Showing posts with label retirement planning ann arbor. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 4, 2022

The Investment Greats

Not surprisingly, some of the most notable investors in America founded well-known investment companies. For example, John Templeton, whom in 1999 “Money” magazine called “arguably the greatest global stock picker of the century” founded Templeton Funds, best known for its international fund lineup. Thomas Rowe Price Jr., also referred to as “the father of growth investing,” established T. Rowe Price investment management firm in 1937.¹

Jack Bogle, who founded The Vanguard Group in 1975, originated the idea of index mutual funds to track broad stock market performance through a lower cost option for individual investors. Warren Buffett, who is still widely regarded as the world’s most successful investor, preaches a very simple investment philosophy: Buy what you know. Buffett has stuck to a strict discipline of buying companies for a low price, implementing long-term improvements and then profiting from those improvements via higher stock prices.²

Known for sharing his investment insights, Warren Buffet is a big proponent of these principles:³

· Investing in what you know

· Never compromising on business quality

· Buying and holding forever

· Not getting distracted by day-to-day financial news

· Recognizing the difference between price and value (“Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.”)

While investment legend Roy R. Neuberger—who co-founded the brokerage and investment firm Neuberger Berman—encouraged people to study the great investors, he cautioned against trying to emulate their success. According to Neuberger, it is better to adopt only tactics that suit your temperament and circumstances because your needs and resources will be different from others.⁴ We’d like to add to that wisdom the importance of working with a financial professional who understands your needs and goals. Feel free to tap our experience for help matching your situation to proven investment vehicles and strategies.

Another investment great is Peter Lynch, the Fidelity fund manager who ran the Magellan Fund from 1977 to 1990. Lynch believed in investing throughout the long term, taking only as much risk as your stomach can handle and always spending at least as much time researching stock picks as you would to buy a house, car or major appliance.⁵

Content prepared by Kara Stefan Communications.

¹Investopedia. Oct. 24, 2021. “The World’s Greatest Investors.” https://www.investopedia.com/world-s-11-greatest-investors-4773356. Accessed Nov. 5, 2021.

²Robert Farrington. The College Investor. Oct. 23, 2021. “The Top 10 Investors of All Time.” https://thecollegeinvestor.com/972/the-top-10-investors-of-all-time/. Accessed Nov. 5, 2021.

³Simply Safe Dividends. 2021. “Top 10 Pieces of Investment Advice from Warren Buffett.” https://www.simplysafedividends.com/intelligent-income/posts/37-top-10-pieces-of-investment-advice-from-warren-buffett. Accessed Nov. 5, 2021.

⁴Anupam Nagar. Economic Times. July 17, 2021. “10 principles of successful investing from the legendary Roy R. Neuberger.” https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/stocks/news/10-principles-of-successful-investing-from-the-legendary-roy-r-neuberger/articleshow/84498113.cms. Accessed Nov. 5, 2021.

⁵Fidelity. Aug. 11, 2021. “Lessons from an investing legend.” https://www.fidelity.com/viewpoints/investing-ideas/peter-lynch-investment-strategy. Accessed Nov. 5, 2021.

We are an independent firm helping individuals create retirement strategies using a variety of insurance and investment products to custom suit their needs and objectives. This material is intended to provide general information to help you understand basic financial planning strategies and should not be construed as financial or investment advice. All investments are subject to risk including the potential loss of principal. No investment strategy can guarantee a profit or protect against loss in periods of declining values.

The information contained in this material is believed to be reliable, but accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed; it is not intended to be used as the sole basis for financial decisions.

Investment Advisory Services are offered by Imber Financial Group, LLC., a Registered Investment Adviser. Insurance services are offered through Imber Wealth Advisors, Inc. Imber Financial Group, LLC. and Imber Wealth Advisors, Inc. are affiliated companies

Monday, August 30, 2021

Reshoring: What's the Future for Products & Services Made in America?

