Investing, Student of the Market
Ryan Weiser
Student of the Market - May 2025
Student of the Market - May 2025

Planning for Long-Term Care

Planning for Long-Term Care

Life-Centered Financial Planning aims to give you the means to thrive during every stage of your retirement. Early on, that hopefully includes seeing the world, enjoying your favorite sports and hobbies, and making incredible memories with your loved ones.

In later years of retirement, a larger share of your resources will shift to giving you the comfort and care you deserve. An unexpected diagnosis or accident can also accelerate the need to focus more of your money on health care expenses that Medicare plans don't cover.

This overview of long-term care will give you a clearer picture of how to prepare your financial plan to support you when you may need it the most.

Start a Family Tradition

Start a Family Tradition

We tend to think of "family traditions" as things that we do around holidays and celebrations. But the more your family grows, the more it tends to pull itself in different directions. Work, school, sports, and arts can divide the family calendar into individual to-do lists. Sprinkling a few more traditions throughout the year could help your family be more intentional about how you spend your time together and make lasting memories you'll all pass down through generations.

Use this three-step process to create new family traditions that will compound your family's Return on Life (ROL)...

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Pursue Hobbies with Friends and Family in Retirement

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Pursue Hobbies with Friends and Family in Retirement

Retirement can be isolating for some seniors. Even if you're married, your spouse might still be working or going about their own daily schedule. Your adult children are busy raising their own families. Some of your older friends and family might be on different retirement timelines than you are. And as you step away from work you're also stepping away from the camaraderie and teamwork that filled your days with purpose. 

Turning hobbies and interests into more social experiences can help seniors maintain their connections to other people. Here are three reasons why those interactions are important to maintaining a high ROL in retirement:

Three Overlooked Areas of a Solid Financial Plan

Three Overlooked Areas of a Solid Financial Plan

Many nearing retirement focus on investments, but a Life-Centered Financial Plan covers key "What If?" scenarios often missed. Review income sustainability, healthcare costs, and legacy goals with your advisor for complete security.

The next time you meet with your financial advisor, review how your plan handles these three important areas:

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Try a Mini Retirement for ROL

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Try a Mini Retirement for ROL

A mini-retirement is a planned, intentional break from your normal work schedule that can help you recharge and rethink your career trajectory.

Your mini-retirement might mean downshifting to a four-day work week. It could be an extended stay-at-home vacation. Or it could be a longer break from work, like a sabbatical. Older workers who are nearing the "traditional" retirement window might also use mini-retirement to test drive their vision of what life without work will be like. 

Use this three-step process to plan your mini-retirement and make the most of the experience:

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What Does Financial Independence Mean to You?

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What Does Financial Independence Mean to You?

According to a recent poll of 2,000 U.S. adults, "financial independence" equates to earning $94,000 per year, or about $20,000 more than the median income in 2023.

Some folks might feel like they're just a promotion or two away from achieving that kind of independence. Others might not feel like $94,000 is enough to feel truly free. And still others might wonder how they'd ever spend that much money in the first place.

That's because true financial independence isn't a number. It's feeling confident enough in your money to do things that will improve your Return on Life, such as:

What Makes a Good Life?

What Makes a Good Life?

You have a steady job that pays the bills and puts your abilities to good use. You have loving relationships with your spouse, your children, extended family, and close friends. Your house provides enough space and security. Your golf league gives you a chance to unwind. Your volunteer work improves your community.

The specific details might vary, but most people would consider this scenario the basis for a pretty good life. Yet many of us who do check these boxes often feel like there's something missing.

A fascinating new study published by Affective Science asked nearly 4,000 people from 9 countries what kind of life they wanted. The results suggest that there's an important dimension to improving life that many of us may be overlooking.