Posts by AmericasRetirementPlan
Tips to Planning Your Purposeful Retirement : Three science-backed avenues to retirement enrichment and fulfillment
Retirement is often idealized as a serene period of well-deserved rest and leisure. Yet, while the respite from a career’s demands is welcome, retirees soon find that the keys to living well in this new phase are engagement and purpose. Research consistently shows that having a sense of purpose is linked to better health, lower…
Read MoreQuestions to Ask If Navigating a Solo Retirement: Ensure your retirement is not only secure, but also vibrant and fulfilling
Embarking on retirement alone, either by choice or due to unforeseen circumstances such as the loss of a partner or divorce, presents a unique set of challenges and considerations. With the rise in divorce rates among those aged 50 and older, and the reality that over a quarter of individuals over 60 live solo –…
Read MorePre-Retirement Financial Checklist: Get Your Financial House in Order
Are you within a few years of retirement? Now is the perfect time to get your financial house in order. Here’s what to include on your pre-retirement financial checklist: 401(k) Plans Decide what to do with your current 401(k). You generally have three options: Leave the assets with your soon-to-be-former employer. Roll them into…
Read MoreHow Behavioral Factors Shape Retirement Wealth
A recent Wharton conference explored how noncognitive skills, mortality beliefs, aging, and gender disparities impact retirement wealth. By Knowledge@Wharton.com for Horsesmouth Wharton’s Olivia S. Mitchell states the stark truth about saving: “Let’s be honest, saving is no fun. People don’t get ‘utils’ (or utility) out of saving. They get utils out of spending. Therefore…
Read MoreSummer Travel Plans and Uncertain Skies: How Smart Insurance Fits In
For many investors, travel is an important part of how they spend time and money, especially in retirement. In 2026, however, planning a trip can feel more complicated. Conflicts, airspace closures, airport delays, airline schedule changes, and higher travel costs can disrupt even well-planned itineraries. Travel insurance is also being marketed more aggressively, often as…
Read MoreRetirement Confidence Gap – Bridging Savings, Debt, and Emergencies
One of the defining participant issues in 2025 was not simply market performance. It was confidence. Industry research shows that many workers are less certain they can retire when they want, while inflation remains one of their top financial concerns. That finding points to a broader challenge in defined contribution plans: many workers know retirement…
Read MoreSocial Security – Spousal Benefits
By Elaine Floyd, CFP ® If you did not work long enough to qualify for a Social Security benefit based on your own earnings—or if your benefit is significantly less than your spouse’s benefit—you may qualify for a spousal benefit based on your spouse’s earnings. But you’ll need to know the rules! To qualify for…
Read MoreSocial Security – Survivor Planning
By Elaine Floyd, CFP ® Survivor benefits are one of the most valuable—and under-appreciated—forms of Social Security. Maximizing this form of life insurance requires planning while both spouses are alive and also following the death of one spouse. A maximum earner we’ll call David, who is age 62 now and who claims his benefit at…
Read MoreThe Cost-of-Living Adjustment and What It Means For You
By Elaine Floyd, CFP ® Each year, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announces the cost-of-living adjustment for the next year. Whether you are retired or not, you should be aware of what the changes mean. In October, the Social Security Administration announced that the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2026 is 2.8%. The increase shows up…
Read MoreSocial Security: The Important Questions
By Elaine Floyd, CFP ® Those “How much do you know about Social Security?” quizzes you see online are fun and interesting, but the bigger questions you should be asking are those that can help you get the most out of the program. Do you know much Social Security you stand to receive over your…
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