Author: Vawn Himmelsbach

“Don’t let me hear you say life’s taking you nowhere,” David Bowie crooned in his 1970s hit, “Golden Years”. And the reality is, as your life progresses eventually your career sunsets.

This has Jada, 52, facing the existential dread of retirement even though she doesn’t plan to clock out until she turns 65.

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Still she’s been saving for her golden years since her mid-20s. During her youth, she saved whatever she could scrape together. But over time, as she started to make more money, she put aside 10% of her salary annually.

While she’s crushing it with her savings, her husband of 20 years hasn’t put aside anything for retirement — and he doesn’t plan to. Instead, he’s relying on his pension and Social Security retirement benefits — along with Jada’s savings to — finance their golden years.

Jada worries he doesn’t understand how much they’ll need in retirement and feels resentful that she’s making all the sacrifices for their future. Now she’s wondering if she is, “doing all right,” and how they “gotta get smart” when it comes to saving.

What if your spouse isn’t saving for retirement?

There’s no need to run for the shadows just yet. But you do need to start a conversation — and that’s not as easy as it might sound. One in three Americans (32%) say they’re uncomfortable discussing finances in their relationship, according to Talker Research survey.

Those conversations are difficult because sometimes each spouse have different ideas about how much to save. Add to that a quarter of Americans saying they feel their partner is less responsible with finances than they are.

Jada and her husband may want to start by ensuring they’re on the same page with their goals. Maybe Jada wants to volunteer or work part-time while her husband wants to travel. Whatever the case, they’ll need to have an heart-to-heart conversation about what they want to get out of retirement.

Not to forget how much money they’ll still need to reach those goals. A general rule of thumb is to aim for about 60% to 80% of your pre-retirement income. If Jada and her husband are finding it difficult to talk or even crunch the numbers, they may want to enlist the help of a financial adviser.

But it’s not just about math. They may want to look at the issue of why Jada’s husband isn’t saving. With that in mind, the question of will they have enough to cover an uninsured medical emergency or long-term care?

On the topic of health, there may be some underlying psychological issues that could be at play. All the more reason to sit down with a financial adviser to work through these concerns.

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Strategies for saving for retirement later in life

Once Jada and her husband are on the right track, they can start working together on a savings plan that meets their retirement goals.

While there is such a thing as a spousal IRA (aimed at helping a non-working spouse), 401(k)s and IRAs are individual accounts. Since Jada’s husband is also in his 50s, there may also be some hesitancy to open an individual retirement account.

While it’s ideal to start saving for retirement when you’re younger in order to benefit from the power of compounding, it’s never too late to start.

For example, even if you’re starting later in life, you could still benefit from opening a 401(k) and funding it to the maximum amount — especially if your employer matches your contributions. For the 2025 tax year, the maximum contribution limit for a 401(k) is $23,500.

Jada’s husband could also contribute to a Roth IRA, which uses after-tax dollars and grows tax-free. That means, as long as he follows the withdrawal rules, those withdrawals aren’t taxed as income.

For the 2025 tax year, the maximum contribution limit for a traditional IRA and Roth IRA is $7,000. Contributions to a traditional IRA are typically tax deductible during the year you contribute, but married couples who file jointly are subject to income limits — and those contributions might not be deductible.

If you’re 50 or older, you can contribute extra cash to your retirement accounts, including 401(k)s and IRAs. For the 2025 tax year, you can contribute an extra $7,500 to your 401(k) on top of the $23,500 limit. You can also make a $1,000 catch-up contribution to your traditional IRA or Roth IRA in addition to the $7,000 limit.

For Jada and her husband, having those uncomfortable conversations about money could help them synergize their retirement goals — and take some pressure off Jada.

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

Imagine authorities declared your home unlivable — and gave you just days to vacate.

That’s the reality for residents of an apartment building in Southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa — and now, according to KCRG-TV9, they’re struggling to find new places to stay.

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On March 25, Cedar Rapids Building Services posted “do not occupy” notices on the building after it was declared “unfit for human habitation” due to sewer problems. But that wasn’t the only reason: the building lacks fire safety equipment, several units are missing plumbing fixtures and some units don’t even have electricity.

“There’s been problems here ever since I first moved here,” tenant Darius Franklin told KCRG-TV9. “There would be times where we would pay the rent, on like a Monday on the first [of the month] and then the water would be cut off on like Thursday. Or the gas would be cut off.”

