Retire Smart, Protect Your Family
Retirement isn’t just about taking it easy; it’s about making sure your Loved Ones don’t face extra stress or tough decisions. By planning ahead, you can enjoy your golden years while giving your family peace of mind. Here’s how to retire smart and protect the people you care about most.
1. Plan for Long-Term Care Now, Not Later
Thinking about long-term care isn’t fun, but it’s important. If you don’t prepare, you risk leaving your family scrambling to figure things out. Start by:
Looking into long-term care insurance
Making your home safer and easier to navigate
Exploring caregiving options
By taking steps now, you give your family less to worry about later—and yourself more independence for longer.
2. Create Multiple Income Streams
Relying on just one source of income in retirement can be risky. Instead, build a mix of income options, like:
Annuities
Rental income
Dividends from investments
This way, you’re more secure, and your family doesn’t have to stress over your finances if one source dries up.
3. Make Your Wishes Clear
What happens when life throws the unexpected at you? Without clear instructions, your family could end up guessing—or arguing—about what you’d want. Avoid that by:
Writing an estate plan
Updating healthcare directives
Talking with your Loved Ones about your wishes
A little planning now saves your family from confusion and conflict later.
What Can You Do Today?
What’s one thing you can do right now to make things easier for your family? Whether it’s starting a conversation, updating a will, or looking into income options, small steps today can make a big difference tomorrow.
Conclusion
Retirement isn’t just about your comfort—it’s about protecting the Loved Ones who will care about you and your legacy. A little preparation now helps you enjoy your retirement while giving your family clarity and security.
Want to learn more about how these ideas could work for you? Let’s chat. Schedule a quick call today—no pressure, just helpful advice.
Click here to book your call. It’s never too early to plan wisely, and your family will thank you for it!
HOMESCHOOLING: Haven or Havoc?
Your child's school years are precious and fleeting.
Now could be your best time to step up where your school is letting your child down. Let this series of myth-busting short chapters encourage you.
2 Major Mistakes
Which one will you make?
Which of these 2 retirement mistakes are you making right now? It's impossible to entirely avoid both mistakes.
You won't know for sure which mistake will work out better for you until it's too late.
How to choose?
Finding the Will
(Part 1)
Part 1: Have the will to arrange for a smooth transition when you’re no longer around to answer questions
Have the will to arrange for a smooth transition when you’re no longer around to answer questions (Part 1)
Ensuring your children or other Loved Ones can readily access your important papers when you die entails a sound process versus one or two conversations. You must overcome aversion to the subject of death, procrastination of anything that is long-term, and the tendency to assume things will be fine. Family dynamics can be sweet, spicy, or dicey.
Finding the Will
(Part 2)
Part 2: Getting Organized
While the internet permits convenient access to accounts, policies, and stored documents, it presents a plethora of password management problems. which too many people avoid by succumbing to password laziness, such as:
- re-using passwords for multiple logins, or
- use simple, easy to remember passwords, or
- writing them on sticky notes placed on their monitor or under their keyboard, or
- keeping them in a spreadsheet on their computer, or
- letting their browser remember passwords for them
Embrace Your Clarence
Is Clarence your future?
Golden insight from a golden retriever.
Post-Pandemic W.E.L.L.ness
Working, Earning, Learning, and Launching to Thrive
Where life drastically changed forever two years ago, everyone adjusted to the best of their abilities.
Here are a few of the key adjustments--"pandemic pivots"--that sustained some and prospered others.
Prenuptial Adulting
Equip Them for Happily Ever After
“Mom, Dad, we’re getting married!"
“Wonderful, congratulations! Here’s what you both need to do first.”
Equipping newlyweds with essentials of responsibility leaves plenty of life yet to be discovered on their own. Adults understand that love isn’t oogly feelings; it’s a hard choice. It’s putting your commitments and your money where your mouth is.
Many of the following steps also apply to one’s turning 18 years old. Becoming engaged adds urgency and a deadline.
Rethinking Competing Funds for College and Retirement
We live in a time of skyrocketing inflation topping decades of unbridled higher education costs.
Is the tension between funding your retirement and funding (at least partially) your children’s college education keeping you up at night?
You’re not alone.
Married? Is Your Endgame 100% or Just 50%?
Are you single? That other 50% could be whoever is most important to you.
Multiple unforgiving players factor into your retirement and estate plans (collectively your “endgame”). Household names include the Internal Revenue Service, the Social Security Administration, and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Key decisions with these players are nearly impossible to reverse. Plus, if you qualify for a pension, how you activate it is another irreversible decision.
Are you more of a planner than your spouse? It’s all too common for one spouse to blindly trust the planning spouse. Countless endgame “plans” were created by 50% of a couple:
