Difficult and Hard Truths about Aging

I thought this was an interesting article. I have experienced about 2/3 of the truths.😢  I guess I'm aged and old.😎

The Difficult Truths:

Older Adults Are Sharing The Difficult Truths About Aging That No One Talks About, And It's Eye-Opening

The Hard Truths:

"Young People Would Be Surprised By This": 21 "Hard To Swallow" Truths About Getting Older That No One Talks About

I am not a fan of reading multiple slides, but I thought these were interesting and relevant enough artcles to post.

For more on Reflections and Musings, check back every Saturday for a new segment.

This is not financial nor aging advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Myths About Early Retirees

Here are some myths and realities.

Myth:  I nothing to do and lots of time.   

Reality:  My day is filled. I don't know how I had time to work.

Myth:  I am always available to assist acquaintances who are working parents with kids.

Reality:  I'm busy enough with my own kids.  

Myth:  I will want to take care of grandkids full time to reduce child care expenses.

Reality:  While I don't have grandkids, I've already done my time by raising my own children.

Myth:  It's impressive to have a successful early retirement.

Reality:  No one cares or is impressed.

Myth:  I will be doing a lot with long time friends.

Reality:  We're all busy or some have passed way.

Myth:  Government programs, such as Social Security and Medicare, will be a great benefit.

Reality:  They are great benefits, and very complex.  Also, Social Security covers less than I expected, and Medicare costs more than I expected.

Retiring early is a different experience that what I expected.

For more on Reaping the Rewards, check back every Friday for a new segment.

This is not financial nor retirement advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Middle Class Income versus Middle Class Housing

Middle class income has not kept pace with the price of middle class housing.

The middle class is a household with income that is at least two-thirds of the U.S. median income to double the median income. Middle class would be a range of incomes from $49,720 to $149,160, based on Census Bureau data for 2022.   In 2022, about 51% of American households are middle class.

Middle class would be a range of incomes from $17,710 to $35,420, based on Census Bureau data for 1980.  

To see the range of incomes for middle class household see What Middle-Class Income Has Looked Like Every Year Since 1980 in both that year's dollars and 2024 dollars.

Median house price in 1980  $64,600 or 1.82X - 3.62X of middle class income

Median house price in 2022  $428,700 or 2.87X - 8.62X of middle class income.

Yikes.   Middle class income growth is significantly behind middle class housing price growth.   That is the major economic issue for those entering the workforce in the past few years.

For more on  Crossing Generations, check back every Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday for a new segment.

This is not financial advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Watching Paint Dry To Become A Millionaire

Results from good financial practices is akin to watching paint dry.  Nothing seems to be happening and give it enough time, it will work out well, provide you follow the procedures given.

In the links below, I posted a "get rich slowly" strategy to become a millionaire.   

 

Become a Millionaire

Teach a Child to Become a Millionaire

Spoiler alert:  It takes 40 years, but it is guaranteed to work..

For more on The Practice of Personal Finance, check back every M Wednesday for a new segment.

This is not financial nor millionaire advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

The Economy May be Worse than It Appears

The economic numbers look great, unemployment is low, and the stock market keeps rising.  However, something doesn't feel right.

I read LinkedIn and Reddit Posts related to employment and the economy.  Qualitatively, posters are sharing that getting hired for a job is very difficult nowadays.   People send out hundreds of applications and get little response.   In addition, people are taking much lower paying jobs to make enough money just to pay living expenses.   Or they are surviving on gig jobs.   Thus, technically, they are not "unemployed."

 See the following article for an example. I've been job searching for over 2 years while raising a child. Here's why I still turned down an offer.

In addition, people are maxing out credit cards leading the highest ever credit card debt and falling behind on car loan payments.  Personal bankruptcy filings have increased significantly in 2025.

Finally, the stock market gains of the past 2 1/2 years (over 20% gains in '23 and '24, and over 12% in '25) have helped keep consumer spending up.

