Senior Life May 2024

Saturday, May 11 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

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VENDORS AND EXHIBITORS

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SCHEDULE OF SPEAKERS

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REGISTER NOW ENTERAND TO WIN A $250 GIFT CARD TO KING SOOPERS SEE PAGE 2

The Gazette’s Senior Life Expo puts getting older into perspective

By Nina Glaser, The Gazette

There have been many, many quotes written about the aging process. George Burns said, “You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old.” Mark Twain said, “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” Both men put a positive spin on the gift of getting older … and so does The Gazette’s Senior Life Expo!

You are invited to join likeminded friends and neighbors on Saturday, May 11, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Colorado Springs Event Center, 3960 Palmer Park Blvd., in Colorado Springs. There will be plenty of parking available, and

plenty of things you will want to look at, listen to, and learn about!

The Senior Life Expo will showcase the latest products and services while providing presentations, demonstrations and speaker sessions so that you can get serious about living your best life. Are you ready to be informed, educated and inspired so that you feel confident about your health, finances, home and technology? Admission is free — and you might win a $250 gift card to King Soopers!

Take the first step to a spectacular senior life at the Senior Life Expo! 

Saturday, May 11 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Colorado Springs Event Center 3960 Palmer Park Blvd.

These local and national exhibitors will be available to answer your questions:

AARP

Age Well Medical

All American Gutters

Amada Senior Care

Colorado Springs

Bashi Dental Care

Bath Fitter

Cigna

Classic Bible Institute

Clear Spring Health

Colorado ENT & Allergy

Colorado Springs

Orthopaedic Group

Cruise Planners

Elite Hearing

Five Elements Massage

The Gasper Law Group

Heuser Chiropractic

Kissing Camels Family Dentistry

Medicare Monica

Oak Street Health Humana

Optum

Pikes Peak Area

Council of Governments

Rachael Ortega, Medium

Relay Colorado

Renewal by Andersen

The Salvation Army

Select Health

Silver Key Senior Services

UnitedHealthcare, Inc.

Ken Jenson, Owner/CEO

9:15 a.m.

10:15 a.m.

Aging Well at Home — Connecting with Services Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging

General ENT Colorado ENT & Allergy

11:15 a.m.

Medicare Extra Benefits: What is Available to Keep You Healthy Clear Spring Health

Alaska Is Calling! Why Now is the Time to Travel Cruise Planners

Advancements in Joint Replacement Surgery Colorado Springs Orthopaedic Group

12:15 p.m.

Long Term Care Insurance: How to Make it Work for You Amada Senior Care Colorado Springs

How to Navigate

The Gazette e-Edition Jon Mitchell, The Gazette

Five Wishes Silver Key Senior Services

Preserving and Protecting Your Estate for Your Family The Gasper Law Group

1:15 p.m.

How to Navigate

The Gazette e-Edition

Jon Mitchell, The Gazette

Preserving and Protecting Your Estate for Your Family The Gasper Law Group

Medicare for Veterans 101 UnitedHealthcare, Inc.

Benefits of Getting Your Primary Care Provider Needs From Oak Street Health Oak Street Health

Move On With Medicare — Evaluating Your Choices Select Health

SPEAKERS AND TIMES MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

SMART CHOICES

Misconceptions about Medicare 7

STATEPOINT

There is no way around it: Medicare is confusing. While this government-sponsored health insurance helps millions of Americans each year, it also comes with many requirements, guidelines and questions.

Here are seven myths about Medicare and the truth you might not know from Bankers Life, a national life and health insurance brand.

1. YOU CAN APPLY AT 62

Many people think they will be eligible to enroll in Medicare when they turn 62. However, the age of eligibility is typically 65. You will have seven months (starting three months before you turn 65 and ending three months after the month you turn 65) to sign up — this is called your Initial Enrollment Period.

There are exceptions. For example, if you have a disability and qualify for benefits through Social Security Disability Insurance, you can also get Medicare.

2. YOU ARE AUTOMATICALLY ENROLLED AT 65

If you are receiving Social Security retirement benefits or Railroad Retirement benefits, you will be automatically enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B and will receive your Medicare card in the mail three months before your 65th birthday, or 25th month of disability.

