Business & Finance
Business and Finance
Business and Finance
Mon, November 8, 2010 TD Ameritradea?s Annual New Yeara?s Resolution Survey: While Financial Goals Are Still Important, Having Fun and Relaxing Are T
OMAHA, Neb.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--An annual [ survey ] released by TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: AMTD) found that the top New Yeara™s resolutions for 2011 reflect a focus on quality of life. While asave more moneya (65 percent) was included among the top three resolutions, arelax/reduce stressa (67 percent) and ahave more funa (67 percent) were the most popular responses.
"When the recession was at its peak in 2008 and 2009, fear and uncertainty drove a lot of people to act on their financial plans"
Just two years ago the same survey found the opposite to be true, as asave more moneya was the top resolution, followed by aspend more time with familya and arelax/reduce stress,a respectively.
Twenty-seven percent of respondents said they are less likely to make New Year's resolutions about their personal finances this year than last year. The reason? Their health and well-being are simply more important this year, according to 50 percent of respondents. Thirty-nine percent of respondents also reported they're in better financial shape compared to previous years.
aWhen the recession was at its peak in 2008 and 2009, fear and uncertainty drove a lot of people to act on their financial plans,a said Stuart Rubinstein, managing director, investment products, TDAmeritrade. aToday, wea™re seeing a shift and while Americans are still striving to meet financial goals, they may feel confident enough in their financial standing to put relaxation and fun first in 2011.a
It also appears that Americans are ready to move beyond doom and gloom this year, as 55 percent of respondents describe their financial outlook for 2011 as uncertain, but hopeful the economy is on the rebound. This tempered, but optimistic outlook was most pronounced among women and younger Americans (58 percent among young adults ages 18-34, 60 percent of women). Only 23 percent of all respondents reported that they are pessimistic about the financial outlook.
aWhile economic optimism is certainly on the rise, we should not use that as an excuse to forget everything wea™ve learned about the importance of creating a long-term financial plan,a said Rubinstein. aMaking financial goals and taking actionable steps to achieve them is something we should all resolve to do.a
TDAmeritrade suggests these three strategies to help investors get on the right track in 2011:
1. Be informed. TD Ameritrade has made a series of [ asset allocation tools ], [ retirement calculators ], [ investment screeners ], [ learning labs ] and [ online quizzes ] available to the public. Tutorials and webcasts, with topics ranging from investing fundamentals to trading strategy, are also available and make for an engaging, interactive experience for those taking part in the programs.
2. Do the homework. Objective research offers investors information to help make informed investing decisions. TD Ameritrade offers [ online investing and trading ideas and valuable research ] from third-party industry leaders to help investors create and implement the trading or investing strategy that best fits their needs.
3. Take control. Assessing your current financial situation will help you determine your next move. TD Ameritradea™s [ WealthRulerTM ]is an innovative retirement planning tool that helps investors build a retirement plan that aligns their projected retirement savings and expenses. WealthRuler is free and available to everyone.
For more information on how TDAmeritrade can help investors with their long-term investment goals, please visit [ www.tdameritrade.com ].
AMTD-G
About the Survey
These results are based on a survey conducted by Infogroup | ORC of Princeton, New Jersey on behalf of TD Ameritrade. One thousand nine (1,009) adults participated in a telephone survey conducted September 18 a" 20, 2010. The margin of error in this survey is 3.1 percentage points. This means that in 19 cases out of 20, survey results based on 1,009 respondents will differ by no more than 3.1 percentage points in either direction from what would have been obtained by seeking the opinions of all adults living in the United States age 18 and older. Infogroup | ORC and TD Ameritrade are separate, unaffiliated companies and are not responsible for each other's products and services.
About Infogroup | ORC
Infogroup | ORC is a leader in global market research with expertise in Information Technology and Telecommunications, Healthcare, Financial Services, Public Services and Consumer Behavior. For more information, visit [ www.opinionresearch.com ].
About TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation
TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: AMTD), through its brokerage subsidiaries,(1) combines innovative trading technology, easy-to-use-and-understand [ trading tools ], investment services, investor education and superior client service to create a market-leading financial services experience. Now home to the award-winning thinkorswim trading technology(2) and the Investools investor education program, TD Ameritrade provides millions of retail investors, traders and independent registered investment advisors with the tools, service and support they need to help build confidence in todaya™s rapidly changing market environment. For more information and resources for journalists, please visit the TD Ameritrade newsroom at [ www.amtd.com ].
(1) TDAmeritrade, Inc., member FINRA ([ www.FINRA.org ]) /SIPC ([ www.SIPC.org ]), NFA ([ www.nfa.futures.org ]), TDAmeritrade Clearing, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC.
(2) thinkorswim, prior to joining TD Ameritrade, earned 4.9 stars, the top score, in the category aTrading Technology,a™ and was rated #1 overall online broker in Barrona™s ranking of online brokers, 3/15/2010. thinkorswim was evaluated versus others in eight total categories, including trade experience, trading technology, usability, range of offerings, research amenities, portfolio analysis and reporting, customer service and education and costs. thinkorswim topped the list in 2006, 2007, 2009, and 2010 with the highest weighted-average score. Barrona™s is a registered trademark of Dow Jones & Company © 2006a"2010.
