Retirement is the career end goal for most employees, but the formula for a successful retirement is elusive. Marcotte Retirement Plans helps customers find a clear path to their goals through retirement planning seminars.
The seminars are held quarterly and are provided to those with Marcotte retirement plans, including Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska (BCBSNE) employees, for free.
Kim Thomas, a retirement plan consultant at Marcotte, said the seminars are solicitation free and cover topics people need to address as they get closer to retirement, such as income planning and health care concerns in retirement.
From social security benefits to how to handle financial depletion in retirement and long-term care insurance, the seminars provide clients with the information they need to make wise decisions as consumers, Thomas said.
“A lot of the time, they get their advice around a lot of these systems from a coworker, their brother-in-law or some other person who doesn’t understand how they work,” Thomas said. “What we’re trying to do is help them not make the mistakes many, many people are making.”
The age of seminar attendees is a key component in helping customers avoid mistakes. Marcotte’s seminars are designed for people 55 and up because the sooner clients consider their goals, the sooner they can figure out if they’re on track to reach them.
“If they don’t know what decisions to make going forward or they haven’t made any decisions, and they get right up to retirement and find out there’s a shortfall or they’ve made mistakes along the way, there’s no time for them to correct it,” Thomas said. “Our whole goal is to just get them thinking about things as early as possible, so they can make adjustments in whatever their situation is.”
BCBSNE employee Martha Boro attended a Marcotte session on income planning. She’s planning to retire in three years and said it’s important to learn about the retirement process beforehand because employees can take actions now to help increase their retirement income.
BCBSNE employee Jeff Drelicharz attended sessions on income planning and health care concerns in retirement. He recommends Marcotte’s seminars to others approaching retirement age.
“I hope they continue to offer these and others in the future,” Drelicharz said.
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