Retirement

The month of October is known for a lot of things, shorter days, cooler temperatures, falling leaves and the arrival of pumpkin spice everything—from baked goods to coffee, yogurt, smoothies, beer—and yes, even pumpkin spice turkey. It also marks the start of Medicare’s annual open enrollment period, which begins on October 7 and ends on

If you’re within 5 years of retiring, you have a window of opportunity. Don’t miss it. A little intentionality now can set the stage for a successful retirement.  Years ago, I planned a backpacking trip through the Grand Tetons in Wyoming. I started by casting my vision for my adventure: the trails I’d hike, the

In recent articles, I have lamented poorly designed components of the Reconciliation Bill, from a poorly-designed “free childcare” program to a family leave plan that’s designed to be “free” rather than funded by the workers who benefit, to a Medicare drug benefit that’s planned to be implemented at the same time as Part A Medicare

Financial planning has struggled to emerge as a true profession. This is in part because some of the most powerful voices in financial services would still rather relegate the practice as a means to the end of product sales rather than advice as an end unto itself. Indeed, with the financial services industry cited as

In late September, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot delivered her 2022 budget address to the City Council. It was filled with a long list of new spending programs, including $400 million for community safety/violence reduction plans, $52 million for increased mental health services, $240 million for subsidized housing programs, $20 million for artists, and the list

By Ronni Gordon, Next Avenue Would your loved ones have necessary access to your bank accounts after you die to help carry out your last wishes and handle arrangements? It’s quite likely they won’t unless you take a few essential steps now. “If you have a bank account in a single person’s name, it can take

By Gwen McKinney, Next Avenue One day I looked in the mirror unnerved by the image peering back at me. Who is this older woman and where’s the me I know? This existential question is shaped by coming of age in an era when women were seen and heard. Today, sadly, we are virtually erased by the larger

By Kerry Hannon, Next Avenue Every once in awhile, while covering the older workers and personal finance beats, I run across a research report that stops me cold. “Hidden Workers: Untapped Talent” fits that bill, revealing the cruel underbelly of hiring. I’d even call it explosive. The findings of the 74-page “Hidden Workers: Untapped Talent” come

As public pensions across the nation continue to spiral downward, pension trustees and participants, unions, and taxpayers in states including Alabama, California, Florida, Kentucky, Illinois, Ohio, North Carolina and Rhode Island are increasingly raising their voices to urge the SEC to stop rampant mismanagement of pension investments and looting by Wall Street. While the SEC

Pauline, a local resident in Marin County, CA just turned 114. The local senior center she attends is celebrating her birthday along with many others. She is easily the oldest person in my county and one of the oldest in the entire U.S. She’s alert, active, healthy and happy. Is it some magical run of

When Washington State legislators approved a public long-term care (LTC) insurance program in 2019, they made a last-minute change: Residents could opt out if they purchased private LTC coverage by Nov 1, 2021. Those who remained would pay an annual payroll tax surcharge of 0.58 percent starting next year and, in return, be eligible for

As economic inequality continues to grow, Social Security remains a vital source of retirement income for most older Americans. In fact, a large portion of older Americans, 40 percent by some estimates, receive retirement benefits from Social Security, but lack income from a pension, 401(k) or IRA in retirement. Why? A big part of the

If you recently retired or are planning to, you likely have questions about how to position your investments going forward. Conventional wisdom suggests investors should change their asset allocation in retirement to be more conservative. However, depending on your pre-retirement asset allocation, income sources/needs, and long-term goals, that may not be advisable. Here are a

With so many ways to pursue a higher education or increased expertise in a trade, craft, or industry, more and more parents are asking what the best way is to save for future education costs. My answer is often a combination of things. If I were forced to narrow it down, my two favorite ways

Akiva ben Yosef was an influential first century rabbi, living in Roman territory, who inspired many followers. He has a lesson to teach us that is just as pertinent today as it was 2,000 years ago, and especially applicable within the context of financial life planning.  As legend would have it, Rabbi Akiva was journeying

I was a caregiver for my dad. It was extremely rewarding. And incredibly difficult. It was, in fact, the hardest thing I ever have done. Many family care partners pay a high physical, emotional, and financial price for what they do. Now, as Congress is debating major policy changes aimed at making the lives of

By Kerry Hannon, Next Avenue In April, after 17 years at Fidelity Investments, personal finance editor David Conti, 61, opted for an early retirement buyout package. Conti, who lives in Hampton Falls, N.H. and is now a retirement editorial marketing consultant and freelancer, credits his smooth second-act transition in part to working with a career coach

By Nancy J. Altman, Next Avenue When people think of paid family and medical leave, they often think of parents taking time off to bond with their newborns. As important as that is, an often-overlooked group that also urgently needs a robust system of paid leave is older Americans — even those who are retired. Congress

By Kerri Fivecoat-Campbell, Next Avenue In August, while checking her email, Deb (she prefers not to reveal her last name) was alarmed to read one she received that looked like it came from the online payment company PayPal PYPL . It said someone had accessed her PayPal account and taken $500 from her linked bank account.

The pandemic is not over, but many of us made travel plans long ago, hoping it would be over by this time. Delayed events, rescheduled celebrations and other family gatherings are still on the calendars of families and aging loved ones. Time has passed since the first thoughts of getting together in person, traveling from