How to Finish a Career With a Full 401k

A 401k provides you with incredible tax benefits that can help you to more easily reach your retirement goals several years or decades from now. However, many people who have a 401k do not feel as though they are properly using it in the most effective way possible. If you are included in this group of people, you may be wondering what steps you need to take to retire with a full 401k account balance. These tips can help you to take advantage of the full potential of your retirement account in the years to come.

Improve Your Budgeting Efforts

An important first step to take is to improve your budgeting efforts. Some tools like Virtual bookkeeping can help you to manage and track your funds with ease. You could also create your own budget on an Excel spreadsheet. Think about budgeting for a year rather than only for a month. Long-term budgeting can help you to better account for non-recurring expenses, annual expenses and others. While you are preparing a budget, look for areas that you can cut back on. When you reduce spending, you have more money available to save for retirement. For example, you could shop for lower insurance rates, refinance your auto loan or switch from standard cable service to Internet TV programming.

Maximize Contributions to Your Retirement Account

Your retirement account contributions are likely automated. For example, you may have instructed your employer to take one percent of your income out of each paycheck you receive. If you are self-employed, you may have set up an automated funds transfer into your retirement account to avoid overlooking this important transfer. While automating your contributions is a thoughtful idea that can help you to streamline this process, you should also consider increasing your contributions up to the maximum amount possible. If this seems burdensome to your budget, think about increasing contributions in very small increments every few weeks until you reach the desired contribution amount. This will make your larger contributions less noticeable and easier for you to manage.

Take Advantage of Employer-Matching Contributions

When your goal is to retire with the largest retirement account balance possible, focusing your attention on employer-matching contributions is important. If your employer offers a contribution up to two or three percent of your income, you need to take full advantage of this option. An employer-matching contribution is essentially free money that your employer is giving to you, and the financial benefit can add up to tens of thousands of dollars or more over the years. If your employer does not offer this benefit, think about shopping around for a new job that does offer this perk. This is because an employer-matching contribution is a significant financial advantage that can play a major role in your financing situation during retirement.

Diversify Your Portfolio

To achieve your retirement goal, saving money regularly is important. However, it is equally as important to choose sound investment options. Take time to carefully research the investments that you are buying through your retirement account today. Then, make plans to review your account’s performance approximately six months from now. Every six months, you can review the performance of your investments as well as the overall risk of your portfolio. Your goals and needs may change over time, and reviewing your portfolio can help to ensure that it is properly diversified.

Opening a 401k account is a great step to take if you want to enjoy a more secure retirement. However, you also need to maximize your contributions as well as automate them when possible. You also should actively diversify and review your portfolio so that you maximize the return on your invested funds. While this can sound like a lot of work, remember that you only need to review the account once every few months after you set up automatic deposits and investment purchases. You will be surprised how quickly your 401 k retirement account balance grows when you follow these tips.

Finding Your Passion in Your 70s

The latest in medical research shows that people can learn, and even master, new hobbies or skills at any age. Here are five ways you can find your passion—and excel at it—in your 70s.

Keep socializing. It always seems that work or play has a way of expanding to fit the time allowed for it. How many of us have put things off when we have all the time in the world? It is easy to grow complacent, especially when you retire and have much more time on your hands. Use the much larger amount of free time you now have to socialize.

The easiest way to do this is to join a club or organization that corresponds to something you already like or to something you have an interest in, however small that interest may be.

Socializing will help keep your brain sharp and so will learning or developing a skill surrounding something you find interesting. Find a group who likes something you like too and you will get a double dose of activity to help keep your brain young while you discover or build upon a new passion.

Keep using your imagination and act on it. Whatever you do, don't grow complacent. Indulge your imagination; try not to toss out thoughts or ideas that may, at first blush, seem not for you, too difficult, or even crazy. You never know. That idea that seems so crazy at first may turn out to be the best thing ever.

Most importantly, do something about the things your imagination comes up with. Take action. Don't let your current fears or inner fears from the past get in the way of acting on your dreams. You've already outlived many of the critics from your youth. Who cares what the rest of them think. Live life to make yourself happy. This is one of the greatest benefits of a long life: permission to do what you want. After all, you've lived long enough to have earned it.