Another displaced tenant expressed concern for her daughter and infant grandson who live in another building owned by the same landlord.

“They came in and they were shown a hole that was ate through the floor from mold on it,” she said. “He’s so tiny he would fall straight through the floor and they still haven’t fixed it, nothing’s been done.”

When is a building deemed uninhabitable?

The rules vary by state, but generally, a property is considered legally uninhabitable if it violates the building code or if it’s not safe to live in — for example, if it’s structurally unsound or lacks reliable heat, plumbing or electricity.

Other factors that may render a building uninhabitable include mold, a leaky roof or pipes, no hot water in winter, unsafe elevators or a pest infestation.

In most jurisdictions, when you sign a residential lease, you have an implied warranty of habitability, meaning your landlord is legally required to keep the property in compliance with local housing codes — even if this isn’t explicitly stated in the lease.

If your landlord doesn’t comply, you may be able to withhold rent to pressure them to make repairs. And in most cases, they’re not allowed to evict you for reporting code violations.

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What to do if your home becomes unlivable

If you find yourself in this situation, start by reviewing your lease to determine who’s responsible for the repairs. (Tenants are typically responsible for minor fixes, such as replacing light bulbs). If the issue affects habitability — or if the lease explicitly states that it’s the landlord’s responsibility — report it to them immediately.

Many buildings have a formal maintenance report process, such as an online requisition form. Always keep a copy of your request. Also, take date-stamped photos or videos of the issue to support your claim.

Document everything: if you make a verbal request, record the date and time, and follow up with a written letter confirming that the request was made. Keep a copy of that letter too. There are plenty of templates available online to help you draft one. For added proof, consider sending the letter via certified or registered mail.

Continue to track all correspondence and monitor any changes to the issue — for example, if a ceiling leak worsens or mold spreads.

Consider holding back rent, getting legal help or leaving

Most jurisdictions give landlords a set period to complete necessary repairs. Be sure to ask how and when the issue will be resolved. While you wait, you may be able to negotiate a temporary rent reduction.

If your landlord doesn’t respond or fix the issue, contact your local housing authority. Depending on the local laws, you may be allowed to withhold rent or make the repair yourself and deduct the cost from your rent.

If nothing changes, you might need legal assistance — or even consider moving out. If the situation poses a risk to your health, you may be able to leave without giving notice. Just be sure to confirm your rights with your local housing authority before doing so.

Legal action or relocating can be costly, so having an emergency fund that covers three to six months of expenses can make a big difference. Renters insurance might also help — while it usually doesn’t cover landlord negligence, it may cover temporary living expenses if your home becomes uninhabitable due to fire or natural disaster.

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

Tucker Johnson has learned you can be the victim of a hit-and-run twice in one day.

The Ohio man shared on Reddit that he was out for a drive in his new truck when he was side-swiped by a car attempting to change lanes. The driver sped off before Johnson even realized what happening. His truck sustained damage to the front left fender and bumper during the hit-and-run. The good news is, he has the other driver’s licence plate number on his dashcam footage.

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However, that evidence won’t be useful since Johnson only has liability car insurance. That pays for damage and injuries sustained by other people, but only if the accident is his fault.

That means his insurance doesn’t provide any coverage for his own property damage or personal injuries. To be compensated, he’ll need to file a claim through the other driver’s insurance because the other driver is at fault.

If you happen to be hit with a similar double whammy, here’s what you’ll need to do.

The ins and outs of liability car insurance

Most states require liability car insurance, although the minimum required coverage varies. Ohio requires both bodily injury liability coverage as well as property damage liability coverage.

Other states (Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota and Pennsylvania) require no-fault or personal injury protection insurance. That means you don’t need proof of fault to make an insurance claim. You claim your own injuries or property damage, and the other parties make claims to their own insurance companies.

Bodily injury liability is included, and it covers injuries to third parties such as other drivers, passengers or pedestrians. It also covers eligible ambulance, emergency medical, ongoing care and rehabilitation expenses. If you’re sued, it can provide coverage for lost wages, legal fees and even pain and suffering.

The coverage can also include property damage liability, which covers other vehicles, buildings, structures such as fences, and personal property inside the other vehicle. Liability car insurance may have coverage limits for bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage per accident. You may have to pay out of pocket If the expenses exceed the maximum.

