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Retirement 101, 2nd Edition: From 401(k) Plans and Social Security Benefits to Asset Management and Medical Insurance, Your Complete Guide to Preparing for the Future You Want
A comprehensive and easy-to-understand guide to the ins and outs of retirement planning—updated to include the latest information on new terminology, guideline updates, revised laws, and more making it the key resource for creating a retirement you can live on!
How much do I need to retire? Can I retire early? What’s the retirement age, anyway? No matter whether you’re twenty-five, sixty-five, or any age in between, you probably have questions about retirement and knowing the answers is the key to planning your future. And with changes to essential retirement structures like investment accounts, social security and Medicare, it’s important to stay up to date for your own benefit.
Whether you want to retire as soon as possible or are looking forward to continuing to work in some form for as long as you can, Retirement 101, 2nd Edition guides you through each step as you approach this life-changing milestone.
Now this 2nd edition includes updated information
Social security and Medicare Investment account contributions Required minimum distribution rules Student debt payments Enrollment changes And more!
From how to save for the day when you stop—or scale back—working to smart investment strategies to the best states to retire in to how to calculate your benefits, Retirement 101, 2nd Editions helps you create a retirement plan to accomplish your goals whatever they are.
How much do I need to retire? Can I retire early? What’s the retirement age, anyway? No matter whether you’re twenty-five, sixty-five, or any age in between, you probably have questions about retirement and knowing the answers is the key to planning your future. And with changes to essential retirement structures like investment accounts, social security and Medicare, it’s important to stay up to date for your own benefit.
Whether you want to retire as soon as possible or are looking forward to continuing to work in some form for as long as you can, Retirement 101, 2nd Edition guides you through each step as you approach this life-changing milestone.
Now this 2nd edition includes updated information
Social security and Medicare Investment account contributions Required minimum distribution rules Student debt payments Enrollment changes And more!
From how to save for the day when you stop—or scale back—working to smart investment strategies to the best states to retire in to how to calculate your benefits, Retirement 101, 2nd Editions helps you create a retirement plan to accomplish your goals whatever they are.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published May 6, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 3, 2025
“Retirement 101,” by Michele Cagan, is an excellent book for learning how to effectively save for retirement. The updated second edition addresses important aspects of retirement planning and is suitable not only for those who are nearing retirement or are retired, but also those who are in the beginning or midst of their careers.
The author recommends starting to save for retirement as early as possible. This allows savers to benefit from additional years of compounded growth that can result in substantially higher savings for retirement. The author also suggests periodically (e.g., annually) increasing contribution amounts and discusses how to manage expenses and debt to optimize cash flow.
Regarding retirement accounts, the author examines applicable rules for both the traditional and Roth versions of 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts (IRAs)—including contribution and income limits, withdrawals, required minimum distributions (RMDs), penalties, and taxes. The author also reviews health savings accounts (HSAs) and how they can help pay for medical expenses during retirement.
To maximize savings and protect wealth, the author provides guidance on how to productively invest at various career stages. This includes investing more aggressively in earlier years vs. more conservatively in later years, investing in several asset classes (e.g., stocks, bonds, real estate) to minimize correlation, and diversifying within asset classes (e.g., spreading stock investments across multiple sectors).
For those in or nearing retirement, the author thoroughly covers Social Security and Medicare. For Social Security, this includes when to start taking benefits, how to apply, cost-of-living adjustments, spousal benefits, how other earnings impact benefit amounts, and how benefits are taxed. For Medicare, this comprises how and when to enroll, as well as the specifics of Medicare Parts A, B, C, and D.
“Retirement 101” will help readers constructively plan and save for retirement. The author satisfactorily explores the above areas and many other facets of retirement planning. For further reading, the author has also written or contributed to other “101” titles (from this publisher) on personal finance, investing, Social Security, and taxes.
[My special thanks to Adams Media (Simon & Schuster) and NetGalley for an advance reading copy of this book.]
The author recommends starting to save for retirement as early as possible. This allows savers to benefit from additional years of compounded growth that can result in substantially higher savings for retirement. The author also suggests periodically (e.g., annually) increasing contribution amounts and discusses how to manage expenses and debt to optimize cash flow.
Regarding retirement accounts, the author examines applicable rules for both the traditional and Roth versions of 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts (IRAs)—including contribution and income limits, withdrawals, required minimum distributions (RMDs), penalties, and taxes. The author also reviews health savings accounts (HSAs) and how they can help pay for medical expenses during retirement.
To maximize savings and protect wealth, the author provides guidance on how to productively invest at various career stages. This includes investing more aggressively in earlier years vs. more conservatively in later years, investing in several asset classes (e.g., stocks, bonds, real estate) to minimize correlation, and diversifying within asset classes (e.g., spreading stock investments across multiple sectors).
For those in or nearing retirement, the author thoroughly covers Social Security and Medicare. For Social Security, this includes when to start taking benefits, how to apply, cost-of-living adjustments, spousal benefits, how other earnings impact benefit amounts, and how benefits are taxed. For Medicare, this comprises how and when to enroll, as well as the specifics of Medicare Parts A, B, C, and D.
“Retirement 101” will help readers constructively plan and save for retirement. The author satisfactorily explores the above areas and many other facets of retirement planning. For further reading, the author has also written or contributed to other “101” titles (from this publisher) on personal finance, investing, Social Security, and taxes.
[My special thanks to Adams Media (Simon & Schuster) and NetGalley for an advance reading copy of this book.]
May 21, 2025
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I tried several times to read this but the information is dense and kind of thrown in your lap: a thorough explanation of all kinds of retirement plans and benefits, IRS documents, etc. By the first 25%, it felt like reading a government description of forms you need to fill out: form XX453X for this case and then use form XX35X in this case, but don't forget form XXX8J if that case scenario and form X4560 if the latter two don't apply. It was extremely confusing as a result.I'm sure there is solid information in here but it feels denser than bark and just as dry. Without providing the overarching information from which to get a good starting point on one's own financial starting point, going so much into detail with unique scenarios felt defeating and pointless, giving no good place to get grounded, A lot of the items covered in the beginning didn't even feel relevant to my situation. I'll have to try this again at a later date. I don't recommend getting this on Kindle as a result. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
October 28, 2025
I read the book and it is packed with great information for multiple generations from Boomers to GenZ.
The book provides many additional resources for seniors and people in retirement or approaching retirement.
I definitely recommend this book.
The book provides many additional resources for seniors and people in retirement or approaching retirement.
I definitely recommend this book.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews