Where should I retire? Questions to ask

What are the 3 most important questions to ask and discuss with your spouse prior to deciding where you might retire?

1. How is your health and the health of your spouse?.

2. What is the state of your finances and financial commitments?

3. What is your desired lifestyle; what’s important to you and your family?

If the location you are thinking about does not address these three areas of concern, then you should consider an alternative or staying put. Of course there are many other factors that could be taken into consideration but concentrating your efforts in these three questions will make it easier for you and your spouse to place

Read more in this recent MarketWatch article written by Art Koff founder of Retired Brains.

8 Work-at-home jobs for retirees & older Americans

By Art Koff

Many older Americans and retirees are looking for ways to make extra money to help make ends meet.  If you are looking for ways to join the tens of thousands of Americans who work at home in areas like

• Telemarketing
• Direct Selling
• Writing or Editing
• Working as a Virtual Agent
• Doing Medical Transcription
• Tutoring
• Selling On-Line
• Freelancing 

or even starting a small business enterprise out of your home, click here to read the article as seen in MarketWatch.

Seasonal & Temporary Jobs for Older Americans

By Art Koff

For information on how to find and apply for the many seasonal and temporary jobs available to older Americans check out the information in this article.  Seasonal jobs can be work in ski resorts, on cruise ships, in national parks or as a retail sales clerk during the holidays. Employers often actively recruit older Americans as benefits are not as necessary as they were when these workers were still raising a family and before some could take advantage of Medicare.

To read this article as it appeared in MarketWatch click here.

9 Tips to Help You Find a Job

By Art Koff

1. Register with temp firms in your local area as they don't care about age but are more interested in your skills and experience. Also if you get work through a temp firm it helps build your resume for future work assignments.
2. Try to get an interview with an employer that is not your first choice to practice your interviewing skills. You don't want to go to your first interview in a long time with the employer you are really interested in working for and make easily correctable mistakes.
3. Consider having your resume re-written or updated by an expert as the resume you used years ago is no longer appropriate.
4. Search for a job in areas that connect older workers with employers seeking to hire them. Go to retirementjobs.retiredbrains.com/c/search_results.cfm and chose your state in the "location" area. Then enter your city location and job title in the "keyword" box as well as other modifying criteria to narrow your job search. Consider putting the word "temp" after some of these criteria so the system will return job postings often more appropriate for older workers as employers are more likely to hire older workers on a temporary basis than their younger counterparts.
5. Look for temporary, part-time or project assignments as they are much more available than full-time jobs.
6. When applying for a job tell the employer you are willing to start working as a consultant or on a project basis; this often gives you a leg up on younger workers or are often unable to accept this kind of employment. Temporary employment or working on a consultative basis can often lead to full-time work.
7. Get information on the perspective employer prior to your interview. For example contact someone who works for this employer who attended the same school you went to saying. "Hi. You and I went to the same school but graduated at different times. I'm interviewing for a position in your firm later this week and, before I meet with the hiring manager, I would like to test out a couple questions I have about the  firm on you and see what you think the answers might be." (Later, ask if you can use their name as an employee referral).
8. Look at companies with fewer than 500 employees as employers of this size have created 64% of the new U.S. jobs from 9/92 through 2012 even though they employ just 55% of the private sector work force according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
9. Volunteer with a charity or non-profit. Although in most cases there is little or no monetary compensation, it is often excellent experience and can possibly lead to employment with a firm that is seeking that particular experience or appreciates your work ethic. It is also easier to find employment while you are working as you have a better mind set. Looking for a job on a full-time basis is not a very rewarding experience.

Art Koff is the Founder and CEO of RetiredBrains.com

The perception that older workers are less productive than younger ones is false...

By Art Koff

More and more employers are finding it cost effective to utilize retirees hired on a part-time or project assignment basis for hard to fill openings. Retirees will often take a part-time or temporary assignment for far less than the hourly rate they commanded when they were working full-time. The perception that older workers are less productive than younger ones is false. Numerous studies and research have shown that older workers' productivity does not fall but rises because of greater dependability, better judgment and accuracy. Studies have also shown that older workers actually miss less work than younger workers and can learn new techniques and technologies effectively.

Many older workers will not apply for positions that may be appropriate for them as they often feel they will be discriminated against because of their age. That is a good reason to go to media like RetiredBrains.com that targets them directly. It is also a reason to craft a message tailored to an older audience.

Reasons employers should hire retirees and older workers on a part-time or temporary basis or for project assignments:

1. It is not necessary to pay benefits like health care insurance.
2. Temporary/part-time workers can be off-boarded with comparatively little or no cost.
3. If your company has a hiring freeze, hiring temporary/part-time employees usually comes from a different budget.
4. Older workers generally require less training.
5. Older workers have lower absenteeism.
6. Older workers tend to be more punctual.
7. Older workers have a better commitment to quality.
8. Older workers possess superior customer service skills.
9. Older workers have better people skills.
10. Older workers are more eager to learn new skills.
11. Older workers have a positive attitude.
12. Temporary, part-time and project based employees do not require unemployment insurance coverage. 

Art Koff is the Founder and CEO of RetiredBrains.com.

Obamacare (The Affordable Healthcare Act) What retirees need to know?

By Art Koff

This article covers what retirees need to do and what they need to know as far as how this legislation benefits them.  It includes information for those with pre-existing conditions, those who are on Medicare and most importantly what to do if you are an uninsured American.

The article includes links to explanatory videos and explanations as well as the contents of the act itself for those who wish to read it.

To read the article as it appears in MarketWatch click here

Art Koff is the founder and CEO of RetiredBrains.com.