Follow the beat of your own drummer and express that uniqueness. Don't do something just because others are doing it. Conversely, don't not do something just because no one else is doing it. You've earned the right to do your own thing. Do it. Wear purple. Don a red hat. Or wear red and don a purple hat. Learn self-defense or martial arts in your 70s. Start training to run a marathon. Start writing the novel that's been in your head for the last 30 years.

The point is that finding your passion in your 70s (or indeed, any age), is all about discovering and pursuing what you want, not what someone else thinks you should do. So travel to the beat of your own drum. It truly is the best way to find happiness and fulfillment.

Stay physically active. Studies have shown that men and women in their 90s and 100s showed an increase in physical strength from lifting one pound weights in each hand, for just 15 minutes. Imagine what this could do for someone twenty to thirty years younger. The point is that it is never too late and you're never too old to benefit from a little physical activity.

You don't have to lift weights. Simply going for a 20- to 30-minute walk every day will improve your endurance, help lower your cholesterol (in conjunction with a healthy diet), and actually make you feel better and younger.

So get off the couch already.

Most importantly: take action. The most important thing you need to know to find your passions in your 70s is to do something. Don't fall into the "I'll do it tomorrow trap." Do it today. I called my local first call for help hotline and asked them if they had information about senior activities near me. Try it in your hometown. Then go to at least one social function connected to an activity that you already enjoy or are interested in.

This first step will help you become more comfortable with taking risks surrounding something you are already familiar with. Keep socializing with people interested in what you are interested in and eventually, you'll feel confident enough to try meeting people who are interested in something you're interested in but don't know too much about. That's when you will truly begin to discover new passions in your 70s.

Finally, don't ever forget that your life still has meaning, no matter what our youth-obsessed culture says.

How Big Data is Helping Individuals Improve Mental Health

With technology advancing, doctors are trying to find new ways to help those with mental health problems in a new and more effective way. Even by receiving constant trainings and gaining certifications and ACLS renewal, mental health is still a big concern for professionals in the medical field and many feel that it isn’t being addressed as it should. In response to this need, many healthcare personnel are turning towards big data to find the solution. Big data is being brought into the medical field through the use of various projects, social media, app development, and surveys and algorithms. Working to aid patients with mental health issues is just one more way big data is improving the healthcare industry.

Projects

Studies and projects involving big data have been created to help doctors and researchers better understand the issues that surround mental health illnesses. One specific example of a project is the World Well Being Project. This project is discovering new ways big data can be used to augment the population level of mental health care needed and provided. This project works by using studies, statuses, and other forms of big data. This project takes subjects and users and asks them to select a word or phrase that best expresses their personality. The study focuses on the differences between the users personality traits to compose a Big Five model. From this, the program incorporates its findings to better study psycholinguistic hypotheses. Researchers have found a high correlation between words characteristic of negative emotions and heart disease mortality figures. These results were more highly correlated than official socio-economic, demographic, and health statistics.

Social Media

It is no secret that social media has had a large affect on society, especially the younger generation. Knowing this, researchers and doctors have started using social media platforms to monitor the population’s health and to also help identify any risk factors for individuals with mental health issues. Social media platforms used within these studies including Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit. For population health domain, a large set of tweets with hints of depression are collected and then used to train a Machine Learning algorithm that aids in identifying depression-indicative tweets. The findings on depression data are then sent and analyzed by the Centers for Disease Control.

The data collected from Twitter and other social media platforms was used to investigate experiences of postpartum depression in new mothers to help identify risk factors for more specific individual domain. Researchers discovered that using Machine Learning techniques and big data to analyse behaviour patterns could predict emotional and behavioural changes with a 71% accuracy.

App Development

Not only is big data is being used to augment mental health care at a social level, but it is also being used on a more individual level. Researchers at several different university campuses are developing apps that are able to monitor sleep and activity patterns in order to combat depression among their college students. When an app identifies behaviors that match symptoms of depression, a counsellor on campus is alerted about the person and the possible symptoms them may have. Some of these symptoms include irregular movement and physical activity, disturbed and abnormal sleep patterns, social isolation, even a drop in regular class attendance. These apps are then able to give quick, real-time suggestions and activities similar to what a counsellor would advise. The data is also analyzed and then transmitted to counsellors on the campus so they can keep better track on the health of their students and extended help as needed.

