Admit it: you likely had someone in mind when you read the title of this article. Perhaps it’s the client who simply “must” have a new car every year, the one who insists on a second home in Florida that sits empty for months at a time, or the investor who decides to make the dream of worldwide travel a reality despite lacking the means.

Most clients have simple goals — they want to make money and feel confident upon retirement. However, many feel that financial planning is overly complex. They simply want an advisor to handle the responsibility on their behalf.

The classic idiom (usually attributed to Ben Franklin) is painfully true for many widows: “In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except for death and taxes.” While becoming a widow may result in inheriting assets from a deceased spouse — 401(k), life insurance, pension, Social Security survivor benefits — she may also be shocked by a substantial increase in income taxes and Medicare premiums.¹

In general, people marry someone close in age. However, when it comes to remarrying, the numbers shift a bit, which likely won’t surprise you.

Established in 1935 to help alleviate the poverty-related challenges seniors were facing, the Social Security Administration has been actively providing monthly benefits to qualified individuals since 1940.¹

If may be no surprise to read that overall spending of men and women in the five years before and after retirement declines by an average of 16%. You’ve likely heard that from your clients at some point. Even with that overall spending drop, a household’s charitable giving remains steady, according to a report by the Women’s Philanthropy Institute (WPI).¹

Social Security retirement benefits are crucial to many in retirement, yet many near-retirees don’t know the basics, and it could cost them money in the future, according to a consumer poll¹ by MassMutual Life Insurance Co.

Stock investors have been on a roller coaster over the past two years. As measured by the S&P 500 Index, stock prices rose by 20% during the six months ending in January 2018; declined by 10% over the next three months ending in April 2018; rose by 15% through the end of September; and plunged by nearly 20% through year-end 2018. Since the end of December, stocks have risen by nearly 25% to a level within 2% of the all-time peak reached on September 20.

Your clients nearing retirement age are hopefully looking forward to many peaceful and rewarding years ahead. However, health care costs could add some unexpected stress to their “golden years.” Let’s dig into the good/bad/ugly news and uncover what you can do to help. We’ll start with the bad news…