In the 1950s, the Duarte's Westminster Gardens retirement community began as a place for Presbyterian missionaries to retire after returning to the United States. These days, the 32-acre property houses older adults from all stripes of life a non-profit life plan community. Soon, it could continue on that path, but with brand new buildings.

A notice issued by the City of Duarte indicates that an update to the Westminster Gardens specific plan is entering the environmental review stage. The project site, bounded by Huntington Drive to the north, Central Avenue to the south, Santa Domingo Avenue to the West, and Bradbourne Avenue to the east, sits just northeast of the A Line's Duarte Station.

Currently, the Westminster Gardens campus is developing with 149 units of independent and assisted living housing in a variety of low-rise structures, which L.A. County Assessor records date to the 1920s and 1960s. Phased redevelopment could replace many of those structures with a total new structures featuring a combined sum of 550 affordable and market-rate independent living units, as well as new assisted living and memory care units.

Proposed conceptual planCity of Duarte

The completion of the project proposed by the specific plan updated could result in 400 more homes and 625,000 square feet of new development relative to what exists today, including new back-of-house functions, resident amenities, and retail space.

Plans from MIG show a new mixed-use building at the northwestern corner of the site, with buildings between three and four stories in height scattered throughout the property, and smaller independent living cottages located at the western and southern sides of the lot. Plans also show new park space located along Huntington Drive to the north, and the retention of the existing Morrison House at the southwest corner of the site.

According to a project description, redevelopment of the Westminster Gardens site would occur incrementally over a 15-to-20-year span.

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Redevelopment planned for 32-acre Westminster Gardens retirement community in Duarte - Urbanize LA

STANFORD, Calif. (AP) Tara VanDerveer gave her time and energy to a young Dawn Staley behind the scenes years before the South Carolina coach started winning championships or delivering an improbable undefeated season.

The Hall of Fame Stanford coach did the same for her Pac-12 rivals.

For Cori Close. For Lindsay Gottlieb. For Charmin Smith. For Charli Turner Thorne. And for Kate Paye, who will become VanDerveers successor now that the 70-year-old womens basketball pioneer is retiring.

Nearly everybody has a story of how VanDerveer went out of her way to do something kind along the way during her decorated, four-decade career. She cherished her role in helping the sport any way she could. And now, she is leaving on a high note.

The winningest basketball coach in NCAA history announced her retirement Tuesday night after 38 seasons leading the Stanford womens team and 45 years overall. A news conference was scheduled for Wednesday.

VanDerveer surpassed Mike Krzyzewski for the wins record in January. She departs with 1,216 victories at Idaho, Ohio State and Stanford.

Basketball is the greatest group project there is and I am so incredibly thankful for every person who has supported me and our teams throughout my coaching career, VanDerveer said in a statement. Ive been spoiled to coach the best and brightest at one of the worlds foremost institutions for nearly four decades.

And as has been the plan for years, top Cardinal assistant Paye is set to take over the program; Stanford said in a statement that negotiations with Paye are underway. Paye played for VanDerveer from 1991-95 and has coached on her staff for 17 years.

In 2013, Gottlieb was coaching California, which played in the same NCAA Tournament regional as Stanford. When VanDerveers top-seeded Cardinal were eliminated by Georgia and Cal had to face the Bulldogs next, VanDerveer reached out to congratulate Gottlieb and offer to help with the game plan.

The second-seeded Golden Bears went on to reach the programs only Final Four.

After beating Staley and South Carolina 70-32 on Nov. 26, 2010, VanDerveer made her way to the Gamecocks locker room in Maples Pavilion for a postgame pep talk.

For me being on the West Coast I had a front-row seat to all those things, Gottlieb said by phone Tuesday night, fondly remembering VanDerveer reaching out after Cal beat LSU. The first call after that win was from Tara and she asked if we wanted the Georgia scout after her season had just ended. Those are things you dont forget. It shapes the way you treat opponents, it shapes the way you treat other coaches.

Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer, left, celebrates with her players after her 1,000th career coaching win on Feb. 3, 2017, in Stanford, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)

Stanford, which lost to North Carolina State in a regional semifinal this year after last seasons second-round defeat at home to Mississippi, will play in the Atlantic Coast Conference next season after the Pac-12 imploded changes that VanDerveer called sad.

From the time I wrote Tara a letter as a senior in college until coaching against her 25 years later, she has always been the model for game-planning, for excellence and for growing our game, Gottlieb said, and I think our prevailing feeling should be gratitude for everything shes done for all of us.

Turner Thorne, a former Stanford player who later coached Arizona State and is now retired, reached out to VanDerveer immediately after hearing Tuesdays news.

She has done it all so just really happy for her to enjoy life after coaching! Turner Thorne said in a text message to The Associated Press. When you know you know.

UConn coach Geno Auriemma called it a monumental day in womens basketball, and in basketball in general.

When youve coached for this extended period of time and youve accomplished what Taras accomplished, it has an incredible effect on the basketball community, Auriemma said. The number of wins, the national championships, the Hall of Fame. Shes had an incredible career and shes left a great impact on the sport. Its been exciting to compete against her all these years.

Coaches who were mentored by VanDerveer said her legacy will be long-lasting.

Taras influence is both deep and wide. I went to her very first camp at Stanford as a camper, UCLA coach Close said in a text to the AP. I competed against her and worked her camps as a player. And I have now been competing against her and learning from her for many years as a coach. My coaching has been affected on so many levels by Taras example and direct mentorship at many crossroads. Congrats on an amazing career Tara. Our game, the Pac-12 Conference, and my coaching is better because of you. Enjoy retirement. You sure have earned it.

VanDerveers last day is scheduled for May 8 the 39th anniversary of her hiring. She plans to continue working for the athletic department in an advisory role.

Her Stanford teams won NCAA titles in 1990, 92 and 2021 and reached the Final Four 14 times.

Rosalyn Gold-Onwude played on the 2008 Final Four squad and is thrilled about the strides her sport has made since.

Whatever helped her decide, she deserves it all, Gold-Onwude said in a text to the AP. She steps away knowing her work was part of making all this possible, and she deserves all the rest, shes earned it! Im happy for her. Thankful for her.

VanDerveer took a year away from Stanford to guide the undefeated U.S. womens Olympic team to a gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

The Stanford team listen to their coach Tara VanDerveer, upper center, during basketball practice at the NCAA Womens Final Four, April 4, 2009, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)

Coupled with my time at Ohio State and Idaho, and as head coach of the United States National Team, it has been an unforgettable ride, she said. The joy for me was in the journey of each season, seeing a group of young women work hard for each other and form an unbreakable bond. Winning was a byproduct. Ive loved the game of basketball since I was a little girl, and it has given me so much throughout my life. I hope Ive been able to give at least a little bit back.

For many in womens basketball, the answer is a resounding yes.

Shes a legend. The game will miss her, Smith, the current California coach and former Stanford player and assistant, said in a text to the AP. Im grateful for everything Tara has done to contribute to the coach I am today.

This story has been corrected to show that Lindsay Gottlieb was coaching California, not Southern California, in 2013.

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket/ and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

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Tara VanDerveer retires as Stanford women's hoops coach after setting NCAA wins record this year - The Associated Press

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The critical voice in Roberta Smiths head is mercifully, blessedly silent.

I can walk into a show now and not have the first line of the review pop into my head, said Ms. Smith, 76, who retired last month as the co-chief art critic of The New York Times.

The announcement prompted tributes on social media from fellow critics, artists, gallery owners, curators and readers, who called her legendary, peerless and a critical model for a lifetime. Over her 38-year career at The Times, Ms. Smith cultivated a reputation for intimate observations conveyed in accessible prose. She began her career as a freelance critic for The Times in 1986 before being hired in 1991. In 2011, she was promoted to co-chief art critic the first woman to hold the title, which she shared with Holland Cotter.

