2011's top performers so far

2011's top performers so far

2011's top performers so far, In a tough year so far for stocks, these 10 companies on the S&P 500 have bucked the bearish trends, rising at least 30%.

Defying gravity
Ten companies on the benchmark Standard & Poor's 500 Index ($INX) are up at least 30% so far in this tumultuous year in the markets. Half are in the health care industry, and two are in the aerospace and defense industry.

The S&P, which tracks the performance of the 500 largest U.S. companies and is used as a benchmark for the health of the U.S. equities market, was down 14.3% through September, with most of the decline occurring in the past two months. So the performance of these 10 companies is impressive.

Following is a closer look at the top 10 S&P stocks in the first nine months of 2011.

10. Watson Pharmaceuticals
Company profile: Watson Pharmaceuticals (WPI) is the world's fourth-largest maker of generic drugs. It also makes branded pharmaceuticals.

2011 return: 32.1%

Standard & Poor's analysts have an $80 price target on Watson Pharmaceuticals. The company is expected to get a big boost in November when Pfizer's Lipitor goes off patent and Watson can begin selling a generic version of the cholesterol-lowering drug.

Standard & Poor's projects Watson's revenue will grow 25% in 2011 to $4.5 billion. best-selling generic drugs,

9. Humana
Company profile: Humana (HUM) is one of the nation's largest managed-care organizations, with more than 11 million members. The company offers an array of health and supplemental benefit products for employer groups, government benefit programs and individuals.

2011 return: 32.9%

For the five years through 2010, Humana's health plan enrollment grew at a compound annual growth rate of 3.7%, revenue grew at an 18.4% rate, and operating earnings per share grew 28.6%, according to Standard & Poor's. Analysts' consensus earnings estimate is for 2% growth in 2012 to $7.81 per share.

8. Goodrich
Company profile: Many people still remember Goodrich (GR) as a tire-maker, but it exited that business in 1988. Goodrich is one of the world's biggest suppliers of aerospace components. It serves the business aircraft, helicopter and defense markets.

2011 return: 37.0%

On Sept. 21, United Technologies (UTX) announced it had reached an agreement to purchase Goodrich for $127.50 per share in cash, including the assumption of debt. United Technologies is a manufacturer of high-technology products and services for the global aerospace and building industries. biggest mergers of 2011,

7. Biogen Idec
Company profile: Biogen Idec (BIIB) is a biotechnology company focused on developing drugs for neurological disorders and other medical conditions.

2011 return: 38.9%

Biogen's core franchise is in treatments for autoimmune disorders. The recent approval of a new five-year European marketing plan for multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri and positive findings from a study of Avonex, another multiple sclerosis drug, have attracted investors.

The company also has a strong pipeline, with several products already in or entering Phase III clinical trials.

Analysts estimate that Biogen Idec will earn $5.87 per share in fiscal 2011 and that earnings will grow by 8%, to $6.34, in 2012. S&P analysts have a price target of $108 on the stock.

6. VF
Company profile: VF (VFC) is one of the world's largest apparel companies. It specializes in jeans, sportswear, outdoor apparel and footwear. Among its brands are Lee, Wrangler, Nautica, the North Face, Vans and Seven for All Mankind.

2011 return: 41.0%

Standard & Poor's has a $140 price target on the stock. In June the company announced its intention to buy Timberland for about $2 billion, which is expected to be a contributor to new growth.

VF benefits from substantial economies of scale in sourcing and distribution. In its most recent quarter, it posted earnings of $1.17 per share, versus $1 per share in the previous quarter, on a 15% increase in revenue. The company raised its 2011 guidance and said it now expects revenue to rise 12% this year. fall fashions,

5. Intuitive Surgical
Company profile: Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) makes and sells the da Vinci Surgical System, a robot-assisted surgical device that enables surgeons to perform complex procedures, such as open-heart surgery, with one- to two-centimeter incisions.

2011 return: 41.3%

Analysts at Standard & Poor's have a $420 price target on shares of Intuitive Surgical. The company saw revenue growth of 34% last year, driven by sales of a new da Vinci system. The analysts expect next year's earnings to grow by 18%.

4. MasterCard
Company profile: MasterCard (MA) services and supports credit, debit and related payment programs to financial institutions.

