Business & Finance   

Every year, new trends, events, financial products, and government policies and legislation affect our personal finances. This presentation will recap 2025 through a personal finance “lens” by reporting noteworthy personal finance news items and their implication for personal financial planning. The session will also include results of important 2025 research studies about financial topics and a preview of announced changes related to income, estate taxes, and Social Security for 2026.

Without a guaranteed stream of income, older adults are exposed to the risk of outliving their assets. Pensions no longer exist for most workers and Social Security is often inadequate to maintain a comfortable lifestyle. That leaves annuities as a guaranteed income source. Annuities are a contract between an investor and an insurance company that offer tax benefits and the promise of a lifetime stream of income.

Unfortunately, many annuities have high expenses, which erode investment growth, and some are sold in high-pressure situations such as “free meal” seminars. Studies have found that annuities can extend the life of retirement savings, but many people do not fully understand or trust them. This class will cover key elements of annuities, types of annuities, advantages and disadvantages, common features, qualified vs. non-qualified annuities, government entities that regulate annuities, withdrawal and exchange options, qualified longevity annuity contracts (QLACs) to fund living expenses in later years, annuity research results, and annuity resources.

Many Master the Possibilities students are in their 70s (or will be soon), so this class will come at a “teachable moment” for spending decisions, income taxes, and philanthropy. New issues and challenges arise when people reach their 70s. Examples include a higher risk of widowhood, illness, disability, and need for long-term care assistance and increased concern about outliving assets. There are also financial planning issues such as required minimum distributions (RMDs) and opportunities such as qualified charitable contributions (QCDs). Financial topics that septuagenarians need to know are the focus of this class.

This presentation will be taught by a financial educator who holds the certified financial planner® designation but does not sell consumer financial products or services. The session will discuss current income tax laws, basic income tax concepts, tax issues of particular concern to older adults (e.g., standard deductions, required minimum distributions, Social Security taxation, IRMAA, and qualified charitable deductions), tax preparation methods, and income tax resources.

The SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) Program provides free and unbiased health insurance counseling to elders and individuals with disabilities, their families, and caregivers. SHINE wants to remind you about the importance of planning for long-term care. Researching your options, choosing the type of care desired, preparing financially and informing/involving your loved ones will make your transition much more smoothly. Long-term care services involves skilled nursing, custodial and hospice or palliative care. Did you know that long-term care activities of daily living in a home, community, or facility will not be covered by Medicare?

Having a great checklist is helpful; and understanding all of the resources available will be key to the planning process. Did you know there are Federal or State programs such as: VA, Federal & Uniformed Services; the CARES, Ombudsman, and partnership programs; along with other resources that can guide a beneficiary and loved ones through the process. There is a self-assessment guide, a consumer guide; steps on choosing a nursing home or other long-term care providers, a shoppers guide for choosing long term care insurance and ideas on how to use your home to stay at home. It is also important to share your wishes with family members about future medical care, therefore, having advance directives, living wills, health care proxies, Five Wishes, and POA's in place are key to preparing for future health care needs.

Resources are available at your fingertips, all you need to know is where to find it. Let us be your resource connection!

A personal representative is a person or institution that manages a deceased person's financial affairs and estate. In Florida, this term is used instead of executor or administrator. Duties include collecting assets, paying debts, and distributing remaining assets, if any. This class will provide a deep dive into the process of serving as a personal representative from both a financial planning “lens” and the instructor’s recent experience serving as a personal representative and developing an Excel spreadsheet to track creditor claims. It will include topics such as duties, process steps, compensation, pitfalls. The target audience for this class is both people who will serve as a personal representative and those who are trying to select one.

This class was requested by a MTP student at the May 2024 Curriculum Kick-off. He noted that his wife and other older women are too dependent on their husbands to make investment decisions and need a basic investing class. While many people start investing during their working years, some “newbie” investors are older adults, often widowed and divorced people who deferred investment decisions to others for decades.

This class will provide a basic introduction to investing for late starters. Topics to be covered include investment terminology, investment risks, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, investment fraud, and investor resources.

No studio? No problem! If your artwork is tucked under the bed or stacked in the dining room, it’s time to bring it into the spotlight. This session covers how to present and promote your work, from local bazaars to online platforms like Etsy or Shopify. Learn about websites, social media, art festivals, payment options, and essential tips for launching your art business.

With so much personal finance information available (i.e., information overload), many people are looking for a “cookbook” with recipes to manage their money. In other words, a curated list of financial planning action steps. Need some evidence? The best-selling book, The Index Card, did exactly this and a quick scan of personal finance blogs, podcasts, and social media posts reveals common use of “teaser” titles including words like “steps,” “tips,” “ways,” “moves,” strategies,” and “ingredients.”

Media outlets know that content with tactical information attracts audiences. Just Do 10 Things Right is an “umbrella” class that will cover key financial topics including cash flow, saving/investing, insurance, taxes, and retirement and estate planning with ample time for participant questions.

