Over-50

Politics, Aging & Plans to Become an Expatriate Before Retiring

America has become a nation divided. 

Some of those on both sides of the major political ideologies have become fed up with this issue or that issue or many issues. 

The solution, they have determined, would be to relocate to a nation more aligned with their political points of view. That is, they would become 21st century expatriates. 

The rub is this: They have not yet retired. They need to earn a living. It could be several years before they are eligible for even an early taking of Social Security.

 Many other nations have restrictive policies about work visas. After all, their own residents' jobs and commercial opportunities have to be protected.

Therefore, that's what those dreaming about becoming an expatriate have to research. No, just don't read one article. Dig deep. That includes blogs and chat set-ups. Also they can contact that nation's government representatives based in the U.S. Best of all, use vacation time to travel to that nation, hang out, and ask regular folks about Americans and the job/business ownership situation. 

In addition, they have to be aware that work visa policies in those nations, just as in the U.S., can change. When they entered X or Y nation it might have been okay for "foreigners" to have certain jobs or operate their own businesses. With new leadership in the nation, that could end.  

The reality is that some nations might welcome Americans bringing their Social Security. However, they might not have open doors for what is perceived as Americans "taking jobs" from residents. 

Smart global ghostwriting, with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

Shattering Reality - Young Intend to Work Beyond Retirement Age, Aging Find Themselves Not Able to Land Work

America's youth is counting on working way beyond traditional retirement age.

According to the AARP survey the over-35 found that more than half of them have that plan.

But, as BusinessInsider reports, currently, the aging are discovering they can't land work or, if they do, they can't hold onto it long enough to become financial solvent. The top three reasons are:

Age Bias

Health

Layoffs.

Of course, that might change by time the under-50 become the over-50. But, overall things don't look promising. The pattern, found Publica, is that more than half of those over-50 will be forced out of their jobs. And, after that, only one out of 10 will regain their previous level of compensation.

Therefore, financial common sense says: In spending, don't count on being able to bring in income for years and years post-50. The time to build sustainable financial assets is in youth. That could mean not chipping in so much for the children's college education or maintaining the kind of high standard of living others in your profession are. 

But, those with tenacity can still find, hold, and move on to better work. That requires a shift in mindset. Here, free to click open, is my book about that Download Outwitting ageism. 

Coaching, lecturing, and writing/ghostwriting thought leadership content on aging.  

 

For individual coaching – sliding scale fees. Complimentary initial consultation. The displaced over-50 get back to work. Please contact Jane Genova janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

One More Argument Against Retiring (especially early)

FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) is controversial.

The most common problem brought up is the tendency to run out of money. After all, those ducking out of the workforce earlier than 66 can wind up living beyond 100. 

But, now there is another reason why employees and the self-employed might not do a FIRE.

That's the recent study in China by Plamen Nikolov of Binghampton University in New York. Of the Chinese retirees and the non-retired analyzed, the research team found that the former did 20% worse on memory tests.

They conclude that is a result of the combination of not having the intellectual stimulation of work and experiencing less social interaction. Here are more details from the Daily Mail.

Yes, there's a hunch that not retiring can hold off dementia. Staying put in working requires remembering a million little (and big) things. 

Also, remaining employed prevents the tendency for the aging to become invisible, that is pushed into social irrelevance.

This is capitalism. Identity is associated with productivity. When not employed or self-employed the identity slips away, usually quickly.

It should be no surprise that so many superplayers such as David Boies in law and film-maker/actor Clint Eastwood are still out there hustling. They seem smart enough to recognize the perils of hanging it up. Now, it's confirmed, at least in China, that the fallout could include the slide into dementia.

Smart global ghostwriting, with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

Aging on Our Own Terms - That's Easier with Minimalism

Minimalism is catching fire among the aging.

Here is MarketWatch's recent article on how a wife and husband in their 50s have downsized everything and find their new lifestyle more rewarding. 

In a meeting of the Secular Humanists of Western Lake Erie, a man who retired two years ago described his process of paring down possessions The Unburdening. That began when he relocated and didn't need a car. 