2011 return: 41.5%

Shares of MasterCard have been on a steady upward climb for the past three years, recently reaching a record $361.94 on Sept. 20. Its shares have an eye-popping five-year average annual return of 39%. Its earnings are up even though consumer spending is off due to high unemployment and the weak economy. It is benefiting from a worldwide trend toward more card usage in lieu of cash and checks.

Standard & Poor's analysts have a 12-month $350 price target on the stock.

MasterCard is a darling among institutional investors, who own 78% of its outstanding shares. During the second quarter, billionaire investor Warren Buffett doubled his stake in the card processor.

3. Chipotle Mexican Grill
Company profile: Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) operates fast-casual Mexican food restaurants in 35 states.

2011 return: 42.4%

The company had sales of $1.8 billion last year, making it the leader in the fast-casual restaurant category.

Its shares are up 92% over the past 12 months, giving it a market value of $10 billion.

In the second quarter, profit rose 9%, while revenue for the three months ended June 30 rose 22%. Standard & Poor's has a $330 price target on the stock.

Institutional investors love this stock, as they own 62% of its outstanding shares. Fidelity Investments is the leader, with a 13.9% stake. fastest growing fast food chains,

2. Cerner
Company profile: Cerner (CERN) provides information technology and related services to health care companies.

2011 return: 44.6%

The company's Millennium software platform combines clinical, financial and administrative data that patients, hospitals, pharmacies, laboratories and medical offices can access in real time.

The company operates in 25 countries, but 84% of its revenue is derived from U.S. customers. After a strong second quarter, Cerner raised its full-year earnings outlook to a range of $1.80 to $1.83 per share, up from the consensus forecast of analysts, $1.73.

Standard & Poor's has an $80 price target on the stock. investing in health care,

1. Cabot Oil and Gas
Company profile: Cabot Oil & Gas (COG) explores for and produces natural gas as well as some oil. The company is involved in the Marcellus shale project in northern Appalachia, which is producing natural gas. It also has operations in the Gulf Coast and the Rockies.

2011 return: 63.6%

Cabot was an early leader in the Marcellus exploration and gobbled up drilling rights cheaply. The company is now benefiting from the moves. It also has a promising new venture in oil production in Texas.

Standard & Poor's has a 12-month price target of $78 on the stock. gas prices around the world,

Texting & driving worse than thought, study finds

Texting & driving worse than thought, study finds

Texting & driving worse than thought, study finds. Texting while driving is more dangerous than drink-driving. Texting while driving is riskier than driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, a study has suggested. The Transport Research Laboratory found that motorists who use their mobile phone to send text messages while on the road dramatically increase the likelihood of collision.

Their reaction times deteriorated by 35 per cent, much worse than those who drank alcohol at the legal limit, who were 12 per cent slower, or those who had taken cannabis, who were 21 per cent slower.

In addition, drivers who sent or read text messages were more prone to drift out of their lane, the research found, with steering control by texters 91 per cent poorer than that of drivers devoting their full concentration to the road.

This compared with a decline of 35 per cent by drivers under the influence of cannabis. The ability to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front also fell.

Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation, which commissioned the research, said: “No responsible motorist would drink and drive. We need to ensure that text devotees understand that texting is one of the most hazardous things that can be done while in charge of a motor car.”

Despite it being illegal for a motorist to use a handheld phone behind the wheel, the RAC Foundation said that nearly half of British drivers aged between 18 and 24 admitted to texting on the roads. Yet only 144,000 people were prosecuted for using their mobile while driving last year.

During the study, the Transport Research Laboratory concluded that text messages took on average 63 seconds to compose while the phone owner was driving, compared with 22 seconds when sent from a desk.

In one minute, a car travels half a mile at town centre speeds and more than a mile on the motorway.

Nick Reed, lead researcher for the study, said: “This demonstrates how dangerous it is to drive and text. When texting, drivers are distracted by taking their hand off the wheel to use their phone, by trying to read small text on the phone display and by thinking about how to write their message.

“This combination of factors resulted in impairments to reaction time and vehicle control that place the driver at greater risk than having consumed alcohol to the legal limit for driving.”