The cost of your insurance will depend on the coverage types and limits you choose, as well as your age, where you live, the type of car you drive and the number of miles you drive in a year.

Your driving history and credit-based insurance score will also be considered, though some states restrict how these various factors can be used, if at all.

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How can you protect yourself from a hit-and-run?

If you want to insure your property and bodily injury expenses, you’ll need a full coverage policy. This typically includes:

• Collision insurance, which covers your vehicle and property regardless of who’s at fault
• Comprehensive coverage, which covers damage to your car from sources other than an accident
• Uninsured motorist, which covers your costs if the other driver is at fault and is uninsured or underinsured
• Personal injury protection, which covers your loss of income as well as medical costs

Typically these are add-ons to your base coverage and can be purchased separately.

In the case of a hit-and-run, you may be able to file a claim if you have uninsured motorist coverage, collision coverage or personal injury protection. Uninsured motorist coverage is mandatory in 20 states and the District of Columbia. No matter what coverage you have, try to get as many details about the other car as possible, as it will help. Remain on the scene and report the incident to the police immediately.

While Johnson didn’t remain on the scene, he should still report the accident to the police. In some states, it’s a legal requirement to report any accident involving damage or injury within a specific timeframe. Some have provisions for accidents involving “phantom vehicles,” where a vehicle causes an accident without making physical contact.

After the accident, file an insurance claim as soon as possible. Your policy will likely outline the required timeframes for reporting. It varies by state, but there are statutes of limitations on when you can make personal injury or property damage claims and when you can sue.

Also, keep records of all your interactions with the insurance company. If your insurance company denies the claim, and you have the appropriate coverage, you can still appeal. If that’s the case, you may want to consult a lawyer first.

Opting to carry only liability insurance may be budget-friendly, but it can have consequences if you’re involved in a hit-and-run. Speaking to an insurance broker to determine what type of insurance best fits your needs and your budget could be worth the extra effort.

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

Remi Lee was born with “medical stuff.” She has caudal regression syndrome, a condition that affects the development of the lower part of a child’s body. It affects one to two out of every 100,000 newborns worldwide.

In a mini-documentary for The News Movement (TNM) published on April 18, Lee revealed she “needs a lot of help to continue going.” She has only one kidney, no calf muscles, her ovaries didn’t develop properly and her feet had to be rebuilt when she was a baby.

She is constantly in need of care and relies on a lot of medication, equipment and frequent hospitalizations. But her experience with health insurance has been a “profoundly not positive one,” she told TNM. “They deny and deny and deny.”

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Lee described an incident when her insurance company denied wound care supplies as a “luxury.” But, from a young age, she began learning from her mother how to fight the denials.

“If we get a denial and we turn in an appeal, almost every single time it’s, like, ‘Oh, okay, yes this is really needed,’” Lee’s mother, Roxanne, told TNM. “But because it doesn’t fit in the normal parameters, the system has an automatic, ‘No we won’t cover that.’”

Are insurance companies harnessing AI?

Lee noted her claim denials now appear to happen at a faster speed, which she suspected was due to the use of artificial intelligence (AI).

“It’s like an automatic rejection of your appeal now,” she said.

TNM says it reached out to Cigna, Humana and UnitedHealth Group for comment. UnitedHealth stated that “claims that we use an AI algorithm to automatically deny claims are false.” Cigna stated that “we do not use AI to deny care or claims.” Humana did not respond.

But not everyone believes such claims from health insurance companies. Ryan Clarkson, founder and managing partner of Clarkson Law Firm, told TNM his firm has three major class-action cases proceeding against large health insurance companies for allegedly using AI and algorithms in place of licensed physicians in the claims process.

According to Clarkson, the insurer in one of those cases denied about 300,000 claims over a two-month period. During that time, he said it was calculated the company would have had about 1.2 seconds to review each claim, “and no reasonable person could ever conclude that 1.2 seconds is sufficient time to evaluate a medical insurance claim.”

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The idea of using AI for processing claim denials isn’t new. In March 2023, STAT reported that AI was “driving denials to new heights in Medicare Advantage, the taxpayer-funded alternative to traditional Medicare that covers more than 31 million people.”

