Fall 2025

Part of my morning ritual is to check the obituaries. It’s something I do every day. Maybe a little weird, but I guess I want to see if there is anyone I know and also, I’m quite curious as to how old people are when they die.

Lately, I have been amazed at how many people aged 90 and over have been listed. Let me clarify. I’m not surprised that people that age have passed away, more so how many people are living so much longer and into their 90s. In fact, there have been several people lately over the age of 100. Wow! Think of all the things they witnessed during their lifetimes: the Great Depression, WWII, the normalcy of automobiles, the evolution of radio, then television and then computers and the internet. Amazing!

Of course, then my mind goes into work mode, and I wonder how well they planned. First, did they have their estate plan in place? How easy or difficult will it be for their heirs to handle their affairs posthumously. I know I’m preaching to the choir, but did you know that according to The National Association of Estate Planners and Councils (NAEPC) an estimated 56% of Americans do not have an estate plan? In addition, an AARP survey concluded that only 51% of adults over the age of 50 report having a legal will while 93% report that they feel it’s important to have one. Keep in mind that an estate plan includes not only a will or trust but also important documents like advanced directives, a health care power of attorney and financial power of attorney.

Then I wonder, did they outlive their money or did their money outlive them? When we work on your retirement plan, we need to estimate how long your plan will be in place. Feel free to tell us how long you are going to live, because that will make it so much easier to plan. Ironically, in most cases we choose to show ages into the 90s but many people nearing retirement balk at these late ages. If so many people are living into their 90s now, how many more of us will live into our 90s or beyond in 20,30 or 40 years? We want you to have a comfortable life for however long you live, not one that ends in worry over your possible care or needs.

We will all see and experience so many things over our lifetimes, just as those who have lived over the last 90 years or more have. Let’s take the right steps now, to plan for what’s ahead, so that our last years here are our best years here.