Helping Your Parents Age Gracefully – The Approach
Occasionally you will meet a ninety plus year old who is as mentally sharp as a chef’s paring knife and as spry as a forty year old. But this is uncommon. Most people in their nineties have either started to fade mentally or struggle to keep up physically, sometimes both. Old age catches up with […]
The Formula for Your Perfect Car
Whenever I see one I’m caught off guard. I’m driving somewhere, minding my own business, and there it is. A forest green Mazda Miata with a tan rag top and tan leather seats (Standard transmission of course. Why would you have such a car with an automatic transmission?) My dream car. But I don’t own […]
Laid Off: How to Respond With Confidence
My dad spent his working career as a salesman for several notable companies in the grocery industry. 25 years ago company management decided their sales force was costing them too much and over several years cut it in half. My dad survived several rounds of layoffs but eventually his boss came to him with two […]
SECURE 2.0, What’s in it for You?
On December 29 2022, President Biden signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2023, funding Federal Government operations through September of 2023. Of the 4000 plus pages of the bill, 130 pages dealt with the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022. SECURE 2.0 is an enhancement of the original SECURE Act of 2019 that dramatically changed retirement and […]
How to Demonstrate Your Love
I’m a sucker for musicals. In “Fiddler on the Roof” Tevye laments his three daughter’s choosing their own marriage partner verses a traditional marriage arranged by the parents. In discussing this new world with his wife, he asks Golde “Do you love me?” Her response is classic “DO I WHAT?” He asks again and she […]
Finding the Perfect Gift this Season
My poor wife. Twice a year I am the source of great frustration, what to get me for my birthday and Christmas. I don’t “need” anything and I’m not the most communicative guy when it comes to “wants.” She doesn’t need to spend money on me. But she wants to do something special, and with […]
So You’re Thinking of Being a Snowbird
As I left home this morning, I peered through the fog at the pond in our backyard. Our friend, the Great Blue Heron, was looking for breakfast. My wife and I have been awed by his patient gracefulness coupled with unexpected speed and agility as he pursues his next meal. But this won’t last. The […]
How Do I Get Out of My Timeshare?
The impressive glossy brochure on sturdy cardstock arrives in the mail. You’ve been invited to spend three nights at a luscious resort for a modest price. You’re intrigued. Booking a similar vacation yourself would cost a pretty penny. You call the toll-free number, pick your dates, and begin to daydream about this blissful upcoming vacation. […]
So You’re Thinking About Retiring
Are you counting down the days, or is retirement still a nebulous concept of some far off Neverland, or are you somewhere in between. Wherever you are in your process, retirement demands answers to a host of questions. The better your answers, the more enjoyable your retirement years will be. Why are you retiring? […]
Avoid the Gripping Power of Fear
The ongoing Covid pandemic has reshaped our world unlike any other illness since the 1918 flu epidemic. While the human toll is most tragic, the pandemic has also affected our financial lives in a variety of ways. One of the most notable is the Stock Market. As the pandemic grew, medical professionals and government officials […]