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Concluding its study on the 401 k plans, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), suggests that companies managing these retirement plans must disclose more about fees paid to them for investments recommended.

Clearer 401 k plan dealings will protect sponsors and plan participants from conflict in interests leading to investing in less beneficial financial tools. Selecting an alternate plan over the 401 k option can significantly reduce a worker's retirement savings.

GAO finds that 401 k record-keepers engage in cross-selling of additional products like individual retirement accounts (IRA) with a high fee component. The Fee on IRA is usually 25 basis points (bps) to 30bps higher than that on 401 k plans.

With Americans trying to save all they can for their retirement, they shouldn't require fighting financial firms scheming to boost their profits behind their backs, states George Miller, a California Democrat and member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

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Being a small or medium sized business owner means, you would have to face a lot of risk on a daily basis. Irrespective of what risks you face and irrespective of what expenses you have, it is a must that you would have to set apart a particular amount out of your profits as a retirement fund for your future.

In many cases, such a retirement fund is usually dormant which means that the rate of interest paid over such an investment is usually not that very great. However, the best boon your as a business owner could ask for would be the 401k investments.

With these investments, you now have the freedom to invest your retirement fund into any kind of investments and not worry about the taxes since the earnings on these investments are absolutely tax free.

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Budgeting for a single person is hard enough: keeping track of personal expenses, credit cards, savings, and the like. Add a spouse and children, and you've got a large project that really needs the attention of both partners for successful family finances.

It's important to set aside time once a week or at the very least once a month. Get together with your spouse and go over the expenditures that each person made during that time period. You can split tasks however you see fit. One of you can sit in the driver's seat at the computer while the other reads the data to be typed in.

Working together on budgeting is one way to express your commitment together toward achieving your family goals. Add a hot drink and dessert and you've got yourselves a date!