Long-term care insurance is expensive Insurers keep raising rates Almost a third of owners have to stop paying Most of us will never need it There are better alternatives Do Not Buy a LTCi policy before you compare alternatives LTCi policies average about $2,500 a year but they don't cover the full cost of care-averaging $87,235. Most sellers recommend starting before age 65 while we are still healthy and insurable but we will pay more. Like all disability insurance, we are paying for something that we may not need at all. Unlike the cost of a major medical operation covered by our comprehensive health care plan, the cost of long-term care can be estimated fairly accurately. With a 13% and 4% chance of spending 2+ years in a nursing home for women and men respectively, the average cost will be about $200,000. If we can stay at home, a home health aide costs about $20,000 a year. The average policy costing $2,500 a year will NOT cover all expenses. Depending on the institution we check into, daily costs are $250 a day or more. There are other medical costs-either out of pocket or a Medigap policy-that Medicare does not cover. There are other medical expenses on top of that. Because we are buying coverage for some period in the future-perhaps 30 years away-we must plan for inflation. Our $250 a day coverage may be worth only $120 while the price of care goes up annually. Some folks buy inflation protection with their policy but this just raises the price to perhaps $3,000 a year.

Employers establish retirement plans both to help them attract workers with valuable skills and to enable older workers to retire without facing the prospect of inadequate income. Employers must balance the goals of providing adequate retirement income with controlling the cost of the retirement plan. For employers in the private sector, another important consideration is the regulatory environment in which their retirement plans must operate. Private-sector retirement plans must comply with the relevant provisions of federal law, including the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and the Internal Revenue Code. This book examines the federal employees retirement system benefits and financing, as well as the role of the Thrift Savings plan and budget and trust fund issues.

Revised and Updated: Find out why conventional retirement wisdom fails to address the new, game-changing realities and learn to think differently about your retirement. Take steps to shelter your dreams from the coming "perfect storm" headed for America's retirement system: The retirement of the baby boom generation, increased life expectancy, and the rise of 401(k) plans means old definitions no longer apply. Develop the tools that will allow you to redefine retirement in a way that accounts for these new challenges. Break through outdated ways of thinking about retirement with Robert Krakower's practical and unflinching guide to the risks and opportunities awaiting anyone who wants a winning retirement plan in the 21st century. Written for the layperson in plain and simple language, Redefining Retirement for a New Generation exposes the hazards to a secure retirement that the financial media continues to gloss over. The book is a generational call to arms for anyone worried about the impact of current trends on the retirement system in general and his/her own retirement plans in particular. Get behind the scenes of the mutual fund industry, and discover the real reason why mutual funds perform so poorly. Apply the 401(k) plan checklist to your own employer's retirement plan and see how it stacks up against the ideal plan. Understand the pros and cons of the "buy-and-hold" slogan for modern retirement investing, and take control of your retirement as a member of the new generation.

Concerned about your retirement savings? You should be! But you can capitalize on today's market turmoil and enjoy a sound and secure financial future.
"Cash-Rich Retirement" is the book seen on public television that explains a new, less speculative, and proven strategy to help you.
Jim Schlagheck is a private banker and investment advisor to the mega-wealthy, and the coproducer of "Retirement Revolution," a public television series on better retirement preparedness. He has held senior wealth management positions with some of the world's leading financial institutions.
In this book, Schlagheck foresees increasing financial turbulence. Pension underfunding, boomer demographics, and America's "flip" investment psychology are sure to cause financial distress. He explains ways of offsetting these threats and how anyone can employ the success strategies of the super-rich.
"Cash-Rich Retirement" is provocative and practical. Schlagheck's income and ladder-of-annuity strategies are unique. He explains the full range of the country's most recent and most-needed financial products:
- Annuities and ways to give yourself lifetime income.
- Mutual funds, ETFs, and "fundamental" indexes.
- Investments that gain "more" in "up" markets and lose "less" when markets come down.
- Reverse mortgages.
- Health insurance.
You "can" enjoy a sound and secure future---just like the world's financial elite. Whether you're already retired, many years away from retirement, or a financial professional, "Cash-Rich Retirement" will help you successfully protect and enlarge your retirement capital.

