Retirement

Articles on Money Q&A about retirement and how it affects and interacts with personal finances.

How Rising Healthcare Costs Can Frustrate Your Retirement Dreams

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unexpected hospital bills

Although older adults (ages 65 and older) only account for 16% of the current U.S. population, data from the Kaiser Family Foundation found this age group accounts for 36% of all healthcare spending in the U.S. each year. When you factor in people 55+ years old, this demographic comprises just 29% of the U.S. population but accounts for 56% of all healthcare spending. Rising healthcare costs can crush your retirement dreams. The fact that older people have more expensive, more frequent healthcare needs than younger people is no surprise. Still, it’s alarming to see just how much money quality geriatric care requires, especially when healthcare costs are rising much more quickly than wage growth and cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) for social … Read more

How I Plan to Maintain My Lifestyle in Retirement

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Why You Should Still Make IRA Contributions After Retirement

Note – The following post is the 3rd and final article in a series of retirement education blog posts on Money Q&A and sponsored by USAA. Be sure to check out the 1st and 2nd articles in the series, “Am I Saving Enough for Retirement?” and “How Long Will My Retirement Savings Last?”. Like always, all opinions are my own about every topic, including choosing a lifestyle in retirement. With the cost of living rising at what seems like rapid rates every year, adults of all ages are beginning to wonder how they’ll ever manage to retire and still maintain the same standard of living they enjoyed during their working years. The concern to maintain a consistent standard of living during … Read more

Top 3 Simple and Best Passive Income Ideas for Retirees

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Whether you’re 10 years away from retirement or retiring this year, money management and saving don’t stop when your regular job income does. In fact, financial management in retirement can be a stressful experience if you don’t plan carefully beforehand and continue your saving habits during your golden years. To avoid the panic-inducing question of whether your current nest egg will last as long as you do, there are several retirement mistakes to avoid. Don’t increase your spending, pay attention to potential income opportunities, and never borrow money from your retirement account for nonessential purposes. Luckily, there are many ways to financially secure yourself and your spouse during your retirement years. Thankfully, these strategies don’t necessarily involve taking on a part-time job to … Read more

Who Do You Want to Be When You Grow Old? The Path of Purposeful Aging

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The following is reprinted from Who Do You Want to Be When You Grow Old?: The Path of Purposeful Aging with permission of Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Copyright © 2021 by Richard J. Leider and David A. Shapiro. This is a book by two old friends who have known each other for more than half of their lives. It is a book about a subject of which no one can claim absolute expertise, but which each of us learns a little bit more about every day. It is a book whose purpose is purpose. It is a book about how to grow old, with the emphasis on “grow.” Our focus is on not just getter older, but on how to grow as … Read more

What Is Unretirement and How Will It Affect Future Generations of Workers?

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As technological and medical advancements increase the average human lifespan, our society has had to re-evaluate its approach to the traditional work model and target retirement ages. In fact, a new survey conducted by Harris Poll for TD Ameritrade recently found that at least one-third of Americans aged 40 or older plan to continue working past the traditional retirement age of 65. There are also plenty people who retire for a while then return to the workforce a few years later. It’s worth noting that financial reasons aren’t always the motivating factor for someone to go back to work; some people want access to more mental stimulation, socializing opportunities and/or emotionally fulfilling activities than what traditional retirement can offer. This … Read more

Why You Can’t Rely on Social Security for Retirement

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Sooner than you think, there will come a time when you can no longer work. Perhaps you have grown too tired of the daily grind, or perhaps your fading health will prevent you from maintaining lasting employment. Regardless of the reason, you will need to retire. Unfortunately, most Americans aren’t adequately prepared for retirement. A 2019 study found that 64 percent of Americans lack sufficient retirement savings, and an astonishing 48 percent of them are apathetic about their lack of retirement plans. Many of these Americans believe that they will be able to survive their retirement on Social Security benefits alone. Indeed, the Social Security Act of 1935 designed the program to provide for the nation’s seniors and ensure sufficient … Read more