The Department for Transport said: “Driving and mobile phones don’t mix. That is why we increased the penalty for illegally using a mobile when driving to three penalty points and a £60 fine and have run hard-hitting campaigns to remind drivers of the dangers of using a phone in any way by encouraging them to ‘Switch off before you drive off’.”

Last month the law changed so that motorists who cause a fatal accident while using a mobile phone can be jailed for up to five years. Previously the maximum punishment for similar crimes was a £5,000 fine and points on the driver’s licence.

It's very easy to lose the plot

Vodka is not a good idea if you are about to get behind the wheel. But yesterday The Times knocked one back and climbed into a Honda Civic.

Stationary in the Transport Research Laboratory at Wokingham, Berkshire, the vehicle simulated driving conditions: I wanted to know whether texting while driving is more distracting than drink-driving. Motion sensors and computer graphics created a realistic motorway route.

Just within the drink-driving limit, I stuck to the middle lane, worried about veering off. I noticed once or twice that I had exceeded the speed limit. I had previously done the course sober but texting on a mobile. I drifted out of my lane, and was surprised to see cars coming up from behind. Sometimes my foot came off the accelerator when I typed a message. texting while driving dangerous, texting while driving dangerous, texting driving crash simulation study, texting driving crash simulation study, texting driving doubles reaction times, 34 states ban texting while driving,

Nick Reed, of the laboratory, said: “When people are texting, they tend to be aware of the impairment to their driving but not aware how great that is. With alcohol, the driver is not aware of the impairment. You had misplaced confidence when you had had a drink and were often up to 80mph. When you were texting, you were wandering across the lane. And your reaction times were slower.

“You understood that drink-driving is a serious risk but had less understanding about the dangers of texting.”

Source:timesonline

Steve Jobs Has Died

Steve Jobs Has Died, 57-year life of the famous founder died of Apple CEO Steve Jobs. It is called the genius of the IT-industry, enthusiastic dreamer, is contained in the most daring ideas. Something that others could not think. Steve Jobs was born in 1955 in the Californian city of San Francisco. In the late '70s was one of the developers of the first commercially successful PC series - Apple II, and already in the 80's invented the Macintosh - the first computer-controlled mouse. 

In 1984, after losing a power struggle with the board of directors, Jobs left the Apple and creates his own company - NeXT, which develops computer platform for universities and businesses. 1985: Jobs co-founded the animation studio Pixar. In 2006, acquired The Walt Disney Company. Steve Jobs Has Died

Steve Jobs became the largest private shareholder of Disney (7%) and board member of Disney. Under his leadership, the studio produced such films as "Toy Story" and "Monsters, Inc.". After 12 years, Apple bought NeXT, and Jobs is again at the helm of the company, which he founded. He invents the iPhone and iPad - the first phones and tablet computers with a glass multi-touch display. In 2004 it became known that the doctors found a malignant tumor of Jobs in the pancreas. Later, the tumor was successfully removed. In 2009, entrepreneurs and innovators had an operation on a liver transplant. himself preferred not to spread Jobs on his health, although becoming more noticeable leanness, indicating that the depletion of global concern.

On January 17, 2011 Steve Jobs was on leave as health. Several times he interrupted a vacation to personally introduce to the public next new Apple. August 24, 2011 Jobs announced his retirement from the post of head of Apple. In his letter of resignation, he strongly recommended the appointment of his successor, Tim Cook. At her request, Jobs was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors Apple. Steve Jobs passed away October 5, 2011 - a day after the presentation of a new product line from Apple, which was unable to attend personally.

Advice for Renters

Advice for Renters

Advice for Renters, Finding the perfect apartment doesn’t happen by chance. The ability to determine your needs, identify problem areas and ask the right questions will help you make the right choice before you sign the lease. Remember, once you have signed on the dotted line you are typically committed for a year.

Determine your needs

Price range
Price is one the most important considerations. Decide how much you can afford or want to spend. Remember to factor in utility costs, parking and your usual monthly bills. Knowing your price range from the outset will focus your search, saving you time.

Location
It is important that the neighbourhood you choose to live in is well suited to you and your family. Consider the distance from your work place or schools. Do you mind a long commute every day? Is public transportation easily accessible? Is it a high crime area? Is it close to amenities such as grocery stores, doctor offices and the post office?

