Radical retirement: Can you retire in your 30s or 40s? What you need to know

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Many workers would love to retire in their mid-30s or early 40s to enjoy their youth, health and families. But is this realistic?

Retiring super early can be a downright dangerous idea, says Mike Lynch, vice president of strategic markets at Hartford Funds.

“If you stop funding your retirement and start using it 30 years ahead of schedule,” says Lynch, “it is therefore unlikely that you will receive Social Security benefits. And if you do, the amount will be significantly reduced due to early retirement.”

Read more:  http://www.bankrate.com/finance/retirement/can-you-retire-in-30s-40s.aspx#ixzz4Hb63rW2O
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Is investing in a crowdfunding project right for you? By Ana Gonzalez Ribeiro • Bankrate.com

Looking for a place to put your money in a cause you believe in? Interested in investing your money in a new business? Whatever you choose, crowdfunding is the vehicle for investment.

The hip-hop group De La Soul was recently involved in a monthlong campaign on the Kickstarter crowdfunding platform and raised more than $600,000 from its fans. The goal was to help the group resurface and finish its new album, increase marketing, produce videos and set up tours.
About $10 billion in crowdfunding transactions occurred globally in 2014.

Even the money for the “Veronica Mars” movie came from Kickstarter. The sponsors offered rewards such as copies of the movie, and for those who gave a lot more money, a role as an extra in the movie.

But before you put your money into a crowdfunding campaign, do your research and make sure you know what you are funding.

“Avoid making it an emotional decision. You want to make it a business decision. You have to know what you are getting into, unless you feel like this is money you can afford to lose and the project is something you passionately believe in,” says Peter Crosby, chief marketing officer of DreamFund.com. Make sure you are comfortable with the risk.

Read more: http://www.bankrate.com/finance/investing/is-crowdfunding-project-right-for-you-1.aspx#ixzz3jGifxSWp

7 investing tips for 40-somethings By Ana Gonzalez Ribeiro • Bankrate.com

Your investment goals change as life changes.

In your 20s, you are starting a new career or looking for one. In your 30s, you begin to settle down, maybe get married, have kids and buy a home.

Then come your 40s, when you’re looking at retirement more closely, saving for your kids’ college and searching for ways to make your money work for you.

If you’ve reached that point, the money you are earning or already have earned must be put to work to fund future plans.

Here are a few recommendations.

Read more: http://www.bankrate.com/finance/investing/investing-tips-40-somethings-1.aspx#ixzz3jGlnA2EA

List of other published work

How To Change Last Year’s Spending Habits

Posted on Investopedia.com
http://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0113/how-to-change-last-years-spending-habits.aspx

7 uncommon ways to save for the holidays

Posted on Bankrate.com: http://www.bankrate.com/finance/personal-finance/7-uncommon-ways-to-save-for-the-holidays-1.aspx

How to laugh off a layoff and find a job

Posted on Bankrate.com:
http://www.bankrate.com/finance/jobs-careers/laugh-off-layoff-find-job.aspx

Female Entrepreneurs Who Overcame Hardship

Published on Investopedia.com
http://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0912/female-entrepreneurs-who-overcame-hardship.aspx#axzz277XjMwmO

How Entrepreneurs Can Save On Taxes

Published on Investopedia.com:
http://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0912/how-entrepreneurs-can-save-on-taxes.aspx#axzz277XjMwmO

Are using coupons really worth the trouble?

Published on Bundle.com
http://www.bundle.com/article/are-using-coupons-really-worth-trouble/

Should Having A Private Pension Be Made Mandatory?

Published in Investopedia.com and Yahoo Finance
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/having-private-pension-made-mandatory-205026603.html

Retirement Tips For Single-Income Homes

Published in Investopedia.com and Yahoo Finance
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/retirement-tips-single-income-homes-201938141.html

Life Insurance Policies For Stay-At-Home Moms

Published in Investopedia.com and Yahoo Finance
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/life-insurance-policies-stay-home-201611437.html

The Most Financially Literate Countries

Published by Investopedia.com
http://www.sfgate.com/business/investopedia/article/The-Most-Financially-Literate-Countries-3658467.php

Creative Ways To Overcome Student Debt

http://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0312/Creative-Ways-To-Overcome-Student-Debt.aspx#axzz1uqcp2FeZ