Who wants to put up with investing frustrations and complexity when you can be investing stress-free? How would you feel if you never again felt outside the information loop? Truthfully, once you read this book, you won't want to be in the typical financial information loop; it's full of confusing untruths, half-truths, abuse, and scam artists Scripture warns us against using oppression and cruelty in amassing wealth (I Timothy 6:10). Start integrating your beliefs with your financial decisions. Wordhouse and Kuitula wrote this book for women and men who know they need to invest but are too busy, over-stimulated, confused by all the conflicting media messages, don't know how the market works, and don't know whom to trust. They teach you the simple and practical free market philosophy integrated with scriptures. This book is easily understood, comprehensive and contemporary. Most people have made investment mistakes... this book reveals some of ours, some our investors, and some others have made before turning to the Free Market Portfolio Theory. We have written this book so you will have an investment road map, therefore you don't need to experience the financial failures others have already endured. Investing mistakes can be very expensive, so save yourself lots of money and frustrations by learning from our stories. Please do not make these same mistakes

Americans are now living for up to thirty years after retiring. Are you ready? In What If You Live? author and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM professional, Paul M. Gargano, offers advice, investment strategies, and motivation for taking charge of your future.

In this financial guide, Paul shares his philosophies on investing. He views the investment world as if it were one very large ocean: calm at times, violent at times, but always unpredictable. The key to wise investing is determining which boats best fit the risk and goals of each individual. By using a "multiple boat philosophy," retirees (and retirees-to-be) are more likely to weather any type of market situation. With the changes in today's economy, some of the old rules no longer apply; you can't be too prepared for retirement.

With simple strategies, thought-provoking questions, and empowering knowledge, What If You Live? motivates you to start preparing for your future now. With proper planning, you may significantly increase the likelihood that you will be able to live a comfortable lifestyle in your retirement and twilight years, no matter what the market does.

The purpose of this book is to celebrate a unique generation, ther multitude of 70+ seniors of the 21st century, who lead purposeful, rewarding and independent lives in specially designed retirement communities.The authors, in their early 80's, "live it up" each and every day in their chosen community. With humor, wistfulness, seriousness and common sense, they introduce some of their neighbors and provide a bird's eye view of active life after retirement. With its congenial anecdotes and pithy insights, this volume can give enjoyment to readers of all ages, but will be of most interest to the 70+ folks and their families, who have been wondering how mom and dad will spend their later years. It will answer questions, such as why, when, where and how to choose a community, and give an overview of varied activities in the residents' daily lives. Topics include extending one's perspective, a typical day, pet care, exercise, semi-retirement, coping with illness, forming relationships, and many others.The whimsical illustrations, created by resident, Shirley Walters, depict everyday retirement activities.We invite you to visit our community by leafing at random through the pages of this book. Enjoy Renate Donovan and Patricia Haenslye-mail: [email protected]

In this ever-changing world of finances, it's good to have a reference book written in easy-to-understand terms that provides the tools to help manage your day-to-day money issues. Map Your Financial Freedom is that reference book. It is packed with real-world examples, tips and tools to help you make smart and profitable financial decisions. In this book you will learn how to: Use your budget to set financial goals Manage credit responsibly Avoid pitfalls when buying your dream home Craft a realistic savings plan for retirement Live sensibly in your golden years

TIRED OF YOUR IRA EARNING LOUSY RETURNS IN TRADITIONAL INVESTMENTS? Want to know the secret to increasing returns in your IRA that your investment advisor may not even be aware of? Many people have found great success in investing in real estate over the past few decades but few are aware that you can hold real estate investments within your IRA. Not only can you hold these investments, you can use the power of leverage through non-recourse loans to substantially increase your returns. Within this book you will learn: How self-directed IRAs function. What a non-recourse loan is and how it works. Why your CPA and investment advisor may not be aware of these options. What the IRS has to say about real estate in an IRA. The step-by-step actions to get started earning great returns. You don't have to take the investments offered by your bank or financial institution - you can choose! Rather than watching your retirement funds inch slowly forward, put that money to work and live the retirement of your dreams!

