“Retirement is a time for personal growth, which becomes a path to a greater personal freedom.” Your retirement is often the perfect time to delve into your hobbies and passions that took a sideline since you were engrossed in ensuring that you and your family lead a comfortable life. You would be taking a great risk if you didn’t start planning for your retirement while you are still working, and this retirement planning involves investing in the right places which will yield desirable output at the right time. Simply relying on your Social Security would threaten your peace of mind, and you would be left high and dry in case of emergencies.
So, how does one lead an ideal retirement life? In addition to opting for retirement plans that your employer provides, such as 401(K) plans, it is imperative that you invest in the right, interest-yielding places. When you think interest, you think stocks. However, people harbor this misconception that stocks are foolproof, but the recent stock market crashes have proven that stocks can be perilous as well. In such cases, bonds are what seem like the ideal choice. There are a plethora of reasons why people opt to invest in bonds; bonds provide stability, pay interest regularly, are highly secure, and are a source of tax-free income.
Here are some of the top retirement bond funds you can consider investing in.
Fidelity ® Intermediate Bond Fund
Fidelity Investments offers one of the top retirement bond funds and requires a minimum investment of $2,500. It is the ideal bond fund for those who are looking for the long-term investments in the time of rising interest rates. As the federal reserve is known to hike the rates at least thrice a year, it can exert pressure on long-dated bonds, and make shorter and intermediate-term fare more appealing. One can say that Fidelity ® Intermediate Bond Fund would be a safer investment for you if you have risker funds in your portfolio as this bond fund would act as a core anchor.
Vanguard Target Retirement 2025 Fund
It is one of the top retirement bond investment funds as it requires only $1,000 as a minimum investment. Also, it is best-suited for those investors who have five to seven years to retirement as this fund expires in the year 2025. This retirement bond fund has the ability to withstand risks which arise from volatile stock and bond markets. This retirement bond fund invests in four of Vanguard’s index funds and holds approximately 65% of the assets in stocks and 35% in bonds. Also, this fund allocates 25.7% of its fixed income weight to the US bonds with 11% devoted to international debt.
Buffalo Discovery Fund
You are often advised against investing in companies that are still growing in a bid to steer clear off incurring any kind of losses. However, what most of us don’t realize that as long such a retirement bond is a moderate part of your portfolio, you won’t be coming in harm’s way. A growth fund from Buffalo Discovery Fund makes for a meaningful investment in small and mid-size operators. Moreover, your portfolio will be managed by efficient portfolio managers who engage in a disciplined approach to find opportunities that were overlooked, and unlike other retirement bond fund firms, with Buffalo Discovery Fund, it is not simply about tech and healthcare; they invest in other industries as well.
VanEck Vectors® High-Yield Municipal Index ETF
This is one of the top retirement bond funds, and it is a municipal bond. These function on the lines of the Treasurys as these are also in government debts but are issued by the state, countries, cities, and other municipalities. Investing in this retirement bond fund is quite sensible, even if these municipal bonds aren’t as secure as the Treasurys, they yield more than their other counterparts. Also, another sensible reason to invest in this retirement bond funds is that it offers more income than their headline yield indicates as they are exempted from federal taxes, and at times from the state and city taxes as well.
If you invest in the right retirement bond fund, which yields the required results, you can live securely in your twilight years.
A house becomes a home only when one adds their own personal touch to it. Home furnishings, for example, not only reflects the lifestyle of the owner of the home but also their tastes and preferences in interior design and decor. Therefore one should put in some thought before purchasing home furnishings such as sofa covers.
Listed below are a few reasons why every sofa needs a sofa cover.
Sofa covers, thus, are a must for every household. What are you waiting for? Buy one today!
Now that you have decided to buy a modular home, it is important to pick the right manufacturer that will provide you with the home that you always dreamed of living in. The past decade has seen a boom in the modular home manufacturers claiming to be the best in the business. However, you need to make sure that you invest in the right manufacturer that can strikes the right balance between convenience, comfort, and economy.
Here are the relevant factors based on which you should choose the right modular home manufacturer:
Type of modular home- When choosing a modular home manufacturer, you also need to pick the type of modular home based on your budget and floor plan. Manufacturers have different types of standards as well as their signature designs. Make sure you pick a manufacturer with the widest range of designs and customization options.
Manufacturer’s location- This is one of the most important factors when it comes to choosing a modular home. Know where their factory or manufacturing facility is located. Some of the largest manufacturers have more than nine facilities across the county and even in Canada. Pick a manufacturer that has its factory located near your location as it will help you save on transportation cost.
Brand partnership– Modular manufacturers should have partnerships with multiple brands selling kitchen appliances, windows, and doors etc. Having multiple brands gives multiple options and lets you set a wider budget for your modular home. It also saves you time if you are opting for certain customized fittings.
Size of the manufacturer- Working with a large modular home manufacturer has its own set of advantages. It has reduced costs of building and it is a one-stop shop as they have probably partnered with multiple brands. Secondly since they have been in the business for a while, you can rest assured that they know the ropes well. However, if you want the manufacturing of your modular home to get personal attention and guidance, then it is advisable to go for smaller manufacturers.
Apart from the factors mentioned above, most of them have an official website depicting their work. Do your research thoroughly, surf through their website and read customer reviews before choosing the best manufacturer for your dream home.
One of the least likable aspects of the beauty industry is animal testing. Numerous cosmetics brands do product testing on animals. However, there are many other brands that refrain from animal testing and are cruelty-free. Many of these brands use organic ingredients in their products. Thus, it is possible to do your bit for the environment and your skin by using cosmetics of these organic and cruelty-free brands. Here are a few popular cruelty-free brands of cosmetic products.