And, in Youngstown, Ohio, a lawyer who had owned a McMansion before his divorce found a fresh identity in learning how to live with less. It's gotten to the point that he can make it on Social Security and investments, without having to work. 

My Unburdening kicked in when I shifted my two businesses - communications and coaching - to telecommuting. No longer did I need the brandname clothes and attache case. For my hair, I no longer to go to a top stylist and colorist.

Eventually I got it that I didn't need to live in proximity to Manhattan.

The next epiphany was that I didn't need a car. According to NerdWallet, the average cost of operating a car, based on 15,000 miles driven a year, is $8,469.

Minimalism opens us up to aging on our terms.

A major part of that, of course, is managing our money better. Usually, even those only receiving Social Security can save money from their monthly check.

Associated with that is our decision to work or not to work. Since continuing to work is my choice the process is a joyful one.

Breaking free of consumerism (as well as careerism) also helps us exit being dominated by traditional thinking and those who spout it. An executive coach tutored me on how to smoothly discourage others from piling us with advice. 

Not that minimalism is for everyone who is over-50. When I analyzed Oro Valley, Arizona, for trends in aging I observed that the majority of those in retirement communities clung to consumerism. One couple explicitly said, "The hard part of retiring is not being able to buy what we want when we want."

Full Disclosure: In 2003, after landing in six-figure debt I took a vow of poverty. Some corrected me and relabeled that "renunciation." 

Smart global ghostwriting, with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

There's No Place Like Home - After Relocating for Financial Reasons, The New Aging Find We Can Circle Back

Savvy media outlets such as MarketWatch have ramped up the number of articles published on relocation and retirement.

Most of them position and package the issue in financial terms. The features range from the couples who could no longer afford Seattle to those realizing they have to make it on less than $2K monthly. Sure, a few focus on the aging's longing for more moderate weather but not many. Relocation is really a money story.

Seven years ago I was finding myself in that financial squeeze. Even in a lower-cost city in Connecticut - New Haven - rent, gasoline, car insurance, property tax on autos, and services such as pet care were galloping beyond my ability to make ends meet. 

I researched locations outside the U.S. such as Ecuador and Spain and inside ranging from North Carolina to Arizona. Also, I talked with a lot of people. Most directly said that I was committing career suicide if I left the New York Metro area. However, most weren't aware how quickly communications assignments were shifting to the telecommuting mode. 

Of course, I was beyond terrified to almost catatonic. But by spring 2014 I had decided, yes, I was going to relocate. And for me to get up the courage to do that it had to be exotic. Tucson, Arizona filled the specs. There were the mountains and the deserts. 

I was on the money. I am still on the money. I paid off debt and socked away a bundle in an investment fund.

Eventually I experienced AZ as too alien for me and too hot. Research turned up Ohio. It is less weird to me than AZ. And even more affordable. (With folks from California migrating to AZ, the state isn't as low-cost.)

But, and that is a but lots of us migrants from what had been home for decades are feeling: I miss the New York area. 

No, I still can't financially manage being back in CT. However, in about two years, my financial planner, accountant, and executive coach assure me I can return home. The new version of it will be a pocket in NY or even New Jersey that is currently within my budget.

That budget has more flexibility since I donated my car to Kars4Kids. That's an "unburdening" more of the New Aging should take.

The expenses for insurance, repairs, gasoline, oil changes, washes, and parking are finito. Nerd Wallet puts that at $8,469 a year. Also disappeared is the angst. I no longer lose sleep over a rattle which might indicate need for a major repair. Days of heaven.

Thanks to being fit, I can get just about anywhere on the trike (adult tricycle) I purchased from Wersell's Bike Shop in Toledo, OH (wersellbikeandskishop@gmail.com, 419-474-7412). There, the all-wise Mr. Bike Man Brett Gibson taught me the ropes on how to steer it, without losing my balance. It was the diminished sense of balance, which many seniors are stuck with, that had me pass up on a traditional bicycle. 

Gibson also clued me in on internet myths about preventing trike theft. So far so good. The locking mechanisms he recommended have been effective. However, homeowners' and renters' insurance, at least with the right company, cover the replacement value. 