Surveys and Algorithms

With social media platforms and app development, surveys and algorithms are involved in bringing big data into the mental health of others. In a world full of both individual and group therapy, big data project managers are determined to add to the information being discovered and stored. Treatment involving feedback are psychotherapy metrics drawing on historical data can help predict when the individual is at risk of their condition worsening. These metrics contain surveys that clients are asked to fill out as part of their therapy. These surveys detail the individual’s progression as they go through therapy. The algorithm's job is to predict which clients or individuals have a higher risk of relapsing in their condition or dropping out of therapy. Using big data, these surveys and algorithms provide feedback about the condition, the results of treatments and if they need to be adjusted.

One in four Americans are affected by mental health issues and illnesses. This especially applies to today’s youth as it is becoming harder and harder for the younger generation to focus on school, work, friends, and family. A study was done on the mental health of children 6 to 18 years of age between the years 2003 and 2013. Researchers found that there has been a rise of the use of antidepressants and depression symptoms have doubled in the younger generation. With these new discoveries, the study suggest that 70% of children do not receive the mental health care they need at such a young age.

Become a Social Media Influencer to Attract Customers and Keep Them

Smart, forward-thinking businesses have realized just how powerful social media is. It offers a place to promote ideas, share marketing, and make branding possible. One way to leverage the power of this medium is to become a social media influencer.

While you might think you don't stand a chance of influencing customers through social media, think again. Using tried and true methods can make you into a social media influencer, allowing you to build a strong social chain to grow your brand and engage your target audience.

Position Yourself as an Expert

To become an influencer, you need to give people a reason to interact with you on social media. Positioning yourself as an expert in your field is one way to do this. If you have been in the same business for a number of years, you have the knowledge and expertise to do this. You can share your knowledge and answer questions for potential customers.

Pick Your Social Media Channels Carefully

There are dozens of social media channels out there. You need to concentrate on two to four of those channels for maximum effect. Pick the ones where your target audience is more likely to be. For example, Facebook is where both men and women hang out. Women tend to use Pinterest more than men. Teens prefer Instagram. LinkedIn is great to connect with other businesses.

Another part of picking your channels is what are you most comfortable doing. If you want to do videos, YouTube is your channel. If you like written content more, Facebook is a good choice.

Creating Content

All of your content should add value for your readers. Having content shared in a logical thought out manner is even more valuable. Know who your audience is and how you can appeal to them. Know the purpose of sharing information with them.

Be creative. There is a lot of people sharing content. For yours to stand out, it needs to be unique and attention grabbing. Pay attention to what others are doing and see if you can use that as an inspiration.

When you have your unique vision in mind, create a list of content ideas that you can use for the next two or three months. Put it on a calendar and start creating content.

Share Content Regularly

When you are sharing content of value, people want more. Posting content on a regular schedule makes people come back to see what else you have to say. If you post content irregularly, you will find that your followers will go elsewhere for their information.

Build Your Circle of Influence

Contact other brands in your industry via social media. Communicate with them. Share ideas. Like their ideas. Make comments. This raises your profile in the industry.

Become a regular contributor to forums, group pages, and fan pages for all things related to your industry and brand. Don't push your brand. Share your expertise. Just have a signature line which identifies your brand and provides a link or contact info.

Share your content where appropriate. Reach out to industry publications and see if they would like to link to your content or if you can contribute something unique to them.

Repeat, Repeat, Repeat

Once you start to build a following, just continue to repeat the same steps above.

Always have a rich list of content ready to go for the next couple of months. Share content at least two or three times per week. Position yourself as an expert as a knowledgeable Senegence Distributor in forums and similar group settings.

You will find your following will continue to grow as you develop a stronger social chain. Always remember that your followers are the ones that give you influence, not the other way around. Respect them and their opinions.