Type of apartment
Consider the size of your family and the space you require for your furniture and other possessions. Will you be happy in 500 square feet or will you need 1000? Will a one-room bachelor be adequate or do you require a one, two or three bedroom apartment? Typically, the larger the apartment the higher the rent will be.

Features and amenities
Determine what features you need or desire in your future home. Is an en suite or on-site laundry facility important or do you mind going to a Laundromat ? Does the building feature security features such as security patrols, video cameras or a controlled-access public entry? Do you want the convenience of a dishwasher, an on-site gym or pool, a balcony etc.?

Once you have determined your needs, searching for an apartment will be much easier. Click here to search our listings now.

Inspect the apartment
Never rent an apartment sight-unseen. It is essential that you tour the apartment and examine it closely for problems. Areas that warrant inspection include:

The building
What is the state of repair outside and inside? Are common areas kept clean and in good repair? Are the walls in need of paint? If maintenance appears to be lacking it could be a sign of poor building management.

The apartment
Upon entering the apartment take note of general appearance and upkeep. Are the carpets or flooring worn? Are the walls cracked or in need of paint? Is there staining on the roof or walls (an indication of a water leak). Check all light switches and outlets to ensure they are working. Poor general maintenance may also be an indication of poor maintenance in other areas.

Doors and windoes
Are there secure locks, a peephole and deadbolts on all outside doors? Check for drafts around windows, doors, light switches and electric outlets. If you are paying for heating, a drifty apartment could be cold and costly in winter.

The kitchen
Check faucets for water pressure and hot water. Examine the base of the faucet for leaks and look under the sink for signs of water damage. Turn on the stove and oven and check that the refrigerator, dishwasher and any other appliances are in good working order.

The bathroom
Check faucets for water pressure and hot water. Examine the base of the faucet for leaks and look under the sink and around the tub or shower stall for signs of water damage. Press gently on tile. If the tile moves, it could be a sign of water damage in the wall behind the tile. Flush the toilet to ensure it drains properly.

Questions to ask before you sign the lease
If you have found an apartment that fits your needs you should ask the landlord about important details regarding conditions of the lease and building regulations. Remember, the lease is for your protection too. Ensure that any verbal promises are also included in the lease. Get it in writing.

• How long is the lease? (Typically one year, although shorter periods including month to month are available.)
• Can I sublet the apartment if my circumstances change before the lease period is over?
• How much do you require for a deposit?
• Can I have roommates?
• Are any utilities included in the cost of rent? What about parking?
• Is there special building rules regarding quiet times, pets etc.?
• What is the procedure for obtaining repairs to the apartment? Is emergency maintenance available 24 hours a day?
• What maintenance (if any) am I responsible for? What changes can I make to the apartment (paint, wallpaper, carpeting, pictures or shelves that attach to the wall)?
• When is the apartment available?
• When can I move in?

Online banking security

Online banking security

Online banking security, Online banking fraud falls by a third. Improvements in security technology are helping drive down fraud in the UK, with online banking fraud down by nearly a third in the first six months of 2011, according to new figures.The newly published figures from banking industry group Financial Fraud Action UK show that losses from card fraud were £170m between January and June 2011. This represents a 9 per cent decrease from the same period last year. Meanwhile, online banking fraud losses totalled £16.9m, a 32 per cent drop on the half-year figures for 2010.

The FFA attributed the drop in card fraud to increased use of fraud detection software and the continuing rollout of chip and pin technology. Online banking security,

Commenting on the research, DCI Paul Barnard, head of the dedicated cheque and plastic crime unit (DCPCU), a banking industry-sponsored police unit, said: “Losses are appreciably lower than they were a few years ago. However, there has been an increase in old-fashioned scams – criminals using distraction techniques and social engineering methods to get hold of people’s cards or phone banking details.”

While the drop in online banking and card fraud is good news, it comes at a price, warned William Beer, director of information and cyber security practices at PwC.

“Two-factor authentication has now become common, with customers having to carry a keyfob or other device in order to log into their bank accounts. While this has lessened the risk of fraud, it has introduced an element of inflexibility into the system and should not be seen as a silver bullet,” he said.

