Financial Planning for Seniors
4 Practical Tips to Help Seniors With Financial Planning
You may ask yourself; shouldn’t this have been done when they were younger?
Yes, perhaps, but not all of us think of this when we’re young and not all of us can do this when we’re young. So we must now plan for it as we age.
Where do you begin?
First, make a budget and stick to it.
You know how much money you have coming in each month and how much you can afford to put out each month.
Find a financial advisor; there are local programs that can help you.
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is one such program that helps seniors with many different programs for free or reduced rates.
AARP is another organization that offers free programs from other seniors who have retired, such as financial advisors who are looking to volunteer their services and assistance.
Next, set limits on the money you give to family members.
I know it’s nice to give your children and grandchildren money for their birthday and Christmas, but you may need to hold on to that money for yourself, or perhaps give them a lesser amount.
There’s a free program through the NCOA called BenefitsCheckUp and they provide community programs and services, online help, and advocacy.
After signing up, you can browse all the programs offered, find out if you qualify, and figure out how to apply for them. Go to https://www.benefitscheckup.org/ to learn more.
Be very careful with your internet/TV/phone service too.
Different companies charge so much money and if you have direct debit, you may not even know what you are paying for the service.
This happened to a client of ours, she has her internet/cable/phone service come right out of her checking account. Well, she bounced some checks because she didn’t know how much was coming out.
When she signed up for it, it was like $129.99 a month, so this is what she was taking out. Well, guess what? They were charging her, $275.00 a month!!! She said she never received a notice about the rate increase nor did she receive anything from her bank.
This woman has several children and to think that not one of them checks on her financial well-being just amazes me.
As senior advocates, we can help in situations like this. One of our advisors took her to her bank and to the places where the checks bounced and rectified the situation.
The bank is now to notify our advocate when monies run low. Our advisor was also able to downgrade her internet service and her bill is no longer direct debited from her account.
This is just one example of what a senior advocate can do for you, so should you find you need a senior advocate, someone who will go to bat for YOU with no hidden agenda, call Assisted Living Made Simple. We love our seniors and are privileged to assist you, and the best part is . . . our service to you is FREE!!
