Michele Cagan - Retirement 101: From 401(k) Plans and Social Security Benefits to Asset Management and Medical Insurance, Your Complete Guide to Preparing for the Future You Want

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First Adams Media hardcover edition December 2019

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ISBN 978-1-5072-1224-0

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If the word retirement makes you nervous, this is the book for you. Millions are concerned about retirement prospects. Many are worried about savings, about Social Security, and about rising healthcare costs.

The good news is that there a lot of things you can do to give yourself a more financially secure retirement. Once you figure out the kind of retirement you want, you can make a plan for it and start putting that plan into action.

What retirement really means is deciding what you want to do when youre ready to leave your full-time job. It means having the freedom to decide whether you want to work part time, go to school, travel, or just to kick back and relax. In order to achieve that freedom, you need to have enough cash to cover your expenses. Building up the biggest nest egg you possibly can gives you the most security and flexibilityand its easier to do than you realize.

Throughout Retirement 101, youll find things to do that will put you on firm financial ground for your retirement. Youll learn how to reduce and eventually eliminate debt. Youll plan how Social Security and savings fit into your ongoing financial picture. Youll find out how to manage your medical expenses while staying within your household budget.

Whether youre just starting to work on setting your retirement goals or are on the verge of wrapping up your career and leaving your job for good, this book will show you how to find and manage the money to fund your retirement. If you follow the recommendations in this book, youll be able to set realistic retirement goals and meet them.

Taking action today and making a few simple changes can give you a more financially stable retirement. No matter your age, retirement goals, or the state of your finances, youll be able to make a plan to get where you want to go. Youll start by assessing where youre at right now and then using that information to set a course for your goals. And this book will serve as a guidepost along the way.

Ask twenty people what retirement means, and youll get twenty different answers, but youll also hear some common themes. Retirement is about freedom and flexibility. Its defined by being able to stop trading time for money, but it doesnt mean you cant work if you want to. Retirement puts you in charge of your time. Thats where retirement savings come in: To fund that phase of your life, you need to have access to a secure money supply.