Creative ways to overcome student debt

Originally Published in Investopedia.com
http://www.katv.com/story/17148751/creative-ways-to-overcome-student-debt

http://www.kndo.com/story/17148751/creative-ways-to-overcome-student-debt

What to do when maternity leave is lacking

Published on Bankrate.com

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/personal-finance/maternity-leave-lacking.aspx?ec_id=brmint_newsalert_20120511

6 financial nightmare vacations

Published on MSN Money:

http://finances.msn.com/saving-money-advice/6951266

Gen Y Still Depends on Mom & Dad More Than You Might Expect

Published on BrazenCareerist.com
http://blog.brazencareerist.com/2012/05/03/gen-y-still-depends-on-mom-dad/

Teaching Kids About Financial Literacy

Published on Investopedia.com
http://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0412/Teaching-Kids-About-Financial-Literacy.aspx#axzz1tAkZx7DI

Scary Statistics About Retirement For Women

Published on Investopedia.com
http://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0412/Scary-Statistics-About-Retirement-For-Women.aspx#axzz1tAkZx7DI

Women Are Gaining Investing Confidence

Originally published in Investopedia.com

http://www.napw.com/press/napw-14054/women-are-gaining-investing-confidence/

Six Nightmare Vacations With Monstrous Costs

Published on FoxBusiness.com
http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2012/03/20/six-nightmare-vacations-with-monstrous-costs/

Storify Gathers Social Media Mentions of News Stories

Published on Ebyline.com

http://ebyline.biz/2012/03/storify-gathers-social-media-mentions-of-news-stories/

Will Low Retirement Ages Last Forever?

Published on Investopedia.com
http://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0212/Will-Low-Retirement-Ages-Last-Forever.aspx#axzz1o76Tx6Bt

Dream jobs that are attainable

Originally published on Investopedia.com

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Features/2012/02/22/19410681.html

Trends in mobile banking today

Published on Bankrate.com

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/banking/trends-in-mobile-banking.aspx

3 Options for Speech Recognition Software

Published on Ebyline.com
http://ebyline.biz/2012/02/3-options-for-speech-recognition-software/

Financial Designations That Lead To The Highest-Paying Jobs!

Published on Investopedia.com
http://financialedge.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0112/Financial-Designations-That-Lead-To-The-

Highest-Paying-Jobs.aspx#axzz1kPDehKuA

2011:The Year of Fees

Published on Investopedia.com.
http://financialedge.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0112/2011-The-Year-Of-Fees.aspx#axzz1jqSclZJo

What your home insurance covers

Published on Bankrate.com
http://www.bankrate.com/finance/insurance/things-your-home-insurance-covers.aspx?ic_id=Top_Financial%20News%20Center_link_3

6 Financial NIghtmare Vacations

This article was published by Bankrate.com
http://www.bankrate.com/finance/personal-finance/6-financial-nightmare-vacations-1.aspx

Five Behaviors Shackle Investment Strategy

This article was published by Fox Business:
http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2011/06/14/5-behaviors-shackle-investment-strategy/

Summer Tips to Protect your Car

http://women-drivers.com/spotlight/summer-tips-to-protect-your-car.aspx

One Mompreneur’s Story: Tennis Great Gigi Fernandez Interview for CurrentMom.com

Mompreneurs have it made: they have a career, a family and they manage to keep everything perfectly in sync.
Well, not really. Olympic gold medalist Gigi Fernandez knows how it difficult it is. Since the age of three, Fernandez yearned to play the sport she loved most, tennis. Even though her parents knew she had a talent for tennis, her eye and hand coordination skills were very good, her parents resisted her begging for lessons until age 7.
To continue reading this article, click here:
http://www.currentmom.com/currentmom/2011/02/baby-goes-pro.html

Consumer Protection Laws You Need To Know – My published article on Investopedia.com

You buy a new bike for your daughter as a birthday gift. When she tries it in the park three weeks later, you both notice the front tire is bent. What do you do? Should you fix it yourself and avoid the trouble of going back to the store? Has the return time lapsed? Is the bike it still covered under warranty? What do you if you didn’t purchase extra insurance coverage?
To continue reading this article, click here:
http://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/10/know-your-consumer-protection-laws.asp

4 frugal ways to become famous – My published article on Bankrate.com

When you look at celebrities like Jessica Simpson, Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber, do you ever wonder how they became so famous? Is it because they are better-looking or more talented? No, more often than not, these people have a team of publicists who are carefully and continually oiling their wheels of fame and popularity.
Read more: 4 frugal ways to become famous http://www.bankrate.com/finance/personal-finance/4-frugal-ways-to-become-famous-1.aspx#ixzz1A570mX7w

Interview with Blog Talk Radio’s The Legally Steal Show

The Anguish Of Trade – Ins by Thelegallystealshow

This is an interview with S.E. Day of Blog Talk Radio’s The Legally Steal Show. This interview is based on my Bankrate article, “Beware of Car Donation Scams“.

