(ARA) - With short-term interest rates at historic lows, many investors are turning to “high-yield” bond funds to generate more income from their investment portfolios. They could make sense for you, too.
posted: September 07
(StatePoint) Despite the promise of ample free time, retirement is not something everyone looks forward to with happy anticipation. Many approaching this life stage worry that the unstructured time will be tedious and unfulfilling.
(ARA) – You’ve built an emergency fund, have ample life insurance and regularly contribute to your retirement savings. You feel pretty positive about your financial planning strategy. But are you overlooking the must-do task of protecting your identity?
(ARA) – For most of us, driving is a necessity, and so is doing it as cost-effectively as possible – even in retirement when most of us stay in our suburban homes. Saving money on automobile-related expenses like gas and insurance can help free up cash for other important things.
(ARA) - Finding the Medicare coverage that best fits their needs and their pocketbooks is challenging for many seniors. Health care plans make changes to their coverage. People’s health conditions change. Not keeping on top of these changes can mean problems. Suddenly seniors may find they don’t have needed coverage, their doctor no longer takes their plan, or they face steep medical or prescription drug costs.
(ARA) – When you’re facing surgery, it’s normal to feel anxious. Many people find it daunting to completely surrender their well-being to others. Common fears range from concerns about undergoing anesthesia, to how long the recovery period will last. That is why it is important to know and trust the physicians responsible for your anesthesia care.
(ARA) – Setting up an estate plan is a good investment for the future. But you can also be a careful steward of your financial assets now, with careful and organized planning as you go through the estate planning process. Furthermore, the third week in October (Oct. 15-21) is National Estate Planning Awareness Week and the perfect time to put your estate planning house in order.
(ARA) - Fallout from the long economic downturn has made it more important than ever for families to insulate themselves against financial shock. And yet, ownership of individual life insurance stands at a 50-year low, according to the industry group LIMRA. That represents a big risk to financial security in a lot of American households.
(ARA) - With 10,000 Americans turning 65 every day - and according to recently released research, a majority of them expecting to live to nearly 90 - the celebration of older Americans is a developing trend, and more people are aspiring to live longer and better than ever before.
(ARA) - Managing diabetes often comes at a great financial cost. Just ask the nearly 26 million people living with the disease, many of whom pay out of pocket for treatment and self care. Whether you pay out of pocket or through your insurance co-pay system, you're not alone if you feel you're paying too much to gain control of your condition.
(ARA) - If you receive one of the 6 million paper checks for your monthly Social Security or other federal benefit, the time has come to switch to the safety and convenience of electronic payments.
(ARA) - Let's face it. The Great Recession put a kink in many American's retirement plans. Combine that financial blow with the general uncertainty regarding Medicare and the future cost of private health insurance.
(ARA) - Nearly 26 million people in the United States have diabetes and the population continues to grow. There are approximately 5.5 million people in the U.S. who depend on daily insulin injections to help them control and manage their diabetes, but more than half of those people do not achieve their recommended glucose target levels, according to the American Diabetes Association.
(ARA) - Two million Americans fall victim to medical identity theft each year, according to a study by the Ponemon Institute, commissioned by Experian's ProtectMyID. While medical identity theft costs victims an average of $22,346, the potential impact can be far greater - medical identity theft could cost some victims their health, or even their lives.
(ARA) - Ever tried to calculate how long you might live? How much you'll need to save for retirement? If you retire at age 65, are you financially prepared to live 30 more years? Or, will you outlive your money?
(ARA) - In the past decade, some life-threatening diseases have evolved from being untreatable diseases to chronic conditions with the help of significant medical advances.
(ARA) - Most women remember having "the talk" with their mother. In that crucial time just before puberty, moms provide guidance and wisdom about the changes our bodies go through. But later in life, women experience another important time of change - menopause - and many approach it without the comfort and connection that comes from talking to other women about what they are experiencing.
(ARA) - As we age, the quality of our vision can change, and for most of us that entails wearing glasses, contacts or maybe even undergoing surgical procedures. But did you know that your vision can improve through nutrition and supplementation?
(ARA) - You've probably dreamed about what you'd do if you won the lottery - quit your job, build your dream home or even donate a large sum of money to your favorite charity. The allure of a huge amount of money falling into your lap cannot be denied. Scammers know these dreams and feelings well, and prey on them, making lottery and sweepstakes scams one of the most prevalent types of scams out there, according to the Better Business Bureau.
(ARA) - For today's generation of aging adults, individuality and independence are values they've lived out for decades. As the years go by, lifestyle changes become a necessity, due to limited mobility and health concerns, but it doesn't necessarily mean giving up personality.
(ARA) - Americans are busy people, and with everything that goes on in our daily lives, remembering to take a prescribed medication can be a challenge. But studies show that forgetting your medications has consequences, including creating a more serious and even dangerous health issue. According to The New England Journal of Medicine, nearly 70 percent of medication-related hospital admissions in the United States are the result of not taking a prescription medication as directed by a doctor.
(ARA) - Whether you're heading to your beach house or visiting family in far-off locales, summer driving can be a fun, fulfilling experience. But while drivers of all ages can enjoy the pleasures of a long trip, changes in roads, road rules and driving conditions can make it more important for older drivers to make extra preparations to ensure a safe and enjoyable journey. AARP Driver Safety offers some advice for drivers age 50 and older who are planning to be on the road this summer:
(ARA) - Just a few decades ago, the phrase "granny shoes" implied a tragic lack of coolness, and that the wearer had allowed comfort to trump style in their slow shuffle toward getting old. Those days are definitely gone.
