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Programming Note
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Welcome to the first-ever "Retirement Edition" of the HerMoney newsletter! When it comes to major money milestones, retirement tops the list. From growing your nest egg to making sure it goes the distance, the whole journey can feel…a little daunting.
But don’t sweat it — we’ve rounded up the smartest tips, news, and nuggets of wisdom to help you prep better, retire smarter and feel confident every step of the way. Let’s dive in!
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Stat Of The Day
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4 in 10
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As we live longer and Social Security’s trust fund keeps shrinking, retirement confidence is taking a nosedive. That’s according to a new Pew study, which found 4 in 10 Americans aren’t confident they’ll have enough money to last through retirement, or fear they will never be able to stop working.
As for women, we’re more unsure than men (42% vs. 36%). The only group really sleeping soundly about retirement? Men ages 75 and up.
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This Week In Your Wallet
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Like "bumpers on a bowling lane." That’s how one financial expert describes registered index-linked annuities (RILAs), products that give retirement savers some protection from losses while still offering stock market exposure. Sales of RILAs jumped to $20.6 billion in the third quarter, up 20% from a year ago. The surge comes as major stock indexes have delivered double-digit gains in recent years. Still, some advisors are urging clients to rebalance and reassess their risk tolerance. "As time goes on, the potential gain from this bull market is diminished and the potential risk of a prolonged market dip is increased," Jessica McNamee, founder and wealth management advisor for Sirius Wealth Strategies, tells CNBC. "I think clients are thinking, ‘How long can this [bull run] continue?’"
💵 How does a paycheck for life sound? Annuities can help secure a consistent income stream for the future, alleviating financial concerns in retirement. Check out top-rated options here.
Becoming a parent later in life has its perks (hello, patience!). And here’s another – you might be able to double up on Social Security, claiming your own benefit and a dependent child benefit that gives your kid a monthly check worth half of your full retirement age benefit, even before you hit 67. This little-known perk – the Social Security dependent care benefit – is available if you’re 62+, eligible for Social Security and your child is unmarried and either under 17, 18–19 and in school full-time, or has a disability that began before age 22. As USA Today reports, children of retired workers collect an average of $919 a month. With the number of children born to women age 45 and older up 450% since 1990 – and plenty of "May-December" marriages in the mix – that number could be on the rise.
If you’re behind on retirement savings, you’re not alone – and yes, we know how annoying it is when people chirp, "You should’ve started saving earlier!" But don’t panic, there are ways to catch up. One of the biggest is simply working longer. We’re not talking an extra decade here. Even a few months can make a big difference. According to research, working just three to six months longer can boost your retirement income as much as increasing your savings rate by 1% for 30 years. "Working longer is the silver bullet," says David Blanchett, Managing Director, Portfolio Manager and head of Retirement Research for PGIM DC Solutions. "If I had to pick the one thing you can do to improve your outcomes, it would be working longer."
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Things That Save You Money
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💚 Your Morning Routine, Simplified
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We all want to start our day feeling healthy and grounded… but between email pings, squeezing in a workout and an endless to-do list, "balanced nutrition" doesn’t always make the cut.
That’s why we love AG1 — a simple daily micro-habit that can help you fill nutritional gaps, support gut health, and give your body what it needs to thrive. Just one scoop, and you’re done. AG1’s Next Gen formula includes 75+ vitamins, minerals, and five probiotic strains — replacing the need for a multivitamin and probiotic in one go. It’s clinically shown to support gut health and help you feel your best from the inside out.
We love AG1 so much, HerMoney readers can get a special FREE Welcome Kit, including a bottle of Vitamin D and free AG1 Travel Packs when you first subscribe. Try it for yourself this week for whole-body support that actually fits your life!
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When "Unemployable" Becomes Unstoppable
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"If people love working and if they love creating things through work, to retire feels like a death sentence," Julie Wainwright, founder, The RealReal
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Her career has been full of leaps – leaving Clorox for tech, becoming CEO of Pets.com, taking it public and watching it collapse in the dot-com bust. But, she bounced back, founding The RealReal from her home and hitting $10 million in revenue in its first year.
While she’s since moved on from The RealReal to pursue other paths, retirement isn’t on her radar, even though she’s now in her late 60s. "I think people assume we don't have a lot that we want to do, or a lot that we can do," she shares. "But if people love working and if they love creating things through work, to retire feels like a death sentence."
🎧 LISTEN TO JULIE’S FULL STORY ON "YOUR MONEY MAP" 🎧
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Ask Jean
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Today’s question comes from Jenn. She writes: Reverse mortgage versus home equity loan—which works better for retirees?
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It depends entirely on why you need the funds. Are you trying to cover a cash-flow gap, or planning to fund a specific expense, like a home renovation?
Josh Brooks, CFP and founder of Exponential Advisors, recently worked with a couple in their late 70s facing a $500 monthly shortfall. "They initially dismissed a reverse mortgage as 'too expensive' — likely due to high upfront costs and common stigmas," he shares. "But they were also confused about home equity loans versus HELOCs. They didn’t realize that both standard financing options would likely worsen their immediate situation by adding a new monthly payment they couldn’t afford."
Brooks offers a simple framework for deciding which option – if any – fits your needs:
• Home equity loans and HELOCs are generally best for retirees with strong, guaranteed income who need funds for a specific, one-time expense – think remodeling to age in place or covering a major medical bill. The key is that you must be able to comfortably handle the monthly payment without jeopardizing your ability to cover everyday living expenses.
• Reverse mortgages are often better for retirees who are "house rich but cash poor." While costs can be higher, these loans solve day-to-day cash-flow problems because there are no monthly payments, as long as you live in the home and maintain taxes and insurance.
For retirees like Brooks’ clients, taking a HELOC or home equity loan to cover a $500 monthly shortfall is often just digging a deeper hole. The takeaway here? Your specific situation will determine which path – if any – will help meet your needs without making your finances worse.
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Submit your questions to Jean here.
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🎧 The Insurance Checkup You Didn’t Know You Needed
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Let’s be honest — insurance isn’t exactly dinner-party conversation. But it is one of the smartest ways to protect what you’ve worked so hard to build. In a special Mailbag segment on the HerMoney Podcast, Jean and Kathryn dive into how your insurance needs change as life evolves — from resizing your home to hosting family, collecting valuables, or even hitting the road in retirement.
Our friends at Nationwide sponsored this segment, where we explore coverage options most homeowners overlook — including water backup, valuables protection, and umbrella policies that safeguard your savings. It’s the perfect time for a mid-life insurance tune-up that makes sure your coverage (and your confidence) are keeping pace with your life. Listen now (at around the 36:00 mark)!
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