Daisy Chaining: Driving a Tesla Across the Country

The modern iterations of Tesla EV programs have turned the auto industry on it's head. Consumers, as a whole, felt that electric vehicles were unpredictable, unreliable, and ugly. However, Tesla managed to fill these voids by producing electric vehicles that are stylish, sporty, and highly practical. Tesla has allowed owners to go from having range anxiety to sitting on their phones searching the web to find the cheapest car insurance. Tesla vehicles have an electric range that is unparalleled, and with fast charging technology on the rise, the question that comes naturally is, "how far can this thing go"?

Tesla Extended Range Technology

Most Tesla vehicles produced in the last 3 years hold a range of more than 220 miles per charge. The newly released Chevrolet Bolt is the only other EV that can compete with this range. New Tesla's offer twice the range of the nearest competitor other than the Bolt. More impressive than the extended range is the ever-sprouting network of high-voltage rapid charging centers which Tesla refers to as Superchargers. These stations are popping up all over the US, particularly along cross-country highway routes in the north, south, and midwest. There are also more and more urban stations being created along the primary ownership bands on the east and west coast. These Superchargers are capable of providing at least 170 miles of range on a 30 minute charge! Depending on how your Tesla is equipped, this number could be even higher.

Cross Country Capability

This combination of range and quick access to fast charging across the country give Tesla owners a sense of freedom never before experienced outside of traditional combustion engine vehicle ownership. More and more Tesla owners are successfully attempting extended road trips and cross-country adventures. Many Tesla user forums have created helpful apps containing Supercharger stats and status as well as highlighting other places to charge your Tesla if you find yourself away from the Supercharger grid. Tesla has smartly incorporated some of this data into the vehicle interface, allowing drivers to plan trips from one Supercharger to the next, effectively skipping along your route to your final destination. Many Supercharger stations are located near popular travel hotels which gives drivers the opportunity to recharge along with their Tesla.

This extended freedom is great and represents a huge leap in bridging the gap between electric and gas vehicle ownership. However, there are still a few tethers associated with driving a Tesla long distances. For instance, battery charging conditions can be critical. While temperature plays no effect in fueling a gas vehicle, it can greatly impact the charging of a Tesla. Attempting to charge a cold battery pack can reduce efficiency of charge by 50% or more. This is enough to disturb even the most casual itinerary. The state of charge can be a factor as well, as Tesla battery packs tend to charge much faster when they are more depleted. This leads to the next concern.

Driving speed plays a large factor in the indicated range calculations offered by your Tesla. The same is true of driving gas vehicles, however when planning a trip with a Tesla, the goal is to arrive at the next charging station with the lowest state of charge possible (within reason of course) to promote efficient charging. That being said, an increase in speed of 10mph can reduce effective range by as much as 50 miles per charge over the course of typical highway speeds. Drivers must be constantly aware of their state of charge and the remaining range to prevent coming up short of the charging station.

Though there are some concerns unique to road tripping in a Tesla, there are also some unique perks and advantages. Many times, Supercharger stations are located in places that would be nice stopping points anyway. Tesla road trips build in multiple 30 minute culture immersions that allow drivers to truly enjoy the journey. Also, getting to know your fellow Tesla owners and their experiences is a valuable and enjoyable connection that most other drivers will never see.

Top 7 Cities Competing To Be The Next Silicon Valley

Technology is exploding in every area of our lives, and there is a great demand for technology hubs as they're breaking out across the US. The internet has evolved into the "Internet of Things" (IoT) placing huge demand and growth within this new market.

Silicon Valley has expanded rapidly over the years; however, there is talk over which city will become the next big technology hub. Today, we will be talking about the top seven cities competing to become the latest tech hotspot. Let's get started!

Top Cities Criteria to be Considered

When we look into the reasons that these technology hubs are competing with each other, it has to deal with specific metric economic factors. These metric factors include educational background, knowledge in the industry, percentage of tech workers, index of growth for entrepreneurship, and venture capital activity per metro area.

Top Cities by Education

Education plays a major role in each city by the number of bachelor's degrees workers hold. The rankings go in the order from the first being around 50% to around 42% at the bottom of the list.

These seven cities include San Francisco/San Mateo, CA; Washington, DC; Denver/Boulder, CO; Raleigh/Dunham/Chapel, NC; Boston/Cambridge, MA; Oakland/East Bay, CA; Austin, TX.