(ARA) - In the dark about how to invest in gold? Despite gold's increasing value and popularity, many folks don't know where to get started.
(ARA) - As women enter their 40s and 50s, it's inevitable. Menopause will begin. And so will the hot flashes.
(ARA) - What did you do with that envelope that used to arrive once a year with estimates of your future Social Security benefits? You might have reviewed the information. You may have even filed the statement away as a reference. Now, this powerful financial planning tool is as close as the nearest computer.
(ARA) - You can't avoid it: Summer activities mean bites, bumps, burns and bruises. Make sure you're ready by stocking up on these medicine-cabinet basics:
(ARA) - It's a disorder that affects between 25 and 45 million people in the United States. Its exact cause is not known and for those who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, the symptoms can have a significant impact on their life. It may impact a person's emotional, personal and work life. And there's the additional burden that comes from living in a society where the word "bowel" is rarely spoken. Many people suffering do not see their doctor and those around them may be unaware of the impact or even the existence of the disorder.
(ARA) - Many Americans are in the process of reassessing their spending patterns, and boomers and seniors are no exception. Seventy-three percent of adults over age 50 started saving more or cutting back on spending last year, compared to 2010, according to a November 2011 report by the AARP.
(ARA) - Whether it's at work, at home or among friends, building and maintaining relationships is one of the most important parts of life. As people get older, however, the ways in which connections are made and kept change due to life adjustments, new technology and health.
(ARA) - Has the economy soured Americans' views on retirement? A recent survey from TD Ameritrade may have revealed just that.
(ARA) - Millions of Americans are plagued by chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and arthritis. These are among the most common, costly, and preventable of all existing health problems in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But there's another, lesser-known condition that's taking a huge toll on Americans' health: non-adherence, a problem caused when patients don't follow their doctors' orders.
(ARA) - Not too long ago Susan Kladitis felt like quitting life.
(ARA) - Chronic liver disease, which often leads to cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) saps the body's vitality. Worse, it can rob someone of their mind.
(ARA) - For many of us, summer is a time of vacations, day trips across the state and family reunions with loved ones we haven't seen all year. It's also a time when we tend to overextend our budgets in order to do as much as possible and pay little attention to how it affects our overall financial plan.
(ARA) - Americans are faced with many purchasing choices every day. From cars to restaurant meals, informed consumers often take the opportunity to research their options before making a decision to buy the item that best fits their needs. So why don't Americans apply the same rigor when choosing a hospital?
(ARA) - Recovering from an illness or injury can be easier with home health care, which provides you with a wide range of services to help you recover in the comfort of your home. Home health care helps you get better, regain your independence and become as self-sufficient as possible.
(ARA) - Transitioning to life in a nursing home can be difficult, especially after living independently. When thinking about the next step for yourself or a loved one, it is important to consider how the quality of care you receive will affect your health and well-being. It's helpful to plan ahead, consider all your long-term-care options, and make good financial plans early.
(ARA) - Health care expenditures totaled roughly 2.6 trillion dollars in 2010, more than 10 times what they were in 1980. Average families are feeling the increases - health insurance premiums for a typical family of four have increased by 114 percent since 2000, according to the Centers for Disease Control. And health care costs now make up approximately 6.6 percent of the average family's budget.
(ARA) - As women continue to break the glass ceiling in the working world, they also need to keep in mind their potential vulnerability in the financial world. Women tend to be more concerned about monthly expenses than saving enough for retirement, according to a recent survey sponsored by the Retirement Services Division of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual).
(ARA) - If you know you need life insurance, but still don't have individual coverage, you're not alone. According to the Life Insurance and Market Research Association, most Americans say life insurance is important, yet only one-third of them are covered by an individual policy. That's the lowest level in 50 years.
(NAPSI)—Medicare and Social Security are the foundation of retirement security for millions of American workers. But these vital programs face challenges in the coming years, and the next president and Congress could make decisions about them that might affect you.
(NAPSI)—Nonprofit organizations across the country have discovered a promising resource—baby boomers seeking meaningful volunteer leadership roles in their community.
(NAPSI)—Recent retirees are looking to community organizations for meaningful ways to stay active and these organizations are tapping into the retirees' expertise by creating meaningful opportunities for them to contribute.
(NAPSI)—There’s a new resource to help keep older adults safe and warm during the cold weather months.
(NAPSI)—Older Americans and the people who care for them can protect their family and finances by learning more about new ways to avoid old scams.
(ARA) - The life expectancy for average Americans is longer than ever before - 78 years for a child born in 2007 versus 71 who was born in 1970, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
(ARA) - Independence and aging well is something we all hope for as we grow older, but things like healthy vision are often taken for granted until they are lost or impaired. Baby boomers - those born between 1946 and 1964, represent a rapidly aging population unprecedented in the history of this country. Unfortunately, this group is susceptible to a host of vision risks.
(ARA) - For the 50 million American adults currently suffering from arthritis, symptom management is the name of the game. Although it's the leading cause of disability in the U.S., and the second most frequently reported chronic condition, there are currently no cures for the family of musculoskeletal disorders known as arthritis, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Therefore, arthritis treatment focuses on relieving symptoms and improving joint function.
(ARA) - Let's face it - flip-flops are mainstream, and not just because they're stylish, easy-to-wear and cooler when the weather warms. For many of us, flip-flops are the equivalent of comfort-food for the sole. Slip into those comfy, light, lovely shoes and you feel like summer really has arrived.