401k Investors Want Help With Asset Allocation Strategies.

This article will focus on 401k plan participants expressed desire for help with asset allocation strategies; but, with a twist.

The author just finished reading a white paper prepared by ING Retirement Research Institute released on 3/31/2011. The title of the report is “Shedding Light on Retirement.” 2,600 401k plan participants were surveyed by the Boston Consulting Group on behalf of ING. One commentator took the report and proclaimed that the report indicated plan participants wanted help from their employers with asset allocation strategies. In fact 89% of the respondents said this was the help they wanted.

This is why I always prefer to read source material. Yes, the plan participants did say they wanted this help. However, in looking at the report, there were notable paradoxes in the responses. Specifically, 79% said they want control over how they invest; yet, over half stated they want more guidance, a roadmap, from their employer. In addition, 76% stated they want more investment choices; however, over half said they do not know how to achieve their retirement goals.

ING’s response to this survey was to create a website to help participants with education and offer personal contact, if they wish.

I suppose that is one solution. Perhaps another solution would be for employers to include professional 401k advisors for face-to-face, employee consultations. Survey participants seemed to suggest this is what they wanted; but, will such an offering by employers expose them to the Fiduciary Liability that they were so anxious to avoid when they terminated defined benefit plans?

Perhaps the responsibility is on the employee to realize they are truly on their own to find finance professional for themselves. Asset allocation strategies are not the only thing that 401k plan participants desire.  Many said they need help determining how much money they will need to take them through their retirement years and they also wanted help with an annual checkup to see if they are on track. Perhaps 401k advisors are the answer. The real question is how to deliver the service.

Tax Lien Investing – Smart Move for Investors

Cash flow notes can be bought or sold and if you procure one, then the debtor will owe you the debt. Tax lien certificates, trust deeds, and home mortgages are examples. A great investment is business in tax lien certificates. Tax lien investing is attached to a property which makes it a low-risk investment. With the tax lien, the owner could never sell their property so the property would serve as your insurance that the owner will meet their commitments.

The certificate was bought at a discounted price and this is where you will get your profits. The owner may owe you the original amount but you bought it at a discounted amount. Your investments could then be placed in real estate or property inclined businesses.

Properties like houses and lots never lose their value and they could even increase over time, which makes real estate the benchmark amongst other business industries. It’s also considered the safest and most lucrative investment you could make.

You may want to pursue tax lien investing if you want to earn money through real estate investing because this would be a good strategy as foreclosure rises. The real estate rose in popularity in the 21st century where everyone, even without trying, was making real estate profits. If you bought a piece of property, you can sell or tap your equity after waiting a few months for appreciation.

Many people were comfortable taking on ARMs or adjustable state mortgages because of the real estate craze. But in the late 1990’s, nothing goes up 20-50%. The market is slowing down, so it’s time for a new strategy.

Tax lien investing is one strategy that works well in times of foreclosure rates. Real estate bills become delinquent when mortgage payments are delinquent which would cause cash flow problems for local governments. Because of this, an investor is allowed to pay the taxes and in turn, they would get the government property tax lien. The homeowner will have more time to find the money they need in order to pay the tax bill.

Investing in tax liens is profitable and safe. The interest rate fluctuations have no effect because they are set by state law. Also, you can take full ownership of the property if you don’t receive your money back plus interest.