How 4 People Retired Early

For many people who suffered lackluster investment returns after enduring a highly volatile stock market, retirement has become an elusive goal. Some financial experts recommend that workers postpone retirement as wages stagnate, 401(k) portfolios underperform and pension plans go the way of the rotary phone.

However, some people have discovered that retirement is not as hard as it looks. With a bit of careful planning and dedication, that time of leisure can come earlier than 65 -- much earlier in some cases.

Bankrate profiled four people who managed early retirement at ages ranging from 33 to 52. None of them had the advantages of a family fortune, a lottery jackpot or an initial public offering, or IPO, windfall to support them. Instead, these retirees learned the importance of patient savings and cost-cutting while ignoring risky bets and avoiding trendy get-rich-quick schemes.

Satisfying Early Retirement

Bob Scottsdale, Ariz. Age: 62 Retired at 52

Bob began saving for retirement at 30, stashing away 15% to 25% of his annual income. He was able to amass $500,000 in a retirement fund by the time he stopped working just 22 years later.

Since then, he has kept that money in an IRA and lives on an annual pension of $40,000, which is about half of his pre-retirement income. That, combined with the inheritance of a modest estate from his parents, has given him a comfortable retirement.

However, his IRA portfolio lost $250,000 after the crash in 2008. He hopes to recover that money before he turns 64, when he intends on drawing on his IRA. The experience also taught him to simplify his life by cutting expenses and having less stuff.

Bob calls his investment approach "very conservative" -- he invested for long-term growth and avoided riskier investment opportunities. He also believes in cost-cutting on big items. For example, with the proceeds from a home sale, he bought his current house outright in cash to avoid having a mortgage. The biggest financial hurdle for him is medical care. He spends a quarter of his yearly income on health insurance alone.

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Early Retirement Without a Fortune

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Transamerica Retirement Services plan sponsor website earned the Excellent designation by DALBARs Defined Contribution WebMonitor program, outperforming the other 43 retirement plan provider websites rated in the program. Once again, Transamerica has garnered the top position in DALBARs analysis of provider websites for retirement plan sponsors, a recognition it has earned for nine consecutive calendar quarters. Transamericas plan participant website also earned the Excellent designation. Transamericas plan sponsor and plan participant websites have also been awarded DALBARs Seal of Excellence for seven consecutive years.

Transamerica remains fully committed to bringing the tools and resources that provide the best online experience for our plan sponsors and participants, said Stig Nybo, president of Transamerica Retirement Services. We are honored that DALBAR has once again recognized our commitment to providing plan sponsors and participants with the information they need to plan for a successful retirement.

In addition, DALBARs 2011 third quarter report highlighted Transamericas online resources that help plan sponsors understand and comply with 408(b)(2) fee disclosure regulations, including audio recordings addressing frequently asked questions.

DALBAR recognized Transamericas plan participant website for its ability to help retirement plan participants understand the benefits of automatic deferral increases, which can help retirement plan participants save more for retirement.

Each quarter, DALBAR identifies and recognizes industry-leading websites that attain a top 10 ranking. Websites are scored on results from DALBARs website evaluations and points are given for achievement in set criteria within the following five categories: functionality, usability, behavior centric attributes, content currency and consistency.

About DALBAR

DALBAR, Inc. is the financial communitys leading independent expert for evaluating, auditing and rating business practices, customer performance, product quality and service. DALBAR has earned the recognition for consistent and unbiased evaluations of investment companies, registered investment advisers, insurance companies, broker/dealers, retirement plan providers and financial professionals. DALBAR awards are recognized as marks of excellence in the financial community.

About Transamerica Retirement Services Corporation

Transamerica Retirement Services Corporation (Transamerica or Transamerica Retirement Services), which is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, designs customized retirement plan solutions to meet the unique needs of small- to mid-sized businesses. Transamerica has more than 17,0001 retirement plans totaling more than $20 billion1 in assets. For more information about Transamerica, please refer to http://www.TA-Retirement.com.

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Transamerica Retirement Services Ranked as the Top Provider Website for Retirement Plan Sponsors

There are all kinds of ways to secure a comfortable retirement. Our career choices, lifestyle, and savings and investment decisions all influence our ability to retire well. There are lots of prudent steps we can take to guarantee ourselves stability when we finally call it quits. Here are five habits to ingrain into your life now to avoid regrets later in life.