But now, without the pressure of having to present a point of view in The Times, shes free to do what she loves most visit shows and galleries just to look.

I look at shows less intently when Im not writing about them, she said. That means sometimes I may not come out with a really formed opinion, because there isnt that pressure.

In a recent phone conversation from her Greenwich Village apartment, where she lives with her husband of 32 years, the New York magazine art critic Jerry Saltz, Ms. Smith discussed her journey to becoming a professional critic, how her taste in art has changed over the years and what its like being married to a fellow critic. These are edited excerpts.

How did you get started as a critic?

I began writing when I was 25 as a freelancer at Arts Magazine which is now defunct with an article on the painter Brice Marden. I became a critic in the same way a lot of people become critics: by immersing themselves in a subject and having enough confidence to listen to their opinions. Criticism isnt really an academic subject. I dont think it can be taught at school; its much more visceral. It happens when youre in front of art, examining it, articulating opinions and trying to convert those opinions into clear prose.

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Roberta Smith on Life as an Art Critic and Retirement - The New York Times

Tom Brady might be open to an NFL return. Or he just wanted to get his new podcast some exposure. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Tom Brady retired. Then he unretired. Then he retired again, "for good." Then he joked about unretiring. Then he said unretiring is "off the table."

You'll never guess what he did Thursday.

The former New England Patriots quarterback appeared on a new podcast called "DeepCut," in which the premise appears to be guests being interviewed while receiving haircuts from barber influencer VicBlends.

When asked about the prospect of returning from retirement, specifically to replace a quarterback late in the season for a playoff team, Brady didn't rule it out. He actually presented the NFL as the actual obstacle to a return, due to his ongoing attempt to buy a chunk of the Las Vegas Raiders.

He compared the idea to that of Michael Jordan, who returned to the NBA after a second retirement to play for the Washington Wizards, of which he owned a piece.

Brady's answer:

"I'm not opposed to it. I don't know if they are going to let me if I become an owner of an NFL team. I don't know, I'm always going to be in good shape, always be able to throw the ball, so, to come in for a little bit, like MJ coming back, I don't know if they would let me, but I wouldn't be opposed to it."

Brady also mentioned the Patriots and Raiders as possibilities for such a comeback, while VicBlends mentioned his hometown San Francisco 49ers.

That's as much as Brady has entertained the possibility of a return since his little video on the beach, and comes a month after he posted a video of himself running a 40-yard dash. You could call these breadcrumbs for a potentially shocking return, but it's also probably worth noting that "DeepCut" is produced by a production company called Shadow Lion.

What is Shadow Lion? Well, it happens to be co-founded by Brady and his longtime manager Ben Rawitz, with others, and is responsible for many of the ads you've seen Brady in over the past few years, as well as his well-coordinated social presence.

So Brady and his people are behind this podcast. And what would help a nascent podcast get exposure more than one of the most famous athletes in the world implying he could return from retirement a second time?

Serious or not, it's clear that Brady will never stop hustling. It's just more likely he'll be hustling for Shadow Lion or Fox Sports, where he's still set to begin broadcasting next season, than for an actual NFL team.

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Tom Brady cracks open door to possible return from retirement: 'I'm not opposed to it' - Yahoo Sports

U.S. workers are more afraid of running out of money in retirement and more intimidated by financial matters, such as long-term financial planning, than workers in Europe areyet Americans rate their financial well-being higher than do their counterparts across the pond, according to Alight research.

The 2022 Alight International Workforce and Wellbeing Mindset report found that 53% of U.S. workers rate their financial well-being highly, compared with 46% in the Netherlands, 44% in Germany, 40% in the U.K. and 35% in France. Overall, 44% of respondents rate their well-being as high.

The findings are from a series of research reports by Alight and Business Group on Health, according to a press release.

Workers worldwide found that COVID-19 intensified challenges to wellbeing, Alight CEO Stephan Scholl said in the release. As a result, they sometimes face difficulties in showing up to work as their best selves, which ultimately affects companies bottom line. At the same time, caring about employee wellbeing is critical to recruiting and retaining talent.

