Retirement Answer Man

Johns Hopkins University's Center for Innovative Care and Legg Mason recently issued a study titled "Aging and It's Financial Implications: Planning for Housing.Kathleen Pritchard, Managing Director with Legg Mason, talks with host Roger Whitney about the importance of planning ahead for housing during retirementThere are three typical phases during retirement. The:Go Go Years--when you are healthy and active (60s & 70s)Slow Go Years--when you slow down due to health issues (70s & 80s)No Go Years--the late retirement years (80s & beyond)By planning ahead for each of these phases, you can make smarter financial decisons and maintain control over your lifestyle choices.There are five basic housing options for retirees:Aging in place55+ independent living communitiesContinued care retirement communities (CCRCs)Assisted living facilitiesSkilled nursing facilitiesYou can find due diligence worksheets to help you find the option that is right for you at rogerwhitney.com/worksheets 

"He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever." - Chinese proverb There really are no stupid questions. We're told this all the time but I don't think most of us truly believe it. As a result, we leave many very important questions unasked.  When your planning for your financial future this can be, at best, an inconvenience, at worst, financially devastating.The mission of this blog and my podcast, PLAN WELL INVEST WISELY, is to help you make smarter financial decisions and answer those retirement planning questions that keep you up at night.Have a question? Ask me here In this week's episode, I answer questions from three listeners.  Sam Asks “How do you even go about coming up with a plan to pay down debt when the future holds student loan debts for two children in the next few years? Basically, What realistic steps could a family take without completely changing their lifestyle?"Lisa Asks “I wondered if at some point you might touch upon establishing the necessary documents for elderly parents?”Kevin asks "What is the best way to consolidate all of the retirement accounts I've accumulated over the years and find good advice to help me plan for retirement?Resources Discussed Dave Ramsey's Seven Baby StepsHow to Pay For College HQDebt Free U: How I Paid for a Great College Education without Loans, Scholarships or Mooching Off My ParentsAmeriCorpsCreating an In Case of Emergency (ICE) PlanNine Important Estate Planning StepsHow to Choose a Financial AdvisorHave a retirement planning question you'd like answered? Ask me here.

Over the last 20 years studies show that the average investor greatly under performances the stock and bond markets.  Why do investors underperform virtually every capital market? In this week's episode, I speak with Weston J. Wellington a Vice President with Dimensional Fund Advisors about how you can make smarter investment decisions and possibly improve your investment success. Mr. Wellington is an expert in behavioral finance and investing with over 35 years of experience in the investment industry.We discuss:How the daily diet of investment news can hurt your investing successWhy it's nature to want to know what will happen next in the investment marketsThe affect our ingrained "fight or flight" response has on our investment decisions during stressful market periodsWhy your behavior as an investor can be the biggest determinate of your investment returnsWhy this time is not "different"Like living a healthy lifestyle, investing is not complicated it is just hard to do consistentlyWhy using a competent Financial Advisor can help you make smarter investment decisionsHow an investor can increase their chance of having a successful investment experienceWhy you should ignore most market information and news driven investment predictionsResources Discussed Dimensional Fund AdvisorsRandom Walk Down Wall StreetWeston Wellington Articles Surprise! No Sell of in 2013, "You Have to Be in Gold", He Called the Crash

Walt Disney World is the classic family vacation. If you’re planning on visiting Walt Disney World, you’re going to love this week’s  PLAN WELL INVEST WISELY podcast. I speak with Lou Mangello, an internationally recognized expert on the Walt Disney World Resort. Lou is a former attorney from New Jersey who has made his lifelong passion (Walt Disney World) his full time career. His website wdwradio.com is an amazing resource for all things Disney. In this episode we discuss:His book, 102 Ways to Save Money for and at Walt Disney WorldHow to safe money on your Disney World vacationThe best and worse times to visit Walt Disney WorldWhen Walt Disney World is busiestWhen it costs less to go to Walt Disney WorldHow to begin planning your Walt Disney vacationHow to maximize your time and still have funDiscount ticket sourcesThe advantages of the Disney annual passHow to get discounts on food and lodgingThings to consider when buying your ticket package  (to park hop or not?)Whether to stay on or off propertySimple strategies to save money on food and drinks at DisneySaving on SouvenirsWhat to pack to make your day at Disney World comfortableResources Discussedwdwradio.comThe book, 102 Ways to Save Money for and at WaltDisney WorldDisney Authorized Vacation PlannerMouse Fan TravelFor a TON of resources to help plan your trip to Walt Disney World visit wdwradio.com  