If you are not getting either of these types of retirement benefits, it is your responsibility to enroll in a Medicare plan by calling the Social Security Administration, visiting your local office, or applying online.

3. MEDICARE WILL CONTACT YOU WHEN IT IS TIME TO ENROLL

Medicare will not contact you directly when it is time to enroll. If you receive an email, call or other communication claiming to be Medicare and asking for personal information, it is likely a scam. You should never:

● Give out your Medicare card, Medicare number, Social Security card or Social Security number (except to your doctor or someone else whom you know should have it).

● Accept money or gifts for free medical care.

● Let anyone besides your doctor see your medical records.

● Join a Medicare plan over the phone (unless you called Medicare yourself).

If you suspect you might be involved in a scam, please call 1-800- MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

4. IF YOU HAVE NEVER WORKED, YOU CANNOT GET MEDICARE For many Americans, Medicare is available at no cost because they

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worked for 10 or more (recent) years. However, if you (or your spouse or parent) have certain medical conditions or disabilities, you may be able to receive disability benefits and Medicare Part A.

Alternatively, if you do not qualify for free Medicare, you might be able to purchase Part A. You will need to pay for it because you did not “pay into” the federal funds that power Medicare with income tax.

You will pay either $278 or $506 each month for Part A, and will need to purchase Part B.

5. MEDICARE AND MEDICAID ARE THE SAME

Medicare and Medicaid are separate government programs. Medicare is intended for people at retirement age or who have certain disabilities, while Medicaid primarily serves people who have low income.

6. ONLY SENIORS GET MEDICARE

Medicare is available for younger people with disabilities or certain medical conditions. To qualify, you will need to have either received SSDI for 24 months, or have either EndStage Renal Disease, or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, also called Lou Gehrig’s disease).

7. REGISTRATION IS ALWAYS OPEN

You are only able to enroll in a plan during Medicare’s Annual Open

Enrollment Period, occurring each year from October 15 to December 7 and during your personal Initial Enrollment Period.

Each enrollment period has guidelines about who qualifies and how to apply. Not following these requirements can result in penalties. Make sure you are playing by the rules. A financial advisor or insurance agent can help guide you and answer any questions. 

If you’re new to Medicare or have some questions, I’m here to help you make sense of it all. Reach out to me for personalized support throughout the process, from learning about your Medicare Advantage plan options to enrolling in the right plan for you. I even offer house calls, bringing info and answers into the comfort of your home.

If you’re new to Medicare or have some questions, I’m here to help you make sense of it all. Reach out to me for personalized support throughout the process, from learning about your Medicare Advantage plan options to enrolling in the right plan for you. I even offer house calls, bringing info and answers into the comfort of your home.

If you’re new to Medicare or have some questions, I’m here to help you make sense of it all. Reach out to me for personalized support throughout the process, from learning about your Medicare Advantage plan options to enrolling in the right plan for you. I even offer house calls, bringing info and answers into the comfort of your home.

ENSCH

719-432-6327 (TTY: 711) aensch@silverliningadvocates.

Humana is a Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO and PFFS organization with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in any Humana plan depends on contract renewal.

(TTY: 711) aensch@silverliningadvocates.com https://www.facebook.com/ aensch4health

COLORADO SPRINGS PHILHARMONIC:

Discover the enchanting world of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic

SPONSORED FEATURE

A beacon of musical excellence and community spirit in the heart of Colorado Springs, the Colorado Springs Philharmonic is celebrating nearly a century of rich musical heritage, continuing to captivate audiences with its vibrant and soulstirring performances.

At the core of the Philharmonic’s mission is a profound belief in the transformative power of live music. Each performance is not merely an event but a sacred ritual where the ephemeral dance of melodies touches the soul, creating a unique bond between the musicians and the audience. This connection — celebrated and cherished — reaches beyond the notes, igniting emotions and memories that linger long after the last applause.

Founded in 1927, with its inaugural performances set against the majestic backdrop of Pikes Peak, the Colorado Springs Philharmonic has grown symbiotically with the community.

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

AMADA SENIOR CARE COLORADO SPRINGS:

Inspired by the pioneering spirit that characterizes our beautiful landscape, the Philharmonic is more than an orchestra; it is a community hub where fans, newcomers, and critics alike

gather to share in the joy of music.

