Retirement planning??

When I first came to Rocky Mountain College in August 1961 I had been under the Ministers and Missionaries retirement plan of the American Baptist Churches as well as their health plan. Betty was pregnant at the time so M&M agreed to keep the medial plan current until Peter was born in late October. Since RMC was not a ABC organization I was not eligible to remain on that retirement plan, and the rubric at Rocky was 3 years of employment before one was able to enter their retirement plan with TIAA-CREF. Under the circumstances Dr. Phil Widenhouse, President, decreed that I would be immediately eligible for the retirement program and the medical insurance as soon as the M&M was no longer available. I have been eternally thankful for Phil’s thoughtfulness. Today’s PARADE magazine made be again grateful. I toted up my income from TIAA-CREF and Social Security and to falls in the mid range of the income of currently employed Americans. This does not include some minimal income from various bonds and a lifetime Annuity with the College which will become the Jim and Betty Taylor Scholarship program at my death.

I can only encourage those who read this blog to be thoughtful of the future as you reach retirement age. I retired just short of 70 and have already been retired nearly 12 years. It is well to think ahead since over half of our 7 children are already over 50. And I am looking forward to a visit from the latest half-century kid later this week. The article in PARADE is fascinating and can be read on the WEB at parade.com after Wednesday of this week.