The AARP Retirement Survival Guide

How to Make Smart Financial Decisions in Good Times and Bad

by: Julie Jason | from: AARP | July 24, 2009

The financial market meltdown has left retirees (and pre-retirees) reeling and uncertain about their financial security. So how are people who have not saved enough—or worse, lost more than half of their retirement savings—going to find their footing in these unsettling times?

Introducing the “new rules of retirement”—the definitive guide for individuals who want to be smart and skeptical about their financial future: The AARP Retirement Survival Guide: How to Make Smart Financial Decisions in Good Times and Bad by Julie Jason, a trusted voice in retirement security, money manager, lawyer, and financial columnist. Whatever your level of experience or financial circumstances, Jason will put you on the path to financial security, by empowering you to focus on your own situation and find ways to improve your circumstances.

As she says, “I promise you this: No matter who you are or what steps you have or have not taken up to this point, there is always something you can do to improve your financial situation.”

The AARP Retirement Survival Guide addresses these issues and more:

If you were forced to retire on Monday, would you be able to? Learn why you need a retirement plan.
Defer, don’t decline—find a boomer-friendly budgeting technique.
If you withdraw $200 from your IRA to pay for a car repair, how much are you really spending? You’ll be shocked by the answer.
Will your money last as long as you do? Read about six common mistakes you can’t afford to make.
A dollar is just a dollar, right? Wrong! See what a dollar means in retirement.
What’s the secret to distinguishing between financial advisers? Learn a simple but powerful rule.
Who’s paying your adviser? Our section on compensation will tell you why it should be you.
Surprise—you can’t always count on a guarantee! Find out why.