Savings Archives

Are Americans on the right track in preparing for retirement? In the broad sense, no, most people aren’t saving enough. But there are a few bright spots. A number of recent surveys have shown that investors with 401(k) plans have kept their nerve in the past couple of years, resisting the urge to panic and move everything to the sidelines when they suffered losses. Read more»

It’s been a tough decade for families saving for college and retirement. The stock market has been virtually flat, leaving many investors short of where they expected to be. Yet college costs continue to rise at 5% or 6% a year, more than double the overall inflation rate. Read more»

Some Americans are slightly better prepared for retirement thanks to automatic enrollment in 401(k)s, but you have to be a diehard optimist to seize on that. Read more»

A Canadian economics outfit has released new data that paints a dark picture for the U.S. housing market — and for the overall economy. Read more»

U.S. consumers have found religion when it comes to saving money — they’re doing a much better job of it than their elected representatives in Congress. But even as a new survey shows that Americans are saving at a year-long high, the money they’re saving isn’t going into the economy — and that could prolong tough economic times. Read more»

We all know we should prepare a budget and stick with it. But it’s such a pain in the neck. Suppose you have a whole bunch of goals, like saving for retirement, college, a new car and a vacation. How do you know much to put into each? Read more»

Size does seem to matter when it comes to snagging new bank customers. That’s the takeaway after a new study from J.D. Power that shows big bank behemoths are drawing much-needed customers away from regional banks. Here’s a dive into the details. Read more»

Bank rate investors see their fortunes once again hanging in the balance as the economy threatens to fall back into a recession. Many key economic indicators point to just that scenario. A big one came out on Tuesday, when the Conference Board revealed that Americans are losing faith in government efforts to steer the economy to deeper, calmer waters. The Board’s Consumer Confidence index plummeted 10 points — from 62.7 in May down to 52.9 in June. Read more»

Imagine an arranged marriage where you don’t see your betrothed until the wedding day — and don’t learn much more for years. That’s what it’s like when the mutual fund you’ve had for a long time is merged with another that’s a complete stranger. It’s an issue many mutual fund investors face now, thanks to the merger of Wachovia and Wells Fargo (Stock Quote: WFC). Read more»