For many Boomers, 2020 was going to be the start of a new phase in their life as they planned to retire. And then the world changed in an instant, leaving some to wonder whether this really will be the start of their Golden Years or if those dreams will have to be deferred. For others close to retirement that now find themselves jobless, it may feel less like a choice than an unfortunate circumstance foisted upon them. 

Either way, financial experts say before panicking, take a deep breath. Inhale…hold…exhale. Okay? 

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When my husband, Dale, passed away at age 57 from a sudden, massive heart attack two days before Thanksgiving in 2018, the last thing on my mind was the finances. This quickly changed, however, when I realized that as a relatively young widow of 54, I had just lost our second income.

To exacerbate my situation, due to my age and not having dependent children at home, I was ineligible to draw even partial Social Security income until turning 60. Nor could I withdraw from our retirement funds without heavy penalties and taxes until age 59 ½. On top of all that, my sole income from my freelance writing business would be subject to the higher single-payer tax bracket the following year.

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Northstar is both humbled and proud to have been selected by the esteemed members of our community as Windham's Best Financial Advisor 2019. Thank you to everyone who voted for us!