What happened?’

In September of 2017, Equifax announced a data breach that exposed the personal information of 147 million people. The company has agreed to a global settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and 50 U.S. states and territories.

Biotech is experiencing a period of breakthrough advancements.  Immunotherapies, gene-editing, stem cell therapies, and targeted cancer treatments are among many technologies providing amazing new avenues to cure previously debilitating and fatal diseases.  The ability to share advancements through the internet has fueled the progress.  People are living longer thanks to these therapies.

Biotech’s advancements are wreaking havoc on peoples’ retirement plans and the effect has been greatly underestimated.  People approaching retirement have watched their parents and grandparents retire from work at 65 and then live a few years before passing.  But average life expectancy has increase from 68 years in 1950 to 79 years in 2013.  It is more and more common to know someone who is 100+ years old.  Strokes, if treated quickly, are no longer the death sentence they once were. 

Oh no!  How do we pay the bills?  Where are the passwords?  Who do we need to contact?  What are the policy numbers?

A sudden illness causes loved ones to scramble.  It can be as simple as how do I know if the mortgage is being paid to where is the policy information for a long term care need.

We think we know how much we spend but does what we think actually match the reality of what we are spending?  Sometimes you need to stop and do a reality check.  Keeping close track of your actual spending habits for a period of time not only verifies your spending habits but also makes you acutely aware of just how much we spend each month. 

Just how often do I stop for takeout during the week?  How much does that walk around the mall with friends actually cost me?  Do I actually know how much all my utility bills add up to each month or do I seem to forget about the cell phone bill or the extra Netflix when calculating these monthly charges in my head? 

A go-bag is a bag packed with essential items and kept ready for use in the event of an emergency. (Hopefully, you will never need to use it, but if you do, it can be a lifesaver.)

There is plenty of information on the internet about Go-Bags.  If you don’t have a Go-Bag, perhaps this will inspire you to assemble one.