I don't know how much longer the economy and the stock market can hold up.  I expect it may not not much longer, unless money is being or will be pumped into the economy by the government.

 For more on  Reflections and Musings, check back every  Saturday for a new segment.

This is not financial advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

The Best Age to Start Preparing for Retirement

The first best time is in one's early 20's or when one starts work, whichever is sooner.  The second best time is now, if you haven't started already.

The benefits of starting earlier are:

• More time to save
• Savings amount can be lower
• Long term care premiums are lower
• Start becoming debt free earlier
• Understand employer retirement savings options
• Market volatility less of an issue

The risks of starting later are:

• Less time to save
• More needs to be saved
• Long term care premiums are higher
• More debt to eliminate
• Not understand employer retirement options
• Market volatility can derail a retirement date

I chose my 20s, due to my dad's encouragement.  I'm glad I did.  I'm starting my kids when they start working with a Roth IRA accoutn.

For more on Strategies and Plans Ideas , check back every Monday  for a new segment.

This is not financial nor retirement advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Convenience Fee for Using Credit Cards

More small businesses are charging customers a "convenience fee" for using a credit card.  The fee ranges anywhere from 2% to 3.5%.  I understand since merchants pay a fee to the credit card company, but I'm not a fan of paying additional fees over the cost of the product or service.

Nowadays, I check what payments are accepted and if there is a fee for using a credit card.  If there is a fee, I will pay by check.  I don't mind doing so.

However, most large retailers still accept credit cards with no additional fee.  I expect the additional fee is worth the cost of bringing in buying customers. I continue to use a credit card with these merchants.

For more on New Beginnings, check back every Sunday for a new segment.

This is not financial nor credit card advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

The New Roaring 20s?

"History doesn't repeat itself, but it often rhymes." ~ Mark Twain

Just before 2020, I wondered with we might have another "roaring 20s" that happened a hundred years ago.  COVID happened and blocked that idea out of my mind.    Subsequently, billions of dollars were pumped into the economy through "stimulus checks" and interest rates were reduced to almost zero.   The stock market rebounded and rocketed.  Asset values, such as housing, went up significantly.  The economy recovered and grew.

However, 2022 had significant inflation and interest rate increases by the Fed.  That slowed the economy and stock market, which have since rebounded.

Now I'm wondering again if the remainder of this decade will be the Roaring 20s again.   It would be great if the economy and stock market roar again.  But we also know that the last Roaring 20s also ended badly with the Great Recession.

For more on  Reflections and Musings, check back every Saturday for a new segment.

This is not financial advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Medicare is Not Free Healthcare

Sorry, Medicare is not premium free. Medicare appears to less expensive the ACA (Obamacare) plans and may be less expensive that private insurance from one's company.

It's true Medicare part A, which is hospitalization is premium free if one has worked and paid 10 years, but Medicare part B, which pays for the physician,  requires a premium starting at $185/month and rises depending on income.   Also, one has to pay copay costs on both Part A and B.   In additional, one has to pay premiums and copays for Part D, which is for prescription medications. 

I use Medicare Advantage through the company from which I retired.   It's a good plan because my company is large enough to be self insured. It costs me $41/month more than just Medicare.   Hard for me to compare to similar plans others might have.

For more on Reaping the Rewards, check back every  Friday for a new segment.

This is not financial nor health insurance advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Employers Eliminate College Degree Requirements But...

Hiring managers still choose applicants with college degrees over those without a college degree.

Goodwill CEO says hiring managers are going behind their bosses’ backs and looking for workers with college degrees, not skills

Unfortunately, even applicants with college degrees find it difficult to get an offer for a job, running into requirements of prior experience even for entry level jobs.

Although I'm retired, I do have worries about this situation since my daughter is in college right now.

For more on  Crossing Generations, check back every Thursday for a new segment.

This is not financial, education, nor employment advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC