After over a year of non-stop campaigns and hoopla, the spectacle, and ordeal, of a Presidential election is finally over. The candidates, and the American people, can breathe a sigh of relief.

But not for long. President-Elect Obama has his work cut out for him. He’ll face an economy slipping into recession, a nation divided over our continuing role in Iraq and Afghanistan, astronomical government deficits, and teetering financial markets.

Hopefully, he and the new Congress will be able to work together to solve these and our nation’s many other problems. And to ensure future retirees’ financial security at the same time!

At AAFR, we wish him, Vice President-Elect Biden, and our other elected officials, Republicans, Democrats, and Independents, all the best in their endeavors. And we salute Senator McCain, Governor Palin, and those departing from the Congress for their essential contribution to a vibrant American democracy.

As Thanksgiving approaches, we would all do well to reflect on the blessing of a free, orderly, and non-violent process of selecting those who will bear the responsibility for governing us.

As the example of many other countries shows, it is not something to be taken for granted.

The presidential election isn't the only election that will take place on Tuesday.

House and Senate races can be even more important when it comes to the critical issues that will shape future retirees' lives.
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To be sure, 401(k) plans are not a “be-all-and-end-all.” Their biggest drawback is that they do not guarantee any specific monthly income. Since they are simply tax-favored investment plans, they can go up or down depending on what the money is invested in.

Law Professor Richard L. Kaplan has taken this inherent aspect of all investments and has, in his own mind, turned it into a “flaw”—a flaw so serious that he has floated a proposal that, if implemented, would mean the end of 401(k) plans altogether.
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Every week, it seems, a new story surfaces about a retiree whose golden years have been ruined by an investment scam. The stories are depressingly similar. They begin with people struggling to make ends meet. Then come telephone sales pitches, free-lunch seminars, friendly but pushy “advisors,” and promises of high returns coupled with absolute safety. The stories inevitably end with huge losses and shattered lives.

Yet you have to invest your retirement nest egg somewhere. And you want to get the best possible return on your investment, both to have enough to live on, and to ensure that it won’t be eaten up by withdrawals and inflation. How can you be sure that an investment “opportunity” isn’t really a scam? Follow these six guidelines
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AAFR has repeatedly warned against Social Security "privatization" schemes, which are usually floated by Republicans. But some Democrats, too, want to get their hands on future retirees' money. How? By taxing, confiscating, or otherwise monkeying with the trillions of dollars currently invested in 401(k) plans.
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