Concern around this topic was enough for the Centers for Medicare & Medical Services to send a memo in February 2024 to Medicare Advantage insurers clarifying that AI can’t be used this way, according to Ars Technica. Additionally, multiple states are looking at ways to regulate the use of AI in health insurance.

Patients can use the power of AI

In the meantime, some patients are taking it upon themselves to fight against claim denials. And they’re using AI to do it.

Holden Karau is the co-founder of Fight Health Insurance, a website that helps Americans appeal health insurance claims. That includes using AI to help generate health insurance appeals. Patients can upload their claim denial and in return receive a targeted appeal.

Karau built the tool after facing her own struggles with health insurance companies. At the time she spoke with TNM, she said the site had been used 3,546 times, and she had seen denials ranging from a few hundred dollars to what she estimated could be hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Karau told The San Francisco Standard that, while she doesn’t think health insurance companies will stop denying the big things, maybe making appeals more accessible will stop them from denying so many small things.

As Lee pointed out in her interview with TNM, why shouldn’t the average person fight fire with fire?

“If they’re doing it, we should also have that tool.”

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While Elon Musk has claimed that millions of dead people are fraudulently receiving Social Security benefits — an assertion that has been debunked by experts — one Seattle man experienced the opposite problem.

“You wake up one day and discover you’re dead,” Ned Johnson told The Seattle Times in an article published March 15. “It’s been truly surreal.”

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But Johnson, 82, is still very much alive. For reasons unbeknownst to him, he ended up on the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) “death master file,” according to the Times, and had his benefits clawed back to November — the month he supposedly died.

Funds were deducted from his bank account for retirement benefits received in December and January, for a total of $5,201. And he hadn’t yet received his February or March checks. His Medicare insurance had also been canceled and his credit report marked him as deceased and ineligible for a loan.

It took nearly two weeks and multiple calls per day to Social Security before he was able to make an appointment. But the appointment was then delayed, which prompted him to make a spontaneous trip to the agency’s downtown office. He described it as a “Depression-era scene” with a long queue and only two tellers.

Once in front of a human, he was able to prove he is, in fact, alive. The agency pledged to fix his predicament.

“When I was in that line, I was thinking that if I was living solely off Social Security, I could be close to dumpster diving,” he recalled.

Social Security mistakes

It’s unclear what led to Johnson being considered deceased by the SSA, however, the agency notes that among the millions of death reports it receives each year, “less than one-third of 1% of are erroneously reported deaths” that require correction. Death reports often come from family, friends or funeral homes and are considered “first-hand” accounts.

But the agency has also been prone to other mistakes. The SSA’s Office of the Inspector General reported last year nearly $72 billion in improper Social Security payments were made from fiscal years 2015 through 2022. That amount represents less than 1% of the benefits paid over that seven-year period — and most of those were overpayments.

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If you’ve been receiving overpayments — even through no fault of your own — you’re on the hook for them. Under Trump-appointed acting commissioner Leland Dudek, the SSA is reinstating the default overpayment withholding rate to 100% of a person’s monthly benefit until reimbursement is complete. This only applies to new overpayments as of March 27. The withholding rate was previously capped at 10% due to potential financial hardship of beneficiaries. This latest move is expected to save about $7 billion over the next 10 years.

In an article published by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Directory of Social Security and Disability Policy Kathleen Romig insisted that, despite these errors, the agency’s overall payment accuracy rate is well over 99%.

“Only 0.3 percent of Social Security benefits are improper payments, which are typically caused by mistakes or delays,” she wrote.

What to do if it happens to you

Mistakes will always happen, whether from a data entry error or administrative delay in updating a beneficiary’s information. And that can result in delayed benefits, clawbacks or overpayments that require repayment — regardless of who’s to blame for the error.

If you or a loved one are affected by a Social Security error, you’ll want to report it as soon as possible. In Johnson’s case, the error became glaringly obvious when money disappeared out of his bank account. But in other cases it may not be so obvious, so it’s good practice to regularly review your earnings statement for each calendar year to look for any discrepancies.

Contact the SSA as soon as possible to request a correction, either through your Social Security account, by calling 1-800-772-1213 or by visiting a local field office. Make sure you can provide them with the necessary documentation, such as pay stubs or W-2s.

If your request for correction is denied, you can file an appeal. For complex matters, you may want to seek assistance from a financial adviser or attorney. And, as in Johnson’s case, it may require an in-person visit to speed up the process.