According to a recent survey of supply chain professionals, the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted 98% of global supply chains. Among the most disruptive supply challenges was the procurement of personal protective equipment, pharmaceuticals and semiconductors. Companies that had outsourced manufacturing to other countries experienced firsthand the types of risks associated with offshoring.

The previous administration placed a huge emphasis on reshoring U.S. manufacturing, and the current administration is reiterating that call. Within days of his inauguration, President Biden signed an executive order that increased the domestic threshold for companies to meet to win federal contracts. The order also is designed to limit Chinese clean-tech exports and encourage offshore manufacturers specializing in clean-tech supply chains to relocate to the U.S. The objective is to enable America to produce and scale its own solar, electric vehicle and battery production by bringing supply chains closer to U.S. customers, or at least to rely on countries considered allies. Tech experts consider data to be “the new oil” and therefore it is vital that the U.S. become more self-sufficient in developing and manufacturing semiconductor technology.1

The call for reshoring to generate domestic jobs, data and energy independence is popular, bipartisan and likely inevitable to some extent. Market sectors poised to benefit include construction engineering and machinery, factory automation and robotics, electrical and electronic equipment manufacturing, application software and other auxiliary services. Moreover, North American, European and South Asian banks should see enhanced economic activity associated with reshoring.2 If you’re interested in ways to incorporate reshoring growth potential into your portfolio, please give us a call.

With that said, the decision to bring operations back to the U.S. involves a lot of considerations. These include the risks of running out of inventory, potential labor strikes, tariffs, intellectual property rights, government incentives and the value of the Made in USA label — not to mention the impact of future pandemics. One of the biggest challenges is reskilling the U.S. labor force to manufacture things like semiconductor chips used in mobile phones. We do not currently possess that level of expertise on a mass scale, so it will take time and resources to train our labor pool to the level of Germany, Switzerland, Japan and other countries.3

Companies (and by extension, shareholders) also need to see a return on their reshoring investments. In addition to corporate management exploring ways to offset the higher operating costs associated with reshoring, policymakers are expected to facilitate this effort via tax breaks, low-cost loans and other subsidies.

The “State of North American Manufacturing 2021 Annual Report” found that manufacturers are more concerned with the higher costs associated with reshoring than they are with other risks, such as supply chain shortages, proximity to market, demand for U.S.-made products and potential shipping disruptions.4 In other words, the carrot for reshoring needs to be worth their effort from a strictly financial perspective. That will be much harder to achieve given the lack of skilled workers, higher cost of wages and potential labor shortages in the U.S.

The other factor is that Asia not only showed supply chain resiliency during the pandemic, but its growing population represents a tremendous market for U.S. companies. This means they are less inclined to move operations to the U.S. and subsequently incur higher shipping costs to get the goods back to the lucrative Asian consumer market.5

We take pride in assisting our clients with incorporating all aspects of their life into their Retirement Roadmap 360®. Take control of your financial future and give us a call at (734) 769-1719 today to see how we may be able to help you!

1 Bank of America Merrill Lynch. 2021. “Made in America.” https://www.bofaml.com/en-us/content/reshoring/made-in-america.html. Accessed June 22, 2021.

2 Bank of America Merrill Lynch. July 23, 2020. “The USD 1 trillion cost of remaking supply chains: Significant but not prohibitive.” https://www.bofaml.com/content/dam/boamlimages/documents/articles/ID20_0734/cost_of_remaking_supply_chains.pdf. Accessed June 16, 2021.

3 Deborah Abrams Kaplan. Supply Chain Dive. April 8, 2021. “Supply chains do the math on reshoring’s pros and cons.” https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/supply-chains-reshoring-decisions-sourcing-manufacturing-china/597596/. Accessed June 22, 2021.

4 Edwin Lopez. Supply Chain Dive. June 7, 2021. “Supply chain managers shift reshoring focus to total cost of ownership.” https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/inventory-supply-chain-managers-TCO-reshoring-Thomas/601148/. Accessed June 22, 2021.