Among American workers, 43% said they experienced the most stress about long-term financial planning, though financial priorities differed for workers in other countries. Still, fully 47% of U.S. employees said they felt in control of their financial future, compared with 35% among their European counterparts.

The research shows that overall, 24% of respondents said they are intimidated by financial matters and 38% are afraid of running out of money in retirement. For U.S workers, 36% said they are intimidated by financial matters and 47% fear running out of money in retirement.

And yet, 47% of U.S. workers said they felt in control of their financial future, compared with 35% of their European counterparts, the report shows.

Among U.K. workers, 25% are intimidated by financial matters and 39% fear running out of money in retirement, whereas 16% of French workers said they are intimidated by financial matters and 42% fear running out of money in retirement. In Germany, the figures were 20% and 41%, respectively, and in the Netherlands, they were 24% for each.

Among all workers, 73% reported high or moderate levels of stress and 34% reported suffering symptoms of burnout, yet 34% of respondents feel their employer cares about their well-being, the research found.

For workers in the U.S. and the U.K., 15% of employees reported being aware of employer-sponsored stress management programs. Of those aware of the benefit, 23% have used it, although 32% wanted their employer to provide more mental health resources.

These sentiments demonstrate a disconnect in employees views of their workplace wellbeing benefits, as large employers have continued to make significant investments in workforce wellbeing benefits and programs, Ellen Kelsay, president and CEO of Business Group on Health, said in a statement.

The survey also identified areas where employers can better prioritize the well-being of their workforce and increase employee awareness and use of available well-being programs.

Employers can use this valuable survey data to refine how employees learn about and experience wellbeing initiatives, as well as how to better meet the specific needs of employees, said Kelsay. Many employers have invested considerably in wellbeing resources in recent years, and a key takeaway from these findings is that there is more they can do to ensure employees are aware of and utilizing those offerings.

The report recommends considering raising awareness of available mental health programs by creating engaging and personalized programs through a combination of technology and communication. It also recommends supporting employees long-term financial goals and understanding their short-term demands, as many employees need assistance with reducing debt levels, sticking to a budget, saving for more immediate financial needs and having longer-term savings goals. According to the report, balanced financial well-being programs that provide concrete steps for employees to take can help boost overall financial well-being and reduce related stress.

In addition, the report emphasizes the importance of providing balance and flexibility, asthe pandemic has demonstrated that workers value flexibility and being able to work remotely at least some of the time. More than half of employees (54%) said a flexible work environment differentiated one employer from another, and 59% said being able to work remotely had a positive effect on theirwell-being.

Kantar conducted the research, surveying more than 10,000 employees from February to March in the U.S. (2,000), U.K. (2,002), Germany (2,001), France (2,000) and the Netherlands (2,001). This marked the first time the study included countries outside the U.S.

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US Workers Fear Exhausting Savings in Retirement | PLANSPONSOR - PLANSPONSOR

Grant Sabatier, creator of finance website Millennial Money and author of "Financial Freedom," technically isn't retired. But he could be. He has enough money in his portfolio to live on without ever needing to work again. And that's sort of the point.

Sabatier is one of the leading voices in the so-called FIRE movement short for financial independence, retire early. Adherents to this philosophy aim to save and invest large portions of their income in their early earning years in order to have enough money to retire decades before they reach their mid-60s.

By 2015, at age 30, Sabatier had saved $1.25 million, enough to ensure that he'd never have to work again. But instead of kicking back on a beach, he has embarked on a new career teaching others how to achieve financial independence.

Over the last seven years, Sabatier has seen his share of FIRE success stories, as well as common pitfalls early retirees run into. If you're considering embarking on a FIRE journey, here are two potential problem areas to understand now so you don't run into them down the line, Sabatier says.

Planning for an early retirement requires you to have an idea of what life after work will look like, which can be difficult in a society where people are often defined by their work.