Top Cities by Knowledge in Occupation

This category is based upon those working in a specific field in tech from the programmers to management; engineers, architects, social sciences and even the education sector relating to tech. This sector also includes a subset based on the tech industry. These workers are more focused on software, telecom, and subsidiary fields of the tech industry such as science and medical devices.

The list from first to last includes San Francisco/San Mateo, CA; Raleigh/Dunham/Chapel, NC; Boston/Cambridge, MA; Washington, DC; Austin, TX; Seattle, WA; Oakland/East Bay, CA.

Top Cities by Number Index Growth Entrepreneurship

Research provided by the Kauffman Foundation shows metric growth entrepreneurship was made up of large scale startups and high-growth companies. According to one San Antonio moving company a number of individuals have informed them that a large base of their new business is coming from Austin, and thus the migration there.

Starting at the top of the list to the bottom we have Washington, DC; Austin, TX; Nashville, TN; Boston/Cambridge, MA; San Diego, CA; San Francisco, CA; Dallas, TX.

Top by Venture Capital Activity

According to the National Venture Capital Association, Pitchbook data tracked the top cities for industry growth within the tech sector. This indicator is one of the best gauges to see where the money is flowing to in terms of high-tech business.

San Francisco tops the charts here with $16.9 billion followed by New York City at second with $9.1 billion. Coming in third was Boston with $6 billion and at fourth was Los Angeles with $3.5 billion. In fifth place was Seattle with $1.5 billion; Chicago in sixth at $1.25 billion; seventh being Washington D.C. at $1.1 billion.

The Top Seven Cities Based Upon the Above Criteria

Based upon the above metrics along with the Cushman and Wakefield report we can see the best cities after Silicon Valley are:

1. San Francisco/San Mateo, CA
2. Washington, D.C.
3. Boston/Cambridge, MA
4. Raleigh/Dunham/Chapel, NC
5. Seattle, WA
6. Austin, TX
7. Denver/Boulder, CO

Final Thoughts

Technology is a big part of the world's future. Systems are integrating together, and technology is the reason behind this phenomenon. Each of these cities is aware of the massive growth in their revenue because of the tech sector playing a role in this.

Five U. S. Cities With Thriving High Tech Sectors

Have you wondered which communities in the United States hold promise as vital centers of computer high tech startup innovation? The answer might surprise you! Today you don't need to relocate to Silicon Valley to uncover attractive employment opportunities in this dynamic field. Consider exploring these rapidly evolving alternative venues:

Provo-Orem, Utah

Utah's central valley offers a scenic panorama. Long friendly to new businesses, Provo and Orem have recently begun attracting a vibrant tech community. Large firms, such as Oracle, eBay, Microsoft and Adobe, have established a presence in the region, contributing significantly to an influx of skilled tech specialists. The availability of tech expertise makes this location appealing to some startups.

Austin, Texas

The capital city of the Lone Star State enjoys acclaim as a popular live music center. Yet did you know, today the comfortable suburbs around Austin also welcome a growing number of affluent, well-educated techies? With the University of Texas at Austin located squarely in the center of many exciting new high tech developments in the region, and a business-friendly environment in Texas, expect this metropolitan area to continue to appeal to many innovative firms for the foreseeable future. With companies such as Dell, Inc., Cisco Systems, Samsung, 3M, and Advanced Micro Devices providing employment in Austin, the tech community thrives here.

Phoenix, Arizona

Situated in the heart of the Southwest and blessed with a well-developed infrastructure and an educated, diverse population, Phoenix offers an increasingly alluring business climate for technology innovators. Its proximity to the West Coast strikes many analysts as a plus, since established companies don't need to spend a fortune relocating here. Additionally, the cost of living index in Phoenix and its environs compares favorably to many other established commercial hubs. Phoenix movers help make the transition from the Pacific Coast to sunny Central Arizona seamless.

