Retirement Guide 2012

(MONEY Magazine) -- For three decades, Bob Lowry consulted for small radio stations, logging more than 100,000 miles a year on the road. Then media conglomerates began gobbling up his clients. By 2001, at age 52, Lowry faced a tough choice: "I could reinvent myself or retire and make do with what we had."

Bob and his wife, Betty, then 47 and a preschool teacher in their hometown of Scottsdale, took a hard look at their finances. With $850,000 saved, they were short of their $1.2 million target. To retire a decade earlier than planned, they calculated that they needed to live on $45,000 a year, less than a third of their $150,000 income.

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Laid off and making the retirement savings last

Roxann & Ed Parker, 59 and 63, O'Fallon, Mo. Retired.

(MONEY Magazine) -- We spoke to five families who face challenges that could keep them from meeting their financial goals. With a few tweaks to their game plan, they can get back on course. Here, the Parkers' story -- and the recommended financial fixes.

Ed Parker never planned on retiring early. But in 2009, at age 61, he was laid off from his job as a manager at a Caterpillar dealership and realized he was ready to end full-time work. His wife, Roxann, had retired a decade earlier from her job at a department store, and travel plans beckoned.

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REITs to avoid

(MONEY magazine) -- Investors are racing into REITs that promise higher yields than equity REITs. But be forewarned, the higher yields of these other types of real estate vehicles come with very real risks.

Mortgage REITs

If the modest payouts of an equity REIT don't grab you, the 15% average yield of mortgage REITs -- publicly traded companies that invest in residential or commercial mortgages -- may have some appeal.

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Don't rush into REITs

(MONEY Magazine) -- You'd think that investors would be leery of companies that own and manage commercial real estate. Vacancy rates remain elevated in office buildings and shopping centers. Except for apartment buildings, rents really haven't grown at all in four years. And given the possibility that the global economy may retrench yet again, things could still get worse before they get better.

Yet last year, nine times as much money poured into funds that invest in real estate investment trusts, or REITs, as did in 2009.

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Investing overseas: Finding balance

Real EstateRetirementJobsAutosTaxesSpendingCollegeBest Places to LiveAsk the ExpertHelp DeskVideoTablet ViewBest New Money Moves commentsInvesting overseas: Find the right balanceBy Paul J. Lim

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Home repairs: Which jobs come first?

You can't afford to tackle every big home repair project at once. So use this list to help you prioritize.

(MONEY Magazine) -- Lean times call for budgetary triage. But while you should clearly opt for orthodontics before Disneyland, the choice is tougher when it comes to home maintenance.

Should you get a paint job or a new furnace? "There's no homeowner's manual that tells you when to do what," says Naperville, Ill., home inspector and structural engineer Mark Waldman.

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Student loans: Hit a bull's-eye with your FAFSA

(MONEY Magazine) -- If you have a child headed off to college this fall, you've got an important item on your to-do list: the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which you can submit as early as Jan. 1.

The number filed for the past year was up 11% to a record 21 million, while the budget for federal aid increased by only 7% and funding shrank in many states.

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Beat stress for less

(MONEY Magazine) -- This year the end of the holidays probably didn't bring the usual stress relief; there are still worries about unemployment, a flailing housing market, and a volatile stock market, all of which may be taking a toll on your health.

Stress increases your risk of a host of ailments, including heart disease, weight gain, gum disease, and even the common cold, says Dr. Miriam Alexander, president of the American College of Preventive Medicine. That, in turn, will hit your wallet.

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Get more from a second doctor's opinion

Three ways to make sure that a doctor's second opinion and a fresh perspective is worth the investment.

(MONEY Magazine) -- If you're like most people, you're inclined to trust your doctor's advice.

According to Gallup, 70% of Americans say they don't feel the need for a second opinion or extra research on a medical issue. Plus, you'll likely have to fork over bucks for the visit, especially if you're in a high-deductible plan.

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Adventure travel bargains

Rafting, cycling and trekking trips are red-hot and often pricey. Use these smart strategies to keep costs down to earth.

(MONEY Magazine) -- Lots of Americans these days want something more from a vacation than vegging out on a beach, a mojito close at hand. Some 30% of respondents to a Travel-Ticker.com survey put adventure travel on their 2012 wish list, and spending in the category has been growing 17% a year, even as economic woes slowed leisure travel overall.

Engaging in intense physical activity, connecting with nature, discovering an exotic culture -- if you're lucky, such experiences will send you back to your everyday life with a renewed sense of passion and purpose.

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