You’ve saved up for retirement, what about your quality of life?

Posted on November 30th, 2006 | No Comments »
Categories: Retirement Living, Retirement Planning

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Radio show addresses quality of life issues for baby boomers, seniors Story Tools Email this story | Print By MICHELLE SHELDONE michelle.sheldone@scripps.com November 26, 2006 Baby boomers and senior citizens throughout South Florida can tune in to an AM radio talk show designed to help improve their quality of life.

Jupiter resident Ron Kauffman, on WBZT 1230’s “Senior Lifestyles,” brings in guest experts to address issues of health, wealth and lifestyle issues.

“The idea is to impact their lives in such a way they can actually measure (it by) a reduction in doctor’s visits.

The Clear Channel program, which earned Kauffman a Southeastern Area Agencies on Aging 2006 Positive Images of Aging Award, is part of his Senior Lifestyles Intelligent Talk Radio nonprofit organization and also is scheduled next week to begin airing in the Carolinas.

Through the nonprofit, Kauffman is seeking grants and contributions for in-person fitness and nutrition programs he’d like to launch with partners like Jewish Family Services of Broward County, who would provide the venues and the audience and he would provide the experts.

The program has addressed serious topics like Alzheimer’s, health insurance and retirement finances — but two of the most popular segments were about life coaching and how to purchase wines.


TUNING IN

• “Senior Lifestyles” talk show airs from 3:05 to 4 p.m., on WBZT 1230 AM.

• A daily 12-minute Boomer and Senior LifeStyles Update airs on
this same station during the 7 to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday drive
time.

• The program reaches Miami-Dade County through Stuart and is
scheduled next week also to air on AM-1160 WJFJ from Asheville, N.C.,
to Spartanburg, S.C.

• For more information, visit www.seniorlifestyles.org

Radio show addresses quality of life issues for baby boomers

TCPalm,?FL?- 5 hours ago

addressed serious topics like Alzheimer’s, health insurance and retirement finances — but two of the most popular segments were about life coaching and how

Radio talk show paying attention to senior citizens Sun-Sentinel.com

all 3 news articles

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Best Places to Retire in Asia

Posted on November 29th, 2006 | No Comments »
Categories: Best Places to Retire, Retire Overseas, Retirement Planning

Best Places to Retire in Asia

Have you included Asia in your list of best places to retire.

Many countries standard of living is greatly improving along with rapidly expanding economies which leads to many opportunities for the right person with good ideas.

Read more about the best places to retire in Asia.

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Generation X’s retirement challenges

Posted on November 18th, 2006 | No Comments »
Categories: Retirement Planning

Generation X’s retirement challenges

If you have children or grandchildren born in “Generation X” — loosely defined as those people born between 1965 and 1980 — you know they still have a long time to go before retirement.

But that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be thinking about retirement — and saving for it.

Unfortunately, many members of the Gen-X cohort are doing a poor job of retirement planning.

About half of all workers born between 1965 and 1972 are “at risk” of having too little money to maintain their standard of living during retirement, according to the National Retirement Risk Index created by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.

(This study didn’t include the younger Gen-Xers because their financial histories are not considered long enough to yield meaningful interpretations of future behavior.)

The Retirement Risk Index uses a variety of variables to come up with its projections, but they pretty much boil down to one conclusion: Older Gen-Xers aren’t saving enough to pay for the type of retirement they’d like to have.

If you think your child or grandchild — let’s call her “Jen” — might be in the low-savings group, what changes can you encourage her to make to reach a different — and more favorable — destination?

Gen-Xers have got one really good asset on their side: time.

Even the first wave of Generation X members have got roughly 25 years until reaching the “typical” retirement age of 65.

That means Jen still has time to make some moves that can help her make good progress toward her retirement goals — if she doesn’t wait too long.

· Take advantage of retirement savings opportunities.

Her money will have an opportunity to grow on a tax-deferred basis, and her contributions are typically made with pre-tax dollars, which means the more she puts in, the lower her adjustable gross income.

Ideally, Jen should contribute as much as she can afford, increase her contributions whenever she gets a raise, and spread her money among the range of investments available in her plan.

Also, if Jen can afford it, she should contribute to a Roth or traditional IRA every year.

