WHAT'S YOUR DREAM JOB?Filled with inspiring stories from people who have changed careers mid-life, What's Next? is an exciting roadmap for anyone looking to make their next job their dream job. From a former mortgage banker who's back in the classroom to a tough cop turned Nashville music agent, these in-depth testimonials offer encouragement and advice-and prove that it's possible to pursue your passion. What's Next? offers those seeking a more fulfilling path the tools to get started and the inspiration to do it.
Journalist and award-winning author Kerry Hannon, a leading authority on career transitions, retirement, and personal finance, shows you how to manage your money and career with confidence. Whether you're new to saving and investing, planning for retirement or retired, gearing up for a second act, or coping with a heavy debt load, her books and articles provide the tools you need.
If you work for yourself, finding health insurance is a big headache. While there’s no holy grail, there are ways to navigate the maze and find good coverage at manageable prices.
Whether it is affordable, of course, is a crapshoot. That depends on a myriad of factors–where you live, the ages and the health of who is being covered, and the type of policy you need, among other things.
According to market researcher IDC, there will be 14 million full-time, home-based freelancers and independent contractors in America by 2015, up from 12 million in 2010. Between 2008 and 2011, the number of self-employed Americans from age 55 to 64 rose by 5 percent.
See also: 5 great part-time jobs.
"Some people start this kind of work as a side job while they are working elsewhere, but huge numbers of older workers and retirees are creating income for themselves in these ways," says Art Koff, founder of RetiredBrains.com.
Saddle maker, Mark Nelson, in his home workshop in Boyceville, Wisc. — Sean McCormick
(MONEY Magazine) -- Bill Skees has been a bibliophile for as long as he can remember. His favorite haunt growing up in Midland, Texas, was a bookstore called Miz B's. "I'd look at her behind the counter and think, 'That's got to be the greatest job in the world,' " he says.
In the decades that followed, Skees crossed the country for various jobs in IT, most recently heading development for a gaming company. But the work was stressful, and every chance he got, he slipped off to a bookstore. All the while, he dreamed of opening his own shop.
In 2003, Skees -- then 49 and settled in Glen Rock, N.J. -- began laying the groundwork.
While transitioning to IT consulting, he attended a course on opening a bookstore, networked with shop owners, and ran financial models. Though indie stores were under great pressure from e-books and online retailers, this didn't deter him.
In The Couple's Retirement Puzzle: 10 Must-Have Conversations for Transitioning to The Second Half of Life ($17.95, LincolnStreet Press), Roberta K. Taylor and Dorian Mintzer, both therapists specializing in life transitions, don't overlook this essential question, but money isn't everything when it comes to planning for retirement.
How many times have you been asked, are you saving enough to retire?
A "myth about retirement is that as long as you're financially secure, everything else will fall into place," they write. "But money, in and of itself, does not buy love, companionship, friendship, respect, self-esteem, joy or a sense of being part of something greater than oneself. This essential life lesson, once learned, can bring a great deal of comfort and joy in the second half of life."
That's hard to argue with. How do you prepare for a happy retirement?
Thoroughbreds remain a bad investment overall. But a new breed of owner is trying to minimize the risk and maximize the fun.
Kevin Plank, founder and CEO of Under Armour, the sports-apparel company with $1 billion-plus in annual revenues, doesn’t start something on a whim. The 39-year-old is all about winning. Right now he wants to win Thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown.
So he started big four years ago, scooping up an icon of the sport’s glory days, 530-acre Sagamore Farm, outside of Baltimore. The farm was given to Alfred G. Vanderbilt II on his 21st birthday and produced such legends as Native Dancer, who is buried in the property’s graveyard, situated between the training track and training barn. Plank plowed money into the dilapidated spread, installing 14 miles of whitewashed oak-board fence lines and a three-quarter-mile training track made from state-of-the-art synthetic material, including recycled Under Armour shirts.
What are you going to do tomorrow? Is it just another day at the office? The same old grind? Or perhaps you’re looking for something new…trying to shake things up a bit? Nowadays, second careers are an increasingly popular trend for workers looking to get more out of life than just a paycheck.
But with the uncertainty and financial risk that accompanies such a career turn, reinventing yourself to follow your true life calling can seem like an overwhelming mission. Luckily, transition expert Kerry Hannon has some winning tips on how to successfully shift gears. Her book, What’s Next?: Follow Your Passion and Find Your Dream Job is filled with inspiring stories of real people who have changed their careers mid-life, and now she shares their secrets to following your dreams.
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