Source: computing

Odd reasons you spend more

Odd reasons you spend more, You may think you have control over how much you spend, but numerous studies suggest it's really not all up to you.

Who's to blame for your splurging?
Consumers may like to believe they have complete control over their shopping decisions, but a growing number of studies is starting to shake this belief.

"We are much more seduced by outside factors when shopping than we think we are," said Martin Lindstrom, a marketing expert and author of "Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy." "And the more on top of the world the consumer feels when they walk into a retail store, the less they probably are, because they let their guards down."

This may strike some shoppers as nothing more than paranoia. After all, isn't it consumers who decide what items to put on their shopping list, which stores they want to shop at and ultimately which items they want to bring up to the cash register? Salespeople may be pushy at times, but at the end of the day, we have the final say over whether to swipe our credit cards and make the purchases. martin lindstrom Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy,

But as Lindstrom and others have found, by the time we decide to approach the cash register, a wide range of unseen factors in the store – and in our own heads – has likely influenced our decision to shop and how much we are willing to spend. pushy salespeople,

If that's true, does this mean we have no choice but to accept that our spending is somehow beyond our control? MainStreet spoke with behavior experts and rounded up several recent studies to highlight some of the lesser-known factors that influence our spending. In some cases, just knowing that these factors are at play may be enough to mute the effect they have on your shopping behavior and help you avoid making a purchase that you'll regret.

Shopping while hungry
Many studies have suggested that when we're hungry, a primal part of our brain kicks in that encourages us to be more aggressive and acquire as much food as we can stomach. One 2008 study said we effectively become addicts to food in the moment we're hungry, and need more, more, more until our stomach tells our brain that enough is enough.

Everyone has probably experienced a version of this at some point or other. Just think of all the times you've ordered a heaping portion of food at a restaurant only to realize at the end of the meal that your eyes really are bigger than your stomach. But this problem extends well beyond the confines of your nearest Denny's. Several studies have found that consumers will buy more goods in a grocery store when they are hungry than when they are full. grocery shopping while hungry,

In fact, hungry shoppers may also have a bigger appetite for buying clothes and other merchandise, not just food. Lindstrom notes that some stores introduce scents such as cinnamon and vanilla with the hope of making customers a little hungrier and triggering their urge to shop that much more.

So if you feel your stomach rumbling, stay away from the store.

Shopping with your partner
Sometimes, shopping with a friend can be the best way to stop yourself from making an impulse buy, if you prime the friend in advance to help keep you in check. But one exception to the rule may be shopping with your spouse or significant other.

Lindstrom says the downside of having the extra pair of eyes is that you start to add items to your shopping cart that you might have skipped over on your own because they appeal to your partner. impulse purchase,

"You start to inspire each other to make a purchase. The first person may not need the item, but the other may push for it," Lindstrom said. "You are also much more likely to have a fight because you disagree about a particular product, and as a result, you are more likely to buy that product to get the other party to stop complaining."

On the bright side though, guys may finally have the excuse they've always wanted to get out of going shopping.

How religious you are
At first blush, it seems that whether or not a person is religious should have little effect on his shopping behavior. But according to one study conducted last year by Gavan Fitzsimons, a professor of marketing and psychology at Duke University, secular shoppers may end up spending more than their religious counterparts. duke university,

Fitzsimons and his fellow researchers surveyed more than 1,000 consumers and found that those with less religion in their lives were more likely to embrace brand-name products as a means to express their identity, while consumers who identified as being more religious felt less of a desire to find other ways to express themselves and so were more likely to purchase generic goods.

The net effect of this, as Fitzsimons notes, is that secular shoppers spend "way more" on branded goods, which can lead to a significantly higher bill, given that generics are almost always cheaper than brand-name products.

Your mood
The emotions you feel in the lead-up to a shopping trip may play a bigger role than you think in what you buy.

One 2008 report, cleverly titled "Misery is Not Miserly," from researchers at Harvard, Stanford and several other prominent universities found that consumers are more likely to spend greater amounts when they are feeling sad because they feel more desperate to satisfy their urges and cheer themselves up. Misery is Not Miserly,

But even positive emotions can be costly to consumers.

