General retirement planning advice says that you’ll need about 80% of your pre-retirement income in retirement, but this may not be the case for everyone. Inflation, taxes, and long-term care costs are easily overlooked - but these expenses could be high. When creating your retirement budget, don’t forget to include these three expenses. Taxes: How [...]
Retirement planning can seem overwhelming, even if you feel you’ve saved enough to retire. It’s hard to know where to begin because a comprehensive retirement plan involves so many elements, from an investment strategy to tax minimization strategies. When faced with a complex problem, we can often end up procrastinating. But a better approach is [...]
The only certainty in life is that there will be uncertainties. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t create a plan to address them. Retirement shouldn’t be a time of anxiety or worry; it should be a time when you feel financially secure and can enjoy the money you’ve worked hard to earn for decades. The [...]
Almost everything we do has some type of a process or warm-up routine. From playing golf to driving a car, every activity has certain steps that should be taken before you begin. Take for example a pilot performing their pre-flight routine and inspections. They walk around the entire plane looking for any visual problems on [...]
Do you ever feel like you live in a completely different world than you did 20 years ago? It’s worth thinking about how different it will be in another 20 years. Beyond cultural and personal changes, we could see major economic changes that could affect us in retirement. It’s always worth knowing what’s going on [...]
The Social Security trust fund is now expected to be depleted by 2034, according to a recent report from the Social Security and Medicare trustees.[1] That’s one year earlier than they reported last year, and the pandemic is to blame. Less was collected in payroll taxes when unemployment was high, and more people claimed benefits. [...]
You’ve probably heard about or experienced the effects of inflation - everyday items can cost more, and the monthly inflation numbers make the news. While the increased costs we see on a regular basis can have an impact on our finances, there may be some potential hidden costs to inflation we don’t necessarily see right [...]
Sometimes life gives us lemons, as the saying goes. In order to make lemonade, you need a plan. Whether it’s a financial crisis or a personal setback, there are events that can upend your retirement if you’re not prepared. Have a plan for handling retirement curveballs if they come your way. An Earlier-Than-Expected Retirement It [...]
Everyone talks a lot about how to prepare for retirement financially. But what about how to adjust your mindset in retirement and manage expectations? You might not be happy every single day in retirement, but that doesn't mean your retirement won't be happy. Transitioning into retirement is no small task, and research shows that the [...]
Many of today's retirees are the wealthiest retirees of all time. Rising home values, strong market returns, and a generation of dedicated workers mean that there are more millionaires than ever. But, even if you have built a substantial nest egg, you may not feel like a millionaire and may be worried about how you'll [...]