We relate some diseases to specific sexes. Take breast cancer for instance. Breast cancer is about 100 times less common amongst men than it is among women. According to the American Cancer Society, the lifetime risk of getting breast cancer for men is about 1 in 1,000. In comparison, about one woman in eight will…
Before going on a long trip, you make a checklist so that you don’t forget anything. It can be aggravating to get to the beach only to realize you forgot the sunscreen or your bathing suit. The same sort of planning can help in preparing for retirement. The list may even provide a means to…
Location, location, location. That quote is a familiar refrain from the real estate world but you might hear it from your financial advisor too. Financial professionals aren’t talking about a piece of property though. They’re talking about asset location. Social Security, Roth IRAs, traditional IRAs all require a strategy to help keep your taxes at…
Terry Pratchett, famous for his Discworld series died last week at the age of 66. Pratchett, one of England’s most-loved authors was diagnosed in 2007 with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, the “embuggerance,” as he called it. He became an outspoken advocate for assisted dying. He once wrote, “I would live my life as ever to the…
Preparing for retirement is hard enough but if you believe these retirement myths, you’re likely to run out of money early. Unfortunately, most of these myths are still being bandied about. You can rely upon Social Security. The average Social Security benefit is $1,328 a month, an amount close to poverty level. Social Security was…
Story after story gets written about the rich and famous individuals and their not so rich or famous peers whose adult children and second, third or even fourth spouses argue about what they would want once they become cognitively impaired or die. Unfortunately, it’s proven time and again that if there is a time when…
Over 90 percent of Americans want to grow old in their own homes reports an often-repeated AARP statistic, yet eight out of 10 will die in either a nursing home or hospital. You can age successfully at home but you are going to need help but help in the form of a live person might not…
Beginning this spring, homeowners applying for a reverse mortgage will have to undergo a financial assessment to determine whether they can handle the ongoing costs of the loan. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that financial assessment for reverse mortgages will come into effect on April 27, 2015. It is poised to…
Prior to 1980, fewer than one in ten people were obese in Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. The U.S. is one of 34 advanced or emerging countries that make up the OECD. While weight gain provided a largely beneficial health consequence for several centuries, a significant percent of the world population no longer experiences…
For years now, I’ve read with some disbelief articles about how the Boomers could expect a giant $27 trillion windfall from their parents. Sure enough, it’s not likely to happen. Part of that is that the postwar generation is pulling an Energizer Bunny and keeps going and going and going. The other part of that…
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