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The Watson Wyatt survey found only 18% thought they had financial resources to last 15 years into retirement, which is about half of what this figure was in the 2007 survey. Only 8% were confident about their financial security 25 years into retirement. .............................................................................................................................................................
Two Bears
The S&P 500 suffered through 2 bear markets during the decade. Over the 2 1/2 years that ended on October 9, 2002, the S&P lost 49% (change in the raw index not counting the impact of reinvested dividends). Ove rthe 17 months that ended on March 9, 2009 the S&P 500 lost 57% (source: BTN Research.)
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Advice to Women-owned Businesses
"The best advice I can give any woman starting out is do your homework," Julie Levi, founder of Progressive Promotions says. "Choose a handful of large companies you'd like to do business with and learn everything you can about those companies and the challenges they face. It's not about convincing them what a great product or service you have. It's about solving their problems-giving them solutions for how to make more money, or save money, or reward employees." (source: The X Factor. Women's Business Enterprise National Council.)
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Women-owned Firms
Women-owned firms with $1 million or more in revenues are more likely than their smaller counterparts (34% vs. 12%) to have large corporate clients. (source: Center for Women's Business Research).
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For a Number of Reasons
30% of Americans age 45-64 surveyed in late July 2009 have stopped contributing to a pre-tax retirement plan (source: AARP).
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Tax Stats
In 1980, the top 1% of U.S. taxpayers earned at least $81,000 in adjusted gross income (AGI), accounted for 8% of all AGI nationwide and paid 19% of all federal income tax. In 2007 (the most recent year for which data is available), the top 1% of U.S. taxpayers earned at least $410,000 in AGI, accounted for 23% of all AGI nationwide, and paid 40% of all federal income tax (source: Internal Revenue Service).
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Old and Gray
10% of the U.S. population was age 65 or older in 1970, but that group represents 13% of our nation today.
By the year 2025, 18% of our population will be age 65 or older (source: United Nations).
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Bull into Bear
Since closing on 03.09.09, the S&P 500 has gained +61.8% on a total return basis (source: BTN Reasearch).
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Wills versus Trusts
A will is a REQUEST a trust is a CONTRACT.
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Why You Need to Listen to Ms Biz
46% of top wealth holders are women
Women control almost 60% of wealth
Women control more than 80% of purchases
Nearly 10.4 million firms are owned by women
62% of women who work with a financial advisor feel more comfortable when it comes to investing
(source: Oppenheimer Funds Distributor, Inc. Women & Investing W100000.304.0808 September 30, 2008).
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Not What They Expected
3 out of every 5 investors surveyed (60%) would prefer to personally manage their investment portfolio rather than utilizing the services of an investment professional (source: TD Ameritrade). The cost of doing it yourself? From its bull market peak in October 2007 to its bear market low in March 2009, the S&P 500 fell 57% (i.e., the change of the raw index value not counting the impact of dividends). 28% of more than 3,000 American investors surveyed in May and June 2009 admitted the 57% stock market “peak to trough” tumble came as a “complete surprise” to them (source: Vanguard Center for Retirement Research).
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In Stocks
The average 401(k) participant had 56% of his/her retirement dollars investd in the stock market as of 12.31.08 (source: Employee Benefit Research Institute).
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Top Two Percent
To rank in the top 2% of all US taxpayers required an adjusted gross income (AGI) level of at least $261,000 based upon calendar year 2007 tax data. This group earned 28% of all AGI nationwide and paid 49% of all federal income tax in the country
(source: Internal Revenue Service, Tax Foundation).
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Social Security
On 05.12.09 Social Security announced that the trust fund backing the payment of Social Security benefits would be zero in 2037 and that the payment of benefits would drop to 76% of their originally promised levels. On 08.07.09, the Congressional Budget Office calculated that the trust fund would be zero in 2043 and that the payment of benefits would drop to 83% of their originally promised levels.
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As Big as it Gets
A person born in 1943 is eligble for full Social Security retirement beneftis at age 66 or in the year 2009. The maximum retirement check that this individual could receive in 2009 is $2,323 per month, equal to $27,876 per year (source: Social Security Administration).
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Dallas Morning News:
Women in Business (pdf)
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Cleveland Plain Dealer:
Ms. Biz’s Great-Grandparents Affected by Foreclosures in 1930s
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