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More than one-half of working Americans know little or nothing about Medicare costs.1 Not knowing can be expensive. On average, people who haven’t yet retired estimate they’ll spend approximately $50,000 on health care after retirement, according to a 2014 survey.1 In reality, studies suggest it will cost almost five times that amount – even when retirees have Medicare coverage.1, 2 What you need to know about Medicare For retirees, health insurance coverage under Medicare typically starts [...]

The celebration of Valentine’s Day is attributed to Geoffrey Chaucer who wrote a poem about love and St. Valentine in the 1300s. Although this poem did not mention chocolate, the tasty treats have since become a Valentine’s Day tradition.1 Drinking chocolate was popular across Europe in the 1600s. Its association with St. Valentine’s Day occurred in the mid-1800s when an entrepreneur found an ingenious way to use leftover cocoa butter from his company’s production of [...]

How many times did you login to a digital account today? It probably was more than once. Some people access digital sites via computer or tablet, but many others rely on their phones. Deloitte recently reported the essentials of life have expanded and now encompass air, water, food, and smartphones:1 “The time it takes for us to pick up our phones in the morning continues to shrink: More than 40 percent of consumers check their phones [...]

In 1964, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. received the Nobel Peace Prize. He accepted the award and took the opportunity to articulate his hope the civil rights movement would be successful, as well as his hope for all mankind:1 “…I must ask why this prize is awarded to a movement which is beleaguered and committed to unrelenting struggle; to a movement which has not won the very peace and brotherhood which is the essence [...]

…And, it may have some thorns. There’s something you should know about retirement. It’s not as easy as everyone makes it seem. Remember what life was like when you tied the knot? How about once you had children? Or, when you accepted a new job? Did things change when your nest was empty? If you’re like most people, you’ve faced some challenges at each stop along life’s journey. Retirement is no different. A 2012 [...]

Holiday Greeting - The Way You Eat in 2017 What can we expect in the New Year? If international food consultancy Baum + Whiteman is correct, we may find ourselves embracing new food trends including:1 • Restaurants without seats. We may see an upsurge in commercial kitchens staffed by professional chefs that offer delivery only, making restaurant-quality meals available in your home. Home cooks may also deliver. • Seats without restaurants. The sharing economy may expand [...]

Retirement Income Here’s a million dollar question: How will you transform your savings into income that will last throughout your retirement?1 There are probably as many answers to that question as there are retirees. However, all retirees may rely on some of the same income sources and strategies. For instance, we all hope Social Security benefits will provide a portion of our income during retirement. Many people plan to combine those benefits with other [...]

We hope your holidays will be filled with family, friends, merry-making, and good cheer. One way to ensure a happy holiday season is to stay safe online. Here are a few tips that may help. 1. When using public Wi-Fi at a hotel, coffee shop, or airport, be selective about the sites you visit, even if the Wi-Fi is password protected. One Internet security provider explained:1 “Wi-Fi uses radio waves. The openness of these signals [...]

For about 35 years, investors have enjoyed a bull market in bonds. At the start of 1982, the interest rate on 10-year U.S. Treasury bonds was 14.2 percent. By November 1, 2016, interest rates had fallen to 1.8 percent.1 Since bond prices increase as interest rates fall, U.S. Treasuries (and other types of bonds) have rewarded many investors with attractive total returns during the past few decades. In the natural course of events, bull markets [...]

Thanksgiving is America’s second favorite holiday,1 and it offers something for everyone. You can enjoy family togetherness, feasting, football, school plays, parades, gratitude, and, of course, shopping. If you’re a traditionalist, you serve a classic meal with oven-roasted turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and pie. According to a Huffington Post poll, pumpkin pie is America’s favorite although apple, pecan, and other flavors have fans, too.2 But, not everyone shares the [...]