Retirement planning is often mind-numbingly complex. Financial planners and advisors can reduce some of that load, but still, many decisions and financial considerations are required for one or more scenarios. It’s a headache that far too many people put off – to their peril. However, one simple thing that anybody can do is get a reasonable idea of what their estimated retirement benefit will be, depending on when they retire. Every 5 years,...

For those you of you who learn better by listening than reading, we have a great resource to share from the FDIC, the “Money Smart” Podcast Network. The brief podcasts are presented like the old radio programs with multiple voices and sound effects to keep listeners engaged, but the content is spot-on and is especially helpful for parents who could use some help explaining important concepts such as checkbook balancing. They are...

By now everybody knows about tax-preferred Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA), but do you know about a similar account to help pay for certain medical expenses? It’s called a Health Savings Account (HSA). Your community bank wants to help, and can provide more information. Here are the basics: If you are enrolled in only one health insurance plan and it has a high deductible, you probably are eligible to open an HSA. Help you avoid the shock...

There are more than 50 million Americans aged 62 and older who are prime targets for financial exploitation, both by persons they know and by strangers. You may be one of these targets. Get information about how to avoid such exploitation and how to help others in this article. Fraudsters are constantly looking for victims. Older ones may be less active in offensive and defensive activities, and as a result are often more vulnerable to...