Join us at the concert hall, where every performance is an intimate communion of heartbeats and breaths, human yet divine. The Philharmonic offers a repertoire that transcends age, culture, and background, uniting us all in the universal language of music.

Experience the magic of a live Philharmonic performance — where each note played is a thread woven into the cultural fabric of our community, celebrating the enduring power of music and its ability to inspire and transform us collectively. We believe in music’s infinite capacity to enhance lives and nurture the spirit of our great city. Join us in keeping this flame alive. 

You have a friend in the long-term care business!

Do you have long-term care insurance? Maybe you bought your policy years ago, and it has brought you — and your family — peace of mind (and protected your assets).

Long-term care insurance is one of the best ways to financially prepare for the nonmedical expenses that health care, insurance, Medicare or Medicaid do not cover. Long-term care insurance was designed to reimburse a daily benefit amount to assist policyholders with things like bathing, dressing, meal preparation, medication reminders, housekeeping, shopping, toileting and more. It seemed like a winwin at the time if you became chronically ill or needed help with the activities of daily living.

Do you still feel that way? Having been notified that your premium is going to increase because of higher-than-expected aggregate policyholder claims costs, or finding the options

offered to be challenging, cumbersome and intimidating might have you rethinking your decision.

“Long-term care insurance companies are trying to frustrate their customers by raising rates, hoping that they will reduce their benefits or — worst-case scenario — drop the policy altogether,” said Ken Jensen, owner of Amada Senior Care Colorado Springs.

“They never mention that using the policy and filing a claim will stop the premiums if they use the policy. I want to educate long term care insurance customers about how these policies work — for free — so they fully understand the benefits.”

The same professionals you sought help from when initially considering long-term care insurance can also help you get the most out of your policy benefits.

Amada Senior Care will advocate for you and help you navigate the sometimes-complicated world of long-term care insurance by:

● Helping you understand and verify benefits.

● Guiding you through a review and filing of claims.

● Identifying and analyzing the requirements of a policy.

● Billing insurance carriers directly at the request of policyholders.

SELECT HEALTH:

Wellness benefits at your fingertips

SPONSORED FEATURE

Select Health wants to make using wellness benefits as easy as possible. That’s why all Select Health Medicare members receive one easy-to-use Select Health Medicare Flexible Benefits card loaded with funds* from three programs.

With the WELLNESS YOUR WAY program, members can choose any covered wellness activity — from gym memberships to weight loss programs, nutritional counseling, health education programs, and more — and pay for it using their Select Health Medicare Flexible Benefits card.

OVER-THE-COUNTER (OTC) funds can be used for purchases like pain relievers, vitamins, antacids, toothbrushes, cough drops, lotions, and much more.

Our HEALTHY LIVING PROGRAM pays members for healthy behaviors: getting preventive care,

seeing their provider for a yearly wellness check, or getting a flu shot. Enroll with Select Health today and start enjoying the benefits of the Select Health Medicare Flex Card! Explore plan benefits and learn about Medicare at selecthealthmedicare.org or call the Select Health Answer Team toll-free at 855-442-9940 (TTY: 711) on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. MT and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. MT. 

*Funds may vary by plan.

SelectHealth is an HMO, PPO, SNP plan sponsor with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in SelectHealth Medicare depends on contract renewal. SelectHealth obeys federal civil rights laws. We do not treat you differently because of your race, color, ethnic background or where you come from, age, disability, sex, religion, creed, language, social class, sexual orientation,

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

ELITE HEARING OF COLORADO SPRINGS:

Friendly, reliable hearing care

SPONSORED FEATURE

Hearing loss is associated with many medical conditions, including:

DEMENTIA

Research shows a connection between hearing loss and dementia, and a Johns Hopkins study found that hearing loss actually accelerates brain function decline. Experts believe that treating your hearing loss through hearing aids is the number one intervention to lower your risk for early onset dementia.

DIABETES

Studies show that people with diabetes are twice as likely to have hearing loss. Those 60 years and younger are at greater risk, so having hearing screenings earlier is important.

