Product Description

From the New York Times retirement expert, an authoritative resource for successfully assessing and tackling the real costs and challenges of retirement Only a few years ago, the question on many Americans’ minds wasn’t how will I retire but when. Now, with 401(k)s and IRAs at a fraction of their previous value and health-care costs soaring, it’s time for a definitive guide book that walks you through the fundamentals of retirement. With his biweekly Seniority column in The New York Times , Fred Brock has earned a reputation for providing frank and pragmatic advice on the changing landscape of retirement. In chapters written exclusively and originally for this book, he offers updated thinking on all the essentials for a smart and secure retirement, including how to • determine new personal finance and investing goals • find untapped asset streams, such as reverse mortgages • deal with the tangle of taxes on pensions, family gifts, and other income • work during retirement • choose a community and housing • maximize your health insurance • assess long-term assisted-living arrangements He offers indispensable tools for analyzing your true costs of retirement, independent of the mutual-fund industry hype and Social Security scares. And a substantial list of national, regional, and online resources as well as worksheets allow you to customize and realize your retirement plan.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1627949 in Books
• Published on: 2003-12-30
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

From Booklist
The aging of the baby boomers heralds in its own way a rush to proffer advice and counsel on all topics, from reinventing lives to investing wisely for the short and longer terms. This experienced financial professional jumps at the opportunity of focusing on the latter. By no means a self-acclaimed money wizard, New York Times "Seniority" columnist Brock has, quite literally, learned on the job--and applies his knowledge frankly and pragmatically. What's more, his main message may shock many who have long believed that 70 to 80 percent of final salary is a mandatory number to accumulate for retirement. His recommendation? Based on current and projected savings, it may be just as easy to cut back and simplify lifestyles, whether that means moving to a less expensive area or streamlining postretirement activities or both. Plenty of research and resources support his contention, including Web sites like BestPlaces.net and actual great-to-hear reader stories. There's 81-year-old Elton Pasea of Nederland, Texas, who enjoys his passion of bicycling and an active lifestyle on less than $2,000 a month. Energizing--and extraordinarily enlightening. Barbara Jacobs
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