I'm 65 and looking to retire this year. Where can I find safe investments that will give me an annual return of 5% to 7% in retirement? --Gary, Pennsylvania The short answer is nowhere, assuming that by safe you mean an investment that will provide the return you seek without subjecting your principal to the possibility of loss. Indeed, it's safe to say you won't find any investment today that comes anywhere close to returning 5% to 7% a year that you could realistically describe as safe. To confirm that's the case, just look at the type of investments that provide the greatest protection of principal -- FDIC-insured money-market accounts, savings accounts and short-term CDs.

.......this is part of an article appearing on Yahoo.com that appears on money.cnn.com. In my opinion, they overlooked investing in notes. Properly structured with adequate collateral, that 7% per anum is EASILY achievable. For new investors wondering where to invest, and for those hesitant to purchase a property and deal with tenants, flipping problems, etc then making mortgages or buying 1st position notes is an alternative that should be considered.

In 2012, I started doing mortgages. I didn't know a lot, but knew two things: I only wanted 1st lien position, and I wanted a low LTV to protect myself against having to foreclose on the property. My first one was truly ALL WRONG in the respect that the dollar amount was ridiculously low. It ended up paying off well for one reason: the owner, when they decided to sell, called me first asking if I wanted to purchase the property. I still own that property today, it is worth about double what I paid for it, and I have had the same tenant there since 2012. Not all of my loans have been great, and I have learned quite a bit along the way. A handfull of times I have had to hire attorneys for collection, but in general this has been a great way to make money! Some call it the "toilet free" way to invest in real estate. If you haven't considered doing private or hard money loans, this is an avenue you may wish to explore. 7% per anum? You can do MUCH better than that, never have to worry about a tenant calling up saying the toilet won't flush, and usually never have to worry about maintenance, property taxes, or evictions. Yes, I also do buy and hold real estate, but each avenue offers advantages and disadvantages. You do need to know something about Dodd-Frank, and you need to make sure and comply with your state laws. Wishing everyone success in the avenue they pursue!