In addition to lowering my breakeven point through going carless, by constantly modifying how I develop new business, the revenues from both communications and coaching are fine. No, leaving New York Metro is not career suicide.

More than five years of minimalist living and super smarts about marketing have put me back to where I can think like Dorothy from "The Wizard of Oz." You bet, there is no place like home. In about 22 months I can be home. 

I am part of a growing trend. That is, those hammered by financial realities who relocated far from home and now recognize that did not have to go quite that far.

Maybe they can no longer bunk on the Upper East Side of Manhattan or Greenwich, CT, but they still could hold on to a piece of home. 

It isn't only the college freshman who experiences extreme homesickness.

Smart global ghostwriting, with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

Side Hustle with Wag: Could Be Solid Platform for Next

The pet-service enterprise Wag is well-organized. 

For example, it makes it easy for clients - that is, pet parents - and its contract employees to facilitate the common service of the dog walk. A lock box is attached to the door. 

As Recode reports, though, Wag, as it typical of many startups, aimed to grow too quickly. That got it into trouble and now sources say it is in talks to sell itself. Interestingly, just like fast-growth failure WeWork, Wag is backed by SoftBank. You bet, the SoftBank brand is taking a beating.

But, Wag's troubles shouldn't stand in the way of older folks looking for work trying out walking dogs. In my former Youngstown, Ohio neighborhood, several over-50 Wag dog walkers told me that the gig helped them connect the dot about how to start earning some serious money. 

According to them, Wag bills the client about $14. They get around $9, plus a tip. Since pet parents want their four-leggers treated well they are likely to also tip well.

One 56-year-old teacher who anticipated she would be forced out (she was) found dog walking in the evening and weekends showed her how much growth there was in the pet niche. She began developing a portfolio of articles published in third-party media about pet issues. When she is ready she will launch her own pet-care brand. 

The rub on that, of course, is that it requires supreme belief in one's ability to go from point A to Point B, then Point C in struggling to make a living when aging. Here, free to click open, is my book which can get that mindset started Download Outwitting ageism

The reality is the more than one-half of the over-50 will be forced out of their jobs. If they land on their feet and are able to get another job, only one out 10 will make comparable money.

In 2003, after my business collapsed, I did a holiday gig job in Sephora as a security guard. That led to a full-time job in loss prevention, including health benefits, with then Allied Barton Protective Services. Soon enough I regained the confidence to launch another enterprise. Actually that turned into two: both communications and career coaching. 

Takeaway: Working at a paid something, anything, brings more and better paid work.

Coaching, lecturing, and writing/ghostwriting thought leadership content on aging.

 

For individual coaching – sliding scale fees. Complimentary initial consultation. The displaced over-50 get back to work. Please contact Jane Genova janegenova374@gmail.com.

Career as Spiritualist - Age Is On Your Side

The ghostly holiday of Halloween has evolved into the social event in America. It's family-free, theatrical, and encourages excess consumption of no-nos like candy and booze. In the U.S. it generates about $9 billion annually, documents the National Retail Federation Annual Survey.

So, no slouches when it comes to a good story, media outlets, such as the New York Post, look for the unique angle on Halloween.

One is spiritualism. 

The narrow definition of "spiritualism" is the one the Post focuses on. That's essentially about communication with dead people, that is, reaching those who have passed over. Usually that time travel is facilitated by a medium. 

Yes, that goes on. The Post cites the spiritualist community of Lily Dale, in upstate New York, near Fred0nia and an hour from Buffalo.

There are other groups in other locations with special expertise in spiritualism. They range from Angelica of the Angels in Salem, Massachusetts to Tamara in Tucson, Arizona. 

Most spiritualism organizations currently broadly define their mission as including reaching out to live human beings with insight, comfort, and guidance. The particular expertise ranges from telepathy to clairvoyance. The methods are all over the place, be they tarot cards, crystals, or intuition.

Spiritualism centers also conduct training sessions. In them, spiritualists learn to enhance their skills. Non-spiritualists can unleash their inner gifts to transition to this career path. It can be done full-time, part-time, or as a side hustle. That shift can be lucrative for the experienced spiritualist who has branding down cold.

