Our latest research on employee financial issues shows that only 49% of employees have an adequate emergency fund while 92% are saving in their 401(k) plans.

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An adequate evaluation of any prospective fund will necessarily include a thorough review of the fund manager and their team.

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Adequate cash reserves can help fund research and development, make dividend payments, buy shares back, entice buyout offers or even acquire other firms.

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There were also claims -- the states, local governments may have claims, and so we wanted to start this with a fund that would be adequate to meet all of those expectations.

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In a September letter to the commission, the groups cited Linen's N' Things, a home goods retailer that is honoring its cards despite not having an adequate cash reserve on its books to fund them, which could raise arguments from more senior creditors in bankruptcy court.

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Once the standards are established, any pension fund which fails to do an adequate due diligence of its consultant prior to hiring, and any consultant who fails to perform his duties in a professionally sound manner, will be at risk.

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Paying off credit card debt, building an emergency fund, and making sure you have adequate insurance coverage should also take priority.

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He also said the temporary bailout fund, the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), would be adequate to help Spain and Cyprus, the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine reported.

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If you accumulate an adequate amount of cash for these purposes outside the account, you can always transfer it to a brokerage or mutual fund company to be invested more aggressively for retirement.

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