5 Matt Leonard. Supply Chain Dive. June 17, 2021. “Tariffs, pandemic may not be enough to drive reshoring.” https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/reshoring-china-north-america-supply-chain-biden-forecast/601971/. Accessed June 22, 2021.

The information contained in this material is believed to be reliable, but accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed; it is not intended to be used as the sole basis for financial decisions.

Investment Advisory Services are offered by Imber Financial Group, LLC., a Registered Investment Adviser firm. Insurance services are offered through Imber Wealth Advisors, Inc. Imber Financial Group, LLC. and Imber Wealth Advisors, Inc. are affiliated companies

Tuesday, August 24, 2021

They say we don’t always appreciate what we have until it’s gone. That was one of the big lessons learned during the pandemic — but there are others. We learned a lot about the quirks and interests of family members — which tend to change as our children grow and we don’t always realize how much.

We also learned to never take good health for granted. For many who either didn’t contract COVID-19 or did so with mild symptoms, it’s hard to appreciate that one small change in a person’s health — asthma or diabetes — could be the difference between some people not taking the disease seriously and others dying.

We also may have learned a thing or two about financial security and the value of emergency funds and insurance safety nets. If it has occurred to you that your household finances could be in better shape, particularly if we have more pandemics and more shutdowns in the future, please give us a call. We can help you position assets for reliable income and emergency cash.

Family

Students switched to online classes. College graduates moved back home with no job in sight. Breadwinners either worked from home or risked their health to serve in essential positions or to keep their businesses afloat. With fewer entertainment venues available, we were either all living in close quarters or living alone with greater social isolation than ever before. As of last July, 52% of people ages 18 to 29 lived with a parent. That’s the highest number in more than a century, according to the Pew Research Center. While some households may have fared better than others, in the best-case scenarios families learned to spend days upon days together sharing (and negotiating) indoor spaces, preparing meals together, walking and working in the yard, and talking. One parent of a boomerang Millennial observed, “You raise your kids to grow up, and somebody else gets to meet them like this, as adults. But now I get to know her like this.”1

Education

The pandemic may be the catalyst to effectively evolve our nation’s higher education system. At least some form of hybrid classes (online and in-person) are expected to continue permanently. In addition, colleges are becoming more focused on how to better prepare students to work (and find) jobs when they graduate, including more for-credit internships with local employers. Perhaps the growing cost of education may begin to subside, since the fees universities charge for student services has grown four times as fast as those for instruction. With so many students graduating with student debt throughout the last two decades, today’s young adults are questioning the value of a college education altogether. Instead, they are focused on a higher return of investment for taking on that level of debt. Today, only 66% of students say they believe a college degree offers a good return on investment, compared to 78% last August.2

Jobs

COVID redefined the concept of an “essential worker.” It is no longer just fire, police, emergency and hospital workers. The category has expanded to include grocery store stockers and clerks, factory floor workers and delivery drivers. Meanwhile, employees at every income level began to question their career choices, some not just abandoning jobs but switching professions. With more people enjoying the work-from-home option, they are less focused on how much they can earn but how it provides for their quality of life. If they earn less but are happier working from home, many are willing to make that sacrifice. As of January, a Pew survey revealed that 66% of unemployed people have seriously considered changing occupations.3

Saving and Spending

Since we could go nowhere and do nothing, millions of Americans saved more money in the early months of the pandemic. The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis reported that in 2020, the personal savings rate grew from 8.3% in February to 33.7% in April. By January 2021, it still remained as high as 20.5%. The ability to work from home meant fewer people dressed for work or paid dry cleaning bills. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Americans spent $23.9 billion less on clothing and footwear in the fourth quarter of 2020 than in the fourth quarter of 2019. There was less driving in both business and commercial markets, reflecting $88.2 billion less spent on gasoline and other energy goods than in 2019. Additional savings resulted from preparing more meals at home and exercising at home in lieu of gym fees. 4

