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

How I Lost Six Pounds on a Two Week Asian Vacation – Eat Like the Chinese By Jan Cullinane NABBW’s Expert on The New Retirement I recently returned from a two-week tour of China. What a fascinating place! Hiking on the Great Wall, viewing the Terracotta Warriors, cruising the Yangtze, touring fabulous Shanghai – these are just a few highlights of the trip. And the people – it was hard not to notice how slender the Chinese were. After eating for two weeks as the Chinese do (we were on a tour that ate at local restaurants with authentic Chinese food), I can see why they... Read More

Why Women Need Social Security By Pamela J. Sams, CRPC NABBW’s Retirement Planning for Women Expert Did you know that the first person ever to receive ongoing Social Security benefits was a woman? Ever since Ida May Fuller received the first retirement benefit check in 1940, women have been counting on Social Security to provide much-needed retirement income. Social Security provides other important benefits too, including disability and survivor\’s benefits, that can help women of all ages and their family members. Retirement benefits: a steady stream of lifetime income While... 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

Not Your Grandmother\’s Retirement – a Look at Retirement in the Modern World By Pamela J. Sams, CRPC NABBW’s Retirement Planning for Women Expert According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average life expectancy in the United States was 77.9 years as of 2007. That longer life expectancy has an impact on all aspects of society, from health care expenses and employment law to retirement planning and finances. A higher life expectancy can have its greatest impact on retirement planning, since it requires that your nest egg support you for decades after you... Read More

What Women Need To Know About Preparing for Retirement By Pamela J. Sams, CRPC NABBW’s Retirement Planning for Women Expert As women, we have many different roles that we take on throughout our lives. We are daughters, wives, mothers, employees, housekeepers, volunteers and much more. With all of this activity, hustle and bustle, thinking about the day when we will retire always seems like it is a long way off. It can be difficult to put effort into saving for something that seems such a distant idea. However, planning and preparing for retirement is one of the most important things that... Read More

Writing Out Your Retirement Goals Before you begin looking for a financial advisor to advise you on retirement investments, it helps to write out a list of retirement goals. The writing exercise forces you to think both concretely and abstractly about what kind of budget you will live on during your retirement. As an example of how this exercise can help you, this article provides a discussion of 3 thought-provoking questions for future retirees. 1. How much monthly income do you need to live on during retirement? This is a big question. You can start by thinking about the age you want to retire... Read More