Retirement Planning Strategies July 2018

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JULY 2018

HEALTHY, WEALTHY,

&Wise

1 Denver Federal Center Building 45, Entrance E-9, Room 1050 Lakewood, CO 80225

Don’t Stop Dreaming

THE POWER OF MAGICAL EXPERIENCES

Ask any 18-year-old what their dreams are, and you’ll likely get a laundry list of life events. They might tell you that they hope to start a career in their preferred field, get married, have children, buy a home, etc. Do you notice something interesting about these dreams? There’s a good chance they will be fulfilled in the next few chapters of their life. It’s as if dreaming happens predominantly in your childhood and early 20s, and fulfilment of those dreams comes a decade or two later. But then what? Why aren’t we dreaming and setting goals as we grow older? I can’t help but wonder why this pattern repeats itself so frequently. Is it because life takes over at some point, forcing us to focus on our daily needs and what we’re supposed to do? Or is because we rarely encounter or discuss our dreams as we enter the later stages of adulthood? Whatever the case, I think it’s high time we took a look at the importance of dreams and special moments throughout our lives. Dreaming shouldn’t have an expiration date. Having aspirations is crucial to keeping our lives exciting and breaking up the monotony of the daily grind. As we get older, our dreams may change in form

and content, but we should still have them. Maybe you’ve always wanted to travel to a particular destination. Perhaps there’s something you’ve always wanted to learn but haven’t had the time. These are the types of desires and goals that can be perfect fodder for later-life dreams. WHEN WE’RE NO LONGER FULL OF YOUTHFUL VIGOR, IT’S EASY TO START THINKING OF LIFE AS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS TO US RATHER THAN SOMETHING WE CREATE FOR OURSELVES. I recently read a great book by Chip and Dan Heath called “The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact.” In the book, the authors discuss what makes particular moments in our lives indelible and why those moments are crucial to our development. “Defining moments shape our lives, but we don’t have to wait for them to happen,” the Heaths write. “We can be authors of them.”

As I read the book, I couldn’t help but think of the difficulty many people have in chasing these unforgettable experiences. When we’re no longer full of youthful vigor, it’s easy to start thinking of life as something that happens to us rather than something we create for ourselves. Last month, I talked about the difficulty in transitioning from saving for your retirement to beginning to get a return on it. In some sense, authorship of special moments is part of this return. If you’re not willing to pursue your dreams, how can you expect them to come to fruition? Amazing experiences don’t have an expiration date because we’re changing, growing, and learning all the time. The only thing that prevents us from making new discoveries and creating new memories is ourselves. We’ve been conditioned to believe that dreaming is for the young, but it doesn’t have to be this way. With that said, I have a question for you. What are you dreaming about right now? Once you have an answer, don’t stop yourself from experiencing that dream. Amazing life experiences can happen at any age. You just have to be willing to seek them out. –Ann Vanderslice

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Singing, Skiing, and Traveling

JOHN AND LYNNIE’S ADVENTURES

John and Lynnie at Lunga Island, Scotland

When John Elliott retired after 37 years of service with the U.S. Geological Survey, his wife, Lynnie Skinner, had to adjust to having her husband around the house a lot more. As a self-employed writer, singer, and vocal coach, she was used to the only people at home being herself, fellow musicians, and her students. “I have to be honest,” Lynnie says with a laugh, “There was definitely an adjustment period when John retired. At first, I had to learn how to say no, because for the first time in history, John had more free time than me. Over time, though, it’s become awesome. Our domestic teamwork is amazing. I get to make my own schedule. We’ve had the opportunity to do some traveling together, like the three weeks we recently spent in Scotland.” For John’s part, the transition to retirement has given him the chance to pursue some of his many diverse passions. “I made science my career, but I’ve always been interested in art, athletics, anthropology, and outdoor adventures,” he says. Now that he’s no longer working, John has had the chance to devote time to these interests like never before. Additionally, he’s volunteered with many organizations, which is something John’s always wanted to do. “I’m very fortunate to have the privilege of a great family support system and an awesome education. Because of these advantages, I’ve always known that I wanted to give back. Finding out exactly how to do that wasn’t really something I planned. It just sort of happened organically.” John began his post-career volunteer work with his former employer, the USGS. “When I retired, I was working on a few projects that I wanted to ensure produced deliverables,” he recalls. “I loved my job,

and I just wouldn’t have felt right if I left what I was working on in limbo.” From that experience, John has gone on to volunteer with a local irrigation company and a Cherokee citizen’s organization. But his most unique volunteer experiences have come from his work for Ski for Light, where he is a member of the board of directors. Ski for Light is a nonprofit that helps people who are visually and mobily impaired enjoy cross-country skiing. John began helping out as a sighted guide when his friend, a former Paralympic skier, introduced him to the organization. Since then, he’s served as a guide for many events, including some in Norway, the birthplace of Ski for Light’s principles. “It was a tremendous honor to be one of the four Americans to go to Norway as a guide. It was an experience I’ll never forget,” John says. Did John have any trepidations about transitioning from work life to retirement? “Well,” he replies, “I didn’t have any concerns about how I would fill my time, but I didn’t know what my financial future would hold. It was really Ann’s seminars that put me at ease. Ann’s greatest asset is that she’s very knowledgeable about the particularities of working in the public sector. Her experience is unrivaled. She’s also very creative, enthusiastic, and easy to trust,” Lynnie adds. Lynnie’s approach to retirement is much different than John’s. “Being self-employed, I don’t really see a time where I’ll ever retire outright. As long as my work is still valuable for making music, writing, and my voice students, you can bet I’ll be doing it.” John and Lynnie are proof that there’s no one way to retire. What matters is making sure that you get the most from life. They certainly are doing that.