Health

The relatively quick onset of COVID-19 showed just how fast industries could adapt when necessary, particularly the health industry. Policy makers are driven to focus more on wellness, prevention and public health. Employers (and schools) have a greater appreciation of how precautionary measures can help prevent the spread of other airborne and infectious diseases (during cold and flu season). And while the U.S. has been debating health care reform for years, there is now a greater appreciation of how value-based payment models can create a more resilient health care system.5

1 Soumya Karlamangla. The Los Angeles Times. June 9, 2021. “A pandemic love story you haven’t heard before: Parents and their adult children.” https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-06-09/adult-kids-parents-have-unique-covid-love-stories. Accessed June 12, 2021.

2 Bianca Quilantan. Politico. Jan. 25, 2021. “How the pandemic forever changed higher education.” https://www.politico.com/newsletters/weekly-education-coronavirus-special-edition/2021/01/25/how-the-pandemic-forever-changed-higher-education-792939. Accessed June 12, 2021.

3 Joanne Lipman. Time. June 1, 2021. “The Pandemic Revealed How Much We Hate Our Jobs. Now We Have a Chance to Reinvent Work.” https://time.com/6051955/work-after-covid-19/. Accessed June 12, 2021.

4 Stephen Schramm. Duke Today. May 5, 2021. “How We’re Saving Money During the Pandemic.” https://today.duke.edu/2021/05/how-we’re-saving-money-during-pandemic. Accessed June 12, 2021.

5 Laura Joszt. American Journal of Managed Care. May 17, 2021. “Building a More Resilient and Sustainable Health System.” https://www.ajmc.com/view/building-a-more-resilient-and-sustainable-health-system. Accessed June 12, 2021.

We are an independent firm helping individuals create retirement strategies using a variety of insurance products to custom suit their needs and objectives. This material is intended to provide general information to help you understand basic retirement income strategies and should not be construed as financial advice.

The information contained in this material is believed to be reliable, but accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed; it is not intended to be used as the sole basis for financial decisions.

Wednesday, June 2, 2021

Gen X Prepares to Ascend the Throne

Generation X, comprised of adults between the ages of 40 and 55, have entered their prime earning years while at the same time enjoying a bull market for stocks. This demographic represents about a quarter of households in the U.S. (26.8%) and a similar share of

household net worth (26.9%). However, many economists see Gen X as the next generation to hold significant wealth.1

While the declining Baby Boomer generation now accounts for only 22% of American consumers, Gen X is expected to grow to more than 38 million households by 2027. Furthermore, this group is expected to reach $34.6 trillion in investable assets during that same time frame, up from holding $9.2 trillion in in 2017.2

If you or someone you know is earning a good income but has little investment experience, we’d be glad to help. Forming a trusted relationship with a financial professional can be the key to designing and achieving a plan for a financially confident retirement. Please feel free to give us a call or refer us to family, friends and colleagues.

A new study of Generation X women found that more than half (54%) of those with partners earn as much as or more than their spouse. In fact, nearly a third of Millennial and Gen X women report that they are the primary breadwinners of their household. With earnings and financial planning top of mind, about 77% of Gen X women say they are making sure their children learn about managing finances.3

However, Gen X largely represents the last of the old guard. This generation grew up believing in the American dream – get an education, work hard, buy a house with a 30-year mortgage and save for retirement. In contrast, the generations following are more skeptical of these principals. Having lived through and witnessed the effects of two recessions and a global pandemic on their parents’ finances, Millennials and Generation Z are more likely to question the cost-value proposition of a college education and the wisdom of committing to a 30-year mortgage – especially while carrying student loan debt and an auto loan.4

Gen X may be more interested in a job that provides health benefits, while younger generations tend to be more entrepreneurial, and choosing the entrepreneurial path, benefits are not always included with the job. As such, Gen X is more old school when it comes to investing, contributing to traditional savings vehicles and adopting a buy-and-hold mindset. In some ways Millennials are proving more sophisticated; using apps to actively buy and sell stocks, invest in fractional shares, and mix up their savings vehicles among tax-advantaged accounts such as a 401(k) or a Roth IRA.

