Scammers are having success targeting older Americans, with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reporting that people over 70 caught in a scam lose an average of $41,800. Popular scams focus on Social Security, employment searches, pets and grandchildren, experts say.

The problem with using bonds in a retirement portfolio is that the money eventually runs out, economist Benjamin Harris writes. Income annuities offer a better way to hedge longevity risk and give retirees more freedom to spend knowing they have a guaranteed payout for life, Harris writes.

The lives of millions of Americans in retirement could be shaped by three major pieces of legislation awaiting action in the Senate, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act, the Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act and the Retirement Security and Savings Act. It isn't clear whether any of them will pass.

The US Treasury Department is considering issuing a 50-year bond in 2020 to capitalize on low interest rates and to offset fast-rising borrowing costs, Secretary Steven Mnuchin says. Bonds with maturity of more than 30 years were evaluated, then abandoned, by the Treasury in 2017, but Mnuchin says there is demand for them.

Assets in US index-based equity mutual funds and exchange-traded funds exceeded assets in active stock funds for the first time in August, after years of growth for passive investment. The shift represents a milestone for the financial industry.

If your retirement savings are falling short, consider automating the process. This article offers additional savings tips and a breakdown of average savings by age group.

Chinese officials are considering measures to make the next round of trade negotiations with the US more focused and productive, sources say. China reportedly might seek to set national security issues aside for separate discussions, increase US agricultural imports and offer easier US access to Chinese markets. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has indicated willingness to accept an interim agreement.

The US budget deficit for fiscal 2019 increased to almost $1.07 trillion in August, the highest amount in seven years, as revenue fell short of expenses by more than $214 billion, according to the Treasury Department.

The Federal Reserve "should get our interest rates down to zero, or less," President Donald Trump said in a tweet. That would lower the cost of refinancing the federal government's debt, he said.

Advisers can create a "five-star experience" for clients with small, inexpensive touches, says Susan Kay, director of business development at MFS Fund Distributors. Her recommendations include personalized postage stamps, takeout boxes of candy and hosting events such as a wine tasting.