Additionally, if your benefits are being withheld in order to reimburse any overpayments, you can make an appeal to the SSA to adjust the amount or waive the collection if you believe the error wasn’t your fault and you can’t pay it back.

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In the wake of destruction from the January wildfires, some residents in Greater Los Angeles are looking to build back better. And, for some, that means turning to the past for future solutions.

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Ellen Snortland and her husband have now lost a home to fire, another to flooding and another to a mudslide — and they’re tired of fighting the elements.

“We are going to have to deal with extreme weather for the rest of our lives. To pretend otherwise is really folly,” Snortland told KCAL News. “I don’t see anybody doing anything radical. So what I can do is make my home radical.”

Radical how? SuperAdobe, developed by a company called CalEarth, is a form of architecture that uses long sandbags, barbed wire and earth, which the company says can withstand fire, flooding, earthquakes and even hurricanes. Think of it as adobe 2.0.

“The key is not the usage of material so much, but the understanding of geometry and forces of physics,” said late founder Nader Khalili to The Earth & I.

The need for fire-resistant homes is only going to increase as the frequency and severity of wildfires continues to increase. So far this year, 24,415 fires have burned through more than a million acres across the U.S., both significantly above the 10-year average, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

What’s so super about SuperAdobe

During the Eaton fire, Snortland watched her home burn on TV. Now she’s ready to rebuild — literally using the dirt on her property.

It’s why she came to an open house by CalEarth, a nonprofit founded by an Iranian architect who developed SuperAdobe based on traditional adobe architecture from his home in Iran.

Bridget Butler, executive director of the CalEarth Institute, told KCAL News that every CalEarth open house has been sold out since the fires. During the open house, they showcase the dome-shaped rooms, which she said are harder to shake, burn or wash away.

“The arch shape is the strongest shape in nature,” said Butler. “Instead of working against nature, it’s trying to beat nature at its own game.”

According to the website, the long coils of sandbags provide compression (vertical) strength and the barbed wire adds tensile (horizontal) strength.

If you’re so inclined, you could even build the house yourself and save on labor costs. SuperAdobe rolls start at $445 for 250 yards. They are sold in conjunction with CalEarth’s training courses.

A SuperAdobe home can last several years, according to CalEarth, but to make them permanent you’ll need to plaster over the sandbag structure to protect it from erosion.

It’s unclear how having such a home would affect your home insurance policy.

Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it

The movement towards safer homes

The concept of earthen homes has been around for thousands of years. Indigenous communities in what is now New Mexico and Colorado, for example, have used adobe for centuries, keeping their homes cool in summer and warm in winter.

In the aftermath of the L.A. wildfires, advocates for natural building techniques argue that materials like adobe and cob (which use sand, clay and straw) not only offer fire-resistance, but are also more environmentally friendly — reducing toxic hazards associated with more modern building materials.

Asbestos, for example, was more recently used for its fire-retardant properties, but exposure can create health issues, such as an increased risk of developing lung disease.

This shift reflects a growing awareness of the need for resilient and environmentally friendly construction practices in fire-prone regions.

Not everyone is going to build an earthen home, but it’s possible to retrofit a home to reduce vulnerability to wildfire — and some of those measures are affordable. In a paper by Headwaters Economics on retrofitting a home for wildfire resistance, the authors say that costs can range anywhere from $2,000 for minimal retrofits to more than $100,000 (for a typical 2,000-square-foot home in California).

Some of these measures include replacing exterior vents with flame- and ember-resistant vents, installing metal gutter guards and replacing bark mulch with gravel, according to the paper.

California’s Safer from Wildfires initiative lists steps you can take to qualify for an insurance discount.

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

Collecting loyalty points such as frequent flyer miles and credit card rewards can help you net a variety of perks, from free products to exclusive discounts to premium member tiers. But in many cases, the value of loyalty points is diminishing, making it harder to reach those goals.

And that’s led to “spaving,” which could be costing you thousands if you’re not careful.

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Points aren’t as generous as they used to be, according to a Bloomberg report, citing examples such as hotels.com, which cut the value of its loyalty program from 10% of money spent to 2%. In other words, you now have to spend more money to unlock status or save more points to book a flight. And it can be addictive.

