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Retirement Planning

Bob Carlson shares miscellaneous advice on retirement and related topics

Found 103 Articles.
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how-to-get-the-most-from-bank-fees

How to Create Your Own Personal Retirement Bank with Life Insurance

May 19, 2020

Have you heard of the “Secret 770 Account” and “The President’s Account?” Or maybe you’ve seen these: Banking on Yourself® or “Infinite Banking?” Or perhaps even these: “Becoming Your Own Banker,” “The Personal Bank,” or “The Retirement Miracle?” If you read financial publications, especially online, you almost certainly have come across some of these. You’ve […]

10 Reasons to Think Twice About Early Retirement

August 9, 2019

Early retirement is a goal of some people and a dream for many. There’s a lot of appeal in the idea of being financially independent and no longer tied to a job when people are still young enough to engage in a wide range of activities. Early retirement can mean living wherever you want and […]

The First Retirement Planning Question

January 24, 2019

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 […]

how-to-beat-the-retirement-tax-ambush

Your Retirement Blueprint: 7 Key Questions for Ages 50 and Older

December 17, 2018

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 […]

The 2018 Year-End Checklist for Retirees and Near-Retirees

November 9, 2018

Year-end financial planning is much more than tax planning, and it is very different this year. Making the right financial moves before Dec. 31 each year can extend the life of your nest egg. It is especially important to make shrewd moves as the year closes. You have to incorporate changes made by the Tax […]

work-after-retirement

How Working Longer Is Changing Retirement Strategies

November 2, 2018

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 […]

estate planning

5 Ideas to Simplify Your Financial Life

October 23, 2018

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 […]

Defeating the Greatest Retirement Fear

October 19, 2018

Even affluent Americans are concerned that soaring medical bills will reduce their Retirement standards of living and diminish their estates. This is the time of year when you can do something about it. Medicare Open Enrollment season runs from Oct. 15 – Dec. 7 each year. Sign up during this period for coverage that begins […]

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