Belize is an English-speaking tropical paradise, with an azure Caribbean coast, accessible rainforest, lost jungle cities, and a cost-of-living that makes it affordable for Canadians, Americans, Europeans, as well as the emerging middle class of Mexico and Central America. It is one of the worlds most undiscovered secrets, a retirement haven and a safe place to park your money.

Business and Retirement Guide to Belize is an introduction to living, working, and retiring in Belize, as well as owning property there. Bob Dhillon introduces the reader to the country, its beauty and friendly people, as well as to its economic attractions. Belize is a moveable feast and the better you get to know it, the more you will enjoy it.

Funny, entertaining, sobering, and informational &#8220tales from the trenches&#8221 by Doug Robbins, a master intermediary who always finds a way to help owners restructure or sell their business.
&#8212 Patricia Lovett-Reid, Senior VP, TD Waterhouse Canada
&#8212 Andy Holloway, Features Editor, Canadian Business
&#8212 Russell Robb, author of "Buying Your Own Business"
&#8212 Timothy A. Brown, President and CEO, ROI Corporation
&#8212 Philip Porado, Executive Editor, Advisor Group

Read Bruce Frankel's posts on the Penguin Blog
"This wise and inspiring book hands down an important message: Happiness is abundant at any age, and only you can limit your options." -"The Boston Globe"
In today's world, the question "What should I do with my life?" only scratches the surface. Now, more and more people-from baby boomers retiring from their "first act" to people in their forties and fifties reconsidering their careers in a recovering economy-are finding themselves wondering how to find new stimulation and meaningful work over a lifetime. Bringing together a diverse array of stories, veteran journalist Bruce Frankel brings to life a mesmerizing series of profiles of men and women who discovered a new calling, success, or purpose later in life. Brimming with inspiration and humanity, "What Should I Do with the Rest of My Life?" celebrates activists, artists, entrepreneurs, filmmakers, and others who found extraordinary ways to experience true fulfillment in the second half of life.
On these pages, readers will meet a civil servant, laid off at age fifty-two, who enrolled in graduate school, earning a Ph.D. in psychology; a former consultant who began a microfinance program in Africa; a longtime contact-lens grinder who has chiseled twelve hundred stone heads on a property now known as the "Easter Island of the Hudson"; and many others who proved that age is a spark-not a barrier. Full of spirit and plenty of chutzpah, this book shows that anything is possible in any stage of life.

This book will change the way you think about and invest in your retirement savings plan-forever.
Internationally bestselling author and consumer advocate Dan Solin challenges some basic and misguided assumptions about traditional retirement plans to reveal that:
? 401(k) and 403(b) plans are laden with Porky Pig fees, poor investment choices, and conflicts of interest. You may be better off just saying "No "
? There is a simple way to make "smart" choices in these plans- and this book shows you "exactly" what to do and which funds to avoid.
? There is one investment that could be the key to a successful retirement plan. You can do it yourself, with pre-tax or after-tax money. Create your own, inflation-proof pension plan that is guaranteed to provide you with monthly income for as long as you live, and beyond
Smart Investing is not complicated. You have the power to make meaningful changes to your retirement savings plan-no matter what your age or financial status.
"If you haven't taken a recent look at what your own retirement investments are doing and-perhaps even more important-how they are put together, reading Solin's smart little book might provide the impetus for action." -"Miami Herald"

A leading financial adviser offers a groundbreaking and simple approach to tackling personal finance by breaking down formulas used by the most successful businesses.
A troubled economy calls for answers. People need sound, easy-to-follow financial advice that can be implemented immediately. For the first time, a leading financial adviser has developed a remarkable set of guidelines to give individuals the same kind of objective insight into their personal finances that successful businesses have. "Your Money Ratios" will help readers effectively manage debt, invest prudently, and develop a realistic and effective savings plan to ensure both financial success and security. Readers need only plug their income and age into Farrell's ratios to get an instant picture of their savings status and overall financial health, as well as a road map for the important choices for the future. Some key ratios include:
? The Capital-to-Income Ratio: how much capital (savings) you should have if you plan to retire at 65
? The Mortgage-to-Income Ratio: the maximum mortgage debt you should carry and still have sufficient capital left for comfortable savings
? The Education-to-Average-Income Ratio: the amount of education- related debt you can safely incur based on anticipated average earnings after obtaining your degree

What could be more tragic that having your life savings squandered and your family left unprotected? Many Canadians risk these consequences because they do not know how to plan for their estates after they die. With Smart Tips for Estate Planning, you will learn the critical knowledge necessary to maximize the value of your estate and provide the maximum protection for your loved ones.

