The Arbor Company Senior Living Blog

More than 25 million seniors are economically insecure. That number may soon increase as more Baby Boomers retire. Sixty-seven percent of Americans believe they will outlive their retirement savings, and 21 percent have saved nothing at all.

Seventy-two percent of adults say they feel stressed about money. Financial stress can erode quality of life and even lead to depression. For some people, financial stress actually undermines their ability to buckle down, make a plan, and start saving. The right plan can help you steadily work toward the retirement of your dreams. Before you devise your retirement plan, you need a realistic portrait of the expenses you can expect as you age. Here’s what to consider as you move closer to your golden years.

Senior retirement planning can feel daunting, especially if you haven’t started saving, are worried you haven’t saved enough, or earn a small income that makes saving for retirement difficult. Seventy-eight percent of Americans say they are “extremely” or “somewhat” concerned about saving enough for retirement, and one in three has saved less than $5,000.

In the popular imagination, retirement marks the end of a person’s income generation. The reality is that many seniors continue to have a healthy income well beyond their last day of work. Understanding retirement income, how it works, how it’s taxed, and how to get more of it can help you plan for a brighter financial future.

It’s that time again. Tax preparation commercials promise massive tax refunds. At intersections across the country, dancing characters try to lure motorists into the neighborhood accounting shop. Meanwhile, millions of people across the country scramble to get all of their paperwork together in time. Tax season can be a time of excitement, as a person eagerly awaits the refund they hope will fund a big purchase. Or it can be immensely stressful, producing a large bill and potentially a pile of debt. No matter where you fall on this continuum, a little knowledge can help you keep as much of your own money as possible.

Blaring radio commercials, endless internet ads, and the panicked social media posts of friends are here to remind us that it’s tax season. Retirement doesn’t end the obligation to pay taxes, even if your loved one no longer earns an income from work. If a senior in your life struggles with home management, dementia, or tasks of daily living, they might need help preparing and filing their taxes. Here are answers to the most common questions about tax season.

Many families struggle with whether senior assisted living is the best option for their loved ones for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is cost. Adult children may realize the benefits of such a move but see the price and wonder if it’s truly worth the money. Often, they come across the “sticker value” of how much senior assisted living is and don’t quite understand what goes into the cost.

Making sense of senior insurance needs and processes can seem confusing and almost unbearable at times. Between paperwork and deadlines, Medicare and secondary insurance, seniors can find themselves inadvertently without the correct insurance coverage. If you or a loved one is retiring or over the age of 65, now is the time to get your health insurance concerns addressed before a major medical crisis hits. To get you started, here are a few of our tips.