In many ways, Generation X is in a prime position. Although overlooked by the larger, more influential Baby Boomers and Millennials, Gen X has benefited from being sandwiched in the middle. They’ve inherited the values of the American Dream. Many got their college education before tuitions skyrocketed and student loans became prevalent. Some had bought their first house and had a firm foothold in their career before the 2007 recession.

At the same time, they grew up with computers and easily adapted to smartphones and other new technology. Gen X has accumulated assets that are well positioned to continue growing and help ease them into retirement, not to mention the potential for inheriting wealth from their parents.5

1 Howard Schneider. US News & World Report. March 29, 2021. “Gen X Emerging From Pandemic With Firmer Grip on America’s Wallet.” https://money.usnews.com/investing/news/articles/2021-03-29/gen-x-emerging-from-pandemic-with-firmer-grip-on-americas-wallet. Accessed April 11, 2021.

dont-call-them-slackers-why-gen-x-is-really-gen. Accessed April 11, 2021.

3 Jacqueline Sergeant. Financial Advisor Magazine. April 1, 2021. “The Buck Increasingly Stops With Millennial, Gen X Women.” https://www.fa-mag.com/news/the-buck-increasingly-stops-with-millennial–gen-x-women-61202.html. Accessed April 11, 2021.

4 Andrew Lisa. Yahoo Finance. April 6, 2021. “What Millennials Can Learn From Gen X’s Money Mistakes.” https://finance.yahoo.com/news/millennials-learn-gen-x-money-201401828.html. Accessed April 11, 2021.

5 Andrew Lisa. Yahoo Finance. March 24, 2021. “Surprising Ways Gen X and Millennials Are Worlds Apart Financially.” https://finance.yahoo.com/news/surprising-ways-gen-x-millennials-110017806.html. Accessed April 11, 2021.

The information contained in this material is believed to be reliable, but accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed; it is not intended to be used as the sole basis for financial decisions.

Friday, October 23, 2020

Federal Legislative and Administrative Rules Update

If you received a stimulus check last spring to help cope with the financial effects of the COVID-19 virus on your household, there’s something you should know. Those funds are technically an advance rebate of a special 2020 tax credit. Many taxpayers will be able to reconcile that rebate on their 2020 return to equal the tax credit allowed. However, there will be some for whom credits exceed their rebates and they can claim the balance as a refund, and others for whom their rebate exceeds their credits — although tax professionals do not believe those payments will have to be repaid.¹

By a variety of measures, 2020 has been a tough year for many Americans. That is why it’s important to take a step back and consider what legislative changes and new administrative rules have been implemented to make this year a little easier. As you navigate this new landscape, please give us a call if you would like guidance in your investment decisions and future retirement income strategy.

According to a Care.com survey of parents with children younger than age 15, nearly three-quarters report that they intend to make major changes in their careers to accommodate the potential need for childcare this year.² Among them, 15% indicate they may leave the workforce altogether. As you plan, be aware that you may be eligible for paid leave to care for your children through a provision included in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

Passed in March, this provision grants up two weeks (80 hours) of emergency paid sick leave at two-thirds pay (capped at $200 per day) for parents unable to work because of a need to care for a child under the age of 18 if their school or care provider is closed or unavailable due to the pandemic. If schools open with an intermittent schedule, parents may be able to take paid leave only on the days their children are at home.³

In light of the amount of people who need to need to stay home because they are either sick, quarantined for possible exposure to COVID-19 or at high risk if they do contract the virus, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has relaxed rules regarding in-home care and medical services. Specifically, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and physician assistants can now provide home health services for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries — previously unavailable unless certified by a physician. They can now order, establish and review a plan of care and certify eligibility for home health services.⁴

