For all the hazards that come to mind when trying to determine whether you can afford retirement, there’s one that opens an associated can of worms, the details of which are difficult to fully account – healthcare expense. It’s what financial and Medicare expert Leah Miller calls the “healthcare gap,” the period between early retirement and Medicare eligibility at age 65. Early retirees face high premium costs for individual health…

For adults who crave candy and ice cream almost as much as their children, the bad news on sugar continues to pour in. Earlier this year, research into sugar’s deleterious effects showed a connection to cancer, heart disease and diabetes. More recently, the American Dental Association reminded parents just how bad sugar is for their children’s teeth. “We think we’re so advanced in 2016, yet when it comes to health…

Many people looking for good investments or hoping to save for retirement are wary of the very financial professionals who can help them reach their goals. That was illustrated once again recently by the 2016 Harris Poll Reputation Quotient Report, which showed that just 37 percent of people surveyed believe the financial-services industry has a solid reputation. The good news is that’s an improvement from past surveys. The bad news…

Not everyone deserves a trophy. In fact, unearned rewards can be harmful, because artificially inflating a child’s self-esteem merely for participation in sport sends the wrong message, warns psychologist Jason Richardson. “There are plenty of incarcerated felons with an inflated self-view and there are extremely successful people grappling with a more moderate self-concept, so self-esteem alone is not the measure by which we should prepare our children for greatness,” says…

When a bright, happy preteen evolves into a self-absorbed or anxious teenager, apprehensive parents can’t help but wonder, “What’s wrong with my child?” The answer could be “nothing,” other than the typical struggles adolescents have always faced, says Jeffrey Leiken, author of “Adolescence is Not a Disease: Beyond Drinking, Drugs and Dangerous Friends – The Journey to Adulthood” (http://www.Leiken.com). As CEO of Evolution Mentoring International, Leiken provides mentoring for teens…

Vice President Joe Biden recently introduced pop star Lady Gaga at the Oscars to spotlight the issue of campus sexual assault, which is part of a White House campaign against domestic and sexual violence. Gaga’s performance, which included sexual-assault survivors onstage, highlights a startling problem: despite immense progress, women continue to suffer spousal abuse at an alarming rate. A woman is beaten every nine seconds in the United States, according…

Baby Boomers and Millennials often are portrayed as two generations that don’t always see eye to eye in the workplace. But they may share something in common that could help bridge the generation gap. Both groups long to find a purpose in their careers beyond a paycheck, say Jackie Dryden and Bethany Andell, co-authors of “Get Your Head Out of Your Bottom Line: And Build Your Brand on Purpose” (http://www.savagethinking.com).…

A difficult task people face when planning for retirement is trying to gauge whether their spending will go up or go down. No single answer fits everyone. But it’s prudent to plan on spending at least the same amount the month after retirement as you spent the month before, says Ken Sutherland, president of LifePlan Group (http://www.lifeplangroup.com), an independent Registered Investment Advisory firm. “I always ask clients to figure out…