Interview with WIBC Indy’s News 93.1 FM Radio

FM 93.1 WIBC Radio Craziest thing I did to save money.mp3

This is an interview with Ed Wenck from WIBC Indy’s News 93.1 FM radio. Here I was being interview thanks to my Bankrate article, “The Craziest Thing I Did To Save Money“.

4 frugal ways to become famous – Bankrate.com

When you look at celebrities like Jessica Simpson, Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber, do you ever wonder how they became so famous? Is it because they are better-looking or more talented? No, more often than not, these people have a team of publicists who are carefully and continually oiling their wheels of fame and popularity.
Read more: 4 frugal ways to become famous http://www.bankrate.com/finance/personal-finance/4-frugal-ways-to-become-famous-1.aspx#ixzz1A570mX7w

Consumer Protection Laws You Need To Know

You buy a new bike for your daughter as a birthday gift. When she tries it in the park three weeks later, you both notice the front tire is bent. What do you do? Should you fix it yourself and avoid the trouble of going back to the store? Has the return time lapsed? Is the bike it still covered under warranty? What do you if you didn’t purchase extra insurance coverage?
To continue reading this article, click here:
http://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/10/know-your-consumer-protection-laws.asp

Some high yield savings accounts to be thankful for – SavingsAccount.com

Savings accounts with better interest rates can be found this holiday season. American Express, Ally Bank and Everbank are just a few of the many banks offering some of the highest savings rates available on their online savings accounts. Deposits held in these online accounts are FDIC-insured through the parent bank up to $250,000 per depositor.

Read more on this article by clicking here: http://www.savingsaccounts.com/bankingnews/some-high-yield-savings-accounts-to-be-thankful-for.html

Ace the Class: Studying, Note Taking, and Homework Tips – WorldWideLearn.com

Hispanic students can achieve a higher education. Whether you choose to obtain a college education through an online degree program or through the more traditional method of campus learning, you will have access to tons of information that will help you reach your educational goals. The hardest part will be doing the work required to obtain that goal, however with dedication, tenacity and focus, you will get there.

There are several tactics you can use when it comes to polishing their study skills for classes. Whether students want to improve their grades or get a head start in schoolwork, there are ways to accomplish it. One of the hardest things is to get started on a project, but Latino students whose aim it is to reach the finish line of higher education can do it. Here are a few tips:
Read more on this article by clicking here: http://www.worldwidelearn.com/hispanic-education/higher-education/ace-the-class.html

Credit Cards Look to Woo Customers With Perks – Bankrate.com

Earning free flights, gift cards and limited or no fees on foreign transactions are just some of the perks credit card companies roll out to entice customers. And in a weak economy, customers more than ever are looking for the best credit card deals. Bankrate allows you to search for the best credit card based on different factors. The key is to find the card that best meets your needs. It all depends on your daily life and how you use your credit along the way.
Read more: http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2010/08/25/credit-cards-charge-ahead-perks/#ixzz15xXdo6ge

¿Saliendo de Casa? Una Lista de Quehaceres para Asistir a una Universidad Lejos de Casa / Moving Away? Checklist for Attending College Away from Home – WorldWideLearn.com

Attending college is an exciting time in a students’ life. The day the acceptance letter arrives marks the culmination of wishes and hopes and the beginning of a dream come true for many Hispanic students. Now the fun begins. Since preparation is key to a smooth transition, here are a few things you will need when the day finally arrives to start your new adventure.
When moving out, the support of family and friends is priority, after this, there are certain basic necessities you will need to take with you.
Living on your own can bring a whole new level of responsibility to your life. Some of the basics to consider when packing up are everyday items like kitchen, storage, laundry, office and desk supplies.
Read more on this article by clicking here: http://www.worldwidelearn.com/hispanic-education/higher-education/college-checklist.html