For example, at Angelica of the Angels, here is the price menu:

•  Walk-in or phone reading - 15 minutes for $30, 20 minutes for $40
•  Walk-in or phone reading with founder Rev. Barbara - 15 for $40 (yes, she is also a medium)
•  House parties - check for pricing.

More usual is a dollar a minute which late spiritualist Marianne Kremer at the Jersey Shore billed at. Psychic Interactive bills $19 for 15 minutes. 

Given that spiritualism deals with non-empirical phenomena, it's expected that it's misunderstood.

To begin with, it's not spirituality.

Centers for spirituality, such as various schools of Buddhism, essentially have as their mission a kind of cognitive therapy. That is, there is a taming of the mental processes or "monkey mind." The regular practice can result in peace of mind. Without intrusive thoughts, it's easier to concentrate. Therefore, there could be more success in professional and personal life.

In addition, evangelical religious groups such as the Baptists hold as a tenet the existence of God. That entity is an absolute. Yes, that resembles the ideology of the Roman Catholic Church which positions and packages the pope as infallible and directly in touch with God. Spiritualism doesn't require a belief in God.

Also, 12-step program Alcoholics Anonymous, often mislabeled as a religion, has embedded a higher power. That can be interpreted loosely. However, getting sober and remaining that way is thought to be correlated with surrender of the will to that higher power.

As confidence is shaken in the algorithms of artificial intelligence, more seeking insight might turn to spiritualism.

Of course, as in all fields, there are frauds.

It is necessary to receive a referral from those who are "regulars" in spiritualism. They can be reached through trusted brandname psychics, neighborhood digital networks, yoga studios, and even some spirituality centers. Most offer phone services and take credit cards. A growing number provide online and texting readings. Tips are usually appreciated.

Smart global ghostwriting, with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

Leaving Connecticut - The Meme vs. The Emotional/Social Realities

It's the dominant meme among those whose earnings have peaked or, after a career setback had gone on a downward trajectory: leaving Connecticut. 

The gallows humor for that is the cliche request for the last person to leave to shut off the lights.

In the Hartford Courant, Susan Campbell chronicles the trend.

Of course, she mentions the high CT taxes. They hit both homeowners and those with autos very hard. For example, in the good school districts, the tax increases are non-stop. And anyone who purchases a new car initially and for several years will pay a high property tax to the city.

To that I would add over-the-top rents, pricey commute by train into New York City, and knowing that on I-95, yes, expect the tolls to return. 

Okay, that's the buzz. And those are some of the reasons why more and more of the over-50 sense they better seriously consider high-tailing it out.

But, the emotional and social realities which are embedded in relocation from CT are grim.

In April 2014, I took the I-95 New Haven ramp heading west.

The tipping point was yet another hike in rent. Yes, I had made all the right moves the personal finance experts recommend for Baby Boomers. Those included selling my house. I used the proceeds to pay down debt. 

In addition, for several years before what was becoming obvious was that I didn't need to be in CT in order to operate my communications and coaching boutiques. Increasingly, the businesses were evolving into telecommuting ones. One driver of that trend was that overwhelmed clients didn't have to time to meet with prospective vendors in person. The screening was online. And fast.

Immediately upon relocation, the financial piece got better - much so.

The rent in Tucson, Arizona was one half that in CT.

There was no property tax on cars.

Car insurance was one-half.

Gasoline was more than a dollar less per gallon.

Hair cuts, styling, and coloring cost peanuts, compared to what I had been ponying up.

In addition, with the median age higher than in the New York Metro area, it was a piece of cake to pick up good part-time jobs. I landed three - primarily to learn the technology "on the company" and to meet people.

However, like so many who relocate I became homesick. What I missed most was the weekend day trips to the ocean in Rhode Island. 

It's been more than five years and I still don't feel "at home."

Socially, and both research and anecdotes document this, it's very difficult to put together a new network of like-minded people who (seem to) care about us. On Facebook, my friends list primarily consists of those back in the New York Metro area.

I assumed the emotional and social parts would get fixed if I returned east. As far east as I could afford was Ohio. The cost of living is even less expensive than that in Tucson. But, the fix hasn't happened. 