Maintain a healthy contribution rate. A huge deciding factor of whether you can retire comfortably lies in how much you can save over your lifetime. Obviously, living below your means is key, which takes commitment and discipline for most people. Forget trying to save just 10 percent of your income, because you will only be getting by in retirement with that percentage. Save as much as you can, and then save some more. Don't worry about saving too much, because you can always inflate your lifestyle at any point easily.

Be careful to avoid taxes as much as possible. Taxes can take a huge bite out of your investment returns if you aren't careful. At the very least, know the tax treatment of all your investments so you can allocate them into an account that will minimize the tax bite. Donate your money to Uncle Sam if you choose to, but don't unknowingly give him more than he requires.

Don't be oblivious to your income potential. Passion certainly plays a role in how satisfied you will be in your career. But the reality is that working in certain industries will give you a higher chance of earning a higher income. Sit down and do an honest assessment of your chosen field. Do you have the ability or potential to strike it big in your current profession? Will a career change be better for you economically and emotionally? Carefully balance your interests, desire, and economic realities as you assess your career situation.

Avoid costly investment mistakes. Some investment moves are simple and logical to make, such as avoiding expensive investments. Others, like having the stomach to stay the course at times of crisis, aren't so easy. Those who arm themselves with investment knowledge will be the best equipped to stay invested when times are rough, because they likely prepared themselves mentally for stock market dips before they happen.

Have a retirement plan. A retirement plan allows you to prepare a retirement savings and investing strategy. This plan will also let you know whether you are on the right track, potentially helping you sleep better at night because you won't be worrying needlessly about how you are progressing. Getting a plan started is actually easier than you might think. The hardest part is making the commitment to get one going. However long you end up taking for this task, it sure beats spending countless hours not knowing what to do.

David Ning runs MoneyNing, a personal finance site that shares money moves you can make to significantly increase your chances of having a comfortable retirement. He likes to share simple changes that anyone can make, such as picking the best online savings account and figuring out whether a 0 percent balance transfer credit card makes sense.

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5 Prudent Life Choices for a Secure Retirement

There has been some debate regarding the Chicago Bears and whether or not they had prior knowledge about a recent incident involving their new wide receiver Brandon Marshall. Marshall is accused of punching a woman in the face outside of a nightclub. How much of an issue is this latest personal scandal for Marshall?

Brandon Marshall was acquired by the Bears to fill a gaping hole in the offense. The team has been in need of a top-notch wide receiver, and GM Phil Emery believes that he has found that in the former Miami Dolphin. The Dolphins saw this as an opportunity to get rid of a player who has a history of anger issues both on and off of the field. For his part, Brandon Marshall admitted last year that he has borderline personality disorder, and is seeking treatment. Still, his on-field antics have been nothing compared to those of, say, Detroit Lion Ndamukong Suh. As long as Marshall knows what to do with the ball and avoids excessive penalties, Bears fans will be happy with Marshall's talent.

Marshall had three years left on his contract in Miami, and the Bears traded two third-round draft picks in the deal. The question as to whether or not Emery knew of the incident involving Brandon Marshall outside of the nightclub is an important one, considering the player could face a season-long suspension as a result of the altercation. So far, the Bears and the Dolphins both say that everyone was aware before the trade took place.

Any punishment handed down by the NFL would be strict in Marshall's case because he has been in trouble before. He was involved in another incident at a Denver nightclub that ultimately led to the shooting that killed Marshall's former teammate, Darrent Williams.

As far as the accusation that Marshall punched a woman outside of that nightclub, not all of the facts have been made available. His wife was also involved in the incident, and he later brought her to the hospital to receive medical attention. It is possible that Marshall will be cleared of any wrong-doing, which is what Emery is banking on. If that is the case, the Bears have nothing to worry about. They will walk away from the whole issue with a talented wide receiver and a stronger team.

What if Marshall is found to be at fault and is sanctioned by the NFL? We could blame Phil Emery for taking a risk on a player with a questionable past, or we can sit out yet another season without a receiver. Having our newest player sit out the entire season due to something that happened off of the field is not something that anyone wants to think about. I have to believe that if Phil Emery knew about this and still went through with the trade, we should have some faith that Marshall will be in uniform and on the field for the first game of the season.

Whitney Levon is a Chicago native whose dedication to the Bears goes back to her first football memory; the Bears' 1985 Super Bowl victory

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Brandon Marshall's Latest Personal Troubles Shouldn't Affect Performance with Bears: A Fan's Take

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/bd8c8f/personal_hygiene_i) has announced the addition of the "Personal Hygiene in Ireland" report to their offering.