DEPRESSION

Research shows that hearing loss is associated with an increased risk

gender identity or expression, and/ or veteran status. This information is available for free in other languages and alternate formats. ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios

gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. 注意： 如果您使用繁體中文，您可以免費獲得 語言援助服務。請致電  SelectHealth Medicare 1-855-442-9900 (TTY: 711) 4/23 Y0165_3206406_M.

of depression in adults of all ages, and the use of hearing aids reduces depressive symptoms.

BALANCE

A Johns Hopkins study showed that middle-aged people (40 to 69 years) with even just mild hearing loss were nearly three times more likely to have a fall history.

HIGHER COGNITIVE LOAD

Having untreated hearing loss creates a higher cognitive load. That means more stress, more fatigue and more frustration throughout the day. Treating your hearing loss mitigates all of these!

Dr. Kovel and Dr. Michaelson take great pride in creating an exceptional experience. Doctors of Audiology at Elite Hearing of Colorado Springs use cuttingedge hearing technology combined with customized

treatment that fit an individual’s lifestyle and budget. They improve lives through better hearing and tinnitus management because they know how important it is to your life and your health. 

Dr. Carlee Michaelson

Visit Elite Hearing of Colorado Springs in-person at 4195 Centennial Blvd. or online at elitehearingofcoloradosprings. com or call 719-633-2685.

Dr. Nichole Kovel

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

AMERICAN FURNITURE GALLERIES:

Create the home of your dreams with eclectic, elegant furniture!

Pick a room — any room — and American Furniture Galleries can help you furnish it, whatever your style! From living rooms to dining rooms and bedrooms, the oldest and most trusted furniture and mattress company in Colorado is there to help.

Need a home entertainment unit? Looking for home accents? Does your mattress need to be replaced? Look no further than American Furniture Galleries, where you will find high-end furniture, lamps, and accessories, along with professional interior design services.

American Furniture Galleries truly is one-stop shopping for all your home furnishing needs.

Discover world-famous comfort and functionality in the Scandanavian-designed products by Stressless by Ekornes, manufactured in Norway. The

company’s products — including chairs with footstools, recliners with ottomans, loveseats, sofas and more — have been endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association. Plus, those with mobility issues are invited to come in to try out the lift chairs from UltraComfort. With a selection of innovative designs and high-end fabrics to choose from, who would think the chairs that help users sit and stand more quickly were from a medical device company?

American Furniture Galleries is open seven days a week!

Visit the showroom Monday to Saturday at 3212 W. Platte Ave. in Colorado Springs, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. Call 719-632-6621 with questions, or to schedule an appointment today! You may also visit www.AmericanFurniture.com. 

Family caregivers can help shape the outcomes for their loved ones

BY COURTNEY GRAETZER, VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY

THE CONVERSATION

The floor nurse had just told me that my new patient — let’s call her Marie — would not stop screaming.

Marie landed in the intensive care unit where I am a bedside nurse because she was too agitated and needed more oxygen. We immediately tried to fit her with a more advanced oxygen mask, but the screaming continued and her oxygen level worsened. No matter how much I comforted her, it was not my hand she wanted to hold. She was screaming for her daughter, April, who was on her way.

April had been Marie’s caregiver at home for the past few years after Marie was diagnosed with endstage Alzheimer’s. April is Marie’s familiar face, her source of comfort when she gets disoriented. Now Marie had been admitted to the hospital for pneumonia, and April had not left her side.

As a seasoned bedside critical care nurse, I see firsthand the benefits that family caregivers bring to patient care in the hospital. I also witness the emotional stress that caregivers experience when their loved one comes to the ICU.

After years of helping families and physicians navigate the complicated course of an ICU hospital stay, I have some advice for caregivers to take with them.

CAREGIVERS OFTEN BATTLE ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION

From making medical decisions to advocating for their loved one, family caregivers have many important roles when their loved one is in the hospital. Their presence not only provides a sense of security, but also strongly influences a patient’s response to treatment.

For example, Marie refused to take walks during physical therapy until we found out from April that she felt safest in her pink New Balance shoes, which April brought to the hospital. April’s unique knowledge of Marie’s specific needs proved to be invaluable to guiding Marie’s treatment plan at the hospital.

Including the family in the patient’s treatment plan, also known as family-centered care, can help shorten a patient’s hospital stay and can even reduce hospital costs. However, caregivers carry heavy emotional burdens while supporting loved ones at the hospital.

