At Elmhurst University & NIU Naperville: `Packing for Retirement’

When packing for a trip, having a checklist is a great way to provide peace of mind—and to increase your chances of enjoying yourself after you have reached your destination.

With those same vital goals in mind, only on a much more important and far-reaching scale, two retirement planning experts in September will lead a free two-part series at a pair of area universities.

Dr. Jim Flanagan, founder of Bentron Financial Group, will lead the sessions at Elmhurst University, 190 S. Prospect Ave. Likewise, Bentron’s Greg Kurinec will lead sessions at NIU Naperville, 1120 E. Diehl Road, on those same days. Kurinec’s program comes under the auspices of The Society for Financial Awareness, a not-for-profit organization that promotes financial literacy.

For each location, the two-part course is Thursday, Sept. 15 and Thursday, Sept. 22, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., or Saturday, Sept. 17 and Saturday, Sept. 24 from 9 a.m. to Noon.

Both Flanagan and Kurinec will guide attendees in their respective classrooms through several self-evaluation exercises that help reveal their readiness for retirement. Thereafter, attendees will be introduced to 10 critical questions that every retiree must answer before embarking on a successful retirement.

The speakers will discuss when it is best to access Social Security benefits, as well as how to protect your estate against the high cost of long-term care. They will also touch on some of the basic elements of estate planning.

“Packing for Retirement” covers several subjects that Flanagan has included in a book by the same name: Packing for Retirement: A Practical Guide to Prepare for Retirement at Any Age.

“It’s often said that people spend more time planning their next vacation than their retirement—and, sadly, that’s true in many cases,” said Flanagan. “Even just a little more reflection about and preparation for retirement can make all the difference between failure and success during these golden years of your life.”

Among other topics, those in attendance will discuss the basic need for an estate and/or a financial plan. Flanagan will then walk attendees through an estate analysis questionnaire and provide an example of a balance sheet.

For over 30 years, Dr. Flanagan has provided financial guidance to people at or near retirement. Over that time, he has become a nationally recognized expert on financial issues impacting older adults and late-life transitions.

He has attained certification as a Master Registered Financial Consultant, a distinction that reflects integrity and transparency in business and is achieved by fewer than one percent of financial professionals.

Kurinec, a Certified Financial Planner and Master Registered Financial Consultant, began with Bentron in 2004. Since then, he has helped people at or near retirement through investment advising, estate planning, risk management and watching out for their overall financial well-being.

To register for the Elmhurst University location, taught by Flanagan, visit https://bentron.com/packingforretirement-elmhurst/. To register for the NIU Naperville location, taught by Kurinec, visit www.bentron.com/packingforretirement-niu. For both locations, you can also e-mail Rochelle at rstephens@bentron.com.

Founded in 1993 with a mission to provide financial education across America, one community at a time, The Society for Financial Awareness is a not-for-profit organization composed of professionals offering informational workshops to individuals, companies, and organizations.

The organization is online at https://www.sofausa.org/