"So much of our identity is tied up to our work and the things that we do in our professional life," says Sabatier. "A lot of people spend all this time working and saving and investing in order to retire early, then they don't have an idea of what they want to do after."

That can make knowing how much money to save tricky given that retiring to a beach in Thailand, writing your novel at a caf or traveling the country in a van require different financial pictures to pull off.

One way to narrow things down is to focus on your core values. Interrogating which parts of your life bring you the most happiness can help you form a clearer idea of what you want, Jim Crider, a certified financial planner who specializes in clients seeking financial independence, recently told CNBC Make It.

"If you can be articulate about what's important to you, your vision is clear," he said. "You can spend money in the most efficient manner. You can make the things that are most important to you happen in a bigger, grander way."

Still, no matter how clear your retirement vision is, it may require some field testing, Sabatier says. If you've accumulated enough cash savings to cover a year or more of expenses, try a "mini retirement" to get a sense of how life away from the office actually feels, he suggests.

Or begin pursuing your passions on the side while you're still working. "This is one of the biggest reasons I recommend trying a side hustle, so you can start making money doing something that you enjoy. And actually then use that as a bridge to when you want to retire early."

None of your early retirement dreams are likely to come to fruition if you don't stash away enough money.

"I see a lot of people retiring with enough money to cover their annual expenses today, but they're not estimating what adding two kids or moving to a higher cost of living area could add to their expenses," Sabatier says.

The number that would-be early retirees are aiming for is known as their "FIRE number" the amount of money they need in their portfolio to live off of in perpetuity.

The calculation used to find it is based on the "4% rule," an investing concept borne of an influential 1998 financial study which posited that investors holding a mix of stocks and bonds could withdraw 4% of their portfolio's value per year.

To find your FIRE number, if you assume a 4% withdrawal rate, you'd multiply the annual income you expect to need in retirement by 25. Someone hoping to live on $50,000 annual withdrawals from their portfolio would need $1.25 million to retire.

People get themselves into trouble, Sabatier says, when they fail to account for how that equation can change for them over time.

You may have thought $50,000 was plenty to live on when you embarked on your FIRE journey in your 20s, but by the time you're 45, your needs may have changed drastically. You may need to adjust your number upward before you can have the retirement you were envisioning.

You may have to adjust your assumptions for how soon you could hit your number too, Sabatier adds. That's because safely drawing down your investments relies on the assumption that markets will consistently move upward. And while that has been the trend over long periods, the direction of your investments is far less predictable between now and when you're hoping to call it quits.

"We know we're living in increasingly uncertain times. I see a lot of people under-saving and overestimating the potential future performance of the stock market."

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37-year-old self-made millionaire: Don't retire early before you consider these 2 things - CNBC

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The average American is saving less for retirement than you might think.

A recent GOBankingRates survey found that 38% of Americans think they will need less than $500,000 to retire a far cry from the traditionally recommended amount of $1 million. However, whether you have $500,000 or $5 million in your savings, the truth is that retirement is not one size fits all. Depending on your financial situation, where you want to retire and what your retirement goals are, the perfect number for you could be far lower or much higher.

Retirement at Any Age: Get Top Retirement Tips for Every Stage of LifeLearn:7 Surprisingly Easy Ways To Reach Your Retirement Goals

Keep reading to find out if you can afford to retire on less than $500,000, and what your retirement might look like living on these savings.

According to our survey, 38% of Americans think theyll need less than $500,000 to retire, 30% believe theyll need $500,001 to $1 million, 14% believe they will need $1 million to $1.5 million, 8% believe they will need $1.5 million to $2 million, 3% believe they will need $2 million to $2.5 million, 2% believe they will need $2.5 million to $3 million and 6% believe they will require more than $3 million.

The majority of the respondents who believe they will need less than $500,000 to retire were at or near retirement age, as 53% of the respondents in this category were over the age of 65. Only 28% of those ages 18 to 24 stated that they will need less than $500,000.

