One of the biggest things on my mind these days is retirement. I am a few months from turning 64, so I'm not putting in my notice anytime soon. But 25 million or so Americans, ages 55 to 64, are, like me, wondering what they will live on during their "golden years." I have to be honest: I thought the hard part was living within your means and saving for retirement. It's not. Trying to figure out how to cash out your nest egg -- your tax-deferred retirement account, your taxable investments or both -- so it will last the rest of your life can be even harder. It has me gnawing at my fingernails.There are many variables when figuring out retirement finances. How well do you want to live? Do you want to leave anything? Do you want to help the kids or others? Charity?One point that needs to be made is this: If you're worried about your retirement money lasting, pay off as much debt as possible before you retire. Get rid of the monthly mortgage and car payments if you can. Keep … [Read more...] about Saving for retirement is hard. Knowing how to spend it down is harder.
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A 2,000-mile journey in the shadow of the border wall
Dennis Wagner azcentral.com | USA TODAY NETWORK Published 11:06 PM EDT Mar 27, 2018 ON THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER — There is no wall here. There is no fence, either. There are no agents or drones or surveillance towers. Only a river and a breeze. We wade into the Rio Grande at a place called Boquillas Canyon, mud squishing between toes, midway through a nearly 2,000-mile journey. By car, by foot, and foremost by helicopter, we are here to see every inch of the U.S.-Mexico boundary. Our mission is to film the border, evaluate the existing fences, document this invisible line as it exists in 2017 — before any construction begins on what President Donald Trump has repeatedly called “a big, beautiful wall.” So far, we have followed this river from its mouth in the Gulf of Mexico. The Rio Grande undulates along more than half of the U.S.-Mexico boundary. Border agents have patrolled it for years, sometimes risking their lives to enforce … [Read more...] about A 2,000-mile journey in the shadow of the border wall
Climate anxiety: A strain of emotional stress is on the rise
In his practice in Bangor, psychologist Will Hafford is seeing something new in his patients, what he terms “climate anxiety.” Centered around the issue of climate change, it’s a problem that hovers over other more typical reasons people seek therapy, and it leads to dread, grief and a questioning of one of the most basic, and hopeful, of human actions. “‘Did I make a mistake choosing to have children?’ is a common refrain among clients,” Hafford said.There are other names for this emerging branch of mental health. Solastalgia is one, a term coined by Australian philosopher Glenn Albrecht to describe a sort of homesickness that happens “when one is still at ‘home’ ” but that home is under pressure from development and climate change. It’s mourning for the future and an existential dread, overlaid with helplessness. It’s been part of the national conversation for a few years, but Hafford and other mental … [Read more...] about Climate anxiety: A strain of emotional stress is on the rise
How not to be a gentrifier in the Bay Area
By Alix Martichoux, SFGATE Published 12:59 pm PDT, Tuesday, October 9, 2018 "Don’t be that person when a SF eatery opens a branch in Oakland who says, 'Finally! It’s the best fried chicken, ice cream, burger, pizza or whatever.' We have really great local stuff here too." —Arwa Toulan, Oakland resident less "Don’t be that person when a SF eatery opens a branch in Oakland who says, 'Finally! It’s the best fried chicken, ice cream, burger, pizza or whatever.' We have really great local stuff here too." —Arwa ... more Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle "Don't come here and start calling the police on random black people because they make you uncomfortable. It will not go well for you." —Jessica Gardezy, Oakland resident "Don't come here and start calling the police on random black people because they make you uncomfortable. It will not go well for you." … [Read more...] about How not to be a gentrifier in the Bay Area
Dear Parents: It’s Time To Reconsider Whether College Is Worth It
MONEY 08/27/2018 04:39 pm ET Let's stop overselling the benefits of a traditional college education to a generation that can't afford it. By Casey Bond Graduate from high school. Go to college. Earn a degree. Get a good job. Live happily ever after. The conventional path to success in the U.S. has looked the same for many generations. There’s a good chance your parents expected you to pursue a traditional, four-year education to land a respectable career ― and if you have a child nearing adulthood, you probably expect the same. But considering that Americans now collectively owe $1.5 trillion in student loan debt, it’s time for families to take a step back and seriously rethink whether that’s the best option. Is college worth it? If you examine whether college is worth it from a purely statistical standpoint, the answer is yes. A 2015 study by Georgetown University found that on average, workers with a bachelor’s degree earn … [Read more...] about Dear Parents: It’s Time To Reconsider Whether College Is Worth It