January 19, 2015

Your weekly link to grown-up news and information from newspaper and

magazine publications, news organizations and web resources nationwide.

IN THIS ISSUE

Health

Mind

Medicare

Money

Taxes

Retirement

Investing

Social Security

Housing

Driving

Insurance

Working

HEALTH:

Smoking, Obesity: Weighing the Financial Toll: Smoking and obesity are both harmful to your health, but they also do considerable damage to your wallet, researchers report. HealthDay, Jan. 16.

6 Penis Problems That Happen With Age: Decoding the changes in appearance and function as men reach age 50 and beyond. Grandparents.com, Jan. 15.

Across the country, flu takes toll on elderly: According to the CDC, flu vaccines are only 23% effective this season. USA Today, Jan. 16.

An Optimistic Outlook May Be Good for Your Heart: Study of more than 5,100 adults found a strong correlation between the two. HealthDay, Jan. 13.

More Than 1 in 10 Use Daily Aspirin Inappropriately: For many users, the odds of heart attack, stroke are lower than the risk of serious bleeding, study says. HealthDay, Jan. 12.

MIND:
Depression, Anxiety Can Precede Memory Loss in Alzheimer's, Study Finds: Those who developed dementia were more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression earlier. HealthDay, Jan. 14.

MEDICARE:

A New Medicare Study Reveals the Key Healthcare Move 89% of Americans Never Make: One of the biggest concerns that retirees face is how to deal with their healthcare expenses, and Medicare plays a vital role in helping retirees manage the financial demands of staying healthy. The Motley Fool, Jan. 18.

Navigating Medicare: Medicare open enrollment is over, but that doesn't mean your job is done. Here are five things to do after selecting your coverage. Bankrate.com, Jan. 13.

MONEY:

Half of Americans Are Facing a Tough Retirement. Don't Be One of Them: Nearly half of Americans have not done much financial planning for their retirement. If you're among this group, here are some steps you can take right now to get the ball rolling. The Motley Fool, Jan. 17.

Will Illinois' plan to get workers to save for retirement work? Illinois just became the first U.S. state to adopt a promising new approach to a big problem in the nation's retirement saving system: the lack of workplace saving options for low-income workers. Reuters, Jan. 15.

What Happens to Your Debt After You Die? Many families worry that the death of a loved one will mean that his or her debts will then become the legal responsibility of the surviving relatives. But that isn't necessarily the case. Next Avenue, Jan. 14.

The Biggest Financial Pitfalls for Middle-Aged Adults: These 13 strategies will help people in midlife overcome common money challenges. US News and World Report, Jan. 14.

4 Tips for Retirement Distributions: Picture this: You worked hard your entire life, saving diligently for retirement. At 65, you were living the dream. At 75, you enjoyed a comfortable -- if not luxurious -- lifestyle. But at age 85, you seemed to inexplicably run out of money. The Motley Fool, Jan. 13.

How to deal with your mutual funds at tax time: For many Americans, a tax-deferred account like a 401(k) or IRA is the primary way they invest. But while these have big advantages, allowing your gains to compound without the sticky fingers of the IRS, they typically require you to be patient. USA Today, Jan. 13.

There's a better way to plan retirement withdrawals: At last, a simple solution to determine retirement withdrawals. MarketWatch, Jan. 13.

The Money Bonanza for Empty Nesters: This dad found that when the kids take flight, so do many expenses. Next Avenue, Jan. 12.

How to Reduce Your 2014 Tax Bill By Over $1,000: Contributing to an IRA can decrease the tax you owe or boost your refund. U.S. News and World Report, Jan 12.

TAXES:
Biggest Tax Surprises for Retirees: The taxman keeps working even after you stop. Kiplinger, Jan. 15.

RETIREMENT:

What are the best cities for older adults to live in? If Phoenix, Miami, San Diego, and other Sunbelt destinations come to mind, guess again. MarketWatch, Jan. 16.

Get These 3 Variables Right and Retire Earlier: Most people overestimate what they'll need to live comfortably in retirement. The more realistic you are, the sooner you might be able to kick back. Money, Jan. 16.

5 Ways To Tell If You're Really Ready To Retire: Think it's about time to call it a career? Great. But before you say "Hasta la vista, baby!" to your job, I suggest you go over the five items in my Are You Really Ready To Retire? checklist. Real Deal Retirement, Jan 13.

Retirement: What the new Congress has in store: A new Congress is in session, and a big question is this: Exactly what do they have in store for older Americans and retirees? USA Today, Jan. 13.

5 Retirement Resolutions For 2015: 2014 has ended and it's time to start thinking about how to make 2015 a financial success. Forbes, Jan. 12.

5 Secrets to a Happy Retirement: Sure, a fat nest egg and good health help. But there are less obvious ways to make sure your post-work life is a happy one. Money, Jan. 12.

INVESTING:
How to Invest After You Retire: How do you approach your portfolio now that you're no longer collecting a paycheck? Kiplinger, Feb. 2015.

SOCIAL SECURITY:

Want a fat nest egg? Make the right Social Security choices: It's your last, best chance to fatten your nest egg. But all too often, new retirees undermine their own financial security by claiming Social Security too early, and without regard to strategy. CNBC.com, Jan. 15.

The best time to start taking Social Security: Should you start taking Social Security as early as possible or hold out for bigger payments later? MarketWatch, Jan. 15.

HOUSING:
5 Top Tips to Downsizing Your Home: How to know if you're ready for a smaller place, plus if you are, tips to make the transition as smooth as possible. Grandparents.com, Jan. 15. Cutting the clutter for a better retirement: Boomers may need to downsize for retirement and that will mean dumping possessions. MarketWatch, Jan. 15.

DRIVING:
Getting Around When You No Longer Drive: How to find out about alternative transportation options for seniors who've given up driving. The Huffington Post, Jan. 13.

INSURANCE:
Will you need a longevity annuity in retirement? Deferred income annuities are relatively cheap, but there's no guarantee that they'll pay off for you. MarketWatch, Jan. 12.

WORK:

Older Job Seekers Find Ways to Avoid Age Bias: Age discrimination is a fact of life for many older applicants, but some find ways around it by pursuing jobs at smaller organizations. The New York Times, Jan. 16.

Businesses Try To Stave Off Brain Drain As Boomers Retire: Employers are trying to hang onto older talent by offering flexible work hours, more attractive health care benefits or having retirees return to mentor younger workers. NPR, Jan. 15.

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