We have started doing that as well...at Food Lion, Walmart, and Carlie C's...the stores we shop at the most. I really like the notes on the aisle location.
Doug: We are of like mind. I have instituted many, if not all, of your mentioned simplifications, except for spousal access and mutual digital calendars. While my wife has 100% access to all of our assets and accounts, she is NOT a "techie person," as she calls it, and would be hard-pressed to do anything online, other than buying craft stuff on eBay and getting recipes from the Food Network. Previous attempts to "train her" to use the financial aspects of the computer have been "less than. enthusiastically embraced." Same for the calendar. I keep a digital calendar, but we also have a wall calendar we both share. I add my stuff to her's on the calendar as needed, so we each know when we can schedule things. As far as financial records, I have a document that is both a "hard copy" and digital, with the digital version kept on the desktop of my computer. My wife keeps the "hard copy" in her stand-up jewelry case, and she has the password to open my computer. The document is basically a step-by-step guide instructing her what to do if I don't wake up tomorrow. All banking and financial accounts, passwords, assets, and addresses for accounts, advisors, and our attorney are listed in the document. It is updated monthly and/or when anything major occurs, such as my recently discovered veteran's benefit of $2004 doillars for funeral expenses. I discovered this benefit, which only came into existence in October 2025, when arranging for my father's inurnment later this month. Although he is not eligible for it, because he died in 2018, when I die, my beneficiaries will enjoy that benefit. Admittedly, my document is "old school," but it suits my wife. Our daughter, who is our executrix, also receives a copy of the document when it is updated, without account numbers or passwords.
100% of our retirement is in "guaranteed money"...Social Security & Annuities. Portfolio is 100% in VTI and VXUS (80/20) since it is not used for income. We can just watch it recover over the next 9-10 months or 1-2 years, whichever course the market decides to take. I am a Bogle disciple. "Stay the Course." Our retirement plans have not changed, so neither has our portfolio.
Great article, Mark! My bride of 52 years gave up all sweets for Lent. I have a GIANT Easter basket full of all the "good stuff" hidden in my office closet, including a Roche Easter Bunny for myself nd a LARGE Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate one for her. Me? I gave up Coffee for Lent. After the first 3-4 days of headaches, it has been manageable. It's not really the coffee that gets to me... It's the Sweetner and the Carnation Hazelnut Cleamer that I crave. Only two and a wake-up!
I experienced the persistence of a Fisher's Vice President's follow-up after an initial conversation. Because of my background in insurance & investments, as well as college teaching in those areas, I dismissed Fisher's program. Any advisor who advises you not to consider a powerful financial tool (an annuity) is automatically suspect to me. Their Fee Schedule also turned me off, in a major way, since it is borderline greedy. As far as their brochure and its recommendations are concerned, it's actually not a bad brochure. Many of the recommendations make great sense! As far as laundry is concerned...one of the greatest gifts my mom gave me was a young man was how to do my own laundry, how to do minor sewing tasks, and how to iron clothes nicely! Add to that how to do basic cooking, and I was ready to take care of myself. She also taught me how to appreciate a wife...and I have never told my wife how to do our laundry. Ha! She didn't tell me how to give clients financial advice or teach college classes, and I don't tell her how to keep our home!
"It is never wrong to do the right thing," attributed to Mark Twain, seems appropriate here. In every generation, there are problems one is forced to deal with. It has always been the case, and I doubt it will ever change to be otherwise. The difference is only what each generation is forced to live with. Is it really harder today than it was in the 1920s and 30s...the 1940s...? Being empathetic costs you nothing and may actually help someone else. Being charitable is always the right thing to do, whether it is emotionally, spiritually, or fiscally. I would venture to say some, but not all, of those regularly visiting this site have endured times of great difficulty. I am 75 years old, and although I have enjoyed a blessed life, I have experienced an older brother killed in war, a younger brother who died of HIV, a marriage that failed, job losses twice, the deaths of my parents and siblings, years of estrangement with one of my children, a major financial loss, and yet, I am still here, successfully retired from three different careers, coming up on a 52nd marriage anniversary, and on Monday of this week, I earned my Doctor of Minstry degree, thereby fulfilling a lifetime goal. The best way I have found to enrich and enjoy your life is in service to others. In times of trouble, when you are focused inwardly, as difficult as it may be to do, at the same time, maybe the answer is to look outward and see what you can do for someone else, worse off than you. And if you are fortunate enough to believe in God, remember that HIS plan and NOT your plan is the right answer.
