5 good tools for 401(k) investors

By the end of this month, you should have received your annual 401(k) fee statement, outlining how much you’re paying in expenses on all the investments in that retirement portfolio. The mandatory disclosures shows how much you paid in fees for every $1,000 invested. Those disclosures may want to make you think about swapping out some funds.

Since 2012, participants in 401(k)s have been able to see more clearly how much they are paying for the management and administration of their plans and funds. Quarterly statements detail those fees and expenses.

As a general rule of thumb, you shouldn’t pay more than 1 percent of assets in fees for any one holding in a 401(k), especially if you work for a very large company with the muscle to negotiate provider fees. And index funds should be far less expensive, no more than 0.01 percent of assets for a fund that follows a broad-based index like the S&P 500. If your disclosure shows otherwise, it might be time to push for an overhaul of the fund lineup or even a change in providers. Or, think about investing outside of your 401(k), where you may have better choices. Here are five tools that can help you decide and choose:

• BrightScope uses IRS information to rate 401(k) plans on factors including total cost and generosity of the company match. It shows how your plan stacks up against plans from similar employers and against all 401(k) plans. (It’s free, but for a more detailed report, you’ll have to pay $100 and get access permission from your plan’s fiduciary; contact BrightScope for details.)

• Morningstar has information on thousands of funds. Type in the ticker symbol of the fund you’d like to replace in the search box. Morningstar will identify what kind of fund it is, such as small-cap value or large-cap blend, and compare the fund’s performance to a benchmark. You can then plug in the names of other funds in your plan to find comparable options. (Registration is free. Morningstar Premium, a pay service, which has more comparison tools, is free for a 14-day trial; subscriptions start at $189 per year or $23 per month.)

Consumer Reports helps you make investment products such as mutual funds, ETFs, and annuities work together for you.

• Morningstar’s Instant X-Ray can give you more detail on your portfolio, including asset allocations, variety of different investment styles, geographic regions covered by the investments, and sectors. (The same subscription terms apply for using the tool.)

• Fund Analyzer, free and sponsored by Financial Industry Regulatory Au­thor­i­ty (FINRA), shows the lowest-cost option among three funds of your choosing. To get your results, you’ll need to input the funds’ ticker symbols and estimated returns, and your expected investment period.

• Personal Capital requires you to register and provide a cell phone number to use some of this site’s free tools. By typing in some basic information, you can get a free projection of what you’ll have in retirement, as well as what you’ll need. You also will get a target asset allocation. If you then want to compare that with your current allocation, you’ll need to provide the log-in and password for your 401(k). Personal Capital draws the information from your account in order to make its projections and recommendations. If all that makes you uncomfortable, check with your own 401(k); those administered by major providers like Vanguard, Fidelity and T. Rowe Price often offer similar tools for plan participants.

Culled from consumer report

British Airways passengers, crew escape plane fire in Las Vegas Reuters By Daniel Wallis

.

A British Airways passenger jet is shown after a fire at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas …

By Daniel Wallis

(Reuters) - A British Airways jetliner engine caught fire in Las Vegas as the plane was about to leave for London on Tuesday, forcing the pilots to abort takeoff, but all 172 passengers and crew escaped the smoke and flames that quickly enveloped the aircraft.

Several passengers and crew suffered minor injuries and were taken to the hospital as a precaution, a spokeswoman for the airline said. She did not say how many people were injured.

Video and photographs from the scene showed Flight 2276, a Boeing Co 777 bound for Gatwick, engulfed in flames and thick black smoke at McCarran International Airport.

Passengers were evacuated from the twin-engine, wide-body jet to the runway using emergency slides, officials said.

"Our crew evacuated the aircraft safely and the fire was quickly extinguished by the emergency services at the airport," the British Airways spokeswoman said..

According to preliminary information, the plane's left engine burst into flames on takeoff, said Ian Gregor, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration's Pacific Division.

He said the plane was carrying 159 passengers and a crew of 13.

British Airways said the plane suffered a technical difficulty.

A photograph posted by the airport of the immediate aftermath of the fire showed the plane idled on the runway with its fuselage charred.

The fire temporarily delayed flights across the western United States.

Jacob Steinberg, a sports journalist for Britain's Guardian newspaper, wrote on Twitter that he had fallen asleep on the plane during takeoff and felt the jetliner come to "crashing halt."

"Could smell and see smoke but was on other side of plane. One person said fire melted a couple of windows," Steinberg wrote. "They opened the back door and slide went down and smoke started coming in plane, followed by mad dash to front. A lot of panic."

A spokeswoman for British Airways, which is owned by IAG, said safety was always the top priority and the airline was providing passengers with hotel accommodation and other needs.

(Reporting by Victoria Cavaliere; Editing by Nick Macfie)

Culled from Reuter

Money Minute: 3 ways to save on rent-Mandi Woodruff

America is becoming a nation of renters, a trend that is driving rental prices to new heights. Nearly half of U.S. renters are spending more than 30% of their income on housing, according to a report released earlier this year by the National Low-Income Housing Coalition. And one in four renter households spend more than half their income on housing.

Wondering how to save on rent? I've got you covered:

Don’t be afraid to negotiate. Some landlords may be willing to drop their asking price -- IF you can prove you’re a reliable tenant. Come prepared with bank statements, a stellar credit history, and references from past landlords if you’ve got them. You can also ask if they’ll lower the rent if you commit to a longer lease or agree to put up several months’ worth of rent in advance.

Rent in the winter and early spring. According to rent.com, this is the slow season for landlords. That means they may be more willing to negotiate their rates. One downside to this strategy is that because fewer people are moving apartments this time of year, you’ll have fewer options to choose from.

Don’t lose your security deposit. Take photos of any existing damage in your apartment as soon as you move in and send a copy to your landlord. And read your lease carefully -- they can keep all or part of your deposit if you don’t follow the move-out guidelines, like cleaning carpets or windows.

Bonus tip: Protect your belongings. Take out a cheap renters insurance policy to protect your stuff. If something horrible happens, like a fire or a flood, your building’s owner will only repair the structure itself -- they’re under no legal obligation to replace your laptop or shoe collection

CULLED FROM YAHOO FINANCE