Mr. Cornwell, then 87 years old, kept a few records in a safe-deposit box, such as a marriage license, birth certificates and mortgage documents. After the fire, those records weren’t enough to get his life back in order. Mr. Cornwell, who died in 1998, lost everything else, including insurance policies, medical records and irreplaceable correspondence and photos. Read more »

While it is natural to want to help, parents with limited years of income and savings ahead could be putting themselves at risk of running out of money. Read more »

They should add a third criterion to their list: the percentage of people collecting pensions.

Most people tend to retire close to home, according to an analysis of U.S. Census data by Cheryl Russell, a demographer and editorial director of New Strategist Publications. Those who move farther away fall into two groups: the frail elderly, who want be closer to their children, and, as Ms. Russell calls them, the “energetic affluent.” Read more »

Companies often say spiraling health-care costs force them share the pain with retirees.

But that isn’t the whole story. Many employers have been shifting more costs to retirees even as they receive billions of dollars in government subsidies to offset their own costs. Read more »

Many financial advisers have expertise in Social Security rules, including some who once worked at the Social Security Administration. Many are fee-based, like accountants, or provide the help as part of their financial planning or wealth-management practice. Read more »

It is one of the toughest retirement decisions seniors will have to make: whether to take benefits early, wait till their full retirement age or delay them to age 70. Each has its pros and cons, and a mistake can cost thousands of dollars.

Consider Patty Duke. When the former TV star turned 65 years old in December, she appeared in a series of public-service announcements touting how simple it is to apply for benefits online, in your pajamas. Read more »

Ellen was on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” this week to discuss her book Retirement Heist.