Those comments will not be welcome here, whether true or not. One reason is legitimate...this is not a political forum. The other reasons is not...this forum is somewhat left leaning and if your truth isn't their truth you will be chastised.
Wow...I can't remember the last time I paid with cash. Opps...yes I do. i had to get a document notarized, and the Notary only accepted cash. Otherwise, my wife and I charge everything on a credit card. It has a 2% money-back on all purchases, so we get $150-160 back each month. I never carry a balance, though; I pay the balance off every Saturday Morning. Funny story...my son, after returning from military service, lived at home for 18 months or so, before moving out into his apartment. (ONLY because his mom and I were relocating for my final career move.) He called me and asked me how to write a check for the deposit and 1st month's rent. He was 21 years old, and had used a debit card his whole life.
What a great example of "It's never too late!" It reminds me of what I use to tell folks back in my financial advisor days, "The best day to start saving for retirement was the day you turned 18. The second best day is today!" I had less than $150,000 in my IRA when I started my last job, in 2009, at 58 years old. When i retired in January 2024, my 403b and our Roth IRAs were over $700,000 and our total Net Worh was $1.3 M. (My wife did not work ourside the hoime except for 6 years in the late 1990s early 2000s, when we owned a Natioinwide Insurance Agency.) It really isn't ever too late!
Everyone's numbers are all over the board...as are the feelings regarding how good seniors have it. Both my wife and I take a prescription drug that has an exorbitant cost. Hers was $1,400 a month, and mine was $1400 per 3 months in 2025...I don't have the price yet for 2026. I sincerely hope President Trump's efforts to bring down drug prices in the US are successful, but either way, we will both Max Out our Plan D Maximum OOP before mid-year. For my wife and I we have the following costs: Medicare Part B Kevin (2026) $202.90 $2,434.80
Medicare Part B Kim (2026) $202.90 $2,434.80 Med Sup - Kevin Plan G. (Annual) $1,516.44
Med Sup - Kim Plan G (Annual) $1,154.88 Medicare Part D Premium Kevin - $43.20
Medicare Part D Premium Kim - $43.20 Medicare Part D Deductible Kevin - $615.00
Medicare Part D Deductible Kim - $615.00 Deductibles Part B Deductibles - $283 ea. -$566.00 Maximum Out Of Pocke7 $4,200.00 Total Cost for Medicare in 2026 will be approixmately $13,623.32, assuming no hospitalizations.We do not have IRMAA issues due to proper lifetime income planning. Gross Income for 2025 was @133,000. Taxable income for 2025 was $5,320. Inocme Tax due for 2025: $368 Federal, $107 State. We will actual recieve a refund of $3791, because in 2025 I had dollars voluntarily withheld for the first 6 months of the year, from our social security benefits. No Pension...Social Security, Annuity Income (72% Inocme Tax Free), and 4% Withdrawals from a brokerage account. (Zero Capital Gains). We will enjoy basically no income taxes due for 2026-2029.
Comments
We have started doing that as well...at Food Lion, Walmart, and Carlie C's...the stores we shop at the most. I really like the notes on the aisle location.