Personal Hygiene in Ireland industry profile provides top-line qualitative and quantitative summary information including: market share, market size (value and volume 2006-10, and forecast to 2015). The profile also contains descriptions of the leading players including key financial metrics and analysis of competitive pressures within the market. Essential resource for top-line data and analysis covering the Ireland personal hygiene market. Includes market size and segmentation data, textual and graphical analysis of market growth trends, leading companies and macroeconomic information.

Highlights

Features

Save time carrying out entry-level research by identifying the size, growth, major segments, and leading players in the personal hygiene market in Ireland

Use the Five Forces analysis to determine the competitive intensity and therefore attractiveness of the personal hygiene market in Ireland

Leading company profiles reveal details of key personal hygiene market players' global operations and financial performance

Add weight to presentations and pitches by understanding the future growth prospects of the Ireland personal hygiene market with five year forecasts by both value and volume

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/bd8c8f/personal_hygiene_i

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Research and Markets: Personal Hygiene in Ireland

10 hrs.

Matthew Hawkins

Yesterday was the final day for the Double Fine Adventure Kickstarter, and its success has been the subject of many reports, including here at MSNBC. Despite being a regular source of financing for numerous game creators (along with other kinds of creative types), it was Tim Schafer and his company that thrust the crowd-sourced fund-raising service into the public spotlight. As a direct result, many others have been inspired to get their projects into action, and there is little doubt that theres more on the way.

Double Fine's now historic initiative turned heads almost immediately by reaching it's $400,000 goal in just eight hours. Soon after, it broke Kickstarter's own record for most money raised in under 24 hours, which was a little over $1 million. And the grand total, when all was said and done? Exactly $3,336,371.

A slightly lower number was reported by some, immediately after the deadline was up. Joystiq, for example, stated $3,335,265.

Joystiq also has Schafer's reaction to his successful campaign and all the excitement that has surrounded it since day one: "It's been an amazing experience. So much love." Meanwhile, Kotaku reports that there is an additional $110,000 from off-the-record premium backers that the final number does not reflect.

Not surprisingly, numerous high-profile game makers are now considering Kickstarter as a means to finance their future projects. David Jaffe, creator of the "Twisted Metal" franchise, has been mentioned already; Phil Fish, creator of the much-anticipated title "Fez" and star of" Indie Game The Movie," recently stated that he might be using such an option.

There also is hope that it can be the means to make long-wished-for follow-ups to be realized. Like "Wasteland 2," described as the sequel for the "godfather of post-apocalyptic RPGs," which kicked off less than 24 hours ago and is already at three-quarters of a million dollars.

It is perhaps worth mentioning how one donor at the highest level, which is $10,000, is Min-Liang Tan, CEO of Razer, which produces all manner of gaming peripherals. On his Facebook, Tan states that he was a fan of the original back in the day, and has long been looking forward to a sequel, like so many others.

Tan will give away the 50 copies of the final product that all donors at that level will receive. While it is certainly a kind act by most accounts (since one person having 50 copies of the same game is rather silly), some will no doubt view it as a publicity stunt. As with anything popular, there will naturally be a certain degree of backlash, even if it's unwarranted.

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Double Fine's success just the Kickstarter

I love reading personal finance articles on Yahoo! Finance. There are so many great stories on investing, budgeting, debt management, spending wisely, career development and so on. But it took filling out my 2011 Income Taxes to ask myself one of the most difficult personal finance questions a person can ask themselves: am I giving enough to charity?

In my mind, the five pillars of personal finance are income, spending, saving, investing and giving. Sadly, it seems as though giving is almost completely forgotten about when it comes to learning about one's own finances. What is the point of working to become wealthy if you aren't going to give some of your riches to those less fortunate? After all, a person can only take so many vacations or own so many boats before possessions begin to feel hallow.

Now back to my original question. When filling out my incomes taxes this year, I realized that I gave just over 3% of my disposable income to my favorite charitable organizations in 2011.

Comparable to Most Americans

According to Giving USA, Americans gave approximately 2.2% of their disposable income to nonprofit organizations in 2008. That comes to roughly $229 billion that individuals across America donated to charity that year.

So in comparison to most Americans, I am a little above average on giving. Though to be sure, there are millions of Americans that give 5, 10, 15 or even 20% of their incomes away each year.

Lacking from a Religious Point of View

From a faith perspective, my giving is severely lacking.

