Our daily roundup of retirement news your clients may be thinking about.
The other debt bomb in public employee benefits
Underfunded public-pensions have been in the spotlight in recent years, but another dire situation has not been received as much notice: health care obligations for public retirees. The U.S. may have nearly $1 trillion in unfunded health-care liabilities, according to a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Only 11 states have provided more than 10% of retiree health-care liabilities based on a November 2013 report from Standard & Poors. Meanwhile, only eight out of the 30 biggest cities have funded more than 5% of their obligations for retiree health-care costs, with New York City leading urban centers with unfunded liabilities at $22,857 per household, according to a study by the Pew Charitable Trust. --The Wall Street Journal
Cutting the clutter for a better retirement
Retirement can be an opportunity for seniors to downsize to reduce their housing costs or it can be the right time to move to a smaller house and rightsize or declutter their life, according to an article on MarketWatch. Retirees who opt for the "rightsizing" approach will move to a smaller home with only a few things that hold the most value for them, says a professional organizer. For Marie Kondo, a Japanese who wrote The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, retirees and people who are serious about decluttering should only bring with them possessions that truly "spark joy." --MarketWatch
The best moves to make so a nursing home doesnt bankrupt you
Research shows that retirees are likely to need nursing home services, but long-term care insurance could be too costly, according to this article on Time Money. To reduce the cost of long-term care coverage, clients may consider buying a more limited coverage and then use their savings to cover other expenses. The may also get a policy that has a lower daily benefit or pays benefits for a fewer number of years. --Time Money
How do your retirement savings compare to others? Five ways to measure up
Health and family history are among the factors that investors should keep in mind when trying to compare their retirement plans with those of other people, according to this article on Forbes. Clients can also measure up their retirement savings based on their mortgage and car payments, as well as inheritance. Pension and the businesses that people own are also considerations to make when making a retirement comparison analysis. --Forbes
Millennials blame student debt for poor retirement saving
Sixty-five percent of student debtors polled by Merrill Edge said they want to defer saving more for retirement so they can pay off their student loans first. The survey also found that 51% of millennials with investable assets of $50,000 to $250,000 failed to save for retirement last year, with only 35% of them planning to set aside money for their nest egg this year. --Fox Business
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