Written in an easy-to-read and practical style, Smart Tips for Estate Planning simplifies concepts that are unfamiliar to many people. The estate planning strategies in this book were once used by only the wealthiest and best-advised Canadians, but now they are available to you and your family.

Smart Tips for Estate Planning gives you what you need to avoid the trap of having an inappropriate cookie-cutter Will and estate plan. Instead, you will learn how to legally take advantage of tax breaks, avoid unnecessary probate fees, thwart creditors, and establish trusts for your children and grandchildren.

Canadians who use the ideas in Smart Tips for Estate Planning will be able to develop fully customized estate plans that protect families, safeguard assets, bring peace of mind, and leave a legacy for future generations.

Searching for a safe, sane, proven way to a secure your retirement? Look no further than Retirement Breakthrough. This easy-to-follow, comprehensive guide is packed with financial wisdom relevant for today's turbulent times. This book delivers the key information that will help you breakthrough to a world of financial possibilities-all within your grasp. Relying on more than forty-five years of experience as a financial consultant, Dick Duff explains how anyone can use sophisticated financial planning concepts usually reserved for America's wealthiest. These techniques will help guarantee that your retirement income comes on time and all the time. Duff explains: - How to determine how much income you'll need in retirement- How to withdraw money from your life insurance policies- How to use annuities to optimize your retirement income- How to make maximum use of assets you already have, such as IRAs and your home- How to protect your assets and income from unwanted claimants and unnecessary taxes If the idea of annuities, IRAs, and retirement intimidate you, let this book be your income bible. Retirement Breakthrough can help you build peace of mind that will last a lifetime.

DON'T PANIC. RULE!
Market turbulence has made opening monthly 401(k) statements shocking rather than reassuring. Michael "Waxie" Parness can help.
The standard strategies and advice regarding your retirement accounts are NOT working. Many people's 401(k)s are now 201(k)s, and it may get worse. YOU need to take control of your retirement, and your life. "Rule Your Freakin' Retirement," through practical and pragmatic advice and examples, will teach you alternatives to the "buy, hold, and pray" strategies most investment advisers give. In today's world you need fresh ideas, and this book gives you the tools you need to not only protect what you have in your IRA, but to grow it in an aggressive, time-tested, yet easily managed way. And, yes, a safer way!
Building on his successful "Rule the Freakin' Markets," master trader and motivational speaker Michael Parness applies the same aggressive strategies to normally ignored or undermanaged 401(k), IRA, and other retirement accounts. Contrary to conventional wisdom, Parness argues that no matter what age you are, NOW is the time to adopt active, aggressive, and controlled strategies to ensure a fully funded, real retirement on your own terms, not subject to market gyrations out of your control. He outlines, in plain language, bold but practical strategies emphasizing research and tailoring approaches to individual needs.
With record numbers of baby boomers entering or nearing retirement, and succeeding generations caught by a volatile economy, "Rule Your Freakin' Retirement" offers tangible, proven, no-nonsense advice that all can profit from, in the engaging Waxie style.

Rich or poor, young or old, high school or college grad, this book, written by economist Laurence J. Kotlikoff and syndicated financial columnist Scott Burns, can change your life for the better! If you follow the advice in this book, it will raise your living standard (possibly by a lot), improve your lifestyle, and help you spend 'til the end. And it will completely transform your financial thinking, turning every bit of conventional financial wisdom on its head.

If this sounds like a revolution in financial planning, you got it. So do "The New York Times," "The Washington Post," "The Wall Street Journal," "USA Today," "Time," "Consumer Reports," and other top publications that have been featuring the authors' economics-based "consumption smoothing" approach to financial planning.