“Once you get status and see what that unlocks, like extra baggage allowance, that can be a really nice feeling and it creates emotional attachment to airlines,” Nick Ewen, senior editorial director at the website The Points Guy, told Bloomberg.

This has led to “spaving,” a concept where you spend more to save more. But in some cases, those savings are an illusion — yet companies still gain the benefits of customer loyalty while gleaning valuable data about your behaviors and habits.

What exactly is spaving?

Spaving tactics encourage you to spend more than you had originally intended so you can “save” money down the road. This is how many loyalty programs work, where you accumulate points that you can later redeem for rewards, discounts and other perks — like free flights or hotel rooms.

But there are other forms of spaving, too. For instance, you might buy multiple items to get a discount — buy two t-shirts and get one free! — even though you only need one. Or you buy more items than you need to “unlock” free shipping. Or, you book with a certain airline or hotel to get the points, even if it’s not the best price (or even the best alternative).

But if you end up spending $50 more than you planned to unlock free shipping from an online retailer — and avoid a $10 shipping fee — then you haven’t really saved that $10.

So why do so many of us still continue to spend more to save more? Spaving by its very nature is addictive, like receiving a treat (points) for a certain behavior (staying loyal to a company). Even if the reward isn’t that great — or not as great as it used to be — you want to keep accumulating points to reach that end “goal,” regardless of whether it makes financial sense.

Marketers fuel this behavior by creating a sense of urgency with limited-time deals and, in some cases, with rewards that have an expiration date. Some may also engage in what could be considered unfair practices, such as devaluing rewards you’ve already earned.

Indeed, this led to a probe into airline points, dynamic pricing and hidden fees last year by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT).

“Points systems like frequent flyer miles and credit card rewards have become such a meaningful part of our economy that many Americans view their rewards points balances as part of their savings,” said then-U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a statement.

For example, the “true dollar value of rewards is hidden or unpredictable,” according to the USDOT statement, making it easier for airlines to devalue rewards without detection. “Hiding the dollar value makes it harder to compare the redemption price against the cash price across different rewards.”

Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it

How spaving is quietly wrecking your budget

The downside to spaving is that you often end up spending more than you intended and buying items you don’t need to “save” money. This can derail your savings goals and lead to cash flow problems or maxed-out credit cards. Plus, when you buy more than you need, there are hidden costs to that clutter, from duplicate purchases to storage costs.

So if you have a spaving habit, how can you make sure it’s not wrecking your budget? First off, it helps to have a budget — and to stick with it. Try not to fall prey to limited-time deals (unless it’s something you really, really need) and ask yourself if you’d buy that particular item if you weren’t getting rewarded for it.

If you find you’re easily tempted, delete shopping apps on your phone — or, at the very least, turn off push notifications and unsubscribe from newsletters so you don’t experience FOMO (the fear of missing out). Avoid storing your payment details on online shopping sites; if you have to take the time to type in a credit card number, you may think twice before buying.

Before you buy, try to calculate the cash value of a deal. Many loyalty programs make this difficult — hence, the USDOT probe — but it can help you figure out if a deal is really a deal. For example, if a round-trip flight will cost you either $500 or 20,000 points, divide the cash price by the number of points to understand the value per point. In this case, it would be 2.5 cents per point.

Perhaps this is why loyalty is now in flux. The Marigold 2025 Consumer Trends Index, based on responses from more than 10,000 Americans, found that 75% of U.S. consumers will pay more for brands they trust, yet 36% have already jumped ship in the past year. “To win them back,” the report notes, “brands must deliver better loyalty programs.”

As Ewen points out in the Bloomberg article, consumers who want to avoid the pitfalls of spaving should instead be “program-agnostic, book the best ticket that is convenient and affordable and not be too loyal to any one company.”

What to read next

• Don’t have the cash to pay Uncle Sam in 2025? You may already be eligible for a ‘streamlined’ handshake with the IRS — here’s how it works and how it can potentially save you thousands
• Robert Kiyosaki warns of a ‘Greater Depression’ coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 ‘easy-money’ assets will bring in ‘great wealth’. How to get in now
• Here are 5 ‘must have’ items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you?

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

Many hard-working Americans dream of a retirement with no stress, no daily commute and no demanding boss. Life will surely be better with the freedom to do what you want, when you want… right?

