Retirement In Sight for July, 2015

R E T I R E M E N T I N S I G H T
Presented by Laurie Klein
 

MONTHLY NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE RETIREES

JULY 2015

“The world is not yet exhausted; let me see something tomorrow which I never saw before.”
  

- Samuel Johnson

GOLF TIP
Check your putting grip

With a conventional putter, your grip should run up your palm, approximately along your lifeline, with the shaft of the putter running parallel to both of your forearms. This grip helps to reduce wrist action and promotes a consistent, one-lever stroke. It allows you more command of the putter and its speed, so you can better control putting distance.

BRAIN TEASER
Family Finish Line.
Four kids raced across a yard: Tracy, Danny, Alexa and Layne. Danny was as many places behind Alexa as Layne was ahead of Tracy. Alexa was not first and Tracy was not second. Who was first, second, third and fourth?.*

DID YOU KNOW?
(Not quite) light as a feather

The feathers of a bird commonly weigh more than its skeleton.4

HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT EACH OTHER’S MONEY?

Sometimes one spouse or partner has only a vague knowledge of how much the other earns, spends, or saves. As retirement nears, this can lead to surprises.

Last month, Fidelity Investments released its 2015 Couples Retirement Study. While most of the 1,051 couples surveyed said they had no difficulties talking to their spouse or partner about money issues, the perception of each other’s financial standing wasn’t always accurate. For example, 43% of respondents could only guess how much their spouse or partner earned annually; 10% were off by at least $25,000. In addition, 36% of couples had differing estimates of their investable assets; 60% (including half of baby boomer respondents) had no idea of the size of their projected Social Security benefit.

While talking about money can be difficult, it becomes a necessary conversation in the context of retirement. You want to approach your “third act” knowing how much you have collectively saved, how you are invested, how you spend your money, how much income you have now, and your potential income in the future. Enter the next phase of life with shared knowledge of your financial situation and your retirement potential.1

IS MEDICAL TOURISM WORTH THE RISK?

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that up to 750,000 Americans travel abroad annually for medical procedures. The savings can be remarkable, but so can the hazards. Language barriers can promote miscommunication with health care professionals. Medication quality is suspect in some areas of the world, as are sterilization and injection methods. Strains of resistant bacteria tamed in the U.S. may be prevalent elsewhere, a big concern given that the blood supply in some developing nations comes from paid donors.

If you do become a medical tourist, what precautions can you take? The CDC urges you to double-check the qualifications and credentials of the health care providers and the facility involved; a written agreement with the medical facility spelling out the costs of treatments, supplies, and care is essential. Follow-up care in the U.S. should also be arranged, and talking to a travel medicine practitioner at least several weeks prior to the trip is a great idea.2

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE
In 1900, there were 3 million Americans age 65 or older – just 4% of the nation’s population. Today, 13% of Americans are aged 65 or older – 44 million.3

Laurie Klein may be reached at
(425) 321-5800 or liz@kaizenfa.com
https://kaizen2.advisorwebsite.com/