A 60 second guide to money transfers – MoneyBlueBook.com

Nowadays, transferring money to friends and relatives is easy. Gone are the days when the only option we had was to mail a check that would take days for the recipient to receive it, and then more time for it to clear. That was ages ago!
Now you can pay your mortgage, electric and telephone bills online or send money instantly to an ailing family member or as a gift to a friend. Want to send money, but not sure which service to use? Here’s an overview of some of the most popular types of money transfers that can help you pick the best one for you.
Read more on this article by clicking here: http://www.moneybluebook.com/a-60-second-guide-to-money-transfers/

Finding a Writing Fellowship – UrbanMuseWriter.com

Writing for pleasure is great, but writing for money has its appeal doesn’t it? What’s even better is writing, getting paid for it and learning during the process. This is what fellowship opportunities offer. If you look around and browse a bit on the web, you’ll find tons of these opportunities. I only learned about fellowships by accident one day as I was browsing through my American Society of Journalists and Authors subscription.For those of you who are not familiar yet, a writing or journalism fellowship, as it’s often called, is a type of grant awarded to a fellowship applicant. The award enables the writer to research a project and write about it while receiving a housing, living and in some cases a healthcare stipend.
Read more on this article by clicking here: http://www.urbanmusewriter.com/2010/07/guest-post-finding-writing-fellowship.html

Hispanic Military Veterans and Financial Aid – WorldWideLearn.com

Hispanic students who have served in the military have a number of options to help cover higher education costs. Like any other student, veterans are eligible for federal and state grants, scholarships, and loans. Most schools also offer some form of financial aid and many have Veterans Affairs Offices to provide administrative assistance to veterans and their eligible dependents. Contact your financial aid office for more information and resources that are available for higher education funding.

The United States Department of Veteran Affairs has a number of programs available to provide financial assistance for education. You can find additional details–and additional programs–at their Web site.

Read more on this article by clicking here: http://www.worldwidelearn.com/hispanic-education/paying-for-college/hispanic-veteran-scholarships.html

Can Regular Investors Beat The Market? -Investopedia.com

We all invest with the hopes that one day we will have enough money to live off our investments. The question remains, can a regular investor like us really beat the market? Do we have what it takes to win over the middlemen and institutions that have millions or even billions invested in the market? According to Terrance Odean, a finance professor at the University of California, Berkley’s Haas School of Business, “Many of the mistakes investors make come from a lack of any understanding of the innate disadvantages they face.”
Read more on this article by clicking here: http://www.investopedia.com/articles/trading/10/beat-the-market.asp

7 uncommon ways to save for the holidays – Bankrate.com

Families who’ve been hit with unemployment, foreclosure and higher credit card fees are tightening their belts and coming up with creative ways to save money on holiday gift giving.
Ideas such as taking no-spending months, giving the gift of manual labor and using accumulated credit card reward points to buy gifts are ingenious ways that folks can save on gifts.
Here are some nifty and resourceful ways people are saving for the holidays.
Read more on this article by clicking here: http://www.bankrate.com/finance/personal-finance/7-uncommon-ways-to-save-for-the-holidays-1.aspx

Beware of car donation scams – Bankrate.com

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/auto/beware-of-car-donation-scams-1.aspx

The Nuts and Bolts of a Successful Company: Celebrating Alaska, 50 years in business – Alaska Business Monthly

http://store.aihalaska.com/index.php?main_page=aih_history

Finding Grants for Hispanic Students / Encontrando Donativos para Estudiantes Hispanos

http://www.worldwidelearn.com/hispanic-education/scholarships-grants/finding-hispanic-grants.html

Setting Up a Home Office on a Budget

http://www.mint.com/blog/saving/home-office-on-a-budget-09202010/

The Build Your Own Scholarship Plan

http://financialedge.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0910/Build-Your-Own-Scholarship.aspx

The craziest thing I did to save money!

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/smart-spending/the-craziest-thing-i-did-to-save-money-1.aspx

Bank or Credit Union? You Decide

http://www.mint.com/blog/how-to/bank-or-credit-union-09022010/#comments

With New Rules In Place, Old Overdraft Gimmicks Under Fire

http://www.mint.com/blog/trends/overdraft-rules-08172010/

Pros and cons of CD investments

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/investing/pros-and-cons-of-cd-investments.aspx

Think local for better bank CD rates

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/investing/about-out-of-the-ordinary-bank-cd-rates.aspx

Tax-favored bonds get second look

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/savings/tax-favored-bonds-get-second-look-1.aspx

Colleges offer free online materials

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/college-finance/colleges-offer-free-online-materials-1.aspx

4 tips for thrift store shopping

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/personal-finance/4-tips-for-thrift-store-shopping-1.aspx

Financial help for military members

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/personal-finance/financial-help-for-military-members-1.aspx

Avoiding mortgage modification scams

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/mortgages/avoiding-mortgage-modification-scams-1.aspx

Is Loan Protection Insurance Right For You?

