-Staying Independent: Planning for financial independence in later life

TAKING STOCK

As retirement approaches, it is important for every
household to assess its financial identity (assess its
finances). Waiting too long might mean missing one or more
opportunities to preserve maximum financial independence in the
future. To help get you started, can you say "Yes" to the
following statements?

YES NO

We talk regularly and frankly about finances
and agree on our goals and the lifestyle we will
prefer as we get older.

We know our sources of income after retirement
how much to expect from each, and when.

We save according to plan and are shifting from
growth-producing to safe income-producing
investments.

We know where our health insurance will come
from after retirement and what it will cover.

We have reviewed our life insurance and
considered options such as converting to cash
or investments.

We each have our own credit history.

We each have a current will or living trust.

We know where we plan to live in retirement.

We have anticipated the tax consequences of
our retirement plans and of passing assets on
to our heirs.

Our children or other responsible relations know
where our important documents are and whom to
contact if there are questions.

We have executed legal documents, such as a
living will or power of attorney, specifying our
instructions in case of death or incapacitating
illness.


THE KEY IS PLANNING


"If only I'd known then what I know now ...."

Looking to the future is key to financial planning at any
age, but especially in the decade or so before retirement. For
many households, retirement is a time to fulfill dreams and
delayed ambitions. It also can be a time of anxiety if you
postpone thinking realistically about the ways your financial
identity will change--income, savings, investments, credit,
insurance, job benefits, and perhaps living arrangements.
Meeting the challenge of financial management will help remove
uncertainty and increase your available options. Both partners
need to be involved in retirement planning and may wish to
discuss their plans with adult children.

Many people neglect planning. Some prefer to leave
financial decisions to the other partner, while others simply
find it too difficult to talk about money. Whatever the reason,
if you have not yet begun planning, you may want to seek
pre-retirement planning advice from a professional or a
community service organization.


LOOKING AHEAD


The decade before retirement is a good time to take
inventory of assets and obligations and make financial choices
aimed at maximizing future resources. These years are typically
a peak earning period and they offer the chance to reduce major
debts, such as a home mortgage, and increase savings and
income-producing investments. Households faring the combined
expenses of educating children and caring for aging parents may
find saving difficult during pre-retirement years. In these
cases, making a realistic financial appraisal is more useful.
These are questions you might ask yourselves:

* What are our sources of retirement income and how much
will each provide-monthly or in a lump sum?

* Social Security

* Pensions, IRAs, Keoghs

* Savings and investments

* Sale of assets

* Home equity

Find out all the options for receiving your pension
benefits and whether they are insured. Find out if pension
benefits will be reduced if you receive Social Security. Read
carefully and consider the consequences of signing any
documents relating to a reduction in spousal pension benefits.
One of you may need this income if the other dies.

When estimating how much income can be expected from these
and other sources, remember to take inflation, taxes, and
market fluctuations into account. Depending on your anticipated
income potential, you may decide to postpone retirement a few
years, or plan to work part-time.

* Is our health insurance adequate for retirement?

The cost of serious or long-term illness is a major burden
for many older Americans because Medicare does not cover all
health care costs. If you consider buying "medigap" insurance
to supplement Medicare, shop carefully for a policy that
supplements rather than duplicates Medicare coverage. Long-term
health insurance for nursing home or home health care is new.
Examine all the terms of any such policy before you buy.


MANAGING WHAT YOU OWN AND WHAT YOU OWE


Professionals say that retirement income should be 60-80
percent of current income to maintain the same Standard of
Living. If your financial picture does not correspond to this
guideline, you might prepare a budget and a cash flow statement
based on income and expenses during the preceding 6 to 12
months in order to identify gaps in income and find ways to cut
spending.

On the expense side:

* List current expenses such as housing, food, health
care, transportation costs, and other financial
obligations.

* Include a contribution to savings. Experts recommend
a reserve fund to cover 6 months of basic expenses.

* Itemize personal expenses for such things as clothing,
travel, entertainment, and hobbies.

* Develop habits such as price shopping, menu planning,
coupon dipping, and monitoring your use of credit
to guard against overspending.

On the income side:

* Think through contingency plans in case expenses begin to
outpace income or one partner becomes seriously ill.

* Remember that credit histories in your individual names
can be invaluable in retirement, or in the event of
widowhood or divorce. Credit can be essential to meet
unexpected or emergency expenses.

Federal regulations prohibit age and gender discrimination
in the granting of credit. Lenders must treat all income alike,
whether from employment, retirement benefits, or other reliable
sources. Still, it may be easier to get a national credit or
charge card in your own name while you are employed. If you
have never been employed, you can still build a credit history
by becoming an "authorized user" on your spouse's account.

* Consider selling assets or converting life insurance into
cash as another possible way to meet expenses.

* Investigate Home Equity Conversion (HEC) as an option if
you own or nearly own your home and need money. There are
several kinds of home equity conversion loan plans,
including Deferred Payment Loans and Reverse Mortgages,
where you borrow against home equity and receive monthly
or periodic cash payments.

