Finding More Time and Saving More Money with PERK By Jan Cullinane NABBW’s Expert on The New Retirement We can all use more time and more money, right? Well, I stumbled across an acronym that can help us do both. The acronym is PERK, and credit goes to Robert Pagliarini, an author, a certified financial planner, a columnist, and the President of Pacifica Wealth Advisors. Here\’s how it works: Think about all your activities and all your expenses (current and upcoming). Write them down. For each activity and expense, apply “PERK”: Postpone: Want a new car, but still... Read More

“The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” By Jan Cullinane NABBW’s Expert on The New Retirement If you haven\’t seen “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” I\’d recommend you get yourself to a theater and luxuriate in this gem of a film. It\’s the perfect movie for Boomer women (men, too – my husband really liked it). In addition to impressive acting by such notables as Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, and Judi Dench, it explores the concepts of challenge, transformation, hope, and resilience through humor and drama. I visited exotic and memorable India a few... Read More

Can Money buy Happiness? By Jan Cullinane NABBW’s Expert on The New Retirement We\’ve heard the expression “Money can\’t buy you love,” but what about happiness? The answer may be yes. An April 2012 Marist Institute for Public Opinion poll found that people who made $50,000 or more felt younger than their actual years, felt less likely they will be burden to others, thought they wouldn\’t feel as lonely as they age, thought they would be more likely to travel and volunteer, and even thought they\’d have a better sex life than those making under $50,000.... Read More

Surprising New Retirement Statistics By Jan Cullinane NABBW’s Expert on The New Retirement Here are several fascinating findings from the 2012 EBRI (Employee Benefit Research Institute) survey. This is the 22nd year that the EBRI has published its “Retirement Confidence Survey.” The results demonstrate that what we THINK will happen in retirement and what WILL happen are not always the same. I call this “Expectation vs. Reality.” For example: 70% of respondents planned to work in retirement, but only 27% are actually working in retirement. 8% of respondents planned... Read More

For Better, For Worse: Communicating About Retirement By Pamela J. Sams, CRPC NABBW’s Retirement Planning for Women Expert A recent survey suggests that many couples are not communicating clearly about retirement goals and strategies, even as they approach retirement age. The couples surveyed were at least 46 years old with a minimum annual household income of $75,000 or at least $100,000 in investable assets.1 Only 41% said they handle decisions on retirement savings and investments together, and 73% disagreed on whether they had a detailed strategy for retirement income. Many couples... Read More

Do men and women think alike? Most of us agree with the title of John Gray\’s book, Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. Ameriprise Financial\’s The New Retirement Mindscape City Pulse Index (2011) gives some insight into how the sexes think about various aspects of retirement: Are planning financially for retirement: Women 72%; Men 77% Are confident they will reach their financial retirement goals: Women 19%; Men 25% Have determined how much $$ they\’ll need in retirement:Women 20%; Men 31% Have invested in stocks and IRAs: Women 46%; Men 54% Are making plans to... Read More