Page 9 - The Shores of Jupiter - October '21

The Shores, Page 9
Book Review Financial Focus

The Anniversary Box to a lasting love: the tale
in which a couple, Della What Does Retirement
By Nils A. Shapiro and Jim, each sacrifices a
A love story to remember most prized possession to Security Mean To You?
and share. express love for the other:
I learned about this book he sells his favorite pocket By Sally Sima Stahl
from a friend who knows watch to get the money to October is National
me to be a “softie,” willing buy Della a comb for the Retirement Security
to admit that I watch – and stunning waist-length hair Month. But what does
enjoy – Hallmark movies on that is her pride and joy ... retirement security mean
TV once in a while. not realizing that she has to you? And how can you
Regular readers of this cut off her long hair and work toward achieving it?
column – after almost 15 sold it for money to buy He r e a r e so m e
years and more than 175 Jim a beautiful fob and suggestions:
reviews – are aware that my reading tastes tend toward such chain to hold his watch. • Build your resources.
nonfiction as ancient world and early American history and In telling his story of While you’re working,
anything about nature and the animal world, and may well The Anniversary Box, save in tax-advantaged
be surprised to find a romantic novel as the focus of my author Tom Murphy shows an impressive flair for lively, accounts such as your IRA and 401(k) or similar employer-
attention this month. fast-moving dialogue, and a clear, deep sense of empathy – sponsored retirement plan. In your 401(k), contribute at
So I will make my point simply, right at the outset: If you and comes up with a brilliant twist ending that I never saw least enough to earn your employer’s match, if one is
are blessed to be able to still celebrate wedding anniversaries coming ... one worthy of O. Henry himself. I am betting that, offered, and increase your contributions whenever your
with the one with whom you took your vows – no matter not only will The Anniversary Box become a slim classic in salary goes up. Remember, especially early in your career,
how recently or long ago that may have been – a copy of its own right, but that Hallmark will turn it into a film to be time is often your biggest asset. Be sure to save early, since
The Anniversary Box is a wonderful gift you can give to that shown over and over again in the years to come. the longer you wait, the more you’ll need to save to help
loved one. The book’s epilogue relates the secrets written in those reach your goals.
This slim volume tells the story of a young woman, 24 messages, so you won’t have to go looking for that • Look for ways to boost retirement income. When
Peggy, who is about to be married, but as the wedding day anniversary box. All you have to do is get a copy of the novel. transitioning to retirement, you can take steps to align
approaches she is becoming a bit unsure of taking the big And pick up a box of facial tissues while you’re at it; you your income with your needs. For example, consider
step and wishes she could have her parents’ guidance. But her will need it to wipe away a tear or two if you are a softie, Social Security. You can start collecting it as early as
mother is deceased and her father has suffered a debilitating like me. (Go ahead, admit it. I won’t tell anyone.) 62, but your monthly payments will be much larger if
stroke, leaving him unable to communicate. Having recently ***** you can wait until your “full” retirement age, typically
discovered that her parents had created an “anniversary A couple of other things you should know about author between 66 and 67. (Payments will “max out” at age
box” over the years in which each year they would write a Tom Murphy that will help explain the sensitivity that is 70.) So, if you have sufficient income from a pension
message together to affirm their love and suggest ways to reflected in this, his fourth published book. He has created or your 401(k) and other retirement accounts, and you
make it stronger – 24 messages in all, since she passed away several charities to raise funds to cure lung cancer in memory and your spouse are in good health with a family history
just before their 25th anniversary – then sealed them away in of his wife, Barb, a marathon runner, who passed away from of longevity, you may consider delaying taking Social
the anniversary box, Peggy sets out to try to find that missing lung cancer. He has also introduced a “roundtable” discussion Security. You also might want to explore other income-
box to learn the secrets of keeping love alive before stepping series and a workshop series that give people an opportunity producing vehicles, such as certain annuities that are
to the altar herself. to match “messages” in The Anniversary Box to strengths in designed to provide a lifetime income stream.
From friends of her parents she gets hints of what their their own lives and relationships, and to teach how to create • Prepare for unexpected costs. During your
early marriage was like, before she was old enough to really their own anniversary boxes. Tom also founded the Human retirement, you can anticipate some costs, such as housing
know them. And that they considered the classic O. Henry Resiliency Institute at Fordham University in New York. and transportation, but other expenses are more irregular
short story, The Gift of the Magi, an important part of the secret More information about this is listed at the end of the book. and can’t always be predicted, such as those connected
with health care. Even with Medicare, you could easily
spend a few thousand dollars a year on medical expenses,
so you may want to budget for these costs as part of your
emergency savings, and possibly purchase supplemental
insurance. You may also want to consider the possibility of
needing some type of long-term care, which is not typically
covered by Medicare and can be quite expensive. The
Shores HOA Annual average annual cost of a private room in a nursing home
is more than $100,000, and it’s about $55,000 per year for
Halloween Party a home health aide, according to Genworth, an insurance
company. To address these costs, you may want to consider
some form of protection, such as long-term care insurance
Sunday, Oct. 24 — 2 to 4 p.m. or life insurance with a long-term care component.

Bud Zisson Park • Do your estate planning. It’s hard to feel totally secure
in retirement if you’re unsure of what might happen if you
have an unexpected health event, become incapacitated or
• Obstacle Course • Bounce House • Kona Ice • die earlier than expected. That’s why you’ll want to create
Scavenger Hunt • Toddler Play Area • Goodie Bags • a comprehensive estate plan – one that might include
documents such as a durable power of attorney, a will and
Spooky Photo Area • And Much More! a living trust. A review of your insurance coverages and
beneficiaries can also help protect your assets and ensure
they are distributed the way you want. In creating your plan,
you will need to work with your financial advisor and a
legal professional, and possibly your tax advisor as well.
Thinking holistically about your retirement security
Looking to volunteer? and developing and executing a strategy aligned with
Please contact Vauleia your goals may help free you to enjoy one of the most
Email: avauleia@yahoo.com rewarding times of your life.
Text: 561-254-7760 This article was written by Edward Jones for use by
your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward
Jones. Member SIPC.
Edward Jones, its employees and financial advisors
Shores Summer Sales ... June 2021 through August 2021 are not estate planners and cannot provide tax or legal
Street # Street Name Sq. Ft.Living Sold Price SP sq. ft. Sold Date advice. You should consult your estate-planning attorney
18402 Lake Bend 2116 $699,900 $331 6/29/2021 or qualified tax advisor regarding your situation.
18849 Fetterbush 2027 $695,000 $343 8/6/2021
6672 Winding Lake 2403 $657,000 $273 6/28/2021 Call me for a free portfolio review at (561) 748-7600,
6019 Winding Lake 2070 $645,000 $312 8/13/2021 Sally Sima Stahl, AAMS, 1851 W. Indiantown Road, Ste.
6530 Pineloch 1781 $599,900 $337 7/2/2021
18530 Misty Lake 2018 $599,000 $297 6/8/2021 106, Jupiter, FL 33458.
6259 Winding Lake 2247 $575,000 $256 6/9/2021
18618 Lake Bend 1774 $530,000 $299 6/28/2021
18967 Still Lake 2113 $527,000 $249 7/15/2021
6192 Winding Lake 1828 $470,000 $257 8/13/2021
AVERAGES 2038 $599,780 $295
Information courtesy of Beaches MLS
No one knows The Shores market better than I do!
Your Shores Specialist Call for any Real Estate
questions or needs