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Debt Can Ruin Your Retirement,

BUT IT DOESN’T HAVE TO

Ideally, paying down debt should begin while retirement is still far on the horizon. High-cost consumer loans, like those associated with credit cards, should be the debts you tackle first. A good rule of thumb is to start paying off the debt with the highest interest rate. The longer that debt accumulates, the more you pay in interest. Many of these debts are not tax-deductible, and often impact your credit rating which, in itself, has financial ramifications for everything from insurance to loans and security clearances. As you near retirement, you should take a look at your mortgage and be ready to do some math. Because mortgages are tax- deductible, you may anticipate a significant rate decrease once you retire. While the best strategy for you may be different than your neighbor’s, there are a few principles that apply in many cases. You need to be sure that your payments during retirement will be manageable on a reduced income. Never

cash in a 401(k) or other retirement account early to pay off your mortgage, because of the penalties incurred for early withdrawals. As you transition into retirement, you should re-evaluate your budget. The more expenses you can reduce, the longer your resources will last and the less stressful any outstanding debt will be. You should also set aside at least three months of your monthly expenses in an emergency fund, if possible, so that you won’t need to use credit for emergencies. Retiring without any debt may not be an option for you, but that shouldn’t stop you from proactively planning to decrease debt before you stop working. Like the proverbial monster under the bed, debt is a lot less scary when you’re willing to stare it straight in the face.

When people approaching retirement are asked about their biggest fears, debt consistently ranks near the top of the list. Good reason. According to finance company Comet, roughly 80 percent of American adults have some amount of debt. Many of us will retire with a mortgage, car payment, or some other form of financial obligation. Obviously, retiring debt-free is the best option, but it’s simply not realistic for many people. That said, a little planning can go a long way toward making debt manageable after your career is over.

Train Your

BRAIN!

CHARRED CHILI-CHEESE CORN

Inspired by Bon Appetit magazine

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice • 2 ounces fresh cotija cheese (or feta), crumbled • 1/4 cup cilantro • Salt and pepper, to taste

• 4 ears of corn, husked • 4 tablespoons high-smoke-point oil, such as canola or vegetable • 1 large shallot, thinly sliced • 1/2 red chili (such as Fresno) or jalapeño, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat grill to medium. 2. Brush corn with 2 tablespoons oil and grill until visibly charred, 10–12 minutes. 3. Cut kernels off cob and combine with shallots, chilis, lime juice, cheese, and remaining oil. 4. Season with salt and pepper, garnish with cilantro, and serve.

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issue INSIDE THIS What Are Yo r Dreams? PAGE 1 A Retirement of Giving Back PAGE 2 How to Manage Debt Before and During Retirement

Charred Chili-Cheese Corn PAGE 3

Songs of the Summer in History PAGE 4 SONGS OF THE SUMMER Dominant Jams of the Warmer Months

Music is always changing, but one thing’s for certain: There will always be a “song of the summer” when temperatures start to rise. To be crowned a true song of the season, a track must be everywhere, stuck in everyone’s heads, and on their lips. These songs have a certain je ne sais quoi that makes them fond memories of the warmer months. Here are two summer slammers (and three contemporary options) that typify this trend. 1963: THE BEACH BOYS, ‘I GET AROUND’ There’s good reason when Brian Wilson was asked whether there were any great summer songs that he didn’t write, he answered, “No, not really.” Though there are certainly better jams from the Beach Boys’ tangled and complicated career, “I Get Around,” “Fun Fun Fun,” and their other hits from the early ’60s virtually wrote the blueprint for future songs of summer. They’re sunny, annoyingly catchy, have a great beat, and are filled with youthful exuberance.

2003: BEYONCÉ, ‘CRAZY IN LOVE’ Even before she led Destiny’s Child to international success

TODAY’S CONTENDERS This year’s contenders seem to be slow out of the gate, making it difficult to declare a victor just yet, but there are some promising options. First we have Drake’s “Nice for What,” which is riding high on the Billboard charts but isn’t quite as sing-along friendly as others, although his “One Dance” dominated the summer of 2016. Two other contenders include rap dynamo Cardi B’s spicy “I Like It” — the perfect song to play at a summer cookout — or the boilerplate EDM uplift “The Middle” by Zedd, Maren Morris, and Grey — the perfect song to play over the loud speakers at your local shopping center.

and branched out on her own to become the de facto world’s queen

of pop, it seemed Beyoncé was destined to change the musical landscape. Though she’d secured numerous smash hits before, “Crazy in Love” was, to many, the song that signaled her eventual ascent to the throne. With her thrilling, powerful vocals backed by enormous horn samples, it’s arguably the apex of contemporary pop. NME even goes so far as to call it “the best song of the millennium.” Hypeman Jay-Z agrees.

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