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/08/loan-protection-insurance.asp

Are CDs Good Protection For The Bear Market?

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/bonds/08/CD-certificate-of-deposit-recession-bear-market.asp

Greenshoe Options: An IPO’s Best Friend

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/optioninvestor/08/greenshoe-option-ipo.asp

Who Backs Up The FDIC?

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/economics/08/fdic-insurance-dif.asp

Life Lesson No. 1: Avoid College Scholarship Fraud

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/younginvestors/09/college-loan-scams.asp

401(k) Predators: Don’t Become Prey

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/retirement/09/401k-predator.asp

The Basics Of Travel Insurance

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/08/travel-insurance.asp

The Bear On Bonds

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/bonds/09/bear-on-bonds.asp

Lending Clubs: Better Than Banks?

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/09/lending-clubs.asp

Facing Co-Op Bankruptcy

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/mortgages-real-estate/09/facing-co-op-bankruptcy.asp

Fighting Back Against Collection Lawsuits

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/09/fighting-collection-lawsuits.asp

Spotting Credit-Repair Scams

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/09/spot-credit-repair-scams.asp

“Temporary” Taxes That Stuck

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/tax/10/temporary-taxes-that-stuck.asp

Are Diamonds Forever?

http://www.mint.com/blog/investing/investing-in-diamonds/

Invest in Gold Without Getting Scammed

http://www.mint.com/blog/investing/investing-in-gold-without-getting-scammed/

Banking on the Unbanked

http://www.mint.com/blog/trends/banking-on-the-unbanked/

Financial Planning: Where to Get Financial Advice

http://www.mint.com/blog/how-to/where-to-get-financial-advice/

The Pros and Cons of Social Lending

http://www.mint.com/blog/trends/the-pros-and-cons-of-social-lending/

What to Look for in a Realtor

http://www.mint.com/blog/goals/what-to-look-for-in-a-realtor/

Teaching Your Kids About Money

http://www.mint.com/blog/how-to/teaching-your-kids-about-money-05192010/

New Home Buyer Incentives Replace Government Tax Credit

http://www.mint.com/blog/goals/home-buyer-credit-05202010/

How to Find a Financial Advisor You Can Trust

http://www.mint.com/blog/goals/what-to-look-for-in-a-financial-advisor/

The Sobering Reality of Entrepreneurship in the U.S.

http://www.mint.com/blog/trends/entrepreneurship-06252010/

7 ways to save on groceries!

Published on Bankrate

Supermarket savings

Food is expensive these days, so grocery shoppers must be diligent in looking for bargains. To help, Bankrate has compiled a few tips from experts on how to save money on groceries, no matter where you shop.

First off, know your store’s sale cycle.

“Almost everything in the grocery store follows a six-week sales cycle,” says Vince Russo, CEO of Keycode.com, a promotion code aggregate website. “If something is at its lowest price this week, it will probably be at its lowest price again in another six weeks. Buy enough now to get you to the next sale and you won’t ever have to pay full price for that item again.”

Russo says some products cycle on a regular basis. For example, toilet paper and cereals cycle out about every eight weeks. He advises shoppers to be prepared for sales that are unique to their local stores.

Check it out the rest here: http://money.msn.com/personal-finance/7-ways-to-save-on-groceries

Best ETFs For An Early Retirement

 

Exchange-traded funds, or ETFs , are a good way to build a retirement portfolio. They are low-cost, provide plenty of diversification because they track specific indexes and they provide certain tax benefits. Folks looking to retire early, or at least with a solid portfolio, can use ETFs as one of their building blocks.

You’ll need to start saving early in order to have enough funds to accommodate your desired lifestyle after retirement , and the earlier the better. Since stocks drive a portfolio and bonds provide security, when you begin building your retirement portfolio it should consist primarily of stocks, and later on, as you are approaching retirement it should include bonds.
Read more: http://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0113/best-etfs-for-an-early-retirement.aspx#ixzz2JxJtBssR