Our Blog

Go beyond your savings and investments. We want to help anyone get confident and achieve financial independence so they can make the most of their money and time.


Explore all our content

Retirement Planning

Planning for Retirement: At 22, You Are Not Too Young! (And You Are Never Too Old)

Saving $2,000 per year towards retirement starting at age 25 instead of age 35 will yield an additional $315,000 at retirement, assuming an 8 percent annual rate of growth. If you or a young adult in your life need any convincing that putting money into retirement savings should be made a priority, Bobby Lee, founder…

September 23, 2014
Reverse Mortgages

5 New Solutions for Reverse Mortgage Cons and Misconceptions

A reverse mortgage is not a one-size-fits-all product, but it can be a useful way for many people in retirement to offset mounting costs or simply provide an emergency resource by using home equity. However, there have been some perceived cons — downsides — to the product, some of which have raised the attention of…

September 19, 2014
Retirement Planning

Expert Interview with My Money Design on Tips for Retiring Early for boldin.com

If there’s one conventional idea about retirement that the anonymous personal finance blogger behind My Money Design wishes people would re-examine, it’s that they don’t have to wait until they’re 59 ½ to retire.“There are plenty of other ways you could retire early and bridge the gap between now and then,” he says, adding that you could…

September 17, 2014
Retirement Planning

Financial Planning for Retirement: Why You Should Maybe Jump on In and Retire

Most Americans facing retirement today say they are not confidently prepared for financing their golden years.  But a new study finds retirement maybe more comfortable than pre retirees think it will be. The outlook from those already retired is positive.  According to a survey of 401(k) and IRA contributors conducted by global investment management company…

September 16, 2014
Reverse Mortgages

New Reverse Mortgage Rules: Reverse Mortgage Age Requirement Changes for Married Borrowers

Reverse mortgages can offer home owners a convenient way to tap into their home’s equity to make more money available to be used however you wish. The loans have helped many people fund retirement. To get the basics of how reverse mortgages work, continue here. However, if you are married and either you or your…

September 12, 2014
Retirement planning Retirement Planning

Retirement Planning Advice: Quick Tips for Different Decades of Your Life

Here is easy retirement planning advice for all phases of life.  Retirement Planning Advice In Your 60s DO Revisit or create a solid budget and real retirement plan.  Assess all of your expenses, income sources and all of your assets — including home equity. It is not too late to get everything in order.  Consider…

September 11, 2014
Retirement Financial Advisors

4 Ways a Financial Advisor Can Help You Plan for Retirement

As you approach retirement, the financial decisions you make now could mean the difference between comfort and stress as you age. Luckily, financial advisors are available to help ensure that you make the right decisions to enjoy your retirement days. Here are 4 ways a financial advisor can help you effectively plan for retirement. Do…

September 9, 2014
Retirement Jobs

Expert Interview with Dave Starr on Empowered Retirement for boldin.com

The smartest thing anyone can do to prepare for retirement is to start early – long before you need it – and to look for sources of income that will sustain you after you’ve officially retired, says Dave Starr, the founder of RetiredPay.com.Even if you have the promise of a comfortable pension, that is no excuse…

September 5, 2014
Retirement Savings and Investments

How Much Should I Save for Retirement?

While a hard and maybe scary question, it is critical for those approaching retirement to get a really good answer: How much should I save for retirement? With healthcare costs expected to be over $200,000 for the average 65-year-old couple retiring this year throughout their retirement, it’s important that consumers come up with a concrete…

September 5, 2014
Happy Retirement

What Are Your Plans for Staying Young in Retirement?

What do you play?  Share your plans and ideas for staying young in the comments section below. (And visit the Boldin Calculator to make sure you can afford the fun.)

September 4, 2014
Retirement calculator Retirement Savings and Investments

Why it’s Never Too Soon to Use a Retirement Calculator

What will your retirement fund look like when it’s time to leave the work force? Will you have enough money saved up for the golden years? How much should you be saving each month to ensure that you’ve got a nice financial cushion at retirement? Answering these questions can be done easily with the use of…

September 4, 2014
Budgeting & Spending

Top 5 Sources of Retirement Income

Generating enough income to live comfortably during retirement is one of the biggest challenges that every American may face later in life. The Insured Retirement Institute (IRI) reports on the top-five retirement income sources. They found that Social Security tops their list. In fact, research shows that 65% of Americans age 65 and older receive…

