AARP Pre-Retirement Workshops to be Held in Aug. & Sept.

By Maui Now Staff

Hawai‘i residents live, on average, three years longer than other Americans. For many, longevity comes with anxiety about outliving their assets. Questions about the best time to collect Social Security benefits, and preparing for a secure retirement can be daunting.

A growing emphasis on retirement savings and making smart financial decisions for the future create greater pressure for pre-retirees wanting to live comfortably in the years ahead.

AARP Hawai‘i will address these concerns with a series of free Financial Resiliency Workshops at the J. Walter Cameron Center in Wailuku in August and September. All events are free and open to the public, and no products or services are sold.

Saturday, Aug. 8, 9 a.m. to noon, Cameron CenterAuditorium:

• 10 Steps to Get Ready for Retirement Most people spend more time planning their next vacation than they do their retirement. Explore key areas for planning a successful retirement and discover available tools. Think about your goals. It’s not all about the money.
• How to Maximize Your Social Security Learn how to get the most from your Social Security benefits before you claim. For example: If you begin claiming benefits at age 62, your monthly check will be 76 percent less than if you wait until 70. Conversely, some people need the money or fear they won’t live long enough to collect what they paid into the system.
• Introduction to Medicare Many people find Medicare confusing and expensive if they don’t plan ahead. You generally have a seven-month window to sign up, starting three months prior to turning 65. Not doing so could trigger late penalties and delay coverage—unless you’re covered beyond 65 by insurance from your or your spouse’s employer.

The sessions will also be offered as separate workshops in Conference Room 1 as follows:

• Tuesday, Aug. 18 (6 to 7:30 p.m.)
  10 Steps to Get Ready for Retirement
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 (6 to 7:30 p.m.)
  How to Maximize Your Social Security
  
• Tuesday, Sept. 15 (6 to 7:30 p.m.)
  Introduction to Medicare

Register online or call toll-free 1-877-926-8300.

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with nearly 150,000 members in Hawai‘i. AARP helps people turn their goals and dreams into real possibilities, strengthens communities and fights for the issues that matter most to families such as healthcare, employment and income security, retirement planning, and protection from financial abuse.

For more information, go online.