This Is the Best $1,000 You Can Spend in Your 60s
Written by
Cindy Lamothe
Edited by
Jenna Klaverweiden
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Turning 60 doesn’t mean slowing down. If anything, it means getting smarter about how you spend your money.
Whether you’re already retired or still grinding through your workdays, there’s one way to spend $1,000 in your 60s that delivers way more value than a fancy gadget or a spur-of-the-moment trip.
Here’s how to make your future self (and maybe your wallet) a whole lot happier.
Invest In a ‘Retirement Clarity Package’
The smartest $1,000 to spend in your 60s, according to Dennis Shirshikov, professor of finance at City University of New York and head of growth and engineering at Growth Limit, is what he referred to as a “Retirement Clarity Package.”
This combines three items into one: a long session with a fee-only financial advisor, a visit with a fiduciary estate planner and a budgeting retreat.
“I’ve witnessed this mix alter not only financial plans but lives,” he said.
Start With About $500 on a CFP
Shirshikov observed that the majority of people in their 60s are either retired or engaged in retirement planning. But few have a truly coordinated strategy across investments, taxes, Social Security timing, insurance coverage and estate planning.
He said paying a fee-only Certified Financial Planner (CFP) for a one-time session — perhaps $400 to $500 — can reveal thousands of dollars in future savings, from finding the best way to take tax withdrawals to delaying Social Security to maximize payouts.
Then, Spend $300 To See an Estate Planner
Rules change, and so do your assets, even if you already have a will, according to Shirshikov.
One client he worked with hadn’t reviewed their will in 14 years. They had married again and didn’t know that their brokerage account beneficiaries hadn’t updated to reflect this change in their wishes.
He noted that one adjustment, casual and over coffee with an advisor, spared what might have been a giant family headache.
The Last $200
Shirshikov recommended booking a weekend just for yourself (or with your spouse) at a local Airbnb or a quiet retreat to write what you really want in retirement. “No technology; just a notebook and an agenda,” he said.
Here are some questions to ask: Can I walk through a typical day in my life? What fears still linger?
Shirshikov said clarity like this is the North Star when your advisor starts impacting your distributions, investments and even housing decisions.
“In this stage of life we think about money all too often in defensive terms — cutting expenses, eliminating risk, ensuring the future. But clarity is a provocation. So you stop reacting and you start designing,” he said.
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Source
- Dennis Shirshikov, Growth Limit