If you’re a business owner and planning for your own care needs in retirement, be aware that Sub-Chapter C Corporations can deduct long-term care (LTC) insurance premiums on behalf of employees, business owner spouses or dependents. Self-employed workers also may deduct 100% of LTC premiums up to certain age-based limits.⁵ Unfortunately, individual tax filers may deduct LTC premiums only if they itemize tax deductions and only to the extent those premiums exceed 7.5% of their adjusted gross income.⁶ Note that some states allow for limited deductions on state tax returns.⁷

Given the national controversy on immigration rules, one lesser-known change made this year is that the federal government has actually loosened restrictions for certain visas. Effective May 14, 2020 through May 15, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security has removed certain limitations for employers to hire H-2B workers already residing in the U.S. to provide temporary labor or services essential to the food-supply chain. This was in response to disruptions caused by the COVD-19 pandemic.⁸

As for rule changes that affect the country’s financial health, the Federal Reserve announced in March that large banks have held up well in light of the strain caused by the recent economic decline. Moving forward, the central bank has mandated that large banks suspend share repurchases, cap dividend payments and limit dividends in an effort to help preserve capital during the third quarter of 2020.⁹

With a strong financial plan in place, we can help you prepare to leave the workforce and live comfortably. Take control of your financial future and give us a call at (734) 769-1719 today!

¹ Joy Taylor and Rocky Mengle. Kiplinger. June 22, 2020. “Tax Changes and Key Amounts for the 2020 Tax Year.” https://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/taxes/t055-s011-tax-changes-and-key-tax-amounts-for-2020/index.html. Sept. 8, 2020.

² Jennifer Liu. CNBC. Aug. 17, 2020. “Parents may qualify for paid leave, unemployment if schools are closed for the fall.” https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/17/parents-may-qualify-for-paid-leave-unemployment-due-to-school-closure.html. Accessed Sept. 8, 2020.

³ Ibid.

⁴Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services. April 30, 2020. “Trump Administration Issues Second Round of Sweeping Changes to Support U.S. Healthcare System During COVID-19 Pandemic.” https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/trump-administration-issues-second-round-sweeping-changes-support-us-healthcare-system-during-covid. Accessed Sept. 8, 2020.

⁵ LTC Partner. 2020. “2020 Long Term Care Insurance Tax Deduction.” https://www.longtermcareinsurancepartner.com/long-term-care-insurance/2020-long-term-care-insurance-tax-deduction. Accessed Sept. 8, 2020.

⁶ Internal Revenue Service. Sept. 20, 2020. “Topic No. 502 Medical and Dental Expenses.” https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc502. Accessed Sept. 21, 2020.

⁷ LTC Partner. 2020. “2020 Long Term Care Insurance Tax Deduction.” https://www.longtermcareinsurancepartner.com/long-term-care-insurance/2020-long-term-care-insurance-tax-deduction. Accessed Sept. 8, 2020.

⁸ Federal Register. May 14, 2020. “Temporary Changes to Requirements Affecting H-2B Nonimmigrants Due to the COVID-19 National Emergency.” https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/05/14/2020-10486/temporary-changes-to-requirements-affecting-h-2b-nonimmigrants-due-to-the-covid-19-national. Accessed Sept. 8, 2020.

⁹ Federal Reserve. June 25, 2020. “Federal Reserve Board releases results of stress tests for 2020 and additional sensitivity analyses conducted in light of the coronavirus event.” https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/bcreg20200625c.htm. Accessed Sept. 8, 2020.

Our firm is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government or any governmental agency and does not provide tax or legal advice.

The information contained in this material is believed to be reliable, but accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed; it is not intended to be used as the sole basis for financial decisions. If you are unable to access any of the news articles and sources through the links provided in this text, please contact us to request a copy of the desired reference.

Monday, October 19, 2020

Will You Be Able to Afford In-Home, Long-Term Care?

