If there’s one aspect of retirement that seems to be a constantly-moving target, it’s the topic of RMDs – required minimum distributions. The RMD is Uncle Sam’s way of forcing retirees to start pulling dollars out of those tax-deferred retirement accounts like the 401(k) and 403(b) accounts offered by many employers. The amount of money … Read more

It has been a while since we addressed the topic of reverse mortgages here on the AgingOptions Blog. This type of mortgage, also called an “HECM” (which stands for home equity conversion mortgage), can be a potential game-changer for retirees who need a steady flow of tax-free income. But there are downsides to reverse mortgages … Read more

Here on the AgingOptions Blog, we write frequently about the joys and challenges of caring for an aging loved one. That’s because millions of us are already caught up in the work of caregiving, either as one who gives care or one who receives it. The odds are high that, if the trials of caregiving … Read more

We’ve been hearing the dire predictions for years now: Baby Boomers are heading for a looming cliff, usually referred to as a retirement crisis. With the oldest boomers now hitting 75 and the trailing edge within a few years of age 60, this huge cohort is supposedly reaching retirement age en masse at the rate … Read more

It appears to be happening yet again: a celebrity has died, and the contest over the estate has already turned messy. The death last month of Elvis Presley’s daughter Lisa Marie at age 54, tragic though it was, quickly triggered courtroom drama as her mother Priscilla, ex-wife of the King of Rock and Roll, has … Read more

Among the lessons learned during the COVID pandemic – too often learned the hard way – is the imperative to prepare ourselves for the unexpected. Three years ago, few people could have predicted the upheaval triggered by lockdowns, illness, and, tragically, premature death.  In this 2022 article from the Kiplinger financial website, financial planner Ron Brown urges that we … Read more

Generally speaking, when we talk about financial planning, we envision a couple or an individual sitting down with a planner to talk about their own finances. Traditionally that concept has worked fine, most people agree. But is there a better way? What if, besides the couple and the planner, the adult children had a seat … Read more

In aviation, the difference between a gentle, safe landing and an abrupt, dangerous one often comes down to the so-called glide path, that carefully-planned descent that gets you safely where you want to go. That same term is often used in retirement to signify an easy transition from full-time work to full-time retirement. The glide … Read more

When we envision growing older, many of us seem to think that our health will decline gradually over a long period of time, giving us months or years to get used to the idea that we need a caregiver. In the same way, we assume our adult kids will have plenty time to adjust to … Read more