Additionally, women make up the majority of those respondents who said they will need less than $500,000 to retire, as 44% of women and 32% of men responded in this way.

If you are wondering whether $500,000 is enough money to retire on, the answer is it depends but you can use the safe withdrawal rate to do some quick calculations. The safe withdrawal rate is a general rule of thumb with it comes to retirement planning.

Jay Zigmont, Ph.D., CFP, founder ofChildfree Wealth,breaks it down like this: The general concept is that you can take 4% of your net worth out of your investments each year and not run out of money. On $500,000, that means your expenses will have to be below $20,000 per year, not including any taxes you may have to pay. If you are completely out of debt including your house it may be possible in some areas to live on $20,000, but in most areas, you will barely cover food and healthcare.

You can use the safe withdrawal rate to find an approximate number that you will need in order to afford retirement.

To do rough calculations with the safe withdrawal rate, take your annual expenses and multiply it by 25, Zigmont said. So if you have $40,000 a year in expenses, you will need $1 million to retire. That may seem like a lot of money, but keep in mind you are trying to make your money last the rest of your lifetime.

Take Our Poll:Do You Think You Will Be Able To Retire at Age 65?

After determining whether or not you can afford to retire on less than $500,000, another factor you might want to consider is what retirement might look like with these savings.

Is retiring on $500,000 possible? It absolutely is. Just know it will not be a luxurious or even a comfortable retirement, said Matthew Grishman, principal and wealth advisor at Gebhardt Group Inc. It will be basic subsistence to keep a roof over your head, food in your fridge, clothing on your back, and access to transportation, communication and health insurance. And thats about it.

If you are open to retiring outside of the U.S., you might find it much more accessible to retire luxuriously with smaller savings.

It is absolutely possible to retire on $500,000 or less, especially if you are open to the idea of retiring in a foreign country like Mexico, Panama, Colombia, Costa Rica or Portugal, Grishman said. U.S. expat communities have seen explosive growth in these countries as costs of living for retirees, especially healthcare, continue their rapid ascent upward here in the United States.

If an extravagant retirement on the beach is what youre looking for, you might want to start making some changes now in order to save enough for your ideal retirement.

If you want more in your retirement, you will need to save a lot more than $500,000, Grishman said. Perhaps looking closely at your spending now and eliminating discretionary expenses for a while to allow yourself the opportunity to save will be a worthwhile tradeoff for a more comfortable retirement. Ask for a raise or look for a new job that might have higher pay where you can take that additional income and save it, rather than simply absorbing it into buying a bigger lifestyle.

Consider adding any bonuses or tax refunds you receive into your savings and think about investing beyond your retirement savings account. To boost your savings, consider investing in real estate or cash-flow businesses to help you reach your retirement goals.

More From GOBankingRates

Methodology: GOBankingRates surveyed 997 Americans ages 18 and older from across the country between Aug. 9 and Aug. 11, 2022, asking 16 different questions: (1) How much money do you currently have saved for retirement?; (2) How much money do you think youll need to retire?; (3) Realistically, at what age do you want to be retired?; (4) At what age did you start saving for retirement?; (5) What worries you financially about retirement? (Select all that apply.); (6) Do you plan to work in retirement?; (7) What assets do you have in your retirement portfolio? (Select all that apply.); (8) How has the current inflation impacted your retirement plans?; (9) How much of your retirement do you plan to fund with Social Security?; (10) How do you feel about the future of Social Security when you retire?; (11) What percentage of your salary are you currently investing for retirement?; (12) Are you planning to move after your retirement?; (13) Where is your ideal place to retire?; (14) What government programs do you plan to use for your retirement? (Select all that apply.); (15) Do you have a pension plan?; and (16) How much do you think the average American has saved at the time they retire? GOBankingRates used PureSpectrums survey platform to conduct the poll.

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38% of Americans Think You Need This Much To Retire -- Here's What Experts Say - GOBankingRates

Rev. Candace McKibben| Guest columnist

Even with climate change warming the earth globally and the routine heat of Florida summers bearing down on us locally, I can feel a slight change in the season as September advances.

