Archive for PLAN for Retirement Readiness

Bonds Away! How Fixed Income Can Play an Integral Role in Any Retirement Strategy

By Russell Wild, MBA, Principal of Global Portfolios Welcome to the wonderful and wacky world of bonds. Why wacky? Almost nothing I can think of, not even writing a novel, that looks so simple but can be so complex once you delve into it. If you have ever been lost in some complexities, we can […]

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Posted in: PLAN for Retirement Readiness, Retirement Counseling/Coaching

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Adapting Your Communication Style for More Effective Client Relations

By Joseph Tabers, CSP, President of Productive Training, Inc. To understand our client’s communication style, usually, the first place to start is with ourselves. Think about what comes easy for you; what are you good at? For example, some people are good listeners, some are good at asking questions, and some are good at patience. […]

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Posted in: PLAN for Retirement Readiness, Retirement Counseling/Coaching

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Grief Literacy for Financial Advisors: Engaging the Bereaved Client

By Kathi Balasek, MA, Grief Communication Consultant for Financial Professionals In short, grief literacy is simply normalizing the conversation surrounding grief and, specifically, our grief responses. As advisors, you are much more comfortable with charts, graphs, and numbers, so that’s very natural, and you’re fluent in that type of conversation. Conversation about grief can be […]

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The Psychology of Retirement

By Robert Laura, CKA, AAMS, CPRC, CMFC, CRPC Many people perceive retirement as nothing but addition, as gains, as positive things that they will get. People don’t realize that problems can be multiplied simply because you have more time and fewer distractions. The challenge with traditional retirement planning is that we don’t drill down and […]

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Posted in: PLAN for Retirement Readiness, Retirement Counseling/Coaching

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Effective One-to-One Communication for Advisors and Retirement Counselors

By Joseph Tabers, CSP, President of Productive Training, Inc. The need for information and good communication is so essential for clients and people today to provide reassurance, and sometimes, peace of mind. We’re going to review some proven techniques for enhancing communication effectiveness face-to-face, in meetings or over the phone, and online and any other […]

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Understanding Communication Styles for More Effective Client Relations

By Joseph Tabers, CSP, President of Productive Training, Inc. Understanding communication styles for more effective client relations is simply better understanding and preparing to adapt to the variety of styles we encounter. Our first objective when communicating is first to know our self before we attempt to understand another so we can establish mutual understanding. […]

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Posted in: PLAN for Retirement Readiness, Retirement Counseling/Coaching

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Behavioral Finance: Why Do We Do the Things We Do

By Michael Wilson, CFP®, RC®, RICP®, Integrity Financial Planning We all know there are certain things we should do, like eat right, exercise, get plenty of sleep, etc. The same is true for retirement saving: we all know we should be saving now for an unknown period of time in retirement. Multiple studies and surveys have indicated […]

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The Couple’s Retirement Puzzle: Helping Couples Navigate Their Retirement Transition: Challenges and Opportunities

By Dorian Mintzer, M.S.W., Ph.D., BCC, CSA One of the things that I like to share with advisers working with couples is to think about the concept of a puzzle. It’s both a noun and a verb. It’s not as if the puzzle pieces are going to fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. Think about […]

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Hacking Longevity: How Three Generations Over 50 are Navigating Longer Lives

By Lori Bitter, The Business of Aging There are now three generations of adults over the age of 50 in the United States. The U.S. joins most of the developed nations of the world in increasing life expectancy.  According to the Pew Research Center, the world’s centenarian population (those living to age 100) is projected […]

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Posted in: PLAN for Retirement Readiness, Successful Aging

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Advance Care Planning: A Critical Component for Building Client Relationships

By Paul Malley, President of Aging with Dignity More than 30 million people have already used Five Wishes. It’s available in 29 different languages and used by organizations, healthcare providers, and faith communities of diverse faiths from across the country and the world. Because it’s translated into 29 languages, it’s appropriate in very diverse populations […]

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Posted in: Legacy Planning, Medical and Long-term Care Planning, PLAN for Retirement Readiness, PROTECT the Plan from Retirement Risks

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Elder Law Basics Part 2

By Amber B. Woodland, Esq., Partner at ProcinoWells & Woodland, LLC. The first half of this article was published in our July 2017 issue, and covered the basic definition of elder law, what is Medicaid, payment options for long-term care costs, how to qualify for Medicaid, the Medicaid asset or resource test, Medicaid transfer penalty […]

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Posted in: Legacy Planning, Medical and Long-term Care Planning, PLAN for Retirement Readiness, PROTECT the Plan from Retirement Risks, Retirement Income Management

