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Retirement planning: Your finances aren’t the only thing to plan for
Nearly all retirement planning exercises focus almost entirely on money, how to accumulate it, the amount of savings needed, and how to draw upon it during retirement. But, an equally important consideration is how you wish your retirement to be…
Small nest egg won’t last a lifetime; but a larger Social Security payment will help
In this USA Today financial article by columnist Peter Dunn, a reader questions whether his $80,000 nest egg and small pension can sustain him in retirement. Mr. Dunn offers an evaluation of his predicament and counsels that the reader’s small nest…
Medicare’s “Extra Help” for paying prescription drug costs
The high cost of prescription drugs is being discussed all over the political spectrum these days, but the fact is that prescription drug plans are available to all who are on Medicare. However, those plans – known as Medicare “Part…
“Unretirement” is an option many are taking
“Unretirement” – that is, going back to work after you have retired – is an option that many are finding attractive or necessary these days. In fact, 39% of today’s workers over age 65 have previously retired from the workforce…
Make Social Security part of your overall retirement plan
When it was first enacted, Social Security was a simple thing – you claimed at age 65 and collected until you died. But many changes – actually enhancements – have been made over the years to ensure that your survivors…
When should you claim Social Security?
When to claim Social Security is, of course, a question that everyone approaching age 62 must wrestle with. Some claim simply because “it’s there”, while other are more pensive and evaluate the various options available. Some claim as soon as…
Time is running out to switch or ditch
Time is running out if you want to change your Medicare Advantage plan or switch back to original Medicare. You have to March 31st to return to original Medicare or found you don’t like your Medicare Advantage plan now is…
Downsizing it’s not as easy as you think
We all have heard that we should downsize for retirement; it will save us money. But does it? Yes, it can save you money, but it’s not as easy as you think. In Tom Sightings’ column for U.S. News, he…
Mortgage debt can hurt you when you’re older
A large number of American seniors are struggling to shake their mortgage debt. According to the COUNTRY Financial, 33 percent of Americans are still paying off mortgages into retirement age. If you are nearing retirement and still paying a mortgage…
Is the “Retirement Savings Gap” real?
In Andrew Biggs’ column for Forbes, he questions the National Institute for Retirement Security’s (NIRS) study finding that America faces a $14 trillion “retirement savings gap” with a staggering 92 percent of working-age households falling short of their retirement savings…