Retirement Planning
Bob Carlson shares miscellaneous advice on retirement and related topics
Found 31 Articles.
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The Family Bank Strategy: Your Own Personal Retirement Bank
In last week’s edition of Retirement Watch Weekly, I introduced readers to the Family Bank Strategy. Today, we’ll answer some commonly asked questions about it, starting with… Who should consider the Family Bank Strategy? One good candidate is someone who is keeping money in conservative investments as a safety net or in case someone in […]
The First Retirement Planning Question
It always is nice when the rest of the financial world begins to catch on to what I’ve been teaching my Retirement Watch readers. Many years ago, I began telling people that the first issue in retirement planning is deciding how you want to live in retirement. You can’t determine a realistic spending plan until […]
Your Retirement Blueprint: 7 Key Questions for Ages 50 and Older
Successful retirement has a blueprint. Whether you are already retired or retirement is years away, you can follow the blueprint to enhance your financial independence. For starters, you should always have a written retirement plan. (Surveys of retirees demonstrate that those who have written plans are more satisfied.) Developing a plan requires you to carefully […]
How Working Longer Is Changing Retirement Strategies
More and more Americans remain in the work force after age 65. Some people need the money and don’t want to walk away from the salaries they’re making. Others aren’t ready to leave the structure and activity of the work place. Many people haven’t found other activities that will give meaning and purpose to their […]
5 Ideas to Simplify Your Financial Life
Most people find the financial part of their lives too complicated. Over and again, I’ve found that complicated finances lead to procrastination and stress. Too much time is spent simply organizing papers and data to figure out where things stand. By then, you’re too exhausted to make decisions or implement changes. If that sounds like […]
Making the Best Use of Home Equity in Retirement Income
The residence usually is one of the most valuable assets retirees own. It also is one of the worst-managed assets. Few people realize the home can be used to increase retirement cash flow or know how to do so efficiently. In the past issues of Retirement Watch, we’ve gone over reverse mortgages and issues related […]
How to Plan Life Expectancy in Your Retirement Strategy
It’s one of the most important issues in anyone’s retirement plans… And most people completely shortchange it, resulting in a wildly inaccurate plan. You see, a goal of every retirement plan is to ensure your income and cash flow last at least the rest of your life. To meet that goal, you need a reasonable […]
5 Strategies to Simplify Your Retirement Finances
Most people’s finances are too complicated. And what I’ve found – after 20-plus years of publishing Retirement Watch – is that complicated finances lead to procrastination and stress. Too much time is spent simply organizing papers and data to figure out where things stand. By then, people are too exhausted to make decisions or implement […]