Retirement. This word inspires several images. For some it may trigger a mental picture of plush condos in a southern climate. {Especially if you live in the frigid north like Bear Lake, Idaho. ;) } For others, it may conjure up something like this:
Some of us are rapidly approaching the so-called, "Golden Years," and it can be a tiny bit scary, considering the current state of the economy. Fortunately, there is now a book that can help us wade through the quagmire of the financial world. It's entitled: "Retirement Quest: Make Better Decisions." This handy book is written by John Hauserman, a CFP, and executive officer of Retirement Journey, LLC. John is a 5-star wealth manager and in 2011, he was named the Baltimore area regional ambassador serving on behalf of the Certified Planner Board of Standards. In other words, John knows what he's talking about. ;)
In the pages of this book you will find unbiased advice that illustrates the highs and lows of the financial world. John explains what can happen in the best and worst case scenarios when planning for retirement. It is a much-needed heads up for anyone who is trying to figure out a financial game-plan for the retirement years. Throughout the book you will find highlighted tidbits like:
"Those who choose to spend their energy longing for the mythical safety of a bygone era, or who fail to find their way to thorough and competent planning strategies are likely to find a very harsh reality waiting at the end of their rainbow."
And:
"The widespread use of 401k and 403b retirement plans, and the forced discipline of automatic contributions . . . can, when executed properly, shift an enormous amount of wealth into the hands of the average rank-and-file worker."
John discusses the current state of the social security system and offers helpful ideas about how to cope with the changes that might be in store. He offers insights into risk management and counsel concerning investments. He also offers a no-cost, online interactive planning map for anyone who is interested in the financial planning process. (You can find it here: Retirement Quest Financial Map)
Toward the end of the book, John offers hope to anyone who is troubled by thoughts of retirement in today's economy: "For previous generations, retirement planning involved working for an employer for thirty or so years, retiring with a stipend, and dying a few short years later . . . Looking to the future . . . A worker who accepts the challenge of personal responsibility, builds a well-thought-out-long-term strategy, and invests accordingly may expect to build a significant amount of wealth. These assets can be used for retirement income, and may also provide an inheritance and legacy for families which might otherwise be destined to toil in perpetual financial want."
You can find John's website here: Retirement Quest and his book is available on this link at Amazon:
Retirement Quest: Make Better Decisions
Once in a great while a book comes along that totally mesmerizes me. I begin to read and find that I can't put the thing down. "Leaning into the Curves," written by Nancy Anderson & Carroll Hofeling Morris is one such book.
I was intrigued by reading the back cover which states in part: "Molly is happy with her life the way it is . . . but everything changes when her husband, Hank, retires. She's still trying to adjust to this new phase of life when he brings home a Honda Gold Wing---even though he knows she hates motorcycles!"
I suspect that paragraph captured my attention since this could be a chapter from my own life. My husband is planning to retire in a few years, and he absolutely loves motorcycles. Myself, I possess a healthy fear of those two-wheeled contraptions of death---in part because I nearly died on a motorcycle during my college years. (A looooonnnnnggg story for another day's blog post.)
Consumed with curiosity, I totally devoured "Leaning into the Curves," and absolutely loved it. Well-written, it was a fun, easy read, with a ton of wisdom buried in the pages. Filled with captivating characters and humorous twists that seem to go along with the retirement years, this is a book I will definitely reread again and again. It was so true to life, I found myself agonizing with the main character, Molly, as she struggled with facing her fears as she tried to embrace something that meant so much to her husband, Hank.
When I finally set the book down, I found myself rethinking my husband's attraction to motorcycles. In fact, I think I found a healthy compromise for our own retirement years: Click here for that interesting item. ;) I could see myself riding on this kind of contraption. In fact, on a recent trip to Arizona, we actually found something similar. (See picture below.)
You might be interested to know that the two women who wrote this tome are in fact sisters. Their website is VirtualSisters.net and you can also read their wonderful posts on CrustyOldBroads.blogspot.com. I know I, for one, am a huge fan of their novels. I've read some of their other books (The Company of Good Women series---loved it, too) and hope that they will continue to collaborate on future works. I
'm giving this particular book a 5 star rating (5 being the highest rating possible). I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys an extremely good read.
