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Retire on Less Than You Think: The New York Times Guide to Planning Your Financial Future
 
 
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Retire on Less Than You Think: The New York Times Guide to Planning Your Financial Future (Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: longevity revolution, reverse mortgage, full retirement age, Social Security, New York, New Jersey (more...)
3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)


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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The aging of the baby boomers heralds in its own way a rush to proffer advice and counsel on all topics, from reinventing lives to investing wisely for the short and longer terms. This experienced financial professional jumps at the opportunity of focusing on the latter. By no means a self-acclaimed money wizard, New York Times "Seniority" columnist Brock has, quite literally, learned on the job--and applies his knowledge frankly and pragmatically. What's more, his main message may shock many who have long believed that 70 to 80 percent of final salary is a mandatory number to accumulate for retirement. His recommendation? Based on current and projected savings, it may be just as easy to cut back and simplify lifestyles, whether that means moving to a less expensive area or streamlining postretirement activities or both. Plenty of research and resources support his contention, including Web sites like BestPlaces.net and actual great-to-hear reader stories. There's 81-year-old Elton Pasea of Nederland, Texas, who enjoys his passion of bicycling and an active lifestyle on less than $2,000 a month. Energizing--and extraordinarily enlightening. Barbara Jacobs
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Product Description

Only a few years ago, the question on many Americans' minds wasn't 'how will I retire' but 'when.' Now, with 401(k)s and IRAs at a fraction of their previous value and health-care costs soaring, it's time for a definitive guide book that walks you through the fundamentals of retirement. With his biweekly 'Seniority' column in The New York Times, Fred Brock has earned a reputation for providing frank and pragmatic advice on the changing landscape of retirement. In chapters written exclusively and originally for this book, he offers updated thinking on all the essentials for a smart and secure retirement, including how to - determine new personal finance and investing goals - find untapped asset streams, such as reverse mortgages - deal with the tangle of taxes on pensions, family gifts, and other income - work during retirement - choose a community and housing - maximize your health insurance - assess long-term assisted-living arrangements He offers indispensable tools for analyzing your true costs of retirement, independent of the mutual-fund industry hype and Social Security scares. And a substantial list of national, regional, and online resources as well as worksheets allow you to customize and realize your retirement plan.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 208 pages
  • Publisher: Times Books; 1st edition (February 4, 2004)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0805073744
  • ISBN-13: 978-0805073744
  • Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #556,835 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Fred Brock
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Customer Reviews

31 Reviews
5 star:
 (12)
4 star:
 (4)
3 star:
 (3)
2 star:
 (4)
1 star:
 (8)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.3 out of 5 stars (31 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
98 of 100 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Thought Provoking, October 11, 2004
By Steven Lee "sfosteve" (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews
The basic premise of the book is that you don't need a retirement nest egg large enough to provide you with 70-80% of your present income to retire comfortably. This is contrary to the common advice found in the marketplace and the author attacks this as hype. I found his commentary insightful and thought provoking as I had bought into the believe that you needed at least 70% of your present income otherwise you would be stuck eating Alpo. I agree with the author's basic point that if you live in an expensive metropolitan area (e.g. Manhattan, Chicago, SF) and are willing to relocate to a less expensive area you can retire comfortably on a modest income. I agree with some commentators' criticism that the author spends time making his own political commentary on Social Security and healthcare, but this does not detract from the rest of the book. I wish the book had gone into more detail on some of the subjects covered, but a reader can continue researching various topics by looking at the websites recommended in the book. Unless you are "set for life," I would recommend that you take a look at this book. After reading it, I am rethinking my retirement plans and am not nearly as nervous of making my retirement work as I was before.
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75 of 81 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Retire on Less Than You Think by Fred Brock, January 30, 2004
This work focuses your attention on the amount of money needed
during retirement-taking into consideration the
best places to retire and control of unnecessary expenditures.
Bellington, Washington, Iowa City and Sarasota, Florida are
cited as preferred retirement communities. Strategies to retire
slightly later can yield significant benefits in the size of
the monthly income resulting from social security. In some cases,
a delay of even 3-4 years in retirement can result in getting
a 50% increase in the monthly allotment. The author recommends
to simplify life in order to maximize the benefit from your
monthly income. This book is an excellent supplemental reference
for your retirement planning. As such, it is well worth the price.
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29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars New perspective on retirement!, June 7, 2004
By A Customer
This book is truly a new perspective than the one you hear from the financial community. Fred Brock debunks the myths that it takes millions of dollars to retire. Every financial website has a calculator to tell you how much you have to save and invest to have millions to retire. This just isn't practical for most people. He shows that if you own a home with a 30-yr. mortgage, by the time you retire it should be paid off. So, there is no longer a mortgage payment which is usually your greatest expense. Also, if you move to a city that is one of the best places to retire (he gives the web address to find these cities), the money you have will go much further while maintaining the same or better standard of living. Also, healthcare is a concern for retirees. He directs you to ehealthinsurance.com to compare rates. I did this and changed my insurance plan and am saving $50/month. This book is an eye-opener for anyone planning to retire but after reading the book you should feel relieved that you can really can retire on less than you think.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting
The author of this book argues that people can retire much sooner than they think. The conventional wisdom preached by the financial services industry is that a person needs at... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Mariusz Skonieczny

2.0 out of 5 stars Simplistic and not realistic
As other reviewers have noted, this is a one-note book. The author presents a simple formula. Sell a home in an expensive location. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Dr Cathy Goodwin

5.0 out of 5 stars The truth about retirement's cost
As a writer of articles and a book on retirement finances, I think this book is excellent at teaching people there is a modest but pleasant way to retire within the finances many... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Stan Spector

3.0 out of 5 stars Reality Check for 80% of Boomers
Before reading this book, my prediction of retirement for the Baby Boomers was based upon a few simple facts:

A. 20% of the Baby Boomers have 80% of the wealth. Read more
Published on July 15, 2007 by Dale C. Maley

1.0 out of 5 stars Terrible book
The only advise I can give you if you follow the author's absurd advise is to make sure you keep a tin can handy so you can panhandle for you meals when you hit your seventies... Read more
Published on May 3, 2007 by Covenantal1509

1.0 out of 5 stars not helpful
I find such retirement advice not very helpful for people whose expenses probably will NOT decrease when they retire. Read more
Published on January 7, 2007 by Judy Watt

4.0 out of 5 stars Retirement 101
This is a great beginners book for people looking to begin there plans for retirement. It is very basic advice with the biggest angle it uses is if you own a large house in a... Read more
Published on July 26, 2006 by Steve Burns

2.0 out of 5 stars Not worth buying
There is a little useful information in this book, but the main advice is to sell your home in an area where property values are very high and relocate to a less expensive area... Read more
Published on March 30, 2006 by missouri reader

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for any financial library
Fred Brock does it again. This book is loaded with practical and invaluable information. This should be required reading in high schools and universities. Read more
Published on September 26, 2005 by Derrick C. Saraceni

1.0 out of 5 stars 10% Valuable Information, 90% Propaganda
There are two helpful ideas in this book. Number 1, calculate your retirement needs yourself and don't rely on the "experts" that say you will need 80% of your pre-retirement... Read more
Published on September 5, 2005 by W. Whitney

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