And all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. There's not a person in our Western culture alive today who wasn't brought up hearing or reading Clement Clark Moore's poem from 1823, "A Visit from Saint Nicholas." Regardless of your religious beliefs and traditions, the spirit of warmth and generosity of the season can't help but touch all but the most broken of hearts. »more»

One attribute of increases in human longevity is that the length of time that seniors are expected to live past retirement has been increasing. Even though people are living longer (since 1940 men are now living on average five years longer), the age of customary retirement has been relatively fixed. »more»

Negative inheritance happens when the "the costs to children of caring for aging relatives outstrip any gifts or bequests they might receive in return." The phrase was coined by Laurence Kotlikoff, a professor at Boston University. »more»

The headline from the Wall Street Journal says it all, "As Boomers Retire, Insurers Aim to Cash In." This means that baby boomers need to be prepared for the coming onslaught of marketing messages (and possibly high pressure sales tactics) to get them to buy annuities. »more»

If it wasn't for that pesky money part, the above headline would be good news. In general, seniors underestimate how long they'll live (which is a turn-about from people under 40 who often feel that they'll live forever). However, for people who are planning their financial resources for retirement, underestimating life expectancy is a potentially disastrous miscalculation. »more»

U.S. News' "Ten Ways to Tell if Your Community is Ready for an Aging Population" could also be called "Ten Ways Your Elected Officials Might be Letting You Down." The article highlights the enormous logistical, societal, and attitudinal shifts that will need to occur to address the fact that in 24 years the country will have over 70 million seniors. »more»

Cross-posted from Living Without Borders:

The US Population in Mexico and Panama are forecasted to grow, according to US Census Figures. As many as 10 million Americans live in Mexico, with the growth figures accelerating rapidly. »more»