Keen On Retirement

Is your brain getting the workout it needs to keep you mentally sharp in retirement? Medical science has established a pretty clear link between physical and mental health. According to Harvard Medical School, a variety of mental stimulation, paired with regular exercise and a healthy diet, can create new neural connections in your brain, regenerate new brain cells, and even protect the brain against the loss of cells in the future. The Mayo Clinic says that same mix of healthy living and thinking can lower your risk of developing Alzheimer’s or dementia. And CogniFit Research recommends “brain fitness” as a means to maintain working memory, planning ability, focus, and the speed at which we process information. Consider mixing some of these brain-boosting activities into your retirement wellness routine.

The connection between money and happiness has always been one of the most personal and complicated parts of the financial planning process. After all, "happiness" means something different to all of us. And those definitions can change as we progress through life, especially when we're navigating meaningful life transitions. On today's show, we dive into some new research on money and happiness. We also discuss some of the important things in life that money can and can't buy and how a comprehensive financial plan can support your vision of happiness at every stage of your life.

In Part 1 of this two-part series on luxury travel for retirees, we shared some tips on getting the most vacation for your money and took a brief tour of some U.S. hotspots. In Part 2, we are going to explore some international destinations that you might want to consider adding to your bucket list. With proper planning and budgeting, this could be the year you take your dream vacation or journey somewhere unexpected that opens your eyes to how wide and wonderful the world is.

On today's show, we discuss a topic that many of us will deal with from multiple angles: caring for elderly family members. Many baby boomers who are transitioning into retirement have also become caregivers for their parents or older relatives. At the same time, these retirees may be beginning to talk to their children or grandchildren about some estate planning basics and how they want to be cared for if they start to experience a decline later in life. These are some of the most challenging decisions to make and some of the hardest conversations to have. But making a plan while you and the people you're caring for are still healthy and opening up about your wishes with loved ones can make the tough times we all experience in life a little bit easier down the road.

As we head into the summer vacation season, one item that's high on many travelers’ wish lists is value. With the pandemic finally in the rearview mirror, high demand for travel is driving up costs. Additionally, the markets are still recovering, and consumer prices and inflation are still above average. That's enough to make even affluent retirees nervous about spending money on entertainment and leisure while nervous about their long-term security.

Matt Wilson's latest Market Update webinar touched on some important topics that you've probably seen in the headlines lately: interest rates, inflation, bank closures, the debt ceiling debate, and economic growth forecasts for the rest of the year. But if you're just getting your info on these things from social media or cable news, Matt's approach was likely a breath of fresh air. At Keen Wealth, we try to provide clear-eyed analysis without the hype so that folks can understand the practical effects that hot-button issues could have on their financial plans and their retirement. On today's show, we recap some of the bullet points from Matt's Q2 Market Update and answer a few follow-up questions from folks who attended the webinar.