My Comments: As with most Social Security calculations, this one is also prone to misinterpretation and mistakes made. My wife and I are an example. I claimed at my FRA (full retirement age) but my wife, 4 years younger, did not. We’re not sure why that happened but for whatever reason, she elected to file …
Continue reading How Are Spousal Benefits Calculated for Social Security?
My Comments: First my apologies for those of you who have little understanding of economics. You are clearly not alone as this article suggests. I’m reasonably well versed, having studied it since I was a college sophmore some 50 plus years ago. I consider Paul Krugman among the foremost authorities on global economics and his …
Continue reading Republicans Hate Deficits. Or at Least That’s What They Claim
My Comments: Most of you know that I’m now semi-retired. My transition to full retirement is ongoing and may not happen until my lights go out. This outcome is more and more common these days. Many millions of us are not ready to fully retire and we find ways to continue doing what we’ve done …
Continue reading Got a will? Here are 11 more end-of-life documents you may need
My Comments: Long Term Care, often reduced to the acronym LTC, means that someone, perhaps you, have developed mental and/or physical limitations that require the assistance of others to get through a 24 hour day. Care may come from a family member or from professionals, but unless you plan to die soon, you may need …
Continue reading The Crippling Cost of Self-Insuring Long-Term Care
My Comments: The woods are full of people attempting to help you prepare for your retirement. Almost all of them want to give you investment advice which may or may not be good advice. It’s an accepted fact that life in 21st Century America is better with more money than it is with less money. …
My Comments: For the vast majority of us, mutual funds ( and sometimes ETFs) are the default financial tool when it comes to growing our money for the future. For about 100 years now, mutual funds have evolved and spread to become ubiquitous in the world of investing money. In my opinion, Vanguard, as a …
Continue reading How a 12-year Vanguard win streak makes it the ‘Amazon of wealth management’
My Comments: These words from Nicholas Hopwood of Plymouth, Michigan, echo the lessons I teach in my online courses at Successful Retirement Secrets. The challenge for everyone who expects to someday retire is to prepare themselves without becoming obsessed with what has to happen first. He stresses, as do I, the need to fully understand …
My Comments: This is #6 in a series of 6 blog posts about Heath Savings Accounts, or HSAs. They are a potential game changer for those of you who qualify in that they have tax advantages and can suplement whatever else you are doing to set aside money for retirement. The writer of the article …
Continue reading 7 Reasons Why You Should Fund A Health Savings Account
My Comments: This is post #5 in a series of 6 posts intended to help you better understand the advantages of HSAs. If your circumstances let you qualify for one, it could be a game changer when it comes to paying your bills in retirement. by Adella Cellini Linecker \ November 30, 2018 A health …
Continue reading Health Savings Account Rules: 6 Little-Known HSA Tips That Will Save You Money
If you think your HSA is only good for covering medical expenses, you're overlooking one of its key benefits. My Comments: This is #4 in a series of 6 blog posts intended to help someone not yet retired, and under Medicare age, make an informed decision about their health insurance. There are restrictions on who …
Continue reading Is an HSA a Good Place for My Retirement Savings?
Helping Define Your Financial Future 