For example, when shoppers are feeling a greater amount of pride about themselves, they are more likely to desire nicer products, such as fancy watches and shoes that let them show off a bit, according to one study published last year in the Journal of Consumer Research. On the other hand, the study found that when consumers are feeling content with life, they are more likely to purchase fixtures for their home, such as beds and dishwashers, as well as comfortable clothes for lounging around the house.

So perhaps the best option is to go shopping when you feel at your most apathetic.

Moving counter-clockwise through the store
Retailers put a lot of thought into the layout of the stores, whether they advertise it or not, with the goal of creating an environment that is the most conducive to consumers spending more. But Lindstrom says one of the simplest and perhaps most common tactics is to arrange the entrance in such a way that consumers are led to circle through the store in a counterclockwise motion. store layout,

It might sound arbitrary, but the reason, according to one previous study, is that it feels more natural for us to walk counterclockwise around an area, and when we walk in the other direction, we naturally feel a slight discomfort and are more likely to exit the store sooner.

"Most of the retail stores have done this deliberately, and particularly food stores, because it causes shoppers to stay in the store longer and spend more," Lindstrom said.

For those looking for an excuse to leave the store quickly then, it might be worth trying an experiment in which you force yourself to walk in the other direction.

The size of your shopping cart
Lindstrom also urges consumers to pay attention to an otherwise unnoticed menace to your wallet: the shopping cart. He notes that the size of the shopping cart can play a big part in how long you stay in the store and how much you feel the need to purchase.

"The smaller shopping carts are never as readily available as the bigger ones, but as soon as you take a big shopping cart, you are basically priming yourself to say this isn't just a quick run to buy a candy bar," he said.

The larger the size of the shopping cart, the greater the likelihood that you will purchase more. Lindstrom says that although 10 items might seem like a lot when they are overflowing from a small shopping basket, they seem like less when they take up just a small fraction of a larger cart, which makes it easier for the consumer to keep pulling items off the shelves without feeling as guilty. compare supermarket prices,

Where your name falls in the alphabet
Your last name says more about you than just your lineage: It also contributes to your shopping behavior.

According to a study published earlier this year in the Journal of Consumer Research, the farther back your last name falls in the alphabet, the more conditioned you likely have been to be at the end of the line, so to speak, as teachers and event planners often organize children alphabetically. Often this means that someone whose last name starts with Z is more likely to have limited or no options because he is the last to be called upon.

does shopping online save money, As a result, when this person grows older, he is more likely to compensate for missed opportunities by trying to be among the first to purchase a new product, whether it be the latest iPad or a new line of clothing, even though it usually costs more at these times. On the flip side, someone whose name starts with A or B may be less interested in being among the first and can stand to wait longer.

Unfortunately, this is one factor that, if true, is largely beyond our control, as the study notes that the conditioning takes place when we're young, so changing your name later in life makes little difference. does shopping online save money,

Your genes
A certain amount of our shopping behavior is, like many parts of our identity, determined by genetics. One study published last year found that the degree to which consumers are willing to prefer luxury items, willing to compromise on purchases or prone to gamble may all be based on our genes. The study was based on surveys of identical and fraternal twins and found strong similarities in their choices in these shopping categories.

But even if your genes are telling you to spend more, you may still be able to employ some of the tricks above to try to force yourself to spend less.

via: money

Dead Bodies into Diamonds Lifegem

Dead Bodies into Diamonds Lifegem

Dead Bodies into Diamonds Lifegem, The LifeGem is a certified, high-quality diamond created from thecarbon of your loved one as a memorial to their unique life, or as a symbol of your personal and precious bond with another.
LifeGem diamonds are molecularly identical to natural diamonds found at any high-end jeweler. To qualify as diamonds, they must have the exact same brilliance, fire, and hardness (the hardest substance known) as diamonds from the earth, and of course, they do!

LifeGem diamonds are created individually from your specific carbon source in our patented process.

Whether you've lost a loved one or simply want to celebrate your love, the LifeGem diamond provides a way to embrace your loved one’s memory day by day. The LifeGem is the most unique and timeless tribute available for creating a testimony to their unique life. Dead Bodies into Diamonds Lifegem, Dead Bodies, into Diamonds Lifegem,

Your LifeGem memorial will offer comfort and support when and where you need it, and provide a lasting memory that endures just as a diamond does. Forever."

