It should be how much longer can I wait before retiring. The longer you wait to retire the less time you will be retired. Do the math, time does not stop while we acquire more wealth.

When focused on nothing but money, retirement planning overlooks a fact we are all aware of. As we age we are less able to physically do what we could do when we were younger…no surprise to anyone.

If you think I am referring to sex…you are partly right, but there is more. We all develop ailments, aches etc as we age it is a fact of life. Despite our efforts on the stairmaster it is a fact. You slow down as you age. Think about it when you plan for retirement.

As an example let’s say you want to play a lot of golf when you retire. Great, sounds like a plan. Now ask yourself how much further do you hit the ball now, than 10 years ago…equipment improvements aside? See what I mean?

Why wait to reach your retirement number. I hate that commercial. If golf is your thing why wait 5-10 years from now to retire? You know in your heart you are going to be able to play golf less and you are not going to play it as well as you do now.

How much money to retire? I heard this from friends as I prepared to retire 15 years ago when I retired at 49. The good friends that asked me that question are currently still working, some wealthy, but most in poor health.

I contend there is no correct answer to how much money to retire. We retired to a sailboat in the Caribbean 15 years ago. I doubt I am presently physically capable to perform some of the necessary boat tasks that come up. I am 64, then I was 49…big difference.

If you have seen your IRA’s and 401K’s tank, (mine sure did). It is not the end of the world. There are ways to retire on less while you can still do the things you want to do. You should explore them now…don’t wait. You need to find out how to retire on less…and have more fun. Interested?

Here is how found the answer to how much money to retire? If you would like information on the different frugal retirement living lifestyles we have enjoyed for 15 years. Do not give up on retirement, visit this site. This and other unique content ” articles are available with free reprint rights.

Under the right circumstances, impressive monthly returns can be achieved by selling out-of-the-money covered call options. This strategy has been successfully used by me. However, it is not without its disadvantages. The public has not been properly educated by the website and e-book marketers. This strategy is marketed as having low risk and being conservative. They leave you holding the bag when it all goes wrong.

When the stock market is rising in value selling out of the money covered calls works well. Additionally, when the stock market is neutral (not going up or down by any meaningful amount), this strategy also works well. Please tell me when the last time was that the stock market remained neutral for any length of time?

We are currently in the midst of an extremely volatile market. The Dow frequently moves as much as 200 points either way in a single day. Hardly a profitable market for an out-of-the-money covered call writer. Your profits will start to evaporate once the stock you are holding starts to decline. I can assure you that profits can evaporate very quickly. I have seen the value of a stock drop from $10 to $1 over night! There is never enough premium on an option sale to cover that kind of decline.

The key to out-of-the-money covered call writing is to select stocks that will get called. Many so called experts do not want the stock to get called. They want you to keep the stock so you can sell a covered call option on it the next month. This strategy is flawed. You need to select stocks that are trending up in value, hence, a rising market. Those stocks will make you the most money. If the stock gets called, I know I ended up making my maximum anticipated return.

What if the stock shoots way up in value? If the stock shoots up through the strike price and remains there at expiration, it simply gets called away. Isn’t that what you wanted to begin with? You may think you left money on the table by not being able to participate in those gains. If that upsets you then just buy the stock outright and don’t sell covered call options on that stock. Instead, let the stock get called away and take your profit for the month. Then look for another stock to buy and sell calls on for the next month.

Remember, selling out-of-the-money covered calls can provide an excellent source if income in a rising stock market. However, the stock market we find ourselves in today is less than ideal for this strategy. There are, however, other strategies that will offer significant protection in a volatile or declining stock market.

Marc Abrams Is A Certified Public Accountant With Over 15 Years of Financial And Investing Experience. Visit Marc’s Website at http://www.rebuildingmyfuture.com To Learn More About Writing Covered Calls In Today’s Stock Market

Incredible things have been promised by many websites and e-books regarding investment training strategies. One of the more common stock market trading strategies taught is to sell covered call options on stocks. These websites promise that you can earn up to 10% monthly returns using that very strategy. Sound good? Read on.

I will be the first to admit that selling out-of-the-money covered calls can bring lucrative monthly returns under the right circumstances. This strategy has been successfully used by me. However, this strategy is not without its disadvantages. The public has not been properly educated by the website and e-book marketers. They market this strategy as conservative with little risk. They leave you holding the bag when it all goes wrong.

When the stock market is rising in value selling out of the money covered calls works well. Additionally, when the stock market is neutral (not going up or down by any meaningful amount), this strategy also works well. Please tell me when the last time was that the stock market remained neutral for any length of time?

We are currently in the midst of an extremely volatile market. We have recently seen swings in the Dow as much as 200 points in either direction on any given day. Hardly a profitable market for an out-of-the-money covered call writer. Once that stock you are holding starts to decline, so do your profits. I can assure you that profits can evaporate very quickly. I have seen stocks fall from $10 per share to $1 per share over night! There is never enough premium on an option sale to cover that kind of decline.

The key to out-of-the-money covered call writing is to select stocks that will get called. Many so called experts do not want the stock to get called. They want you to keep the stock so you can sell a covered call option on it the next month. This strategy is flawed. You need to select stocks that are trending up in value, hence, a rising market. Those stocks will make you the most money. If the stock gets called, I know I ended up making my maximum anticipated return.

What if the stock shoots way up in value? If the stock shoots up through the strike price and remains there at expiration, it simply gets called away. Isn’t that what you wanted to begin with? You may think you left money on the table by not being able to participate in those gains. If that upsets you then just buy the stock outright and don’t sell covered call options on that stock. Instead, let the stock get called away and take your profit for the month. Then look for another stock to buy and sell calls on for the next month.

Remember, selling out-of-the-money covered calls can provide an excellent source if income in a rising stock market. However, the stock market we find ourselves in today is less than ideal for this strategy. There are, however, other strategies that will offer significant protection in a volatile or declining stock market.