Cash flow planning is the process by which the flow of income necessary to sustain a given standard of living in retirement is identified and financed. It is perhaps the most critical part of retirement planning. Cash flow planning for retirees depends crucially on two factors: (1) the resource constraints a retiree faces in terms of assets and other retirement income sources and (2) the desires and needs a retiree has for spending in retirement. Both of these, in turn, depend to a great degree on when the planning is done. (more…)

As U.S. longevity increases and health care costs soar, many older Americans face the prospect of outliving their retirement resources. Personal health and maintenance expenses are escalating, and more of America’s older adults have little recourse but to use credit for purchasing necessary medicines and even groceries. Moreover, many seniors who had planned on living in a mortgage-free home are finding that rising tax assessments, escalating insurance premiums, and other home maintenance–related costs are claiming a growing portion of their fixed incomes. (more…)

Approximately one-fifth (20 percent) of post retirement income sources today comes from qualified retirement plan assets. Within 20 years, that number will increase to just under one-third (30 percent) of post retirement income. These are broadly defined as assets on which you have not yet paid retirement income taxes, though there is one exception in the Roth IRA. (more…)

If you’re one of the “Baby Boomers,” you’re probably giving serious thought to retiring and become a full time retiring baby boomers, if you haven’t already retired - and if you have already retired, you may be wondering if you’re going to be able to afford to stay retired.

Today’s economic crisis complicates the situation considerably by increasing the following retirement risks: (more…)

When you retire, are you going to have enough money to meet all your expenses and keep up with inflation? If you are like the vast majority of us, your answer will be a resounding, “NO”!

Statistically, 95% of people retire with too few financial resources. (more…)