As you near retirement, your life expectancy is probably the last thing you want to think about. Right now, you're focused on all the ways you want to enjoy retirement, not your final years. But life expectancy has a bigger impact on your retirement plan than you may realize….

When people say that you can't squeeze blood out of a turnip, it means that you cannot get something from a person, especially money, that they don't have. Such is the unfortunate case of the trajectory of healthcare costs and wages in the United States…

Ask most people when they hope to retire, and they'll probably have an answer for you. Ask them how they plan to make that happen, and you'll probably hear crickets. Knowing when you want to retire is a good start, but unless you understand what you need to do -- and not do -- to reach your goal, you probably won't meet it….

Having kids can enrich your life in many ways, but unfortunately children don't generally make you financially richer. In fact, many parents compromise their own savings and face more challenges supporting themselves during retirement because of the financial demands children place upon them.…