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Elder Law Basics

By Amber B. Woodland, Esq., Partner at ProcinoWells & Woodland, LLC. This is a topic that I am extremely passionate about. I love what I do; I love serving my community and seniors in my community and helping their families every single day. Most of us know of someone or have a loved one, friend, […]

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Posted in: Legacy Planning, Medical and Long-term Care Planning, PLAN for Retirement Readiness, PROTECT the Plan from Retirement Risks, Retirement Income Management

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A Primer for Advisors on the Aging Brain: Understanding Cognitive Impairment, Taking Action Steps

By Sandra Timmermann, EdD, Gerontologist, Successful Aging in Retirement Expert Below is an adaptation of the live webinar delivered by Sandra Timmermann in 2016. Her comments have been edited for clarity and length in this 2nd Qtr 2016 Retirement InSight and Trends Newsletter. You may also choose to view the entire presentation and take the […]

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Posted in: PLAN for Retirement Readiness, Successful Aging

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Finding the Gold in Gray: Keys to Serving Boomers and Older Clients

By Michael Sullivan, Retirement Communications Expert Editor’s note: This presentation was delivered in live webinar format in 2015. Michael’s comments have been edited for clarity and length. You can view a YouTube brief of the original presentation here. You may also choose to take the full length course and earn 1 CRC®, CFP®, and/or PACE CE […]

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Estimating the True Cost of Retirement

By David Blanchett, CFA, CFP®, AIFA® – Head of Retirement Research, Morningstar Editor’s note: This presentation was delivered in live webinar format in 2015. David’s comments have been edited for clarity and length. You can view a YouTube brief of the original presentation here. You may also choose to take the full length course to earn 1 […]

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Posted in: PLAN for Retirement Readiness, PROVIDE Retirement Income, Retirement Distributions/Withdrawals, Retirement Income Planning and Spending, Retirement Investing and Investments

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Retirement Happiness: Planning for a Successful Transition

By John E. Nelson, Purposeful Retirement Advocate, Author & Coach Editor’s note: This presentation was delivered in live webinar format in 2015. John’s comments have been edited for clarity and length. You can view a YouTube brief of the original presentation here. You may also choose to take the full length course and earn 1 […]

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Posted in: PLAN for Retirement Readiness, Successful Aging

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What’s Trending in the Field of Aging: Connecting the Dots with Financial Services

By Sandra Timmermann, EdD, Gerontologist, Successful Aging in Retirement Expert Editor’s note: Sandy and I met about ten years ago while serving on a Society of Actuaries’ Post Retirement and Needs Committee project.  She directed the MetLife Mature Market Institute for 17 years, and has unique insights into both the gerontology and financial aspects of meeting the […]

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What Color is Your Parachute? for Retirement: Planning for Prosperity, Health and Happiness

By John E. Nelson, Purposeful Retirement Advocate, Author & Coach Editor’s note: When I graduated from college with a finance degree – a LONG time ago – I purchased the book “What Color is Your Parachute?” to help me determine which area of finance I wanted to pursue. I loved the practicality of the book […]

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Posted in: PLAN for Retirement Readiness, Retirement Counseling/Coaching, Successful Aging

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Improving Retirement Readiness for State and Local Government Employees

A White Paper Abstract Prepared for the National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators (NAGDCA)  by Kevin Seibert, CFP®, CEBS, CRC®, Managing Director, InFRE and Betty Meredith, CFA, CFP®, CRC®, Director of Education, and Research, InFRE  Introduction  There is convincing evidence that millions of Americans are not prepared for, or even aware of, what is […]

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Posted in: PLAN for Retirement Readiness, Public Sector Plans

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How Middle-Market Retirees Make Their Retirement Decisions

By Betty Meredith, CFA, CFP®, CRC® Director of Education and Research, InFRE As financial planners, we know that when someone arrives at retirement age and doesn’t have enough financial assets accumulated for retirement, there are still things they can do to substantially increase their retirement security even if the decision to retire has already been […]

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Posted in: PLAN for Retirement Readiness, PROVIDE Retirement Income, Retirement Income Planning and Spending

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Behavior Insights to Improve Retirement

By Jodi DiCenzo, CFA, CPA, Behavioral Finance Expert Editor’s Note: The new retirement, where public employees will assume an increased role in securing their retirement future, changes the historically passive environment of public sector retirement savings and requires a new focus on helping employees save and invest more effectively in supplemental plans.  This is a […]

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Is Retirement Past its Prime? The Economic & Behavioral Realities of Retirement

By Michael Falk, CFA, CRC®, Focus Financial Consulting Editor’s note: Below is an adaptation of the live webinar delivered by Michael Falk in 2014. Michael’s comments have been edited for clarity and length. You can view a short YouTube clip of the original presentation here. You may also choose to take the full length course, […]

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Posted in: PROVIDE Retirement Income, Retirement Counseling/Coaching, Retirement Income Management, Retirement Income Planning and Spending

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Is Retirement Planning Advice (versus just investing advice) in the Workplace Now a Possibility?