I had been lamenting with my husband that we did not make a trip to beautiful St. George Island this summer and thought aloud we might go on a recent Tuesday. But as often happens in our relatively new retirement life, other matters were calling and it rained anyway, so we enjoyed the day at home.

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That is until my husband suggested late in the day that we go to our little house near the Wakulla River and spend the night so that we could have a jump start on a trip to St. George Island on Wednesday.

It was one of those moments that happens in retirement when it dawns on me how deeply fortunate I am to be healthy, active, and able to make spur of the moment decisions about how I will spend my time.

Much of my life is still structured around my church, community commitments I have made, and the family I love, but I have the freedom to go to a place I find so enjoyable midweek and with little advance notice if I so choose. What an amazing gift!

The day could not have been more perfect. The water on the bay as we approached the island was smooth as glass, sparkling like diamonds in the ample sunshine. When we entered the state park, we asked the ranger about the sea turtle population this season.

She reported 61 sea turtle nests for the season thus far and a number of nests that had already matured, their youngsters scrambling over the soft sand out to sea. I felt gratitude.

The park was not crowded, and we parked as only the second car at the first pavilion. We carried our sea kayak to the waters edge and with little effort on the calm waters were a football fields length offshore in no time.

That is when I spotted her, floating atop the water, playing, it seemed. I saw first her flippers and then her head as she lifted it for a gulp of air before returning beneath the waters obscurity. I was thrilled! I wondered if she might be one of the mother sea turtles awaiting moonlight to lay her last clutch of eggs for the season, though it would be late.

Her presence was an omen of the delight we had in store. As we paddled first one way and then another, following the creatures who greeted us, we saw six dolphins, two sea turtles, a good number of Southern stingrays, even more moon jellyfish elegantly dancing by, and a nice red fish that any fisherman would have been proud to catch.

We enjoyed a walk on the beach where we saw marked sea turtle nests still awaiting delivery. The dunes were gorgeous and the sea oats healthy. The shore birds were few but as intriguing as always. Watching his short little legs marching swiftly and precisely along the waters edge as the sandpiper nabbed a late breakfast or early lunch with precision, was a delightful sight.

The sand was squeaky as it encountered our bare feet, and the shore was free of any wrack or dried seaweed lines. What a perfectly magical day.

The coming of fall is not the only seasonal change I have felt recently. My grandson entered high school in a town that is new to him after his recent move to Georgia.

Visiting him recently, I felt how different he had become in the few months since he left Tallahassee. My oldest granddaughter will be 20 this week, no longer a teenager.

And of the 15 siblings that my parents shared between them, the one remaining, my funny and loving Uncle John, is nearing death. The Afghan family with whom my husband and I feel deeply connected welcomed their first child, Nivan.

Saddened that she was born while we were out of town in Mississippi visiting my dear uncle, Nivans young father reminded me wisely in a sweet, profound text, This is life, one day we are a newborn baby and one day old, weak, and ready to leave this world. Life is very short.

Retirement, for those of us fortunate enough to experience it, affords us the freedom to respond to the lure of natural beauty and the calls of our heart to see those we love at pivotal moments.

It is about paying careful attention to yourself and being intentional about how you spend your remaining days. I hear that some people prefer not to retire. Work for them is meaningful and how they want to spend their time.

I also understand anecdotally that there are those who fail retirement and end up returning to the work force, not because it is what they want, but because it is what they know. It is certainly a transition that requires some attention, adjustment, and persistence. Retirement itself is a seasonal shift, but can be, as I am experiencing it, a profoundly rich season.

September is National Healthy Aging Month and focuses on the positive aspects of growing older. Targeting the nearly 70 million Baby Boomers and 65 million Generation Xers, the goal of the month-long focus is to encourage staying active and vital, both physically and mentally, as we age.

I am reminded of a funny remark I once heard from an elderly lady who said if she had known she was going to get so old, she would have taken better care of herself.

