Carole Fleck

Biography: As a senior editor for AARP Media, I cover personal finance issues, the economy, older worker issues, retirement planning and other news affecting people 50-plus.

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Carole Fleck 'sPosts

Jobless Benefits Cut in Some States

Posted on 03/21/2013 by Carole Fleck | Money and Work | Comments

Bulletin Today | WorkThough the jobs picture is brightening nationally, the average unemployed worker 55 and older has been out of work for nearly 45 weeks. If you’re in this group, you may have something else to worry about: a cut in benefits. [See related: Find a job, start a business.] The length of jobless benefits has been trimmed and the amount of weekly payments has also been cut in some states. The cutbacks reflect the trend of an improving economy. But they’re …

Parents Build Wealth, Adult Kids Stagnate

Posted on 03/19/2013 by Carole Fleck | Money and Work | Comments

Bulletin Today | Money & SavingsYou always want your kids to do better than you financially, but new research suggests their future may not be as fiscally bright. A widening gap is emerging between those over and under the age of 40 when it comes to saving money, owning a home, curbing debt and building a retirement nest egg. Those under age 40 have stagnated while their parents’ generation has accumulated wealth, according to research from the nonprofit Urban Institute. Average household net worth nearly doubled …

Gas Prices, Unlike Our Wages, Jump

Posted on 03/15/2013 by Carole Fleck | Money and Work | Comments

Bulletin Today | Money & Savings | WorkIf only our wages grew at the same pace as gas prices. A new government report says that the surging price of gas, which rose 9.1 percent in February, is also to blame for pushing up inflation to the highest level in more than three years. [See 10 Ways to Save Now] The hike in gas prices accounted for most of the 0.7 percent increase in consumer prices in February. The increase in the cost of goods and services, and gas, …

The Wealthier You Are, the Longer You’re Likely to Live

Posted on 03/12/2013 by Carole Fleck | Money and Work | Comments

Bulletin Today | Money & SavingsThe more money you have, the longer you just might live. What’s more, there seems to be a widening gap between the life expectancy of Americans at the upper end of the income spectrum and those at the lower end, according to research from the University of Washington and published by the Washington Post. While life expectancy has risen for the nation — it was 78.5 years in 2009 — research shows that this progress has eluded lower-wage earners. To illustrate that point, the …

U.S. Ranks 19th In Retirement Living

Posted on 03/11/2013 by Carole Fleck | Money and Work | Comments

Bulletin Today | Money & Savings | Your LifeThinking about retiring soon? You may wish you lived in any one of 18 other countries since they offer better safety nets for retirees than the United States, according to a new retirement index. Norway, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Sweden and Austria rounded out the top five locations for living comfortably in retirement. Even the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Israel scored higher. According to the index, which measured financial well-being, health and other factors that contribute to retirement security, the United States …

Strong Jobs Report Boosts Older Workers

Posted on 03/8/2013 by Carole Fleck | Money and Work | Comments

Bulletin Today | WorkEmployers picked up the pace of hiring in February, and older workers gained from that momentum. A robust 236,000 jobs were created, nudging down the unemployment rate nationally, including for workers 55 and older, the government reported Friday. The jobless rate fell to 5.8 percent last month from 6 percent in January for workers 55 and older. Among older men, their rate dropped to 6 percent in February from 6.2 percent the month before. Older women saw their rate slide …