By Betty Meredith, CFA, CFP®, CRC® Last year I went to the new Costco in Ann Arbor, MI because I could tell that my eyesight had changed so much that it was time for new lenses. I expected a glaucoma test first, but this doctor’s assistant instead used a diagnostic machine to take several pictures […]

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Posted in: PLAN for Retirement Readiness, PROVIDE Retirement Income, Retirement Counseling/Coaching, Retirement Distributions/Withdrawals, Retirement Income Planning and Spending

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The 2013 EBRI-Greenwald Retirement Confidence Survey: Part II

By Brian Perlman, PhD, ChFC, CLU, Senior Vice President and CFO, Mathew Greenwald & Associates – Retirement Confidence Research Expert Editor’s Note: The following is the second half of an excerpt of the transcript of the live webinar Brian Perlman, PhD. provided in April, 2013 as part of the Retirement Resource Center’s Professional Development Program. […]

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Posted in: PLAN for Retirement Readiness, PROTECT the Plan from Retirement Risks, Retirement Counseling/Coaching

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The 2013 EBRI-Greenwald Retirement Confidence Survey: Part I

By Brian Perlman, PhD, ChFC, CLU, Senior Vice President and CFO, Mathew Greenwald & Associates – Retirement Confidence Research Expert Editor’s Note: The following is the first half of an excerpt of the transcript of the live webinar Brian Perlman, PhD. provided in April, 2013 as part of the Retirement Resource Center’s Professional Development Program. […]

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Posted in: PROTECT the Plan from Retirement Risks, Retirement Counseling/Coaching

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The Final Investment Advice Regulations

By William C. Grossman, ERPA, QPA, APR, Director of Education and Communications, McKay Hochman Co., Inc. Editor’s note: I thought Bill Grossman did a great job succinctly summarizing the final investment advice regulations. This article appears courtesy of McKay Hochman. The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) recently issued a final regulation to […]

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Posted in: PLAN for Retirement Readiness, PROVIDE Retirement Income

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Generational Understanding and Communication

Editor’s note: the following is excerpted from InFRE’s Certified Retirement Counselor (CRC®) Study Guide, “Fundamentals of Retirement Planning.” As more people seek retirement counseling, it is critical for professionals to understand the underlying motivations, beliefs and money attitudes that are implicit in how clients and prospects make decisions. The more insight we have, the better […]

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Standardized “Sizes” Will Boost Quality of Retirement Security for the Mid-market

By Betty Meredith, CFA®, CFP®, CRC® I live just west of Dearborn, Michigan where Henry Ford revolutionized manufacturing in the early 1900s by creating the assembly line. Cars evolved from luxury item for the well-to-do to essential transportation for the ordinary man. Using innovative production techniques, Ford decreased the production time of a car from […]

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Posted in: PLAN for Retirement Readiness, PROTECT the Plan from Retirement Risks, PROVIDE Retirement Income, Retirement Distributions/Withdrawals, Retirement Income Planning and Spending

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Managing Retirement Decisions Client Education Resources

By Betty Meredith, CFA®, CFP®, CRC® The Society of Actuaries’ Committee on Post Retirement Needs and Risks recently completed a significant series of planning briefs to help consumers make more informed retirement decisions. Drawing upon the expertise of prominent retirement professionals, the result is this thought-provoking series of 11 issue briefs written in everyday language […]

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Posted in: PLAN for Retirement Readiness, PROTECT the Plan from Retirement Risks, PROVIDE Retirement Income, Retirement Education and Counseling, Retirement Readiness Planning

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Financial Literacy Around the World: An Overview

By Annamaria Lusardi and Olivia S. Mitchell Editor’s note: This excerpt is from an in-depth study of financial literacy around the world (access the entire study here), and its determination of retirement preparedness. InFRE has long held this to be the case, and therefore created the RetirAwareness Quiz (RAQ) for use with employees and clients […]

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Posted in: PLAN for Retirement Readiness, Public Sector Plans, Retirement Counseling/Coaching

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The Scientific Approach to Personal Wealth Management

By Paula H. Hogan, CFP®, CFA Editor’s note:  Being ready for retirement requires having a plan to manage the key retirement risks of longetivity, inflation, medical and long-term care, and market and interest rate risks.  Here are some good reminders from a financial planning point of view of what we as retirement couselors need to keep in mind […]

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Posted in: PLAN for Retirement Readiness, PROVIDE Retirement Income, Retirement Counseling/Coaching, Retirement Distributions/Withdrawals

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