Unlike home equity loans or lines of credit, reverse
mortgages involve no monthly repayments as long as you live in
your home or until a predetermined date. These plans do involve
costs for application fees, closing costs, and interest, and
they may affect eligibility for public benefits programs such
as Medicaid. Generally, you can decide how to spend the money.
Reverse mortgage plans are not all the same, so it is important
to read the loan documents carefully. Check with a trained HEC
counselor, other financial advisor, or an attorney before
deciding whether home equity conversion is appropriate.


LEGAL MATTERS


You can use several legal tools to maintain control over
your affairs in later years. These will enable you to decide,
while healthy and alert, what you want done in the event of
death or disability. Be sure to discuss any arrangements with
your survivors to save them from facing difficult decisions and
to give them peace of mind, knowing they are complying with
your wishes.

* Wills--If you do not have a current will, the state, not
you, will decide how your assets are divided. Such legal
documents as Living or Revocable Trusts offer ways to
avoid probate.

* Trusts--This device lets you decide who would be
responsible for your financial affairs if you became
unable to manage them yourself.

* Powers of Attorney and Living Wills--Powers of attorney
typically assign responsibility for financial matters to
another person. Some apply to health care decisions as
well. You can use a Power of Attorney or a Living Will to
state in advance your wishes in case of an incapacitating
or life-threatening illness. Doing so is essential if you
want your family to know the circumstances in which you
wish to decline life-support measures.


RELOCATING OR STAYING PUT


Where to live after retirement is a major decision.
Perhaps you plan to relocate to a more favorable climate or to
be near family. Research the consequences of such a move in
terms of the basic cost of living, access to health care, and
state and federal tax obligations.

If you are considering the advantages and disadvantages of
selling your home, whether or not you plan to relocate, these
are some questions to ask:

* Can we afford monthly payments for mortgage, taxes,
utilities, and maintenance?

* Will one or both of us be able and willing to take care
of the house?

* Is the house a suitable place to live as we grow older and
less agile?

* Will we need to draw on our home equity as a source of
income or credit, or would we have more options if we sold
the home and invested the proceeds?

In addition to owning a home or renting an apartment, a
number of other housing options may be available in your
community, many of which offer savings on housing expenses.
These are some alternatives to consider:

* House-sharing for help with chores or added retirement
income;

* Group living in a private home or one sponsored by a
social services agency;

* Accessory apartments, or mobile or manufactured homes,
including ECHO (Elder Cottage Housing Opportunity) housing
which, if zoning laws permit, can be installed on the
property of an adult child or other relative;

* Condominiums or cooperatives which have the advantages of
home ownership without the burden of maintenance;

* Retirement communities which may offer companionship,
recreation, and sometimes medical and housekeeping
services.


SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS


An important part of financial planning is anticipating
how to handle bad times. Prudent planning includes learning
about public and private benefits programs. In most
communities, governmental and private agencies offer services
to help care for older persons, such as low-cost medical
clinics, home health care, housing options, adult day care, and
chore services.

The local Social Security Administration office has
information about entitlement programs such as Medicaid,
disability insurance, food stamps, and Supplemental Security
Income. Ask about your state's Medicaid "divestment" rules
which permit transfers of some assets to other people if done a
specified length of time before applying for Medicaid (usually
at least three years). Divestment is a precaution some take to
avoid "spousal impoverishment" when all the family's assets are
spent before a sick family member can be eligible for Medicaid
assistance.

When arranging family matters, it will ease your
survivors' emotional burden if you let them know your
preference for funeral or memorial arrangements. You can handle
these matters yourself by planning through a non-profit
cooperative memorial society or by prepaying at the funeral
home of your choice. If you decide to pre-pay, be sure you or
your survivors can cancel the contract should you move or
change your mind. Planning ahead and using comparative shopping
skills can save thousands of dollars in funeral expenses.


PLANNING TO STAY INDEPENDENT


It's never too early to start retirement planning, and
never too late to make adjustments in your financial situation.
Whether wealthy or not--and it is probably more important for
those who are not--investigating your options and making
practical choices now can allow you to stay in charge and meet
future financial goals.


FOR MORE INFORMATION


For additional information and brochures...


Consumer Information Catalog
Pueblo, CO 81009

Cooperative Extension Office--local office is listed under
State, Federal or County Government in the phone directory

American Association of Retired Persons
Consumer Affairs, Program Department
1909 K Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20049
(202) 728-4355

Federal Trade Commission, Public Reference
6th and Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20580
(202) 326-2222

National Foundation for Consumer Credit
8701 Georgia Avenue, Suite 507
Silver Spring, MD 20910
(301) 589-5600

American Council of Life Insurance (ACLI)
1001 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20004-2599
(202) 624-2455

Health Insurance Association of America (HIAA)
1025 Connecticut Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20036-3998
(202) 223-7780

Continental Association of Funeral and
Memorial Societies, Inc.
7910 Woodmont Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 913-0030

This is one of a series of brochures about building and
maintaining a financial identity--both as an individual and as
a partner in a two-income household. The series is about
selecting and using financial services and service providers.
It covers credit, investments, financial services, job
benefits, and financial planning.