Seek and Find!
After you retire, you’ll probably focus more on your health than ever before.
When Dana Gibson was feted at her 80th birthday party, several people attested to how she operates more like a 60-year-old than an 80-year-old. She travels extensively—though her exploring the wilds of Guatemala may have slowed down—attends Broadway plays and cultural events, plays tennis several times a week, hikes, volunteers at a church, is as active as many millennials, and looks 20 years younger than her age.
A dramatic change has taken place in the way retirement is funded in America. Until recently, many workers relied on corporate pensions for a significant percentage of their post-career income.
Throughout your career, retirement planning will likely be one of the most important components of your overall financial plan. Whether you have just graduated and taken your first job, are starting a family, are enjoying your peak earning years, or are preparing to retire, your employer-sponsored retirement plan can play a key role in your financial strategies.
In times of crisis, you don’t want to be shaking pennies out of a piggy bank. Having a financial safety net in place can ensure that you’re protected when a financial emergency arises. One way to accomplish this is by setting up a cash reserve, a pool of readily available funds that can help you meet emergency or highly urgent short-term needs.
During his working years, Fritz Gilbert was a super saver: He socked away an average of 20 percent of his earnings and invested carefully. But when he retired from a 33-year career in the aluminum industry in 2018, he and his wife, Jackie, switched their mindset. Within the confines of their carefully constructed financial plan, they became unabashed spenders.
In late 2021, after months of growing anticipation about inflation pressures, the closely watched Consumer Price Index (CPI) measure surged to 6.8 percent on a year-over-year basis. The November reading represented a nearly 40-year high and triggered a tsunami of alarming headlines across financial media outlets.
In this installment of Client Conversations, we explore the unique benefits of nonqualified defined contribution plans, look at options for covering healthcare costs in early retirement, and provide some insights on surging home prices and the drivers behind them.