In fact, family caregivers are at high risk of developing long-term psychological health problems. Up to 70% of first-degree relatives of ICU survivors suffer from anxiety symptoms, more than a third suffer from depression, and many can

experience symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. There are ways to help ease this emotional burden, and most of them come down to consistent and open communication between the patient, their caregivers and the medical team.

But how should you, as the caregiver without much medical knowledge, communicate with hospital staff when your loved one can’t speak for themself?

COMMUNICATION IS CRITICAL

First, exchange contact information with the primary medical team, which may include a passcode for patient privacy. This will ensure that you receive the most updated information about the patient and will give you the peace of mind knowing that you can call at any hour of the day or night to receive updates on your loved one.

Second, let the medical team know what the patient is normally like at home, which can include the patient’s medications, their baseline functional capabilities, any cultural or religious preferences, and their end-of-life wishes, just in case. With this information, the medical team can develop a reasonable treatment plan specific to your loved one, avoid unnecessary and uncomfortable tests, and provide a better insight into their prognosis and recovery.

As you provide information about the patient at home, the medical team should be giving you updates about the patient’s condition in the hospital. This is a good time for you to keep a diary to write down essential information and questions to ask them.

Knowing what to ask is essential to effective communication at the hospital. First, get yourself oriented to the hospital unit you are on: Ask about the visitation policy, unit phone number and even where the cafeteria and the bathrooms are.

Once familiar with your new environment, you may feel more at ease to truly be present for your loved one. Other important questions you can ask each day include:

● What is happening to my loved one?

● What is the plan for the next day?

● What will the treatment be like for my loved one?

These are good first questions for setting daily expectations for the

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patient’s hospital stay. You can also find answers by participating in the patient’s clinical rounds. Every day, the interdisciplinary medical team sees each patient to discuss updates and treatment plans, and answers questions for the patient and their family. Research has also shown that rounds relieve anxiety and stress among family caregivers due to the consistent daily communication and emotional support that they provide.

NURSES CAN BE HELPFUL

After clinical rounds, the interdisciplinary team of doctors and nurses establishes a daily plan of care for your loved one, which will be carried out by your bedside nurse. The nurse will give the ordered medications, perform necessary clinical tasks and assess the patient for their response to the treatment. If you normally take care of the patient’s basic needs at home, offering to help your nurse with feeding or bathing may provide emotional reassurance to you and your loved one.

Nurses are the most accessible resource you have when your loved one is in the hospital. They can provide emotional support and coping strategies during this stressful time and can act as a translator between you and the physicians.

Once you establish a good relationship with your nurse and the medical team, spend quality time with your loved one. Even when the patient isn’t responsive, talk to them about familiar people in their life, FaceTime other family members, play their favorite music or TV show, and always remind them of the date and that they are in the hospital.

THE

IMPORTANCE OF ROUTINES AND FAMILIARITY

Since it’s easy for patients to lose track of the normal day-night cycle, they can be at high risk of ICU delirium, which is an acute and severe state of confusion. Preventing ICU delirium through reorientation and familiar faces can help prevent this serious complication and can even reduce their hospital stay.

Finally, one of the most important but often neglected task for you to do is self-care.

Research advises caregivers to tend to their own health and emotional needs by eating regularly, getting adequate sleep and taking breaks from the hospital. You have been strong for others and can continue to do so, but only if you take care of yourself as well.

Most families that come to the hospital describe the support they received from the medical team in a positive way. Your nurses and the rest of the medical staff are all on your team, and we want the best possible outcome for your loved one 

The Conversation (theconversation.com/us) is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.

THE 5 WORST RETIREMENT MISTAKES to avoid at all costs

BY MARK HENRICKS SMART ASSET

To do retirement right you need a disciplined savings plan, a good understanding of Social Security, a sound investment strategy and a vision of retirement that provides for adequate self-fulfillment without overspending your fixed-income budget. Behind those simple principles lies a complex set of ways it can all go wrong, ranging from borrowing against your 401(k) to taking up smoking late in life. There are certain things, though, that you will want to make sure to avoid at all costs.

A financial advisor can help you keep your retirement on track.

