Retirement Income

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Forbes· 2025-08-29 21:00
Retirement Planning - Expat havens offer a way to stretch retirement income [1] - It is possible to live the good life for less than $2,000 per month in certain expat locations [1] Cost of Living - The report highlights locations where retirees can maintain a comfortable lifestyle on a budget [1]
Why The U.S. Retirement System Gets A C+ Rating
CNBC· 2025-08-29 16:00
U.S. Retirement System Challenges - U.S Social Security is facing insolvency by 2033, potentially leading to a 20% benefit cut if the trust fund runs short [1] - The U S retirement system received a C+ rating from the Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index in 2024, indicating a solid system with significant risks [1][2] - 401(k) system may not be effective as funds are often withdrawn before retirement for various needs [3] - By 2050, the world could face a $400 trillion shortfall in retirement savings, with the U S being a major contributor to this problem [29] - In 2019, the estimated loss of savings due to 401(k) cash outs ranged from $60 billion to $105 billion [19] Global Comparison and Solutions - Countries are raising retirement ages and requiring mandatory contributions to address issues like longer lifespans and fewer workers paying into the system [4] - A grade retirement systems often feature a net replacement rate of at least 65% for median income earners, private pension coverage of at least 80% of the working-age population, and pension contributions of at least 12% of wages [5][6] - The Netherlands, with its mandatory contributions, serves as a model, transitioning from defined benefit to defined contribution plans [7][9][10] - Australia's mandatory defined contribution plan, covering everyone, is highlighted as a successful approach [11] U.S. Strengths and Weaknesses - U S retirement plan assets are 250% (two and a half times) the median of OECD countries, indicating high savings rates [14] - Despite high savings, the median retirement savings for baby boomers is zero, highlighting inequality [15] - While 70% of U S workers had access to a retirement plan as of March 2023, only 53% participated, indicating a coverage issue [17] - The U S system's voluntary nature and allowance of pre-retirement withdrawals are criticized, but the high savings rates and retirement incomes suggest some success [10][13][34]
Looking to Fund Your Retirement With Dividends? Here Are 3 Awesome High-Yielders You Need to Know About.
The Motley Fool· 2025-08-25 08:27
Core Insights - The article discusses the importance of investing in high-quality, high-yielding stocks to bridge the projected retirement income shortfall for American households, which is over 30% between Social Security and personal savings [1][2]. Group 1: Black Hills (BKH) - Black Hills has a market capitalization of approximately $4.4 billion, significantly smaller than industry giant NextEra Energy, which has a market cap of $155 billion [4]. - The company has achieved Dividend King status with 55 consecutive annual dividend increases, surpassing NextEra's 31 years [4]. - Black Hills offers a dividend yield of 4.3%, which is higher than NextEra's 3% and the average utility yield of 2.7%, making it attractive relative to its historical yield levels [5]. - The company is merging with Northwestern Energy, which is expected to create a combined entity nearly twice its size and with a faster growth trajectory [7]. - Post-merger dividend policy remains undisclosed, indicating potential changes, but the yield is expected to remain attractive [8]. Group 2: MPLX (MPLX) - MPLX has a strong track record of increasing its payouts annually since its formation in 2012, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.7% since 2021, and currently yields over 7.5% [9][10]. - The company generated over $2.9 billion in distributable cash flow in the first half of the year, covering its payout by 1.5 times, resulting in nearly $1 billion in surplus free cash flow [10]. - MPLX maintains a low leverage ratio of 3.1 times, allowing flexibility for acquisitions, including a recent $2.4 billion deal for Northwind Midstream [11]. - The company is investing in organic growth initiatives with multiple expansion projects expected to come online through 2029, providing stable cash flow [12]. - MPLX combines high yield and growth potential, making it suitable for retirement income investors [13]. Group 3: Brookfield Renewable (BEPC) - Brookfield Renewable has increased its dividend every year since 2001, with a CAGR of 6%, while its funds from operations (FFO) per unit grew at a CAGR of 11% [14]. - The company has a robust growth pipeline of over 70 gigawatts and plans to invest $8 billion to $9 billion over the next five years [15]. - Nearly 90% of Brookfield Renewable's FFO is contracted, providing stability and predictability [15]. - The company expects to grow its annual FFO per unit by over 10% in the next decade and annual dividend per share by 5% to 9%, with a current yield of 4.5% [16].