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	<title>WIRL Project &#187; stocks</title>
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	<description>What It&#039;s Really Like.</description>
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		<title>One Successful Couple</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/one-successful-couple/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/one-successful-couple/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 29 May 2015 09:00:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Guest WIRL]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Work/Money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[assets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[estate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[INVESTING]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[investors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[legacy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[savers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Savings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stocks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Success]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=6592</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I met Hugo and Gert Ehlers in late 1994. I quickly discovered they were hard working people. Hugo worked at a steel factory and Gert taught physical education at a public school. Their two kids were already grown and living in different parts of the country. The Ehlers were always very careful with their money, dedicated savers, and good investors. They went to church each Sunday and were always involved in the community. They made it look easy. They had both recently retired and started traveling more. They traveled to a total of 43 countries together and saw lots of interesting things. I asked them why they traveled so much. Gert said, &#8220;because we can afford it and we&#8217;re still healthy.&#8221; They continued to travel until their health wouldn&#8217;t allow for it. They were constantly active in the community. Always exercised. And rarely missed a Sunday at church. When I first met the Ehlers, they had a lot of money in cash, some bonds, and no stocks. Being a portfolio manager at Shearson Lehman Brothers, it seemed like a strange mix. Over the next year, I brought most of their investments together in one place. We then decided how much cash they needed for emergencies, how much for income, and how much to put into growth. I put over 80% of their assets into a stock portfolio that I personally managed. I almost felt like one of the family. Whenever their kids were in town, we&#8217;d all visit and talk about all kinds of things. I discovered they were a lot like their parents. Hard working, good savers, church and community minded – it was like they were carbon copies. Mom and dad had been a good model for them to follow. As the markets did well, the Ehlers did even better. Their assets continued to increase going into the year 2000. Having seen such amazing growth, I sold most of their stocks near the end of January. I was thankful that they had done so well. Cycles can change quickly. The markets continued to move higher, making me feel like maybe I&#8217;d made a mistake. I began hearing predictions of the markets doubling in the next few years. It was the new normal. Then came redemption. In late March of 2,000, the markets started a long, downward move. I didn&#8217;t know it was going to happen, but it did. The markets lost about 60%, and it looked like the end of the world. Lots of people lost a lot of money. And just when things were starting to look better, 9/11 happened. Another new normal was created, terrorism in America. However, it wasn&#8217;t the end. Over time, we reinvested and continued their journey of investing. It was a very hard time to be a portfolio manager. And even a harder time to be a good investor. The Ehlers never got excited about much of anything. Buying a car or going to dinner, it was just one more thing to do. In their planning, we set up trust accounts and methodically decided how to pass their legacy on to the next generation. They were successful savers and investors. They lived a rewarding life and both lived into their 90&#8217;s. Even after they had passed away, the kids had me continue to manage the assets until the estate could be closed. Wonderful people, just like their parents. Hugo and Gert have passed on, but their legacy will always remain. &#160; Join the conversation! Easily contribute your story here. &#160; About the Author… This WIRL was contributed by Phil Gleason, who is a Portfolio Manager and President at Gleason Asset Management. Phil can be found via WIRL Project or his website. ]]></description>
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		<title>How to Calculate Retirement Age</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/how-to-calculate-retirement-age/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/how-to-calculate-retirement-age/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Apr 2015 18:00:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Phil Gleason]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Work/Money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[finances]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Financial Planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Heath Care Costs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[investments]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Plan Ahead]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Retirement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Retirement Age]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Savings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Security]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stocks]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=5509</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; Calculate Your Retirement Age Early retirement? Normal retirement age used to be 65. With changes in pension benefits, health care expenses and other factors, there is no normal retirement age. Social Security was created in August 1935. It was intended to supplement other income sources for retirement. What&#8217;s changed? Everything. People are living much longer. In 1935, life expectancy was 61. Today it&#8217;s around 80. Many now count on something that was intended to be a supplement. Here&#8217;s the factors to determine if you can retire: 1. How healthy are you? Good health is now the number one factor as individuals consider retirement. Poor health can force a person retire, while good health can make your retirement. Create a healthy life style: 1. Exercise Regularly 2. Eat Healthy 3. Drink Water 4. Reduce Stress Healthcare costs continue to rise quickly. If you are currently 65 years old, you will need about $320,000 to cover health care costs during your retirement years. If you are 55 years old, in 10 years you will need $465,000. Either way, it&#8217;s a lot of money to cover health care. &#8220;Better health is central to human happiness and well-being. It also makes an important contribution to economic progress, as healthy populations live longer, are more productive, and save more.&#8221; &#8211; World Health Organization 2. How long will you live? Find out what the life expectancy is in your family. It&#8217;s common to see previous generations living into their 90&#8217;s. How can you live longer? 1. Exercise Regularly (+5 years) 2. Eat Healthy (+12 years) 3. Drink Lots of Water (+8 years) 4. Floss Regularly (+8 years) 5. Reduce Stress (20-30% healthier) 6. Don&#8217;t smoke (+8 years) 7. Drink Wine (+5 years) Obviously it&#8217;s not a perfect science. However, your actions can greatly determine how healthy you are and how long you will live. 3. How much income will you need? Estimate retirement income from all sources. Determine what your annual expenses will be during retirement. You may have paid off your mortgage, but your health care costs could be a lot higher. Make sure you pay off all debt as quickly as possible. When your income exceeds your expenses, you should be in a position to save. When your savings can generate enough income to replace your &#8220;work&#8221; income, you can retire. About 3% of all Americans retire financially independent. That means they can replace 100% of their income when they retire. 97% lower their income at retirement. 4. How long will your income last? That depends how on how you have your assets invested. If you are very conservative and have your assets in guaranteed investments, you&#8217;ll need a lot more saved. You need to do an evaluation of your asset allocation strategy and make sure it meets your long term needs. Your annual returns need to exceed inflation and taxes. Otherwise, you will not reach your financial goals. To make sure you have enough for retirement save 15% of your income. Invest it in long term investments like stocks and do it for 30 years. Summary: 1. Live a healthy life style 2. Determine how much income you&#8217;ll need in retirement. 3. Invest properly so your income will last. Start Today! Other Options? Save more than 15% and you can retire earlier. Lower your current expenses. Work longer. Don&#8217;t ever retire. &#160;]]></description>
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