Friday Finds Archives - Dr. Bill Courter

Friday Finds 10/10/14

Steps For Retirement

Here is an article that lists the key steps to take as you progress toward retirement. It highlights the financial aspect of dialing back on your stocks, moving toward cash, setting a realistic budget, clarifying your social security income adjustments, signing up for medicare, and getting yourself started by preparing for that first bucket list trip. Although I am not opposed to the financial planning suggestions, I am opposed to hitting the ground running and jump starting retirement with one of your long-awaited trips. I strongly encourage a very different approach. I am a great fan of Hemingway’s quote: “First, you must last.” Therefore, I encourage you to take the first 6 months of retirement to focus on self-improvement. You need to improve your physical health and mental sharpness; you need to reclassify your forgotten passions and hidden talents / interests; and you need to re-ignite some ignored connections with family and friends. In short, you need to redesign your life and reset your compass. Once you have accomplished that primary task, then — and only then […]

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Friday Finds 08/22/14

Retirement, Finances, and Social Security –

There was a recent report that 20% of Americans, aged 50, have less than $1,000 saved for their retirement. They are paying their bills, but they are not able to sufficiently save for the next chapter of their life. There was also a report that the average 65 year old couple has a net worth of less than $60,000 with expected life time medical expenses of over $250,000. Clearly, the financial figures are not presenting a life style that would qualify for anyone’s description of “golden years”. So, how are people trying to cope with this financial predicament? This article highlights that more and more people are relying on social security income as their primary source of income for retirement, supplementing their social security income by additional paychecks: e.g., they are forced to keep working well past their parents retirement age. In this next article the author highlights the obvious: retirement today is much much more challenging than it was for our parents. Our savings have been less; our social security income and other benefits are stretched […]

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Friday Finds 8/08/14

Retirement, Finances, and Social Security

With 10,000 people turning 65 every day for the next 20 years, finances will be a key area of debate with many potential pitfalls. With this financial challenge, this blog will offer periodic articles that address this important financial area. Here is one article that highlights some sound financial approaches for retirement, specifically suggesting the best ways to make your money last through retirement. One of those ways, which we have discussed before, is to re-evaluate where you should retire. This article explores how some states offer tax breaks so your money will last longer. For some of us, the option of moving to a new state is not an option. We want to remain close to our grown children and grandchildren, plus close to our lifelong friends. However, in the United States, where everyone seems on the move to a new destination, many older couples have found increased financial freedom through this choice. My advice is to explore your geographic options within the United States and in foreign countries. Panama, Costa Rica, and the South American countries have some […]

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Friday Finds 7/25/14

Habits of the Wealthy –

Experts claim that it is never too late to start employing some of the financial habits of the wealthy, especially if you find yourself delaying your retirement. Some actions will be well past their starting point. However, other actions really can be started at any age, at least offering some future financial advantages. You know me. I think that life and retirement revolve around things of far greater importance than money. But I still want to share this article on good financial habits. I prefer my habits in my book, The Boomer Survivor Kit, but I also support these financial habits. Everyone deserves their shot at achieving their own financial goals, not just my life goals. So read the article and see what you can change in your financial life. It is never too late …

Changing Your Retirement Course –

More and more Americans are being forced to delay their retirement. For some people, it has been canceled. However, there is a group that seems able to afford […]

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Friday Finds 7/18/14

Are You Planning Your Retirement?

For millions of baby boomers they are now planning their retirement. It may be right around the corner, or it may be 5 years in the future, but they are already discussing the options, looking at their financial status. Here is an article that highlights the various stages that lead into retirement and carry through retirement. It is not a one-step process. So all readers should be aware of the different stages, even if some of the financial issues are not within their control. It still helps to have an overview of the process. In that context here is an article that highlights the key mistakes that a number of baby boomers make as they progress toward retirement. In addition to having an overview; it also helps to know some of the pitfalls. I want to highlight one of their points. Do not do it alone. If you cannot afford a financial advisor (and many of us cannot), try to plan together with friends. Get a couple of friends over each month and use the relaxing evening to chat […]

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Friday Finds 7/11/14

Do You Want an American Economic Rebound?