Post: Simplify Everything
Link to comment from April 3, 2026
Doug: We are of like mind. I have instituted many, if not all, of your mentioned simplifications, except for spousal access and mutual digital calendars. While my wife has 100% access to all of our assets and accounts, she is NOT a "techie person," as she calls it, and would be hard-pressed to do anything online, other than buying craft stuff on eBay and getting recipes from the Food Network. Previous attempts to "train her" to use the financial aspects of the computer have been "less than. enthusiastically embraced." Same for the calendar. I keep a digital calendar, but we also have a wall calendar we both share. I add my stuff to her's on the calendar as needed, so we each know when we can schedule things. As far as financial records, I have a document that is both a "hard copy" and digital, with the digital version kept on the desktop of my computer. My wife keeps the "hard copy" in her stand-up jewelry case, and she has the password to open my computer. The document is basically a step-by-step guide instructing her what to do if I don't wake up tomorrow. All banking and financial accounts, passwords, assets, and addresses for accounts, advisors, and our attorney are listed in the document. It is updated monthly and/or when anything major occurs, such as my recently discovered veteran's benefit of $2004 doillars for funeral expenses. I discovered this benefit, which only came into existence in October 2025, when arranging for my father's inurnment later this month. Although he is not eligible for it, because he died in 2018, when I die, my beneficiaries will enjoy that benefit. Admittedly, my document is "old school," but it suits my wife. Our daughter, who is our executrix, also receives a copy of the document when it is updated, without account numbers or passwords.
Post: Simplify Everything
Link to comment from April 3, 2026
100% of our retirement is in "guaranteed money"...Social Security & Annuities. Portfolio is 100% in VTI and VXUS (80/20) since it is not used for income. We can just watch it recover over the next 9-10 months or 1-2 years, whichever course the market decides to take. I am a Bogle disciple. "Stay the Course." Our retirement plans have not changed, so neither has our portfolio.
Post: Any concern?
Link to comment from April 3, 2026
Great article, Mark! My bride of 52 years gave up all sweets for Lent. I have a GIANT Easter basket full of all the "good stuff" hidden in my office closet, including a Roche Easter Bunny for myself nd a LARGE Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate one for her. Me? I gave up Coffee for Lent. After the first 3-4 days of headaches, it has been manageable. It's not really the coffee that gets to me... It's the Sweetner and the Carnation Hazelnut Cleamer that I crave. Only two and a wake-up!
Post: Lent, Chocolate, and the Art of Retirement
Link to comment from April 3, 2026
I experienced the persistence of a Fisher's Vice President's follow-up after an initial conversation. Because of my background in insurance & investments, as well as college teaching in those areas, I dismissed Fisher's program. Any advisor who advises you not to consider a powerful financial tool (an annuity) is automatically suspect to me. Their Fee Schedule also turned me off, in a major way, since it is borderline greedy. As far as their brochure and its recommendations are concerned, it's actually not a bad brochure. Many of the recommendations make great sense! As far as laundry is concerned...one of the greatest gifts my mom gave me was a young man was how to do my own laundry, how to do minor sewing tasks, and how to iron clothes nicely! Add to that how to do basic cooking, and I was ready to take care of myself. She also taught me how to appreciate a wife...and I have never told my wife how to do our laundry. Ha! She didn't tell me how to give clients financial advice or teach college classes, and I don't tell her how to keep our home!
Post: Ninety Nine, I mean Eight Retirement Tips
Link to comment from March 25, 2026
"It is never wrong to do the right thing," attributed to Mark Twain, seems appropriate here. In every generation, there are problems one is forced to deal with. It has always been the case, and I doubt it will ever change to be otherwise. The difference is only what each generation is forced to live with. Is it really harder today than it was in the 1920s and 30s...the 1940s...? Being empathetic costs you nothing and may actually help someone else. Being charitable is always the right thing to do, whether it is emotionally, spiritually, or fiscally. I would venture to say some, but not all, of those regularly visiting this site have endured times of great difficulty. I am 75 years old, and although I have enjoyed a blessed life, I have experienced an older brother killed in war, a younger brother who died of HIV, a marriage that failed, job losses twice, the deaths of my parents and siblings, years of estrangement with one of my children, a major financial loss, and yet, I am still here, successfully retired from three different careers, coming up on a 52nd marriage anniversary, and on Monday of this week, I earned my Doctor of Minstry degree, thereby fulfilling a lifetime goal. The best way I have found to enrich and enjoy your life is in service to others. In times of trouble, when you are focused inwardly, as difficult as it may be to do, at the same time, maybe the answer is to look outward and see what you can do for someone else, worse off than you. And if you are fortunate enough to believe in God, remember that HIS plan and NOT your plan is the right answer.