Boulder, Colorado

Boulder has long relished its choice location in the scenic foothills of the Rocky Mountains. With a highly educated, affluent population, a modern infrastructure, and numerous opportunities for outdoor recreation nearby, the city during recent decades has cultivated the growth of its green high tech sector. The University of Colorado at Boulder helps ensure a steady supply of talented science and technology graduates in this location; some firms have opted to relocate here from established tech centers.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh's recent success attracting technology firms demonstrates cities which once depended mainly upon heavy industrial production facilities can redefine themselves today successfully as innovation incubators. Formerly known as a steel mill powerhouse, Pittsburgh today has begun acquiring a reputation as a center of high tech. Some 1600 technology-related companies contribute enormous sums of money to the local economy here. A Pittsburgh Technology Council helps relocating enterprises find a welcoming reception in Western Pennsylvania, while lobbying for new incentives to make the transition even more attractive.

Increasing Competition

During its infancy, the high tech sector in the United States benefited from an insular creative environment in Silicon Valley. Highly skilled IT programmers and other computer industry professionals could cluster in one centralized location and collaborate easily on exciting projects. Yet few industries display such a great potential for portability and adaptability as high tech. The success of Silicon Valley has persuaded some promising high tech entrepreneurs to search for more affordable venues in several other, innovation-friendly places.

Similarly, more cities have begun appreciating the very tangible benefits of cultivating the green tech sector. Welcoming innovators in this field assists some metro areas in launching effective urban revitalization programs. Cities as diverse as Phoenix and Pittsburgh currently compete for new computer, automation and biotech business. Expect all the regional high tech centers mentioned here to become more widely known as reasonable Silicon Valley alternatives in the near future!

Great Ways to Save Money When You Are Living Alone

Living on your own for the first time is an exciting experience. At the same time, it teaches you that you can no longer live the way you once did. While you were still living at home with your parents, or when you lived with a roommate or two, you were able to spend your money in a certain way. However, once you begin to live on your own, things vastly change. You are no longer sharing the costs of rent and you now have a number of additional bills and other expenses to consider. The best way to save money while living alone is to learn how to budget. Here are some crucial tips for budgeting when you live on your own.

Create a Shopping List and Stick to It

One of the easiest ways to go over your budget is to skip making a list when you go on shopping trips. Grocery shopping can easily lead to making impulse purchases that you otherwise might not have made if you had a grocery list. You can easily create a list right from your smartphone. There are many list apps available, or you can use a proprietary app like the one for Notes that is built right into your phone. Always make a list each time you do your food shopping and only buy those items on your list. Avoiding impulse purchases can do both your wallet and your waistline a favor in the long run.

Turn Off Lights and Gadgets

Turn off the lights when you’re not at home or not in the room for long stretches of time. When you do that, you are saving electricity as well as the light bulbs. You can take this a step further by turning off any electronics or appliances that you aren’t using. Your electric bills will be dramatically lower.

Switch to Cheaper Car Insurance

You can easily save plenty of money by switching to cheaper car insurance. Chances are, you are paying too much. Compare cheap auto insurance quotes online and find the one that best suits your needs and budget.

Cook Your Own Meals at Home

Cooking your own meals at home on a daily basis can save you a great deal of money. In addition, it can help you to be healthier. Learn how to make a few basic meals and switch it up throughout the week to make things more interesting. Save and eat your leftovers and take them for lunch the next day when you go to work. If you must eat out, try to cut it down to one day per week.

Buy Generic Instead of Brand Names

When you go shopping, whether it’s just for groceries and toiletries or if you have to buy new clothing, consider buying generic instead of brand names. Generic is frequently just as good as the brand name and is sometimes even better. Plus, you will save a few hard-earned bucks in the process.

Downgrade Your Cable Package

If you subscribe to a cable TV package, you can downgrade it if there are certain channels you don’t watch. For example, if you have premium channels like HBO and Starz included in your package but rarely watch them, you can save some money by contacting your cable company and downgrading your package. As an alternative, if you don’t watch TV very much, you can even cancel your cable subscription and instead rely on streaming services with your Internet.

Sell Extra Electronic Devices

If you are the type of person who doesn’t get rid of old electronic devices, you can collect extra cash by selling those you no longer use. eBay will gladly allow you to sell old smartphones, game consoles, tablets, computers and other devices. Even if you have gadgets that are no longer in working condition, you can still sell them for parts.

These are great ways you can save money when living alone. It can help you to stick to your budget and make it easier to live on your own.