On October 16th in 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, Jim Flanagan will lead a free one-hour session called “Packing for Retirement” on Wednesday, October 16th at the Naperville Park District’s Alfred Rubin Riverwalk Community Center, 305 Jackson Ave.

Starting at 1 p.m., Flanagan, the founder of Bentron Financial Group, will guide attendees 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.

Although the program is free, registration is required. To register for the session, please call 630-848-5000 or visit the Naperville Park District website at https://www.napervilleparks.org/.

Flanagan 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. He will also touch on some of the basic elements of estate planning.

“Packing for Retirement” covers several subjects that Flanagan has included in a recently published book by the same name.

“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.

The founder of Bentron Financial Group, Flanagan has provided financial guidance to people at or near retirement age for over 30 years. In that time, he has become a nationally recognized expert on financial issues impacting older adults and late-life transitions. In 2001, building on his 15 years in the financial services field and his knowledge of risk management, financial planning and business succession planning, he formed Bentron Financial Group, LLC.

In 2005, Flanagan joined the Oak Park/River Forest Township Senior Services Committee, for which he has served as chairman since 2008. In 2010, he founded the Celebrating Seniors Coalition, a not-for-profit organization that, among other services, helps seniors with emergency needs and raises public awareness of issues affecting seniors in Oak Park, River Forest and Forest Park.

Published in 2019, “Packing for Retirement: A Practical Guide to Prepare for Retirement at Any Age” offers a comprehensive overview of the myriad facets of retirement planning.

For more information about Celebrating Seniors, visit www.CelebratingSeniors.net. Bentron Financial Group can be reached at 630-505-8375 and is online at www.bentron.com.