All Americans, especially baby boomers, are praying for an economic rebound. None of us want to see (and experience) the decline of our country. The economy spurts, slows, then spurts again. Well, there are solutions to our stagnation. To no one’s surprise, the solutions do not come from the economic morass of our Congress, or from either political party. The Democrats are wrong. The Republicans are wrong. Real solutions comes from people like Nick Hanauer and his campaign for a minimum wage of $15.00 an hour. That right. That was no misprint. $15.00 an hour minimal wage. Now, you may be nauseated at the recommendation, but I challenge you to read the entire attached article. From my ongoing review of hundreds of articles on finances, it is the best article that I have read for offering a real solution for our country’s economic growth.

When I was young, my father also encouraged me to cheer for everyone’s success. His viewpoint, as a businessman, was simple. With each person’s success, even if that person was a competitor, the pie just grew larger. That […]

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Friday Finds 6/27/14

Finances, Retirement, and Social Security Income –

If you are feeling that you are not as financial secure as you expected to be, or if you are feeling that you are less wealthy than planned, you are not alone. Here is an article that documents how Americans have lost wealth in the last decade — and that includes the wealthy, the middle class, and the poor. The level of wealth and the standard of living has dropped for all of us, which makes our financial challengs even more difficult as we enter the years of possible retirement. Even though the chance for retirement is disappearing for many Americans. Here is another article that highlights the different ways to reduce the future cost of retirement. Each family must select some of these options if they are going to find a realistic path toward reaching any level of financial stability. Lastly, here is an article that underscores the worst advice for preparing for retirement. We all need to appreciate our financial predicament; we all need to take time to consider the best financial options; […]

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Friday Finds 6/20/14

Retirement, Finances, and Social Security Income –

If you have not noticed, there seems to be a constant flood of retirement and social security income articles on the Internet. Obviously, that is reflective of the 10,000 people turning 65 years old each day for the next 20 years. We have thousands of baby boomers who are struggling with the decision of whether to retire or keep working – or struggling with the challenge of setting up sufficient finances for retirement. This first article offers addresses the key mistakes that many people make while preparing for retirement. This second article highlights that retirement expenses are often higher than expected during the initial phase of retirement. For those readers who are interested in exploring social security income and clarifying the best way to maximize your income, I would refer you to the last two Friday Finds on 6/13/14 and 6/06/14. With 81 choices for a specific social security income, and with social security income offices not offering the most exact predictions, many people will benefit from more research through these articles. Retirement can be a great time, […]

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Friday Finds 6/13/14

Retirement, Finances, and Social Security Income –

This web site will continue to offer articles on retirement, finances, and social security in the Friday Finds segment. With an American turning 65 years old every 8 seconds, which translates to 10,000 per day or 4 million per year for the next 20 years, these financial topics will remain crucial for many seniors. Currently, many baby boomers are fearful or retirement, uncertain if they have sufficient retirement funds, as discussed in this article. Worse, many of the wealthy have similar concerns, as this article highlights their concerns on their own need for the addition of social security income. In previous Friday Finds articles, we have discussed the complexity of the social social income system. In this article, the author addresses how many Americans start social security at different ages. In this final article, there is clarification of how the Government can finds ways to reduce your social security income. In summary, each senior needs to be prepared. Each senior needs to have a financial plan for retirement, including social security income; and each senior needs to […]

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Friday Finds 6/06/14

Retirement and Finances –

I wanted to start this section by re-including one article from last week. This article highlights the current surge of baby boomers who are finally retiring after slowly regaining their financial footing after our recent recession. This second article further explains how many of these newly retired people are still working and it explores the financial needs within retirement, plus the different stages before and during retirement. This next article discusses how much money is really needed for retirement and offers links to explore the advantages of geographic relocation, within the US and outside of the US. To complete the picture, social security income needs to be addressed. This article argues for the benefits of delaying social security income and the benefits of receiving some financial guidance for selecting the best year for starting social security income. I would like to support that advice. With 81 options, I sought financial advice and I was told to start my social security income at age 69. I was instructed that it was better for me […]

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