"Spend 'Til the End" substitutes economic wisdom for the "rules of dumb" that currently pass for financial advice. In the process it indicts the investment and financial-planning industry for giving most people saving and insurance targets that are much too high and then convincing them to invest in risky mutual funds and expensive insurance policies. The result is that most people are scrimping and saving during the years when they could be spending and enjoying their money -- and with no sure payoff.

Easy to read, this book is packed with practical and often shocking advice on whether to work, how to pick a career, which job to take, where to live, what sort of house to buy, how much to save, when to retire, which kind of retirement account to use, whether to have kids, whether to divorce, when to take Social Security, how fast to spend down your assets in retirement, and how to invest.

What is it REALLY like to retire and live in Costa Rica? If you only went by what is written in travel guides and what is hyped by travel agents (and their promotional materials), the conclusion would have to be that Costa Rica is heaven on earth. Unfortunately, things in Costa Rica are simply not as they are presented in the travel books, and expatriates often have problems trying to establish a life there. After the third couple Alfred Stites knew decided to move to another Central (or South) American country simply because of the difficulties in Costa Rica, he decided to write about what it is really like to move to and live in this lovely country. This book is based on his own opinion and observation; he writes what he sees and knows. Also included in this book is a Supplement Section dealing with exactly the steps needed for a retiree seeking Pensionado Status in Costa Rica. For all of its challenges, where else can you find a country of: .exceptional natural beauty .very inexpensive modern housing .a delightful climate .a public transportation system that will take you anywhere you want to go Where you can live very comfortably on an income of $2000/month? Where? The place where they build: Sidewalks in the Jungle! Costa Rica!

The bestselling, hands-on retirement guide from Fred Brock, thoroughly updated and expanded for in-depth advice on housing assets, health-care options, and moreWith "Retire on Less Than You Think," Fred Brock challenged the conventional wisdom on the real costs of retirement and it struck a chord with Americans. Now, as mutual-fund investments continue to be a roller coaster, Brock updates his indispensable advice on finding asset streams, working during retirement, maximizing your health insurance, and choosing a community and housing to show how to manage the quicksand of the housing market (your best asset) pay for the spiraling costs of prescription drugs discover new cost-cutting savings plan for shifts over time in your financial goalsBoasting expanded resource lists and worksheets, "Retire on Less Than You Think "is the best guide available for making your retirementdreams a reality."

A comprehensive guide to 401(k) investing as well as a manual for applying the proven process of Value Averaging to your 401(k). This book will help you better understand your 401(k) and potentially generate increased retirment income through Value Averaging your 401(k). In addition, you will: Fully understand the benefits of 401(k) investing Avoid making costly 401(k) investment mistakes Understand the power of Value Averaging Achieve higher 401(k) returns through Value Averaging Increase your level of retirement income Apply the easy-to-use Value Average CalculatorT Visit www.401kFortune.com

Two irrefutable facts: (1) Money alone will not guarantee retirement happiness, and (2) Although physicians share many elements of the retirement experience with others, some of their experiences, interests, viewpoints, and perceptions differ from those in other occupations. Based on these self-evident assumptions, Life After Medicine is different. First, we went to the experts. Not to the self-proclaimed retirement experts, but to 110 retired physicians (your retirement mentors) who responded to our online survey by sharing their experiences, impressions and advice on retirement. Second, given that the key to retirement happiness is to replace satisfactions lost from work, this book includes a self-help workshop, based on more than twenty years experience, to ensure that satisfactions lost from work will be replaced in retirement. Dr. Alan Roadburg is a leading authority on retirement lifestyle education. After six years as a tenured university professor teaching and conducting research in the Sociology of Retirement and Social Gerontology, he changed careers sixteen years ago and established The Second Career Program, specializing in career enhancement and retirement lifestyle workshops. He has conducted hundreds of lifestyle planning workshops for thousands of pre- and post-retirees. Dr. Roadburg's easy-to-read and practical book elevates retirement lifestyle education to a new standard.