Can AARP Help You Plan for Retirement?

Can AARP Help You Plan for Retirement?

What can men do to get ready for the life-style changes that are
created by retirement? In an article on the AARP web site, Dr.
Rosalind S. Dorlen of Summit, New Jersey says she believes that men –
before they retire – should develop a written plan for what they want
to do in retirement. The plan, she said, should resemble the business
plans or strategic plans that many men routinely create at work.

Creating a "Business Plan for Retirement," Dr. Dorlen said, will help
men identify potential problems in advance, allowing them time to
obtain professional help from a retirement counselor or life-style
coach. You may be able to find such a person within the AARP
organization.

What is AARP, and can they help you?

The Washington Post calls it "the influential seniors group." The New
York Times calls it "the influential lobby for older Americans."
They're speaking of the group that used to call itself the American
Association of Retired Persons. It now calls itself simply AARP
because some members objected to the term "retired." That should be
one indication that AARP members are not all "senior" or "older."

AARP's magazine, which calls itself "AARP The Magazine," describes
itself as the world's largest circulation magazine, serving "the needs
and interests of people 50 and over." Being 50 doesn't sound too old
or senior.

The circulation, 22 million, and the membership, around 35 million,
are impressive. Those numbers alone would seem to validate media
claims that this is an "influential" group. But those assumptions
would be in error. Many sign up for AARP because of the discounts on
such things as hotel rooms and car rentals. They have no idea what the
organization does politically, and many don't care. Recent evidence
shows that writers for gay rights, pornographic, and pro-drug
magazines have taken control of AARP The Magazine (we'll save that for
another article).

Planning for retirement is something most people do not do, or they
think that having a 401k, or some other retirement account, is all
they need. Many do not take into consideration housing or health care,
two very important needs, but most often overlooked. Is staying in my
current residence right for me? Is moving into a retirement community
the best place to live? What happens if I get sick? Who will take care
of me, and where will I live? These are important questions that can
be answered, and planned for, before retirement.

Besides housing and healthcare planning there needs to be a plan to
stay active. A person can only watch so much television, play so much
golf, or play so many games of cards. There needs to be plenty of
activities to not only keep the mind sharp but also keep the body
healthy.

Dr. James "Chip" Long of Little Rock, Arkansas said, "When a person
retires, there is a void that is left in their life." Finding ways to
fill that void, Dr. Long noted, is one of the most challenging aspects
of adjusting to retirement.

He recommends that people approaching retirement sit down with a
mental health professional or other adviser to discuss what they
expect from retirement and how they plan to spend their time.

When he is consulted, Dr. Long said, he puts the emphasis on
activities that are varied but meaningful." There is only so much golf
that one person can play," he said.

AARP may not be able to help, but planning for your retirement is
important. I believe that's what AARP was created to do, to help the
aging baby-boomers navigate the coming retirement, although that may
not be what its current agenda looks like. Whether you become a member
of AARP or not, there is still a lot of good information available on
their web site (you may just have to navigate through all the
rhetoric).

If you don't like AARP, or you do not like their agenda, there are
other options for retirement. One that many people are turning to is a
home based business. If you're looking for more information on a home
business, contact me, or click on one of the links below.

Jeffrey Sloe, Internet Marketing Advisor
440-725-3729
jeff@internetmarketingadvisors.net
http://networkmarketing.aboutleads.net
http://tomorrowshomebusiness.healthfulchoice.com

--
Ken Burt SEO19
Ph 1 306 793 4321
Skype ID: kenburt52
Al Gonzales  http://808ebiz.com
Trivita Cooperative Marketing http://trivitasite.com
Utube Tomorrows Home Business http://thbmovie.virtual100.com
Tomorrows Home Business Conference Room
http://tomorrowshomebusiness.butchhamilton.com