Even if you have a decent nest egg of $1 million, there are potential downsides to retirement that you’ll want to consider before heading into your golden years. Here are three of them:

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1. The IRS doesn’t retire when you do

Most retirees believe their tax rate will drop substantially in retirement, but that’s not always the case. After all, if you aim to live off 80% of your current income and your retirement income is entirely taxable, you may end up paying close to what you did in your working years. Thankfully, there are ways to avoid this.

The key to paying less tax in retirement is to incorporate tax planning into your pre- and post-retirement planning. Unfortunately, most Americans don’t do this. A 2024 survey by Northwestern Mutual found that only 30% of Americans have a plan to minimize their taxes in retirement.

Prior to retiring, work with a financial advisor to invest in a mix of traditional and Roth 401(k)s and IRAs. The right mix will depend on your current and expected tax rates, among other factors.

Withdrawals from Roth accounts are generally tax-free in retirement. If you have a high deductible health plan (HDHP), consider contributing to a healthcare savings account (HSA), which will also have tax-advantaged withdrawals.

Also talk to an advisor about permanent life insurance policies such as universal, whole or variable life. These policies build a cash value that you may be able to borrow against to provide a source of tax-free income. Annuities are another insurance product that could be part of your tax planning.

Once retired, it’s important to have a clear, tax-conscious plan for when you’ll withdraw from your various accounts. Considerations include any employment income you’ll receive in your first year of retirement, when you decide to start collecting Social Security, which accounts have required minimum distributions, which income streams are tax advantaged and which are fully taxable.

Strategies that can be used once retired include making qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) or investing in a qualified longevity annuity contract (QLAC).

With multiple sources of income and different tax treatments, some retirees find their taxes are more complex to calculate than they were during their working years.

Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it

2. Your health may not be what you hoped

Many of us have a vision of an active retirement — spending our days playing golf, gardening, volunteering or traveling.

However, most of us will experience declines in cardiovascular health, muscle mass, bone density and cognition as we age. About 44% of people 65 and older report having a disability and about one-third of those 85+ have some form of dementia.

Deteriorating health might force us to rethink how we’ll spend our retirement days, but it could also influence how we spend some of our retirement dollars. In all, a 65-year-old may need $165,000 in after-tax savings to cover healthcare expenses — and as you age these costs will make up an increasing portion of your total expenses.

Between ages 55 and 64, healthcare costs will make up about 7% of your expenses, but this rises to 12% between ages 65 and 74 and 16% when you’re 75 or older.

A person turning 65 today has about a 70% chance of needing long-term care during their remaining years and about 20% will require care for more than five years. The costs for this can range from an annual national median cost of $26,000 for adult day care to a median of $75,504 for homemaker services — and a whopping $127,750 per year for a private room in a nursing home.

Preparing for these costs starts before you retire and may even influence when you retire. For instance, if you retire before you qualify for Medicare, you’ll need to plan for bridging the gap in healthcare coverage. A financial planner can help you estimate your expected medical costs, including premiums for Medicare and other insurance and out-of-pocket expenses. Incorporate these costs into your planning and saving.

3. You might find retirement boring

A 2019 survey of British retirees found that the “average retiree grows bored after just one year.” This is partially why 20% of retirees surveyed by T. Rowe Price in 2022 were working either full- or part-time and another 7% were looking for work. While almost half (48%) of respondents were working for financial reasons, almost as many (43%) were working “for social and emotional benefits.”

It turns out that for some people retirement can be boring and lonely. It’s a big adjustment to move from the purpose, structure and social interaction that comes with working every day. Like much else around retirement, this can be eased with some prior planning.

Before retiring, take time to think about what’s important to you and how you could incorporate this into your golden years.

For example, that might mean working part-time in a similar field or volunteering for a cause you believe in, or maybe even going back to school and studying something you’re passionate about.

It may take some trial and error, but retiring well involves more than just planning your finances — it involves planning your new life.

What to read next

• Don’t have the cash to pay Uncle Sam in 2025? You may already be eligible for a ‘streamlined’ handshake with the IRS — here’s how it works and how it can potentially save you thousands
• Robert Kiyosaki warns of a ‘Greater Depression’ coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 ‘easy-money’ assets will bring in ‘great wealth’. How to get in now
• Here are 5 ‘must have’ items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you?

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.