ThirdAge Voices

Relationship Mechanic

It’s so interesting to me that many times, as people, we do things that really make no sense.  In the past, I’ve spoken about how you’re willing to spend lots and lots of time checking out which jeans to buy or which computer will really suit you.  But you don’t spend nearly the same amount of energy exploring if you should speak to a professional about your own personal psychological health or that of your relationship. Here’s another analogy that boggles the mind (at least mine):  Some of you pamper your autos by washing it and cleaning it out.  Most of you will make sure that you take your car for regular maintenance check-ups.  Or, at the very least, you are diligent that your car runs smoothly be changing the oil.   More…

Lessons for Each Gender – Part 1

I always find my work with people so fascinating because, though there are so many commonalities, there are also a variety of specifics that each person or each couple brings in.  And through my work in sessions with people, I find that I grow as a therapist as well. Recently, I realized that there is something that needs to be spelled out regarding how people in a relationship interact with one another.  More and more, it’s apparent that specific information is not readily known.  But when these details can be enumerated for a struggling couple, it will make their partnership much easier.   More…

Let's Celebrate Age

Everyone has a personal soapbox, something they feel strongly about and will loudly and passionately speak out if anyone will listen. For over twenty-five years I’ve been talking, writing, and producing public radio programs on a subject that people don’t always want to hear about --- aging. In fact, the reason I originally became interested in the subject was that my friends turning fifty, fifty-five and sixty were finding a dozen ways to avoid, deny, evade, and abort any discussion of their age. Hey, we loved turning twenty-one, it opened new worlds. Why wouldn’t additional years continue to present expanding horizons? More years, more life experience, wider perspective, more knowledge. It looked like a plus to me. More…

A Great Rule of Thumb

As I mentioned a while back, Frank Armstrong—a terrifically smart CPA—and I are working on a book that will be called Rescuing Your Retirement. While talking the other day, Frank came up with this wonderful rule of thumb: More…

It's our fault: We elected them

Did you see this in today's Wall Street Journal? "As President Barack Obama's $825 billion economic-recovery package began making its way through Capitol Hill, congressional budget analysts suggested a key plank of the plan may not provide as big a near-term lift for the economy as expected. "The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projected less than half of the $355 billion that House Democrats want to spend on highways, bridges and other job-creating investments is likely to be used before the end of fiscal 2010. The CBO said the balance would likely be spent over the next several years, after the recession is projected to end." More…

Don't try to catch a falling knife

A confession. I sometimes buy individual stocks. Not often. And never with very much money because I really do practice what I preach and believe in having a fully diversified portfolio. (Besides, I have three kids in college. There isn't a whole lot of money to spare.) But, I will from time to time I will buy a stock because I think I have spotted something that most people have missed. So, how do I with my little investing hobby.? Not great. My biggest failing is that I try to identify when I think the price of a good stock has hit bottom. Almost always, I buy too soon. What triggered this thought was the price of Citibank. I thought about buying it when it fell to $10 a share. And again at $8. And I almost placed an order when it dipped below $4. More…

Do as I say?

Back when dinosaurs ruled the earth, I had a radio talk show where for three hours a day I answered financial questions about such things as the best way to pay for college, and what kind of mortgage to get. Eventually, we arranged it so I could do the program out of my office at Financial World in New York—callers liked that because periodically they would hear police siren in the background—but at first I had to go into the studio. The guy on before me, a charming fellow, did a similar show. He was a legend in the business, someone I grew up listening to. One day, he was arrested for insider trading. More…

A Quick Portfolio Quiz

Here is news that won't stop the presses: The Stock Market Meltdown of 2008 has devasted just about everyone's savings portfolio. But in addition to dramatically reducing the amount of money you have, it may have shifted the percentage of money you have in various asset classes. (For example, the percentage of your holdings in bonds and cash are probably greater than they were, given how far stocks have fallen.) More…

Why customer service is good

Judging by the reaction I received to yesterday's blog, a lot of you have had your own Verizon customer service horror stories. Here's a quick example of how not every company is clueless when it comes to taking care of their customers. While on my just completed vacation, I took a two of kids over to Manatee County (Fl) Golf Course to hit a couple of buckets of balls. The kids were using my clubs and as fate would have it, Sam, the 21-year-old, somehow snapped off the head of my 3 wood. The clubs were a Christmas present, and while it is more than possible the 3 wood was defective, my first thought (which I didn't share with Sam) is that he had probably hit the club against the ground and snapped it off. (Sam has only recently started playing golf.) More…

Gaining Wisdom

In the middle of a very troubling customer experience yesterday, I came to a very pleasant conclusion: I am glad I am not young any more. I was trying to cancel a service I receive from a utility. (I won't name them because Verizon gets enough bad press as it is. Just Goggle "Verizon" and "customer service." You'll see.) Canceling the service took four separate calls and a total of 1 hour and 13 minutes on hold--my phone has a built in timer, and I kept a running tab. Somewhere around the third call, when I finally got through, I mentioned all the time I was spending on hold. The person on the other end said, "oh. You called on Monday. That's our busiest day." Right then I realized no baby boomer designed Verizon's customer service program. More…