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Sometimes Retirement Means Saying Goodbye
Tweet Share on Facebook May 25, 2012 Comment (1)Yesterday my step son had to put down his four-legged companion of the past fifteen years. The dog had lived well beyond her expected lifetime, but that did not make it any easier. He and his sister spent the afternoon with Princess spoiling her with peanut butter and cinnamon rolls, laying with her on the lawn where she had grown up from a puppy, and saying their goodbyes. It was a difficult time for everyone.
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What You Can Learn from Facebook’s IPO
Tweet Share on Facebook May 24, 2012 Comment (1)I fielded many inquiries about the Facebook IPO from clients and readers of my books last week. They all had the same question: Should I buy the stock? I gave them all the same answer: No.
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My Top 3 Spots for Relocation After Retirement
Tweet Share on Facebook May 24, 2012 Comment (1)Most of us are tied down to a particular location because of our present job. Once we leave formal employment, it's time to give relocation some serious thought. Most Americans tend to stay put in their current area after retirement. After spending years building a local network of friends and routines, it’s difficult to just pick up and move. However, my family moved quite often when I was young, so relocation is not a big deal for me. Here are some locations that I'm considering for retirement:
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5 Reasons People Retire Unexpectedly Early
Tweet Share on Facebook May 23, 2012 CommentEarly retirement is the dream of many people working nine to five. But the reality is that a significant portion of the population will involuntarily retire early before the official retirement age. Here are five situations that could push you into retirement ahead of schedule:
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How to Retire with $1 Million
Tweet Share on Facebook May 22, 2012 Comment (2)One weekend a few years ago my brother-in-law was visiting. We sat on our back deck, sipping iced tea and talking about early retirement. He was 60 at the time, and looking forward to retiring from his engineering company at age 62.
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A Low-Cost Retirement Spot in Asia
Tweet Share on Facebook May 21, 2012 Comment (2)The Thai city of Chiang Mai has long lured expats from the West. As many as 40,000 foreigners currently call Chiang Mai home, at least part of the year. The primary draw is the cost of living and medical care. Both are a global bargain. In addition, Chiang Mai boasts a more temperate climate than much of the rest of this country, as well as modern infrastructure and an abundance of Western amenities.
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Volunteer Options in Retirement
Tweet Share on Facebook May 18, 2012 Comment (1)Many retirees are interested in donating their time to help out a worthwhile cause. With time available to focus on things they are interested in, volunteering is a natural fit for many retirees. Ideally, some of the skills learned while active members of the working world can be transferable to new efforts.
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The Venture Capital Myth
Tweet Share on Facebook May 17, 2012 CommentMany investors believe they are deprived of high returns generated by venture capital funds. They read about the success of Groupon, LinkedIn, Facebook, and others with envy because most individual investors don’t have access to these funds. Historically, the biggest investors in these funds have been university endowments like Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, and Duke.
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Retirement is a Transition Opportunity
Tweet Share on Facebook May 17, 2012 Comment (2)Retirement has a ring of finality to it, but this doesn’t need to be so. There are many careers in which retirement only means a transition out of that particular career and into something else. For example, the average retirement age of an NFL player is 30 and most elite gymnasts are retired by 19. To these athletes, retirement is just another phase of life.
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Things Retirees Will Never Say
Tweet Share on Facebook May 16, 2012 CommentWith so much attention focused on the need for a gigantic nest egg for retirement, it's natural to feel jittery about leaving your job. Add in the warnings about Social Security’s projected deficit, and you might feel downright scared about your chances for even a modest retirement.