DOING RETIREMENT

RIGHT AND WRONG

It is certainly not impossible or even rare to achieve a financially secure and rewarding retirement. People over age 65, in fact, are much less likely to live in actual poverty than those still working, according to the Census Bureau. Retirees surveyed by the Employee Benefit Research Institute in 2022 rated their satisfaction with life in retirement at an average seven on a scale of one to 10.

That does not, however, mean there is no way to go wrong. After all, more than one in 10 retirees

SMART CHOICES

do live in poverty, per Census. Twenty-seven percent of EBRI’s respondents said their spending was much higher or a little higher than they could afford.

FIVE RETIREMENT

MISTAKES TO AVOID

Every retiree’s case is a little different, and it is likely that the people who are not having a great retirement have a multitude of stories about how thing did not turn out well. Still, we can make some useful generalizations about most important retirement mistakes to avoid. Here are five of the worst:

1. Failing to plan

The biggest single mistake may be pretending retirement will not ever arrive when, for a large majority of people, it does. About 67.8% of men born in 1980 will live to age 65, according to the Social Security Administration. For women, the figure is 80.9%. Not planning to retire encourages more mistakes, like failing to budget, save, and invest to fund living expenses later in life when working becomes difficult or impossible. It is worth noting that EBRI’s survey found lower senses of well-being and satisfaction for those who, among other traits, did not use a financial advisor.

If you would like to discuss retirement planning, you can get matched with up to three financial advisors for free.

2. Mismanaging taxadvantaged retirement plans

Neglecting to contribute enough to your workplace IRA or 401(k) to get the maximum employer match is one of the worst retirement savings moves you could make. Close behind could be borrowing from a plan and failing to pay it back. Another worst-move rival is taking early withdrawals that subject you to costly penalties. Investing retirement plan funds exclusively in shares of your employer instead of diversifying also ranks high as a seriously risky and potentially catastrophic error.

3. Messing up Social Security

When it comes to nearly universally available, almost perfectly reliable ways to fund retirement, nothing compares to Social Security. To qualify for monthly benefits for as long as you live after reaching the age of eligibility, all you have to do is work the required number of years while contributing through mandatory payroll taxes.

This apparent simplicity masks some complexities, though, and failing to navigate them can take the shine off your retirement. For example, if one member of a retired married couple dies, the survivor must carry on with just one monthly check, the larger of the two. For this reason, the higherearning partner should wait to claim benefits as long as possible, since delaying filing increases the monthly payment. SmartAsset’s Social Security Calculator will help you avoid mistakes and make the most of this benefit.

4. Emotional investing

The investment field almost seems designed to punish people who make investment decisions based on feelings of fear and greed. For instance, if you get rattled and sell securities during a bear market to convert to safe-seeming cash, you are effectively locking in losses and making it harder to participate in any future upturn.

Studies have shown that the best approach is to stay fully invested through good times and bad. Trying to time the market, especially on the basis of your emotions, is one of the least

promising investment strategies you could have. A financial advisor can help you determine an appropriate investment strategy for your goals.

5. Focusing only on the financial side of retirement

Retiring is only partly about money. You will also need to find ways to fill the time you spent working, preferably in ways that maintain or improve your health and enrich your life. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. A 2018 National Bureau of Economic Research study found male mortality increases by about 2% at age 62, a common age for retirement. The increase is smaller for women and does not appear at all for either sex at other ages. Why retirement seems to cause more deaths is not clear. However, most of the increased deaths are due to traffic accidents and lung cancer and other respiratory conditions tied to smoking, which other studies tends to go up with job loss at any age. No amount of being smart about employer matches can help much if you are not around to enjoy your nonworking years at all.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The worst retirement mistakes are probably not planning to retire at all, failing to take full advantage of retirement savings plans, mismanaging Social Security, making poor investment decisions and neglecting the non-financial side of retirement. It is possible to avoid all of these, however, by being aware of the potential for costly errors and taking some relatively simple and wellproven steps to counteract them

RETIREMENT PLANNING TIPS

You have a better chance of avoiding errors in planning for your retirement when you work with financial advisor. Finding a financial advisor does not have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you.

You can get insight into how well your retirement saving plan is going by using SmartAsset’s retirement calculator. It provides a quick and easy, yet sophisticated, way to take the mystery out of how much money you will have when the time comes to retire 