September 3, 2014
Financial planning Retirement Planning

Financial Planning Advice from the Experts

Financial advisers are everywhere, but some stand out with book deals, YouTube channels and big book deals. These men and women have years of experience, and make their careers from guiding clients, readers and listeners toward sound practices that will help them eliminate debt, build wealth and secure a comfortable retirement. Some of these experts…

September 3, 2014
Annuities

5 Things You Need to Know about the New Longevity Annuity

If the recent recession taught pre-retirees one thing, it’s that a comprehensive, diversified approach to retirement planning is paramount. Even those who were well prepared with longstanding 401(k) plans or Independent Retirement Accounts (IRAs) found their investments took a hit during the economic downturn. Some people have considered additional products such as annuities to help…

September 2, 2014
When to retire Retirement Jobs

When to Retire? 5 Reasons to Delay Retirement

“Freedom 55” was the rallying cry for decades of people working toward an early retirement… However, over the past few years, the U.S. labor market has seen a continual increase in the number of working individuals older than 55 who are delaying retirement. Why is this change happening? What factors are influencing why retire-aged people…

September 2, 2014
Annuity Annuities

6 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Purchase an Annuity

Should you buy an annuity? Investing your capital and planning for retirement are important practices, but there are a ton of options out there for how and where to park your money to realize potential growth in the future. Simply put, an annuity is a contract between you and an insurance company. You essentially give…

September 2, 2014
Housing and Home Equity

Should I Pay Off My Mortgage or Invest for Retirement?

While some baby boomers believe paying off a home mortgage is a better financial decision than saving for retirement, industry experts say home ownership is often overrated, and soon-to-be retirees should consider more liquid investments. In part due to the recent housing bubble, Americans are now more likely than they used to be to have…

August 29, 2014
Retirement planning Retirement Planning

Retirement Planning: It’s Never Too Late to Start

Retirement can sneak up faster than you think. It’s understandable: Life happens, years go by, and then suddenly you realize retirement is a lot closer than it seemed just a year or two ago. Although most financial advisers recommend at least starting a modest retirement plan as early as in your 20s, that doesn’t always happen.…

August 28, 2014
Reverse mortgage Reverse Mortgages

5 Tips for Finding Great Reverse Mortgage Companies

Thorough planning helps you make the right decisions about a reverse mortgage. A reverse mortgage is a long-term commitment, and one that shouldn’t be entered into lightly. It’s not actually a true mortgage at all, but a loan against the equity that you have in your home. That difference alone is enough to show just…

August 26, 2014
Reverse Mortgages

New Jumbo Reverse Mortgage; HomeSafe Reverse Mortgage Brings Additional Benefits

Homeowners looking to use a reverse mortgage to tap their home equity have a new option that could provide more in proceeds than the government insured HECM reverse mortgage product. Scheduled to roll out in September, the HomeSafe is a private reverse mortgage product — also known as a jumbo reverse mortgage — from Urban…

August 25, 2014
Planning for retirement Retirement Planning

Planning for Retirement: The Unique Challenges Facing Baby Boomers

Baby boomers are a a generation of firsts. You were the first to attend integrated schools, the first to take birth control pills and the first to bring feminism to the cultural forefront. You are also the first modern generation to largely manage your own retirement investments and the first generation without widespread access to pensions.…

August 25, 2014
Retirement Planning

Retirement Income: How Much Do I Need for Retirement?

Most retirement experts advise that retirees plan on securing 100 percent of their pre retirement income for retirement — though annual spending may decrease as retirees age. However, many pre-retirees are not nearly as prepared for retirement as they had hoped—and by no fault of their own. The economic crisis, housing crash and market downturn…

August 22, 2014
Reverse Mortgage Reverse Mortgages

3 Underreported Facts about Reverse Mortgages

Mapping your path to a comfortable retirement calls for personalization. At its best, financial planning for this life phase should resemble a shopping trip: you decide your priorities, set your budget, then make selections from an array of offerings based on your needs. As with hitting the stores, tastes and desires in planning for retirement…

August 21, 2014
Retirement Planning

Retirement Financial Planning for Baby Boomers: The Top 4 Goals

The 2008 recession and financial crisis deteriorated American baby boomers’ confidence in retirement planning, spurring a shift in their financial goals related to their later years. And while the ability for baby boomers to reach their goals should improve with the recovering economy, not everyone is confident about realizing their priorities in retirement. Only one-third,…

August 20, 2014

Boldin Planner

Take financial wellness into your own hands and do it yourself retirement planning: easy, comprehensive, reliable.