Do men and women see things differently? At least on the topic of retirement, the answer may be yes. A recent study commissioned by Ameriprise Financial reveals that gender may play a significant role in how we feel about and prepare for this major life event.

Couples who decide to divorce must deal with the daunting task of dismantling a life that was once a partnership. The emotional upheaval is intense, as both parties must create their own individual lives again. But an important step in the divorce process is dividing the assets between the two parties. What was once ‘ours’ must now become ‘yours’ and ‘mine,’ and it’s a process that can be painful in its own right. If you are preparing for a divorce, there are important steps you need to take to ensure that the assets are divided properly.

You’ve heard these words before – the direction of the stock market – particularly over short time periods – is very difficult to predict. Look no further than the recovery in stocks that began, unannounced, in early March 2009.

By: Kathy J. Bauers, ChFC Ameriprise Financial
Employer-sponsored retirement benefits, along with other employee perks, are experiencing tough times. The fact is, pension plan retirement income, generously calculated based on years of service and attained earnings and adjusted to account for the cost of living, is simply too expensive for most businesses to maintain. The increased requirements around pension plan funding combined with a brutal stock market, shrinking profits and stockholder demand have created an extremely unfavorable environment for the continuation of employer-funded retirement plans.