Many older adults own tax-deferred retirement savings accounts such as traditional IRAs and employer retirement savings plans (e.g., 401(k)s, 403(b)s, 457 plans, and the Thrift Savings Plan). Many of these accounts were started with the assumption that income in later life would be lower than during working years. This may or may not be the case. Some older adults with multiple streams of income are surprised that their income actually increases. This class will discuss tax-deferred accounts from the viewpoint of older adults including income withdrawal strategies, RMD requirements, portfolio rebalancing, tax minimization, beneficiary designations, tax withholding, and more.

The American Revolution was not solely caused by tea taxes, but they were a significant factor contributing to the growing tension between the American colonies and Great Britain. The core issue was the principle of "taxation without representation.”  

As Master the Possibilities celebrates America’s 250th birthday, it is fitting to discuss the past, present, and future of taxes. This class will describe ways that Americans have been taxed since the U.S. was formed, current methods of taxation, and projections about taxes in the future. Included topics will be marginal tax rates, progressive tax rates, and new tax laws in effect in 2026.

About one-third of Baby Boomers are single (mostly divorced or never-married). In addition, around 20% of Baby Boomers are childless, double the percentage of the previous generation, and the oldest Baby Boomers will start turning 80 in 2026. Solo agers without a traditional family support system of a spouse/partner, children, or close family have unique financial planning needs. This class will discuss common issues of concern including finding and funding alternative support networks, retirement planning, living alone, housing decisions, long-term care, relationship boundaries with professional advisors, estate planning (naming trustworthy fiduciaries), philanthropy, and more.

Presented by Chairman Carl Zalak, III

Join us for an informative session that takes a closer look at how our community is growing and preparing for tomorrow. Learn about roadway improvements, upcoming projects, and innovative programs shaping daily life. Hear directly about the work of our first responders and how local leaders are planning for the future to keep Marion County safe, connected, and thriving. Don’t miss this chance to stay informed and engaged with the changes and opportunities coming to our community.

The SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) Program provides free and unbiased health insurance counseling to elders and individuals with disabilities, their families, and caregivers. SHINE wants to remind you about the importance of planning for long-term care. Researching your options, choosing the type of care desired, preparing financially and informing/involving your loved ones will make your transition much more smoothly. Long-term care services involves skilled nursing, custodial and hospice or palliative care. Did you know that long-term care activities of daily living in a home, community, or facility will not be covered by Medicare?

Having a great checklist is helpful; and understanding all of the resources available will be key to the planning process. Did you know there are Federal or State programs such as: VA, Federal & Uniformed Services; the CARES, Ombudsman, and partnership programs; along with other resources that can guide a beneficiary and loved ones through the process. There is a self-assessment guide, a consumer guide; steps on choosing a nursing home or other long-term care providers, a shoppers guide for choosing long term care insurance and ideas on how to use your home to stay at home. It is also important to share your wishes with family members about future medical care, therefore, having advance directives, living wills, health care proxies, Five Wishes, and POA's in place are key to preparing for future health care needs.

Resources are available at your fingertips, all you need to know is where to find it. Let us be your resource connection!

Spring is a time when many people do a thorough "deep cleaning" of their homes via tasks that are performed infrequently (e.g., washing windows, dusting light fixtures and fan blades, and washing curtains or drapes). The phrase "spring cleaning" can also apply to personal finance as people tidy up their finances following income tax season and make plans for the second half of the year. This class will discuss 25 occasional financial planning activities to "spring clean" personal finances. Examples of topics that will be discussed include asset allocation analysis and portfolio rebalancing, automated payments inventory, charitable gifting budget, credit card inventory, debt repayment acceleration plan, decluttering, income tax analysis, and “Rule of Three” price comparisons.

Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs), a.k.a., lifecare communities, are a housing option for older adults where a continuum of lifetime care is provided in exchange for a hefty entrance fee and monthly expense fee, thereby providing peace of mind about end-of-life care. Typically, older adults enter a CCRC in an independent living unit and progress to assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing services, if needed.

People typically enter CCRCs in their mid- to late 70s but can also become CCRC residents in their 60s or 80s (if able-bodied and high functioning). This class will discuss reasons to consider a CCRC, advantages and disadvantages, types of CCRC contracts, waiting list procedures and deposits, health and financial qualification criteria, meal expense requirements, CCRC financial statements, CCRC resources, and more. The instructor will also share personal experiences in vetting and selecting a CCRC for the next decade of her life.

Risk mitigation is an important concept for retirees to consider. The goal is to be able to weather various life events without suffering major adverse effects. Retirees face a number of risks that need to be planned for including longevity risk (i.e., an unknown life expectancy), market risk, sequence of return risk, and a variety of potential spending shocks including rising health care costs, long-term care needs, inflation, death of a spouse, "gray divorce," unexpected family responsibilities, and frailty. This class will cover these topics and more.