By Jim Selman | BioStephanie Chen, a writer for CNN, recently published "No Retirement for These Older Folks, Just Work"
about older workers and the fact that more and more people have to keep
working well beyond their 'retirement age'. For some, this is purely a
function of economic necessity. For others, it is a choice. The piece
included two examples, a 91-year-old postal worker and a 101-year-old
legislative employee who are still going strong. If we're to believe the
predictions from Washington DC, everyone is going to be working longer
as a function of keeping Social Security solvent. The examples in Stephanie Chen's article are exceptions that prove the rule that states[Read More]
The C.D. Howe Institute recently released their recommendations on how
to break the deadlock in the Canadian pension system. With many citizens
not saving enough for retirement, provinces, lobby groups and
retirement gurus alike are looking to increase tax-deferred saving,
improve access to good retirement saving plans, and modernize the rules
governing
retirement income.[Read More]
Last week I read that life expectancy in the United States
has now reached 78 years of age. As reported by Associated Press, a baby born
in 2007 can expect to live to the age of 78. The same report noted that heart
disease and cancer together were the cause of nearly half of U.S. fatalities,
and that Alzheimer's disease has surpassed diabetes to become the sixth leading
cause of death. Regardless of how long we can expect to live, everyone
has
a date at which time life, as we know it, will come to an end. Whether by natural
or unnatural causes, our life on earth will have a conclusion. Wikipedia defines “life expectancy” as
By Kevin Brown | BioThis
week I have been having discussions with several of my friends and
business associates concerning the apparent absence of choice as we are
nearing retirement. It seems that for some people, there appears to be
no choice but to remain with their current employer in a job they no
longer find satisfaction in due to an anticipated financial loss
associated with pension and health benefits. For many, this realization
has them feeling like they have no choice in the matter. I have also noticed a similar view[Read More]
Have you noticed lately the impact that Boomers continue to have on the
world as we know it? Yes, the 'Net Generation' is beginning to have a
growing influence on our world and the way we interact with everyone in
it. But the Boomers are not retiring or withdrawing from being in
action on the field like their parents' generation did before them. No,
the Boomers are choosing to remain in the game and to impact how life
occurs for them and for everyone else. The question is, “Is this a
selfish act by Boomers or one of generosity and possibility?” Boomers
(those born between the mid 40s and the mid 60s) have been the agents
of change for most of their adult life. Whether challenging dress
codes, music preferences, the Vietnam War, or the status quo, Boomers
were and continue to be all about change. Of course, if change means
upsetting established norms, then Boomers are likely to be found
leading the parade. One can see their impact on each and every decade
for the last fifty years.
Increasingly I find myself thinking about the word
retirement and whether it has the appeal that it once had for the mature
worker. I remember, as if it were yesterday, my father talking about how he was
looking forward to retirement. After working long hours and raising a family,
there just did not seem much time for anything else. Through much of his
mid-life, my dad's job (conductor for the railroad) had him working away from
home and on the road during the week. Weekends were mostly reserved for rest
before returning to the job the following Monday. Often he would share how he
looked forward to being able to spend time doing the things he really wanted to
do. I just assumed that meant golfing and fishing simply because those are
about the only leisure activities that I remember my dad enjoying.
By Kevin Brown | BioIn my previous post,
I mentioned two books that I was in the process of reading, Ken
Dychtwald's "With Purpose" and Don Tapscott's "Grown Up Digital".
Ken's book calls us to consider how we will spend our time and apply
our life experience in the later stages of our life. Don's book has us
consider the impact the 'Net Generation' is having on the world at
large. I have only begun to read "Grown up Digital" and already I am
reading it from the perspective of aging. While considering the impact
of the 'Net Generation', I am really listening for "What does this mean
to the generation of baby boomers (my generation) that is about to
retire and how will it directly or indirectly influence our
generation's impact on society going forward?"[Read More]
Many retirees these days are revisiting their retirement and pension
plans to see if they'll have enough funds to weather the global
recession. In Canada, 35% of seniors receive the federal Guaranteed
Income Supplement benefit, which ensures that individuals receive a
minimum annual income (including Old Age Security benefits) of at least
$13,683. This level is still below the level set by the government as
the deemed poverty level ($15,336 for 2008). CARP is now proposing that
the government revise the Canada Pension Plan (CPP)to guarantee Canadian workers receive an adequate indexed pension for life. Currently, recipients of CPP receive a 25% benefit of pre-retirement income; however, this pre-retirement income figure is 'capped' at $46,300, the deemed average salary of Canadians. Read more about what expanding the CPP could mean.[Read More]
By Jim Selman | BioI am getting ready to fulfill one of my
dreams. I have always wanted to go to Africa, but for one reason or
another it was always too expensive, too far away or the opportunity
just didn’t click at the right time. In March, I will be going and I am
both excited and a little anxious since I am not quite sure what to
expect. As I watch myself preparing, I realize that the best part of
getting ready is that I don’t know what to expect—and that is the good
news. Too much of our lives is spent living into expectations, which is
one reason why we often get what we expect and are so surprised when we
don’t.[Read More]
By Jim Selman | BioI have had several conversations with friends
in Buenos Aires about how people deal with their financial security in
their older years. To my surprise, the uniform answer is that they
mostly don’t. Then I hear a story which, by my naïve North American
standards is shocking, but whhich reveals something important for all
of us as we contemplate our own future and worry about the
uncertainties in the financial markets. The story goes like this.[Read More]
By Kevin Brown | 
By Jim Selman | 
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