Twice I have traveled back to CT. I needed to check out personally if I could pull off financially moving back. 

Forget it. Since 2014, the cost of living has increased almost exponentially. In nearby states, even the once low-cost RI, the story is the same. 

When clients and former friends/acquaintances ask me for guidance about relocating from CT, I tell them one thing: The odds are against ever replicating what you have emotionally and socially right now.

In time, those who are hustlers in building new traditions, rituals, and networks may be able to put something amazing together.

In the interim, though, there could be that kind of longing for "home" which my immigrant relatives had. They never were able to fully embrace America. 

Over three decades of professional life, CT had become home. Financially, I couldn't afford to remain there. Those who can should think long and hard about attempting to "start all over."

Smart global ghostwriting, with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

LinkedIn & Academic Degrees - How Important for Mature Professionals?

Fraud is everywhere. So, it should be no surprise that it has turned up, reports TechCrunch, on professional social network LinkedIn. 

It seems some ambitious players have been including in their LinkedIn profiles academic degrees they didn't have. Often that represents degree programs they had started but didn't hang around to complete. In some fields such as STEM a Ph.D. might enhance credibility.

But, what about mature professionals? It's been years ago that they matriculated and, hopefully, finished degrees. Obviously, what's more a selling feature is what they have accomplished for employers and/or clients. Those results, if possible, should be quantified. They are the meat and potatoes (to use an old-fashioned phrase) of the LinkedIn profile, as well as resumes and cover letters.

What does catch the potential employers' or clients' attention are certifications. Those might be for Google Ad Words or for counseling in the addiction field.

Increasingly, help-wanted ads are actually demanding certifications in certain areas of expertise. That helps them sort out applications. Those applications without that credential would be tossed. Often 200 to 300 professionals apply for an open position, full time or gig.

Post-40 years of age, the game changes in the search for employment. Here, free to download, is a guide on making that shift.  

Coaching, lecturing, and writing/ghostwriting thought leadership content on aging.  

 

For individual coaching – sliding scale fees. Complimentary initial consultation. The displaced over-50 get back to work. Please contact Jane Genova janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

That Wrong Left Turn Bugs Bunny Took in Albuquerque - Regret as Cartoonish

The way Bugs Bunny used to set up a cartoon was to reflect on a turn he took in Albuquerque. It was a left one and it was a wrong one.

That's Bugs.

With humans, especially those caught up in the shock of aging, it's more common to sink into compulsive regret about supposed wrong decisions.

For example, one 60-something lawyer I coached was, of course, finding it more difficult to offered jobs and gig assignments paying what she had earned in he 40s. It's documented that older workers do tend to earn less. 

Her focus should have been on become wiser and more of a hustler in searching for projects in her field. Here, free to click open, is my book on how to land, hold, and move on to better work at any age an any age Download Outwitting ageism

Instead she got stuck on regret. At 22 years of age, after finishing college, she felt she made that wrong turn in the road.  She should have, she decided at age 62, become a police officer - like Jamie Reagan on "Blue Bloods." Although she had made a good living practicing law and enjoyed it, she now was totally preoccupied on how big a mistake that had been.

What we plowed into together was the strange phenomenon of regret. It's nothing but a fantasy of how things could have played out had a human being take Path X instead of Path Y. The reality is that there is no way of knowing what really might have happened on Path X. Also, at the time it was a decision which was a fit with who the person was then. Incidentally, that person might have been self-defeating so the choices were a form of shooting oneself in the foot. So? That's how it was then. 

Making a buck is more challenging as professionals age. Blue collar folks seems to have less trouble with that. Truck drivers continue to be offered assignments even after they retire. Plumbers have no shortage of side hustles. 

Given the continuing challenges facing older workers, including contract ones and business owners, it could be said that regret is a luxury only kids can afford to indulge in.

Coaching, lecturing, and writing/ghostwriting thought leadership content on aging.

 

For individual coaching – sliding scale fees. Complimentary initial consultation. The displaced over-50 get back to work. Please contact Jane Genova janegenova374@gmail.com.