I find stories about people in their 80s and 90s who are relatively healthy and have positive outlooks to be an affirmation that aging is a natural process that doesn't have to be traumatic. It is true that our bodies slow down, creak, and even fail us once in a while, and that our memory isn't what it used to be -- but it turns out that we can do a lot to "age well."

Thankfully, Tara Parker-Pope, the wellness columnist for The New York Times, has prepared a very handy and very comprehensive guide to aging well. It includes brief but authoritative sections: Eat, Move, Think, Connect, and Live Well. It is brimming with simple steps and helpful advice in a short, easy-to-read format. Embedded in the text are numerous links to other articles and research that backs up the content.

Parker-Pope writes, "While you can’t control your age, you can slow the decline of aging with smart choices along the way. From the foods you eat and how you exercise to your friendships and retirement goals — it all has an effect on how fast or slow your body ages."

I highly recommend this useful guide. You can find it here:

https://www.nytimes.com/guides/well/how-to-age-well

Like many Boomers, you may be in a transitional state in 2018 when it comes to employment. As you consider your work options, it may be wise to review some current employment statistics to get an idea of where opportunities exist. Entrepreneur magazine offers a handy infographic, based on data from Paychex, a leading payroll service, that looks at employment ages in the U.S. in states and industries.

Here are some interesting Boomer-oriented highlights from the data:

• The five states with the highest percentage of workers 65 and older are, in descending order: South Dakota, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Washington, DC
• About 23 percent of U.S. adults age 55 and older were working in 2016
• The top five industries with the greatest percentage of workers 65 and older are, in descending order: Legal; Community and Social Service; Life, Physical and Social Science; Arts, Design, Entertainment and Social Media; Personal Care and Service
• The top five states with the greatest percentage of MALE workers 65 and older are: Vermont, Connecticut, New Jersey, Kansas, Washington, DC
• The top five states with the greatest percentage of FEMALE workers 65 and older are: New Hampshire, Vermont, Washington, DC, Connecticut, Hawaii
• The three leading ways unemployed workers age 65 and older have attempted to enter the workforce are (1) contacted the employer directly, (2) sent out resumes or filled out applications, (3) contacted friends or relatives.

If you're looking for work, maybe some of these statistics can provide clues that point you in the right direction.

The new year is upon us, and it starts with a booming stock market and major tax reform. Is this good news for retiring Boomers?

Retirement expert Mark Miller offers an excellent assessment in his article for Morningstar. He acknowledges that the stock market is at all-time high, but quotes wealth management advisor Michael Kitces, who says instead of withdrawing the traditional 6.5% from investment accounts, "it might be wiser for new retirees to just start with a lower initial rate of around 4%."

Miller also cautions that Social Security and Medicare, while they remain unchanged on the new tax law, could undergo some changes in the future. According to Miller, there is the possibility that the full benefit age for Social Security could eventually be raised to 69 from the current 66. It is already going up to 67 for those who were born in 1960 or later. 

Everything, it seems, has a positive and negative side. For example, with the Fed continuing to raise interest rates, low-risk investments such as CDs may benefit, but the cost of borrowing would go up. It is also a fact that those individuals entering retirement have more debt than ever before, in part because of home mortgages.

There is more to keep an eye on in 2018. Read Mark Miller's excellent article for more details... and consider subscribing to his highly informative e-newsletter, Retirement Revised.

As much as we Boomers like to believe we have reinvented retirement, there are some forces we are pushing hard against with limited success. The reality of the American job market, lack of sufficient retirement savings, and other challenges are vexing for Boomers who want to work in their retirement years.

Each year for the past eighteen years, the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies (TCRS) has a retirement survey of American workers. This year's survey results, published in December 2017, reveal some interesting and, in some cases, troubling attributes of aging Boomers. Some key findings of the survey:

• Only 26 percent of Boomers plan to immediately stop working and retire when they reach what they consider to be retirement age. Already, two-thirds of them are working or plan to work past age 65 or do not plan to retire, and 54 percent plan to continue working after they retire.
• 38 percent of Boomers expect Social Security to be their primary source of income when they retire, while 39 percent expect that primary source to be retirement savings.
• The median savings of all household retirement accounts for Boomers is $164,000.
• Only 42 percent of Boomers are keeping their skills up to date so they can continue to work past 65.
• Only 28 percent of Boomers have a backup plan for retirement income if they're unable to work prior to their planned retirement.

Next Avenue's Richard Eisenberg did an excellent analysis of the survey with some pertinent comments from Catherine Collinson, the president of the TCRS, and helpful suggestions.

In addition to Boomers, the TCRS survey studied two other generations, Millennials and Gen Xers. You can get a copy of the survey results by downloading a PDF from the link below.

Download TCRS2017

It is demoralizing being a Boomer with a legitimate skill set who is turned away from traditional employment. Too many Boomers are prematurely let go simply because they have become a financial liability to a company. Boomers, after all, typically must be paid higher salaries and their benefits are more expensive -- at least that is the rationale used to dump a Boomer. The Boomer's superior experience, demonstrated expertise, work record, and loyalty to the company suddenly become immaterial.

The Boomer in search of a new job is likely to face an uphill battle. Sure, there are plenty of "Help Wanted" signs on retail store and fast food chain windows, but that is a minimum-wage desperation move for many Boomers, not to mention a loss of dignity for some. Is it any wonder, then, that some Boomers give up on the traditional job market altogether?

That is one reason the "gig economy" is flourishing. Getting a gig is easier than getting a job. It requires a minimal commitment on the part of the listing company, who gets work for hire at a contract price without paying a salary, doling out benefits, or hassling with taxes and workman's compensation insurance. The level of commitment on the part of the "gigger" is equally low, although quality work executed on time is required to secure repeat engagements. Gigs may also be even more desirable in 2018 because of the new tax reform bill, which essentially rewards self-employed individuals.

Despite potential pitfalls, gigs seem to be a pretty good way for Boomers to generate part-time income. Gigs can be particularly attractive because you can work independently and set your own schedule. You may not make a ton of money, but gigs can provide solid supplemental income to retirement savings and Social Security payments.

Getting started with gigs is relatively easy. Here are two articles published by The Balance that will jump start your efforts:

Freelance Jobs You Can Work from Home

15 Side Jobs to Make Some Extra Money

Happy gigging!