Retire with Money Dec. 2

As anyone saving for retirement knows, rising health care costs are one of your biggest financial challenges. Now that challenge is getting tougher—GOP leaders are planning a major overhaul to Obamacare, Medicare and Medicaid that may boost your medical bills. Will it really happen? There’s no predicting outcomes in Washington, so focus on what you can control: saving, investing and, especially, maintaining your health. The good news is that healthy habits do make a big difference, as Linda Fried, dean of Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, noted at a recent conference. If you reach age 70 without major health issues, you’re likely to live longer and better in retirement. Fried also noted that a recent study found a dramatic decline in the rate of dementia. One possible reason is that the study subjects had more education, which may have given them greater cognitive reserves to stave off Alzheimer’s. To protect your health, Fried recommends staying mentally active by tackling new problems, working or volunteering, and exercising. Above all, stay optimistic—if you expect to live longer, you improve the odds that you will. Tip: Avoid obsessing over cable news.

Best wishes,

Penny

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