Concerned about having enough money saved for retirement? Here’s a simple solution: work just a few years longer. By accumulating more savings and shortening your withdrawal period, you’ll reduce the lump sum needed to generate the necessary income at retirement. In a report titled “Retirement Age and the Need for Saving,” the Congressional Budget Office… Read more »
Divorce is a time of many changes and is seldom easy for anyone involved. Still, certain steps you can take now may make the process less stressful and help simplify your life when the divorce is finalized. First things first – assembling a strong, experienced team of confidential professional and personal advisors can provide critical… Read more »
Just like other industries, the medical health industry needs to adapt to the marketing trends of today. Gone are the days when word of mouth alone drove your business forward. In the past, your company might have been the only one providing that service in your radius, whereas now you might have two or more… Read more »
Family can be a source of nurture, inspiration and companionship. Family can also be the source of our deepest worries and concerns. After ensuring your financial house is in order, it may be time for you to answer the question, “If you could make the world better in one significant way, what would it be?”… Read more »
For today’s parents, planning for your child’s college years often begins long before your student starts filling out college applications. Rising college costs require most families to save for their children’s post-secondary education, and the earlier you begin the better. Depending on a variety of factors, including the quality of your local schools and your… Read more »
Today, two-thirds of women identify themselves as the primary decision-maker in their home. Many of these women are also the breadwinner, earning 62% of the household income.1 If you find yourself among this growing group of women, you play a vital role in managing your family’s finances – from overseeing the household budget, to paying… Read more »
Desert Health® Wellness Award winner, HARC (Health Assessment Resource Center), conducted their own awards celebration this year for wellness in the workplace. The first annual Coachella Valley Workplace Wellness Awards took place on June 7 as part of June’s Employee Well-Being Month, a nationally-recognized celebration of wellness in the workplace. Twenty organizations representing a wide… Read more »
The usual method for estimating spending needs in retirement is to take your post-retirement household budget and tack on an inflation rate, such as 3%. Some expenses may increase at a faster rate than the inflation rate you use, others at a slower rate, but overall, expenses such as housing, utilities, food, and so on,… Read more »
Financial organization is a cornerstone of a healthy financial life. At the most basic level, financial organization saves time and money because it aids in paying bills on time, being able to find needed documents during tax season, providing proof of payment, disputing credit card billing errors and avoiding the stress of dealing with piles… Read more »
We hope that holidays will be joyous occasions—a blend of spiritual joy and lively times with family and friends. No one intends to be Ebenezer Scrooge. “Bah Humbug!” However, the holiday season can create many stressors. In addition to your daily responsibilities, there is gift purchasing, parties, baking, decorating, and the list goes on until… Read more »
Health care planning is a sensitive subject, but given rising expenses, no retirement plan is complete without some kind of provision for health care needs. Here are some guidelines and resources for estimating your needs and expenses. Health care costs are rapidly emerging as a major expense item both before and during retirement. With lifetime… Read more »
You can make the difficult transition into retirement easier by exploring your expectations and desires. With some careful prioritizing, you can design a working plan for retirement that may surpass all your expectations. When most people think of retirement, they imagine leaving a job they’re tired of, getting out of the rat race, and leaving… Read more »
Palm Desert’s J.W. Marriott is now home to the Biggest Loser Resort’s newest venture which opens its doors to guests this September. Palm Desert joins Niagara, NY, Amelia Island, FL, and Chicago, IL, as an option for those looking to transform their life, lose weight and get on the path to good health. “We… Read more »
It’s no secret that the City of La Quinta has been embracing its Healthy Eating Active Living status for a number of years, particularly when it won the Coachella Valley Health Collaborative’s Healthy City Advocate Award not only once, but three times. However, the real secret is that La Quinta has had a focus on… Read more »
Chasing performance. Investors often move out of sectors that are not performing well, investing that money in high-performing investments. But the market is cyclical; and often those high performers are poised to underperform, while the sectors just sold are ready to outperform. Rather than trying to guess which sector is going to outperform, broadly diversify… Read more »
“The question is not how to survive, but how to thrive with passion, compassion, humor and style.” — Maya Angelou Are you just surviving at work – caught up in the day-to-day doldrums of your job? Life is too short to tolerate any sense of dread on Sunday evening as you think about going to… Read more »
Most baby boomers will face seven key events in their last stage of life that will color their finances and investments. Prepare for these events by thinking about them now. Unlike earlier, happier events such as getting married, having children, and moving up the career ladder, some of these events may be dreaded. For this… Read more »
Oftentimes seniors are faced with the reality of living on a fixed income from a pension, retirement income, and/or social security when they retire. A statement often heard when speaking with seniors preparing for, or currently in retirement is, “I am having trouble making ends meet. My monthly income hardly covers expenses, and I don’t… Read more »
We all know the process. Estimate how much is needed in retirement (which can range anywhere from 70% to over 100% of preretirement income), determine available income sources, and then calculate how much to save annually to reach those goals. As you go through this largely mathematical exercise, however, don’t forget the most important part…You… Read more »
Most will agree, open enrollment for Covered California went a lot smoother this year compared to last year. Though there were a few hiccups, you still have time to correct them before you are locked in. If you enrolled in the wrong plan, or you have changed your mind, you have until February 15 to… Read more »