Post: My Window is Open – Come In
Link to comment from March 24, 2026
Those comments will not be welcome here, whether true or not. One reason is legitimate...this is not a political forum. The other reasons is not...this forum is somewhat left leaning and if your truth isn't their truth you will be chastised.
Post: My Window is Open – Come In
Link to comment from March 24, 2026
Wow...I can't remember the last time I paid with cash. Opps...yes I do. i had to get a document notarized, and the Notary only accepted cash. Otherwise, my wife and I charge everything on a credit card. It has a 2% money-back on all purchases, so we get $150-160 back each month. I never carry a balance, though; I pay the balance off every Saturday Morning. Funny story...my son, after returning from military service, lived at home for 18 months or so, before moving out into his apartment. (ONLY because his mom and I were relocating for my final career move.) He called me and asked me how to write a check for the deposit and 1st month's rent. He was 21 years old, and had used a debit card his whole life.
Post: Loose Change
Link to comment from March 2, 2026
What a great example of "It's never too late!" It reminds me of what I use to tell folks back in my financial advisor days, "The best day to start saving for retirement was the day you turned 18. The second best day is today!" I had less than $150,000 in my IRA when I started my last job, in 2009, at 58 years old. When i retired in January 2024, my 403b and our Roth IRAs were over $700,000 and our total Net Worh was $1.3 M. (My wife did not work ourside the hoime except for 6 years in the late 1990s early 2000s, when we owned a Natioinwide Insurance Agency.) It really isn't ever too late!
Post: It’s Never Too Late
Link to comment from February 27, 2026
Everyone's numbers are all over the board...as are the feelings regarding how good seniors have it. Both my wife and I take a prescription drug that has an exorbitant cost. Hers was $1,400 a month, and mine was $1400 per 3 months in 2025...I don't have the price yet for 2026. I sincerely hope President Trump's efforts to bring down drug prices in the US are successful, but either way, we will both Max Out our Plan D Maximum OOP before mid-year. For my wife and I we have the following costs: Medicare Part B Kevin (2026) $202.90 $2,434.80 Medicare Part B Kim (2026) $202.90 $2,434.80 Med Sup - Kevin Plan G. (Annual) $1,516.44 Med Sup - Kim Plan G (Annual) $1,154.88 Medicare Part D Premium Kevin - $43.20 Medicare Part D Premium Kim - $43.20 Medicare Part D Deductible Kevin - $615.00 Medicare Part D Deductible Kim - $615.00 Deductibles Part B Deductibles - $283 ea. -$566.00 Maximum Out Of Pocke7 $4,200.00 Total Cost for Medicare in 2026 will be approixmately $13,623.32, assuming no hospitalizations. We do not have IRMAA issues due to proper lifetime income planning. Gross Income for 2025 was @133,000. Taxable income for 2025 was $5,320. Inocme Tax due for 2025: $368 Federal, $107 State. We will actual recieve a refund of $3791, because in 2025 I had dollars voluntarily withheld for the first 6 months of the year, from our social security benefits. No Pension...Social Security, Annuity Income (72% Inocme Tax Free), and 4% Withdrawals from a brokerage account. (Zero Capital Gains). We will enjoy basically no income taxes due for 2026-2029.
Post: How important is planning for Medicare premiums in retirement? VERY!
Link to comment from January 28, 2026