If you have parents who are nearing their 50s, then it’s time to start talking about what their plans are for retirement, so you can help them to meet their retirement goals and know what role you will need to play to ensure that they are happy and comfortable throughout their senior years. It may seem like it’s intrusive to ask your parents about their medical wishes, plans for where to live, and their financial standing; but having this knowledge will help you to determine what you will need to help them with during their retirement. Here are a few tips for helping you talk to your parents about their retirement:

1. Start early – talk to your parents about their retirement plans by the time they are 50…earlier is okay too, but don’t wait too long! However, if your parents are already retired, it’s not too late to have this conversation
2. Know their retirement goals – where do your parents want to live when they retire? Do they want to remain in Fairfax? Do they want to travel? Do they want to take on any new hobbies or continue with old ones? This will help determine their financial needs for retirement
3. How much? – you might not feel comfortable asking your parents about their finances, but it’s important to know if they have saved enough to get them through their retirement, while still meeting their goals. Ensure you let them know that they can’t live on their Social Security Benefits alone; according to studies, these only cover about 40% of retirement living expenses
4. Check Social Security Benefits – although seniors can’t live on their Social Security Benefit alone, requesting to know how much they will receive can help with financial planning for retirement
5. Let them know early retirement might be a possibility – whether or not they hope to retire early, with the economy today, many people are forced to retire at an earlier age. Take a look at the industry that your parents work in; if they are in an industry that’s really being effected, it might result in early retirement
6. Discuss health care – knowing what your parents would want with regards to their health care is perhaps the most important so you know what to do if they are not able to speak for themselves. You can also encourage them to draft a living will, but make sure you know what they’d want with regards to senior services as well as health care

Via: Senior.com

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Home Care Fairfax County South, VA provides elder home care and senior care in Fairfax, Alexandria, Burke, Springfield, Annandale, Fairfax Station, Lorton, Mt. Vernon and Fort Belvoir. Call us today at 703.750.6644.