How to pay for college is one of the most frequent questions I get from parents. This week I interviewed Celest Horton from How to Pay For College HQ to learn about the great resources to help parents pay for college. Celest knows it's possible to pay for college without student loans (she did it). Each week, on her How to Pay for College HQ podcast she interviews industry experts to help listeners learn what is necessary to plan, prepare and pay for college without the assistance of loans.In this episode we discuss:The need for your teenager to be engaged in the process of selecting a college and applying for aideThe importance of your teenager to show a "demonstrated interest" in schools they want to go to so they can improve their chances of receiving merit aide. They can do this by following a school on social media and intreating with the admissions department.How a high school senior could graduate with 1 or 2 years of college credit by taking duel purpose classes in high school to earn college credit.What the FAFSA form is and why its important to complete in January each year.The importance of researching potential college's average SAT scores, tuition and how generous they are with merit aide.Resources Discussed Scholarshipopportunity.org Online resource for scholarship opportunities to help pay for collegeCollege Navigator Online resources to research average tuition, SAT and aide for collegesCollege Data Online resources to research average tuition, SAT and aide for collegesVisit How to Pay for College HQ to receive the free report : Top 5 Things Every Parent Should Know To Pay for College Without Loans

In this Plan Well Invest Wisely podcast, Roger Whitney interviews Lauren Gaggioli, founder of Higher Test Prep Scores. They discuss the importance of the SAT and how to help your child select the right school for them. Here are some of the topics Lauren and I covered:The importance of taking college preparatory tests such as ACT, SAT, PSAT.Determining which test(s) to take when choosing a college.The advantages of taking both ACT and SAT tests.Motivating students to take responsibility in preparing for college.Why some students should consider taking an intentional "gap" year between high school and college.With their parents' help, students should examine themselves (passions, strengths, personality) to discover which college may be a best fit for them.Various kinds of financial aid, including need-based and merit-based.Why students should diversify their college options.To learn much more about ACT, PSAT and SAT test prep, listen to Lauren's free podcast called The College Checklist.Lauren is offering a FREE video on her website at Higher Test Prep Scores.

It's spring and the desire to spend time outside with the family is blooming. Before you allow that budding desire to lead you to buy an RV, boat or other recreational item make sure you closely look at the potential pitfalls of ownership.In this episode, host Roger Whitney tells his story of how he did everything wrong when he purchased an RV. He also outlines 10 things you should consider before you purchase your RV.This is the REST of the story not told in the RV brochures and outdoor shows that are springing up this time of year.Have a retirement or personal finance question? Ask Roger here and he'll answer personally.

How do you find the right financial advisor for you and your family?In this special mid-week edition, host Roger Whitney gives you a framework for how to interview a financial advisor candidate and 15 questions you should ask to help choose the right financial advisor for you.In this episode he covers:Why it is important to interview multiple financial advisorsWhat to look for in a financial advisorPre-work you can do before you meet the financial advisor15 questions to ask to help you find the right financial advisor for you and your familyFor a Trusted Advisor worksheet to use in your interview process go to rogerwhitney.com/worksheets

This Week, Roger Whitney introduces a new service YOU ASK I ANSWER, where you can ask your retirement planning questions and receive a response.Then he begins to answer the question, will I have enough money to maintain my lifestyle during retirement?The first step to answering this question is to determine what your retirement lifestyle will be. You do this by breaking your retirement lifestyle into three buckets:Retirement Essentials. Those retirement expenses needed to maintain your household (housing, utilities, food, insurance, etc.)Retirement Lifestyle. Those retirement expenses for things that enrich your life (travel, entertainment, home improvements, hobbies, etc.)Retirement Dreams/Legacy. Those special things that you would like to accomplish (major travel, gifting, purchasing a second home, etc.)Breaking your retirement lifestyle into these three buckets gives you the flexibility to adjust your retirement lifestyle each year based on how your retirement unfolds.Once you do this, you need to consider how you will spend during retirement. For example inflation. Consider what your personal inflation rate is based on your spending habits.Also consider closely whether you want to spend more earlier in retirement with the understanding that you will lower spending in later years. In essence, buy yourself more lifestyle now, while you are younger and healthier. Once you've completed this step you are well on your way to determining how much money you will need to maintain your lifestyle in retirement. In future podcasts, he'll address the next steps in this process.

This episode is based on Roger Whitney's new report INVEST in Your Health: 72 Tips to Living a Healthier Retirement. You can download the report for free at rogerwhitney.comInvesting in your healh may be the best investment you can make to living well in retirement. The quality of your health has major financial implications to your financial wellbeing in retirement.In this episode we outline the financial benefits of investing in your health and the six areas of your health that you should invest in. PhysicalIntellectualEmotionalSocialSpiritualOccupational