The Life Gem is...

• A certified, high-quality diamond created from a lock of hair or the cremated ashes of your loved one as a memorial to their unique life.

• A way to embrace your loved one's memory day by day.

• The most beautiful and timeless memorial available for honoring their unique life.

• Comfort and support when and where you need it.

Your LifeGem memorial will provide a lasting memory that endures just as a diamond does. Forever.

Read more: lifegem

How much do I need to save for retirement

How much do I need to save for retirement

How much do I need to save for retirement, By some counts, fewer than half of Americans have ever tried to calculate how much they'll need for retirement. And those who do? In one recent survey, half told pollsters they just guessed.
A new poll for NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health finds retirement is proving more difficult than expected for many Americans, in large part because they haven't saved enough. So we set out to ask: How much do you need?

To appreciate the answer, though, here's another question: What's the biggest threat to a good life in your golden years?

"Living too long," says Dallas Salisbury, president of the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). He tried to drive this point home with his own parents. They were in their mid-80s, as old as they ever expected to live. But he pulled out his computer to show they had a 50 percent chance of living until age 99.

"And they looked at me and just shook their heads, and said, 'You are the most depressing person we've ever met,' " he recalls.

Well, his parents did live to 94, proving Salisbury's warning not to base retirement savings on your "average" life expectancy. That means, don't fall for claims you can retire on 5 or 10 times your annual income — or investment plans based on growth rates not seen since the 1990s. Here is Salisbury's rule of thumb, and you might want to be sitting down now:

"I use something that I call the Rule of 33," he says. "You need 33 times what you want to spend in your first year of retirement."

Now, you subtract from that what you'll get from Social Security. Still, it's a daunting sum. Another way of figuring it is this: Save 15 percent of your income, every year, starting with your first job.

The later you wait to start, the greater chunk of your income you should set aside. Although on graphs he presents in congressional and media hearings, Salisbury caps that number at 25 percent, "because otherwise you would end up spending the afternoon crying." For individuals, EBRI has its own online retirement calculator.

So what does this mean for a middle-earner, making roughly $47,000? Salisbury pulls out a calculator.

"That individual's going to need savings of about $900,000," he says.

"Well, I think he's right, that's what you should have," says Cindy Hounsell, president of the Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement. "But nobody's going to have that."

Hounsell points out that more than half of Americans are at risk of not having enough money for basic expenses when they retire. She offers a kinder, gentler formula for calculating a nest egg. How much do I need to save for retirement,

"I think people need to take their W-2 form, and see what did they spend [in the] last year."

From that, she says you subtract taxes, insurance premiums and other payouts. Then subtract what you'll get from Social Security and any 401(k). Again, taking that hypothetical median income, let's say this number comes out to $15,000.

"And then you think you're going to live 20 years," Hounsell says. "That would only be $300,000."

That sounds a lot better. But Hounsell admits this does not account for inflation, health care, or living longer. She worries people will simply give up if they're too discouraged by the little amount they've actually saved.

"We want them to treasure it, and preserve it, and feel good about it," she says. But part of planning for retirement is also the realization that "you're going to have to cut out a lot of things."

There is good news, mostly for younger workers. More companies are now automatically enrolling them into 401(k) plans. That will have a huge payoff, says Mary Beth Franklin, of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine. The challenge, she says, is that younger workers are likely to change jobs a lot, allowing them to cash out their 401(k).

"The temptation is, maybe it's not a lot of money," she says. "Maybe it's $2[000] or $3,000, and you think, 'Hey, I'll pay off a credit card bill.' That is really dangerous."

Resist the temptation, Franklin says, and roll the money into your new plan.

Another common mistake? Collecting Social Security too early.

"Seventy-five percent of retirees grab those benefits at 62," says Franklin, "as soon as they can, some of them not realizing they're taking a 25 percent cut in their benefits for the rest of their life."

Mostly, Franklin and the other retirement experts all advise: Just keep saving, all you can, month in and month out. Sure, it's depressing now. But you'll thank them later. How much do I need to save for retirement,