay the Course, But Rethink Shelter

  By Scott Burns Q. My wife and I are 52 years old. We’re slogging through a lot of expenses, and we’re nervous about the market. Here are the basics: Our two children in private school cost $19,000 a year. College starts for one in 2 years. Both will be... Posted Apr 16 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Q&A (from print), Mortgages

• A Larger House Isn’t a Good Defense Against Inflation

  By Scott Burns Q: I believe inflation is getting out of hand and the dollar will continue to decline. So I am worried about my future. I am almost 63, have our house paid for, and have about six times my income in retirement savings and investments (not... Posted Apr 02 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with no comments Filed under: Home Ownership & Mortgages, Q&A (from print)

• A Retirement Expense You Can Control: Shelter Expenses

  By Scott Burns Q. Sometime ago your column gave information about what it costs to maintain a home--it was a percent of the value of the home and included utilities, insurance, taxes, etc. Do you still have that information? It might help many home buyers... Posted Mar 26 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with no comments Filed under: Home Ownership & Mortgages, Q&A (from print)

• Couch Potato Portfolios Aren’t About Change

  By Scott Burns Q. Would you comment in a column on your present suggestions for a Couch Potato portfolio for retirees? ---C.D., by email A . The Couch Potato portfolios aren’t about change. They are about simplicity and low costs. Whether it is a two... Posted Mar 19 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with no comments Filed under: Couch Potato Investing, Q&A (from print)

• Alternatives to a Money Manager Gift Horse

  By Scott Burns Q. We are rolling over my wife's $160,000 lump sum retirement into a managed account with our bank. She's 55. Wells Fargo charges 1.5 percent a year and a 1.5 percent load for the Wells Fargo fund we are going into. We're not... Posted Mar 12 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with no comments Filed under: Q&A (from print)

• One Good Step toward Security: Pay down Debt

  By Scott Burns Q. I read your article "Hard Work Doesn't Pay" on MSN.com and I agree. I also believe Corporate America will use you, abuse you and show you the door when they are done with you. That makes me wonder about paying off debt... Posted Mar 05 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with no comments Filed under: Q&A (from print)

• If You’re 85, Dream On. But If You’re 35, Get Busy

  By Scott Burns Q. Am I living the American Dream--- or will there be a rude awakening down the line? I am 85 years old, happily married for over 60 years with four grown children. Our comfortable home was paid for 30 years ago. We have a nice vehicle... Posted Feb 27 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with no comments Filed under: Q&A (from print), Retirement

• When, and How, To Rebalance Out of High Return Funds

  By Scott Burns Q. It is time for the annual rebalancing of my portfolio. Two of my funds, Vanguard Precious Metals and Mining (ticker: VGPMX) and Vanguard Energy (ticker: VGENX), have made 50 percent over the last year. Does it make sense to take the... Posted Feb 20 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with no comments Filed under: Q&A (from print), Retirement