Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Will you retire?

Our lifespans have increased and our health is better. So do we continue to "retire" at 65? 70?
Or will we take on newer careers at those ages?

The median annual income for older women [ 65 and up] is a few thousand dollars over the definition of poverty level. And although we worked hard at women's equality - we are not equal financially. Our income at over 65 is about half of that of a male.

So it makes economic sense for women to keep working. I'll always work - but it will not ever be 9 to 5. I've tried that a few times and it doesn't fit my psyche :- ). I've changed careers many times...when I was 50 I went to law school and my son, who was then 11, wrote an essay about me that ended with "My mom is 50 and she still doesn't know what she wants to be when she grows up." His mom is almost 67 and still wonders what she'll be when she grows up....I love reading and learning - but
for now I'm content to do it on my own without collecting any more degrees....

I'm more into degree-less work now....It its my growing older better psyche : -)

Monday, October 16, 2006

Money and growing older

For many, there is a financial need to continue working after hitting the 60's. For others, there is a desire to keep working until we are no longer able to do so..... One nice thing about aging is that we hopefully learn to work smarter and not harder.

We are living longer and maintaining our health as we age...and for some, we are getting healthier as we grow older better I am in much better physical shape than I was when in my 50's. , Maybe even better than when in my 40's.

So - do we keep working or not? It's an individual choice - and depends on how much "better" you want to grow older : ). Full retirement with sufficient funds so that there is absolutely no stress related to money is great. But with increasing costs of everything - it's wise to not totally count on what you now have if you are retired.

I complain about corporations here: http://illegitimisnilcarborundum.blogspot.com
but I will say here that they scare me. All they want is the moolah and the hell with the people. Yes I know this is not true of all corporations but too many have hurt us - like the pharmaceuticals, the energy ones, the oil people, etc. Their goal is to increase their own net incomes and those of their shareholders- they do not care about who might get hurt. [The Medicare part D doughnut hole is a good example.]

Over the next bunch of postings - I am going to look at working and aging.