Set for Life

"When can I afford to retire?" "Will my money last long enough?" "How can I enjoy my retirement to the fullest?" Not long ago, retirement was simple. You'd spend thirty or forty years at the same company, get your gold watch, and collect your pension and savings bank giveaways for the duration of your years left on earth. No longer. The classic notion of retirement has been replaced with a newer, healthier concept that reflects the longer lifespans, more active lifestyles, and exciting "creative aging" options that seniors enjoy today. Along with these new choices come new responsibilities, as people in their fifties join the "sandwich generation" who must simultaneously care for their children, their parents, and themselves. So how can you ensure that your retirement is as comfortable as possible? How can you make sure your money will last at least as long as you do? How can you, in short, be set for life? In Set for Life, financial expert Bambi Holzer provides the answers. This practical, thoughtful book-the only guide specifically for individuals age fifty-plus-shows you how to assess your needs, manage your investments, cope with taxes and insurance, stay ahead of inflation, prepare your estate, and develop realistic financial goals, no matter what your situation or how financially savvy you are. In plain, simple language, Set for Life walks you through the various parts of your financial life and explains how to pull them together to build a clear, achievable plan for a satisfying future. As you read through the book, you will: * Examine where you stand today-how much you have, how much you know, and how prepared you are * Explore how and where you want to live-second careers, volunteer jobs, travel, and the kind of home setting you'd prefer * Figure out how much it will cost you to live-understand inflation, add up your future expenses, and create a spending plan * Learn how to fill your retirement bucket-discover your best strategies for saving and investing, how to get the most out of Social Security and your IRA, and how to tap the equity in your home * Arrange your affairs-how to integrate family and finances, alternative living arrangements to consider when living at home isn't working anymore, and how to cope with change Set for Life is more than simply a financial planning guide-because life after fifty is no longer simple. Written by a woman who helps people like you every day, this book is as full of encouragement and insight as useful information. It will help you clarify your own vision of your retirement and bring it to fruition. Most of all, it will give you confidence that you can take control of your financial life, and secure the future you hope for.