WSJ Recognizes our Retirement Blog

I was honored to be in the company of some excellent retirement writers recognized in a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, “My Favorite Writers on Retirement Planning.” Since I started writing this blog in May 2011 for the Center for Retirement Research, which is funded by the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA), retirement writers have come out of the woodwork to help the swarms of retiring baby boomers – and many of us need it!

Others featured in the article by the Journal’s Glenn Ruffenach – some new, some veterans – include financial planner Michael Kitces, whom I’ve interviewed about tax strategies for retirement plan withdrawals. Most everyone knows Jonathan Clements, a former long-time Journal reporter now editing and writing a blog. Last but not least, I’ll mention Mike Piper, a certified public accountant – someone new to interview! – and Christine Benz of Morningstar, a Chicago firm that is a long-time source of data and information for this blog.

Each writer is distinct. So, what do we try to do here at Squared Away?

1. We’re part of a Boston College research institute, so research, including though not limited to SSA-funded research by scholars around the country, is critical to our mission. At its best, research eliminates the mystery about things retirees and retirement planners care about to help ensure that we’re making the right decisions.
2. Our research institute is fiercely independent, and so is this blog.
   
   Financial institutions, experts, and writers trying to sell retirement products and services inundate boomers with information online, on television, and in advertising. The desire to sell can get in the way of reliable advice, particularly in the personal finance blogosphere. Squared Away is not selling anything and does not accept advertising or paid content.
3. Finally, thanks to being a veteran reporter who covered the economy and financial industry for The Boston Globe, I was able to meet Ruffenach’s requirement for writing “clearly and frequently.” Squared Away publishes every Tuesday and Thursday.

 
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