Blog
Weekly articles about how to live a secure, fulfilling retirement.
The surprising truth about how retirees spend their day
Do you remember the scene from The Princess Bride where Vizzini keeps using the word “inconceivable” at all the wrong times? Inigo Montoya finally corrects him: “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” When it comes to the word...
5 key relationships for people over 50
“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” ~Proverbs 15:22 As you approach retirement, there are five people who can make a big difference when it comes to your health, financial security, and overall quality of life. They are: 1. Your...
Curate your life
One of the most important jobs at any museum is the Chief Curator. It’s his or her job to use a discerning eye and a deep understanding of the museum’s mission to select works that are appropriate for the collection. That is why you will see paintings by Pollock and...
How to cure the Busy Virus
You’re too busy. So am I. Pretty much all of us are. It’s like there’s a Busy Virus sweeping the nation and most of us are carriers. Call it the Busy Zombie Apocalypse. Some have managed to avoid the contagion, but not many. Signs of infection include packed...
30 day learning challenge: Croissant edition
“Patience!” That was the advice that a French pastry chef gave me when I asked him for pointers on making croissants. I should back up. What set of circumstances brought me to the point where I was getting cooking advice from the former personal chef to the king of...
5 reasons to keep your life insurance during retirement
When entering retirement, it’s common to simplify your budget as much as possible by cutting all unnecessary expenses. Nix the expensive work wardrobe. Downsize to a smaller house. Stop making IRA and 401(k) contributions. Cancel your life insurance policies. ...
Case study: When can I retire?
I met with a prospective new client this week and he asked me the question I get asked by most people during introductory meetings: “When can I afford to retire?” We spent about an hour working through some numbers and coming up with the answer. I thought seeing a...
Ray Bradbury on how to predict your future
We recently passed the halfway mark for the year. Six months to go before breaking out the bubbly and Auld Lang Syne. How are you doing with your plans for the year? Are you making progress toward your retirement goals? Ray Bradbury, the vaunted science fiction...
Can the new health care law help you retire early?
One of the biggest obstacles to retiring early is health care. If you want to retire at 62, but don’t become eligible for Medicare until 65, you have a three-year window where you need to bridge the gap between your employer’s coverage and Medicare. Traditionally,...
How to maximize fun, minimize stress
I’m back! Sorry you haven’t heard from me for a bit. Every year my wife and I take a trip with three other couples and this year I decided to pretty much “unplug” so I could just relax and recharge. Not posting for almost two weeks means that I have plenty of things...
London calling: Should you retire overseas?
Raise your hand if you’ve ever made it through a particularly stressful day at the office by doing a Google image search for “Tropical Island.” Me too. In fact, if I type the letter “a” in the search bar, Google automatically thinks I’m looking for “Aruba” (B is...
How much is enough?
How much is enough (a.k.a. How much do I need to have saved to fund my retirement)? When it comes to retirement, that's the question I get asked the most. The answer is (not surprisingly) different for everyone. Some can live like kings on $50,000 per year. Others...