For practicing Christians and Jews, the act of tithing 10% of what a person earns is mentioned several times in the Bible. The most notable example is in the book of Genesis, when Jacob promises to give a tenth of what he receives back to God.

Practicing Muslims take a similar, yet different approach to giving. In Islam, the Koran specifies that people are to give a contribution known as Zakat, which amounts to 2.5% of a person's net worth, each year.

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First Person: Am I Giving Enough to Charity?

Personal wedding website and planning tools service WedShare.com has just released several new social media apps, with another series in development. They report that the increased integration with services like Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest is becoming more in demand by today's tech-savvy couples.

San Jose, CA (PRWEB) March 14, 2012

According to WedShare, tech is the new white, and ditching the pen and paper is on the rise. Rising membership shows that every year, larger numbers of tech-savvy nearlyweds use point-and-click tools like those available at WedShare.com to create personal wedding websites: online showcases for their photos, maps and directions, gift registries, and more. But as social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest become ever more popular and ubiquitous, couples are also looking to carry over that social experience to their own personal sites. In 2011, more social media integration was the most common feature request that WedShare received.

"What the social media experience gives you is the ability to interact immediately with your friends and family, sharing your experiences with others and vice versa in new ways," says WedShare president and co-founder Jason Melendez. "It's the same thing engaged couples are doing with their wedding websites, so it's only natural to combine the two. What's interesting is how much things are changing, and how fast."

Melendez says that 17% of couples last year used social media in their wedding planning. Seven years prior, social media didn't even exist. That's right: Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and the like were all yet to be seen. Google+ came about even more recently, and Pinterest--a site garnering a lot of buzz these days--is brand new. Melendez says that the advent of such social media services has completely changed how we interact with one another online, including when planning a wedding. Whether it's posting a Pinterest inspiration board alongside your reception location details, or integrating live video feeds and Facebook comments, the possibilities are growing every day, and it has caused WedShare to change how they develop their wedding website apps.

"Social media integration is increasing exponentially," Melendez says. "Last year we were integrated with just Twitter and YouTube. This year already we have apps for Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, multiple apps for Facebook, and an entire new series in the works. It lets couples personalize their wedding websites so much more. We're excited to see how things will play out moving forward."

For more information and to learn more about personal wedding websites, visit: WedShare.com.

Jason Melendez WedShare.com (408) 404-5225 Email Information

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Wedding Website Provider Cites Rise of Facebook, Pinterest as Catalyst Behind New Online Software

The director of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), Dr. Graciano Yumul, Jr., on Monday availed of early retirement after 28 years of public service.

Yumul, who was also the Undersecretary for Research and Development at the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), retired for very private, personal reasons, according to DOST secretary Mario Montejo.

It is with deep regret that I accept the decision of Undersecretary Graciano Yumul, Jr. to seek optional retirement from government service due to personal reasons, Montejo said in a press conference.

There was no pressure from the government for him to resign. Even I was surprised by his decision.

Yumul submitted his resignation letter on March 11, effective immediately, according to PAGASA spokesperson Dr. Raymund Liboro.

He's a tough cookie and would not give in easily to pressure, Liboro told the Star, emphasizing that Yumuls reasons were personal.

A third government official reiterated the personal nature Yumuls decision.

It was Undersecretary Yumul who chose to optionally retire, Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda noted in a press briefing yesterday. There is no politics involved in his decision to retire early.

Yumul had been the DOST head of R&D since 2006. Yumul was appointed Pagasa director in 2010, following the sacking of head Priscillo Nilo, who the president berated for being way off mark in predicting the path of Typhoon Basyang.

Montejo appointed Dr. Amelia Guevara, a long-time associate of the DOST and the Executive Director of the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development, to replace Yumul as officer-in-charge of DOST R&D.

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Pagasa head retiring for 'personal reasons'

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2VM9NXk3Po

08-03-2012 18:03 Chris Paschane, President & Founder of Veterans Fitness Career College, shares the staggering unemployment challenges our transitioning veterans are facing along with the Veterans Fitness Career College (VFCC) SOLUTION. At VFCC, we provide a fitness education via online learning along with the necessary social support and accommodation many veterans require in order to succeed. In addition, VFCC provides practical learning options for veterans via apprentice programs with experienced Fitness Trainers at high quality health clubs. Best of all, upon completion of this 8-week program, veterans will receive direct job placement with our partnering health club organizations.

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Veterans Fitness Career College with Chris Paschane (6min) - Video