More than 90% of America’s older adults prefer to “age in place” in their own homes rather than in a senior housing community or facility.¹ With today’s insight into how a deadly pandemic can affect nursing homes — as of September 6, COVID-19 has claimed nearly 55,000 nursing home residents’ lives — this preference may be prudent from a health care standpoint.²

However, aging at home also can be quite expensive. Much depends on the level and amount of care you require. And, as you can imagine, those levels are likely to increase as you get older. For some, it starts out as light housekeeping and running errands. That may progress into cooking meals and taking you to doctor appointments. Eventually, you may need someone to help you dress, groom and move around. A few hours a week could eventually change into 24-hour care, depending on your rate of health and/or mental decline.

According to the 2019 Genworth Cost of Care Survey, the average cost of an in-home caregiver is $22.50 per hour.³ If you need someone for eight hours a day, that could run you about $5,400 a month. If you need 24-hour care because, for example, you need help walking to the bathroom in the middle of the night, that cost could quickly amount to $16,200 a month. Is that a potential cost you’ve factored into your retirement income plan?

For many, the answer is no. We tend to plan as well as possible and hope for the best. If you’d like to explore different insurance options to help pay for potential long-term care needs, we can help. Contact us for more information.

As you develop a plan for old age and staying at home, it’s important to embrace technology. Today, about 75% of people age 55- to 65-years old own smartphones, download and use apps, and many search online for health information.⁴ This is a good start.

One of the silver linings of the pandemic is that more people have begun to embrace remote patient monitoring devices. Wearable technology enables certain vital signs to be constantly monitored and even emitted electronically to their physician’s office if they exceed normal levels. This allows some people who suffer from chronic illnesses or who are home-bound to monitor their own health instead of visiting doctors’ offices or requiring hospitalization.⁵

Another way to help combat the cost of 24-hour in-home care is to explore the growing availability of artificial intelligence-aided robots. While lacking the warmth of a human being, robots can research information, engage in conversation, play games and even make remote phone calls if their ward needs emergency care.⁶

If you’d rather have an actual body in the house to keep you company and provide for your needs, another way to help cut costs is to provide a rent-free room in exchange for care. This can start out as a simple arrangement in exchange for light housekeeping, cooking and chores. Later on, you may want to seek out a nursing student or other type of medical provider who can offer more substantive caregiving duties in exchange for a place to live.

With a strong financial plan in place, we can help you prepare to leave the workforce and live comfortably. Take control of your financial future and give us a call at (734) 769-1719 today!

¹ Tracy Arabian. Gloucester Daily Times. Sep. 2, 2020. “Help available for all wanting to age in place.” https://www.gloucestertimes.com/news/living/senior-lookout-help-available-for-all-wanting-to-age-in-place/article_a375bb79-166d-5ddb-954f-8b70c11735ff.html. Accessed Sept. 8, 2020.

² Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Sept. 6, 2020. https://data.cms.gov/stories/s/bkwz-xpvg. Accessed Sept. 21, 2020.

³ Rachel Hartman. US News & World Report. June 10, 2020. “Can You Afford In-Home Elderly Care?” https://money.usnews.com/money/retirement/aging/articles/can-you-afford-in-home-elderly-care. Accessed Sept. 8, 2020.

⁴ Mallory Hackett. MobiHealthNews. Sept. 9, 2020. “An untapped market for digital health innovation exists among seniors hoping to age in place.” https://www.mobihealthnews.com/news/untapped-market-digital-health-innovation-exists-among-seniors-hoping-age-place. Accessed Sept. 9, 2020.

⁵ Rich Griset. Chesterfield Observer. Sept. 2, 2020. “During the pandemic, local companies help seniors bridge the technology gap.” https://www.chesterfieldobserver.com/articles/during-the-pandemic-local-companies-help-seniors-bridge-the-technology-gap/. Accessed Sept. 8, 2020.

⁶ Wolf Shlagman. HomeCare. Sept. 1, 2020. “The Potential of AI in Homecare.” https://www.homecaremag.com/september-2020/potential-ai-homecare. Accessed Sept. 8, 2020.