Community Corner
At NIU Naperville in late March: `Retire with Confidence’
Author and retirement expert Dr. Jim Flanagan guides & empowers those 50+ in a course that supports the Celebrating Seniors Coalition
Drawing upon his career advising retirees, a retirement expert and author will soon bring a wide-ranging two-part course called “Retire with Confidence” to Northern Illinois University's Naperville campus.
Dr. Jim Flanagan is teaching the classroom course at the college, 1120 E. Diehl Road. The course is designed for people 50 to 70 years old who are in or nearing retirement.
The two-session curriculum is being offered in partnership with the Celebrating Seniors Coalition, with all profits going to the non-for-profit organization whose service area is Oak Park, River Forest and Forest Park.
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“Retire with Confidence” will be covered over consecutive Thursdays and Saturdays—people can choose either 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, March 24 and Thursday, March 31, or from 9 a.m. to Noon on Saturday, March 26 and Saturday, April 2.
Tuition is $49 and includes class materials. Spouses or partners may attend at no additional cost. To register, go to https://bentron.com/retirewithconfidence-niu/ or contact Rochelle Stephens at 630-505-8375 or rstephens@bentron.com.
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Among other topics, Flanagan will cover maximizing your Social Security benefits and help you gauge your financial preparedness and planning through self-assessments that he administers. Estate planning, Independent Retirement Accounts (IRAs), income planning and investment management are also part of the curriculum.
“This course is for people who want practical, accurate knowledge, not the same old Wall Street myths to retirement planning,” Flanagan said. “Retire with Confidence provides a straightforward approach to managing the risks and opportunities that come at this crucial stage of life. People want to know how much money they need to retire comfortably, and there are no cookie-cutter answers.”
Anyone who is within a decade of retiring, or has already retired, is an excellent candidate for the course. The information shared will help students learn how to pay less in taxes, manage planning risks and create the income stream desired in retirement.
Dr. Flanagan, who founded Bentron Financial Group in 2001, has provided financial guidance to people at or near retirement age for over 30 years. Over that span, he has become a nationally recognized expert on financial issues impacting older adults and late-life transitions.
He is the author of “Packing for Retirement: A Practical Guide to Prepare for Retirement at Any Age.” The book offers a comprehensive overview of the myriad facets of retirement planning.
In addition, 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.
Flanagan’s charitable and volunteer work revolves largely around seniors. Since 2008, he has been a member of the Oak Park/River Forest Township Senior Services Committee. In 2010, he founded the Celebrating Seniors Coalition, a not-for-profit organization that educates, celebrates and provides financial support to older adults in Oak Park, River Forest and Forest Park.
The group holds its next Celebrating Seniors Week from May 12-19. Learn more at www.CelebratingSeniors.net.
