Retirement

It’s that time of year when a storm developing in the Caribbean has the potential to become a hurricane. That’s when an early warning system becomes so important. This integrated system of hazard monitoring, forecasting and prediction, disaster risk assessment, communication and preparedness activities systems helps people get ready to take appropriate action, including evacuation,

I woke up this morning to a financial “headline” that, while not uncommon, grated on me even more today. It’s a misleading question, asked not by a curious consumer but by a massive financial institution, that is surely designed to act as a lure for transactional sales more than a tool for educational edification. The

Married women face a special retirement planning challenge that’s best addressed when they and their spouse transition into retirement. Here’s the problem: When one spouse passes away, the survivor’s retirement income usually drops much more than their living expenses do. This often results in the phenomenon I’ve called the “retired widow’s money crunch.” Most of

Retirement decisions are always complex and rarely easy. As a veteran retirement researcher who has written books on the subject, I find myself sympathetic to President Biden’s reluctance to “step aside” and retire. While this is a unique situation, his response is in fact quite normal. It makes perfect sense that President Biden is “defiant,”

The Republican party platform, orchestrated by former President Trump, is filled with promises for those it calls “our Great Seniors.” But there is little or no real policy behind most of those campaign pledges. And the document is filled with many irreconcilable contradictions. The platform will be the GOP’s election-year policy framework coming out of

I’ve never met anyone who loves paying more taxes on their retirement income. Building a retirement income you won’t outlive is hard enough without overpaying your taxes. Any strategy that helps you increase the amount of your tax-free retirement income will help minimize these two challenges. As a tax planning-focused Certified Financial Plannerä, I love

Fertility rates are declining worldwide. Yes, there are nations where there are still far more children than the replacement rate of at least 2.1 children per woman. But industrialized economies are all well below replacement level. United States Census data indicates that the percentage of women between ages 30 and 44 who have never had

It probably isn’t surprising to you that taxes can be one of your biggest expenses while in retirement. Of course, this doesn’t make paying all those taxes less painful. The tax burden you bear on your retirement income can vary depending on where you live. Currently, there are just 12 states that take taxes out

Black and Latino workers, along with those of other or multiple races/ethnicities regularly have significantly less money in retirement savings than white workers do. This disparity results in a less secure retirement, even though they often work longer hours and careers. The retirement savings gap results, in large part, from many people of color having

According to reports, interest in moving abroad spiked after the recent presidential debate. So what are the best places to live in the world? Ask the expats—they offer a unique perspective on living in foreign countries, making their feedback invaluable. This year marks the 11th edition of the Expat Insider report by InterNations, which is

If “Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement,” as C.S. Lewis suggested, my opportunities for achievement are many. Indeed, the only reason that I have an opportunity to share this insight with you today is that I failed at one person’s version of financial advising. Although very real, that person was a mythic

Those online senior living referral services are getting a lot of attention these days. And not in a good way. The chairman of the US Senate Aging Committee has begun an investigation into assisted living referrals by A Place for Mom, one of the biggest commercial advice outfits. At the same time, more states are

Adult son of a real estate investor began to notice that his father, Wealthy Dad (WD), was slipping. WD was becoming forgetful. He had purchased a lot of real estate in his younger days, and owned eight single family houses in one of the most expensive markets in the U.S. He gradually lost the ability

It takes a lot of money to be financially secure in old age. Federal Reserve data suggests that to be financially secure in retirement, people will likely need more than $500,000 in savings. In assessing how retirees are faring, it is important to go beyond simply asking people how they are feeling about their situation

I’ve got good news: You’re antifragile. We, as humans, are antifragile. And our financial plans can be, too. Have you noticed how great books consistently refer to other great books? I’m currently reading Jonathan Haidt’s newest book, The Anxious Generation, specifically focused on how a couple of systemic parenting mistakes have seriously impacted at least

Introduction Estate planning sometimes addresses the special needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (“LGBTQ+”) people, or those who have family members in the LGBTQ+ community. Statistics demonstrate the reality that the number of people undertaking estate planning for whom LGBTQ+ considerations should be incorporated is growing. This article will provide an overview of

One of the most common emotions connected with money isn’t excitement, fear or even uncertainty. It’s ‘shame.’ This shame around money can cause deep havoc to the financial wellbeing because it’s often mixed with another common theme for American savers: A lack of financial education and knowledge. Both of these realities – lack of financial

Since I have been a Roger Federer fan for decades, I was eager to watch the new documentary Federer: Twelve Final Days. We get to watch Federer from the time he announces his retirement until he plays his final match at the Laver Cup. What we witness is how difficult it is for him to

Retiring by the beach is a popular dream of many, but while escaping the 9-to-5 grind on a deserted island may seem like a fun idea, the reality of a life without everyday conveniences is another matter entirely. Of course, there is a solution. Many expat havens around the world offer beachside living along with

Our country has valued hard work from our founding as a nation. The Puritan work ethic shows itself everywhere. Most working people see “hard worker” as a desirable quality in themselves and others. We often define success by how much wealth we accumulate from all that hard work. What’s wrong with this picture? Back when