Both offer tax advantages and can be funded with money going into virtually any investment — stocks, bonds, government securities, etc.

We all have different visions of the ideal retirement.

While Jen might want to work until 65 and then open a small business, her friend might want to retire early and travel the world.

Consequently, the amount Jen will need to save — and even the investment philosophy she follows — should be based on her individual retirement goals.

It’s not always so easy to create and maintain long-term investment strategies.

Which investments are right for Jen’s individual needs?

When should she make changes to her portfolio?

A financial professional can help Jen answer these and many other questions that will arise over the years.

For people in Jen’s age group, retirement may seem like a distant vision.

But it’s moving closer every day — and she’ll want to be ready when it finally arrives.

Encourage her to take the steps necessary to prepare herself.



‘Generation X’ faces its own retirement challenges (The Payson Roundup)

If you have children or grandchildren born in “Generation X” — loosely defined as those people born between 1965 and 1980 — you know they still have a long time to go before retirement. But that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be thinking about retirement — and saving for it.

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Malaysia: Cheapest Tropical Country For Retirement

Posted on November 16th, 2006 | No Comments »
Categories: Best Places to Retire, Retire Overseas, Retirement Living, Retirement Planning

Malaysia: Cheapest Tropical Country For Retirement

One of the most promising and cheapest places to retire not just in Southeast Asia but in the whole world is the tropical paradise of the land of Malays, Malaysia.

Apart from Thailand, Japan, China and South Korea, Malaysia is a favorite tourist destination in Asia and now it is regarded as an excellent place for retirement because of its low cost of living.

Nowadays, the country is being considered as an alternative retirement haven, rivaling other best and cheap places to retire like Canada, France, England, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, India, and Taiwan.

Many might think of a metropolis full of light and skyscrapers when talking about Malaysia, especially its capital Kuala Lumpur, but this country offers a simple life and a relaxing experience for retirees who want to enjoy their life away from the urban world.

Malaysia is a very conducive tropical country for expatriates who love warm, sunny and rainy seasons as well.

This cradle of Malay race offers not just the typical grandeur and extravagance of what its cities and those highly recommended localities evidently show, but natural wonders and the very warm atmosphere.

Malaysians are very hospitable and friendly, too, that is why a lot of British, American, Australians, Canadians and even other Asians prefer to live here.

Based from the accounts of numerous tourists, frequent visitors and immigrants, this booming country in the southeast portion of the biggest continent in the world has the best beaches and breathtaking coastal islands.

This is typical of Asia you might say as Malaysia’s own tourism catchphrase “Malaysia, Truly Asia.”

But compared to other tropical countries in Asia, Malaysia is downright less expensive; thus, it is adjudged as one of the cheap places to retire.

Unlike the luxurious and very expensive cost of living in London, Tokyo, Singapore, Paris, New York, Illinois, as well as those in Northern Ireland, Sydney (as part of their tourism package), Malaysia has remain frugal and in many ways economical in its tourism and other economic endeavors.

Just try to weigh and consider the given actual cost of 2-bedroom rental apartments begins at around $225 per month and 3-bedroom houses start at $35,000.

While compared to the known mega cities and metropolis, the prices and expenses range from $500 even up to $750 per month or could even higher depending on the seasons and other possible demands or occasions in the place.

But of course, comparable housing in expatriate communities or the luxurious homes that date from British colonial period are priced higher.

However, again, compared to those in Singapore, London, and the romantic Paris, it is not just considerably cheaper but surprisingly, cheaper.

Malaysia offers more than a treat for birthdays, holidays, honeymoons, and of course for a different kind of retirement.

If you are looking for cheap places to retire, inexpensive getaway destinations and superb adventure, Malaysia is waiting for you.

Malaysia, as the cheapest tropical country to spend one’s retirement, has a very peculiar yet very inviting tropical climate that blends well with its “cheap” package for tourism.

Not only that, Malaysia takes pride of rich culture and arts than explicitly show its wide diversity of its people.

Malaysia is a melting pot of foreign and indigenous people, so anyone can easily find affinity with Malaysians.

Aside from being one of the cheap places to retire, this could influence other retirees to settle here for good.

More cheap places to retire

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