My sweet Uncle John is 91 years old and under hospice care at home. Just across the country road is his childhood home where he lived with six siblings before becoming a dashing young marine, as my mother described her younger brother. I was touched that he called me by name on my recent visit and seemed as pleased to see me as I was him.

Bedbound, he was quiet as his daughter rehearsed the many medical mountains he had overcome in the years since last we had seen each other.

Suddenly, Zip-a-dee-doo-dah Uncle John sang in a weak voice that was almost undiscernible. Zip-a-dee-ay, I sang in glad response. And we continued the call and response pattern till the songs end. It felt like grace.

What a poignant reminder of the importance of focusing on the sunshine heading our way as we all seek to make the most of the time we have left to us, retired or not.

The Rev. Candace McKibben is an ordained minister and pastor of Tallahassee Fellowship.

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Paying attention to parade of life is one of the riches of retirement | Candace McKibben - Tallahassee Democrat

New Haven, CT (WTNH) Retirement can be an amazing, new chapter of life, but like with anything new, it can come with some growing pains. Retirement Planning experts Laura and Michael Lehrhaupt, owners of Strategies for Wealth Management in Shelton, joined CT Style Host Natasha Lubczenko in the studio to discuss the challenges people face when planning for retirement and their tips for ensuring a successful outcome.

Michael spoke about the common obstacles that most people face when planning for or entering retirement, and he reminded people that he considers retirement not a sprint, but a marathon. And in a marathon, there are bound to be obstacles. These include taxes, income stream creation, inflation risk, longevity risk, and unexpected health care costs. But the biggest risk, he says, is Market risk. Michael noted that many people suffered and lost a lot of money in 2008 when the Market deflated, and they want to help people avoid this problem in the future.

Watch this interview and learn how Strategies for Wealth Management works with clients to navigate all of these challenges. They discuss their services, planning steps and answer these questions:

Laura and Michael Lehrhaupt produce their own TV program called Rock Your Retirement that can be seen on WTNH News 8 on Sunday nights at 11:30pm.

For more information, or to inquire about their book, visit http://www.strategies4wm.com.

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Strategies for Wealth Management: The 5 Obstacles People Face in Retirement - WTNH.com

Story at a glance

Gen Z Americans who put a good chunk of their incomes toward retirement plan to end their careers ahead of the traditional retirement age.

A new survey from the financial firm Principal found that these super savers those who put 15 percent or more of their income toward retirement savings aimto retire around age 57.

The survey showedthat thegeneration born in the mid to late 90s expects to achieve this goal by sticking to the basics andmany plan to save more than $1 million before retirement. Around 39 percent are aiming for $3 million.

Only about a quarter of Gen Z super savers are counting on Social Security as retirement income.

Super savers in each generation surveyed said they are sticking with their savings plan despite inflation, although around a third listed it among their top concerns. More than 80 percent of respondents said they are in good shape to endure a recession.

From continuing to save through an inflationary period to establishing long-term financial goals, Super Savers embody some of the best practices for retirement saving that gives them the mental and emotional strength to stick with their plans even during times of market uncertainty,Sri Reddy, senior vice president, Retirement & Income Solutions at Principal, said in a media release.

Their savings habits go to show you can tuck away for the long-term while living in the moment today, Reddy added.

Still, younger savers are putting off major purchases and delaying homeownership given market conditions. Around 18 percent of Gen Z survey respondents said they were homeowners, while more than two-thirds said home prices were too high.

Despite a cooler housing market, 30-year fixed mortgage rates rose above 6 percent the highest rate since the 2008 housing crisis.

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Principal conducted its online survey of 1,120 retirement plan participants, 9 percent of whom are members of Gen Z,from June 24 to July 5.

An earlier survey from the investment management company BlackRock found that more than two-thirds of Gen Z workers believe they are saving adequately for retirement. But a third of respondents said they think $250,000 would be sufficient to retire.

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Heres when Gen Z super savers plan to retire - The Hill