As children we were easily scared by a ghoulish costume, a haunted house, or a truly ghastly ghost story, especially during the Autumn season when the days are getting shorter and the nights longer. Then we grew up and realized that there are more scary things in life than our dad in a sheet making boo noises on Halloween.

During midlife it is easy to regulate retirement preparation to the back burner during the crazy days of teenagers, aging parents, career promotion or pivots, friendships, and community involvement. Preparation can be scary for a new phase of life, and many of us let the overwhelm paralyze us from taking action, thinking we’ll start planning next January, or when school starts again, or after we’ve met with our financial advisor.

Yearly meetings with your financial planner are not enough to prepare you for the next phase of life. Now, don’t get me wrong – understanding your finances, decreasing your expenses, and downsizing your home are all important factors in retirement.

Besides daydreaming wistfully about “someday” or talking to friends about their financial plans over coffee, the actual planning beyond money in retirement never seems to happen. Many of my clients confess to putting off planning because it seemed daunting.

Stepping into this season is joyful and exciting. When working with clients, I share that the first steps to a successful retirement are as easy as P.I.E.

P = Prioritize Your Time

Without the 9-5 demands of your career to build your days around, how will you use your time in retirement? Will you spend more time on hobbies such as gardening, scuba diving, composing, or painting?

Would you like to take trips? How often? Do you want to be a sightseer, a volunteer, or both? What about exercise? Friends? Grandkids? How about earning a degree, becoming a mentor, or writing a book? What new challenges will you embrace to stay young?

One of my favorite activities as a coach is to help my clients narrow in on how they’d like to spend their time during retirement. Cindy, a client who was able to retire a bit earlier than initially planned because of good investments, decided to center her time on daily yoga, coffee with friends, writing a book, and training her two Goldendoodle puppies (dogs are her passion).

Sandra, a retired investment banker, booked four international trips in the year after she retired because she hadn’t been able to travel while working. As an amateur medieval European historian, she had all the sites in Europe planned out before her official retirement day dawned.

Lisa was very active in her community before retirement. She transitioned directly from full-time work into full-time volunteering with three different organizations (and is the happiest person you will ever meet).

All three of these women had a different vision for their retirement, but the key to their happy transition from the 9-5 world was a plan.

Studies show that retired adults stay young by filling their social calendar, exercising, keeping their brains sharp with continuous learning, and setting new goals. A range of studies from the Center for a Secure Retirement to the Huffington Post shows one of the most important factors in staying young is to have goals in every area of your life including physical, relationship, and education goals.

So, as you step off the career rollercoaster, what are some new goals you’d like to accomplish, and what are your priorities?

I = Intentional Living

Choosing goals is the first step, and probably the easiest. We all make a list of resolutions in January when we’re all full of sweets and optimism for the new year ahead of us, only to find our motivation peter out by February.

So, as you think about retirement, it may be easy for you to rattle off a list of goals for when you have more free time, especially if you’ve been putting off things that speak to your heart. However, thinking or dreaming about your priorities is not enough. You need to take intentional steps toward the creation of your new life.

The key is action.

For example, when I first met with Sandra (the client I mentioned above) she was two years from retirement. When we talked about her goals, one of the first things she mentioned was wanting to go to Europe “someday.” I asked her where in Europe, and she answered, “Everywhere.”

I probed a bit more and asked if she had an updated passport (she wasn’t sure). So, we discussed how she could take intentional steps towards her priorities in retirement, one of which was traveling. We wrote a list of 12 tasks, one that could be completed each month for the next year, and then we would reassess.

That initial list included updating her passport, making a list of countries she wanted to visit by importance, buying guidebooks, researching hotels and transportation, and booking a plane ticket.

Cindy decided to research what type of dog she was going to adopt as her retirement present to herself, watch videos and read books on training dogs, and register for a weekend class on writing fiction.

Lisa met unofficially, and then officially, with the directors where she volunteered to feel out positions that would be opening. Together they discussed what she wanted her schedule to look like, and which tasks she did not want to take on as a full-time volunteer. She did all of this before retiring from her demanding career in education, setting small goals.

Design your intentional retirement plans by planning backward. If your ultimate priority in retirement is to hike the Appalachian Trail or climb Mount Kilimanjaro, what are the steps you need to take to get there? Start building up body resistance by weightlifting, researching trail food, and planning your trip now.

If you’d like a more comprehensive social network or even to start dating again, how can you go about meeting people now? Could you join a book club or take a cooking class? These are things that a coach can help you problem-solve.

E = Embrace the Season

Just like in adulthood, there are seasons to retirement as well. You may have experienced young parenthood through the empty nest or started as a novice at your company and are now managing an entire division. It is the same with retirement. You will go through transitions during your retirement years that require you to pivot.

As part of our plan when discussing your priorities, we also look at the seasons of retirement. These seasons are a bit different for everyone.

Perhaps you’d like to spend the first couple of years during retirement helping with grandchildren like my client Betsy. After speaking with her son’s family, she volunteered to pick up the kids from school two days a week, drive them to activities, provide snacks, and drive them home.

This provided her son a break from carpool duty and gave Betsy one-on-one time with her grandkids. Both children were in middle school and as they moved onto high school and no longer required rides, Betsy planned to travel during the winter months as well as continue teaching yoga and golfing.

Lisa, my client who became a full-time volunteer, decided that after a couple of years of volunteering, she would like to transition to a part-time role to spend more time with her now retired husband and best friends as well as explore some continuing education classes and travel.

What might these seasons look like for you?

Ready to start working on Priorities, be Intentional, and Embrace your season?

As a life and career coach, I guide women who want more out of life and find themselves dissatisfied in some undefinable way. We always get to the root of the issue. There’s so much more to talk about! If you’d like more free tips and inspiration, visit my website, deborahvoll.com. Sign up for my free weekly newsletter and listen to my interviews with fascinating guests on my podcast, “Calm the Chaos.”

If you want to talk to me personally, take advantage of my free one-hour consult, which you’ll also find on my website. In the meantime, move from dreaming to action!

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Now, it’s your turn! What kind of retirement planning are you doing? How have you prioritized your goals and made intentional plans? What is your experience with time in your retirement? Never enough hours in the day? Does time drag? Tell me in the comments box below so we can all share and learn together.

Fall/Winter 2022/23 fashion trends come on the heels of Spring/Summer 2022 trends where the world was crawling out of a pandemic that included some pretty gloomy times for everyone. The Spring/Summer 2022 colors were bright and flashy, and the shapes were adventurous and fun.

Fall fashions typically tend to be more earth colored and subdued, but this year we saw a lot of hot pink and neon colors on the Fall/Winter 2022/23 runways. The post-pandemic freedom is palpable!

Top Trends Fall/Winter 2022/23 for women over 50.

1. Knee-high boots
2. Bell Bottom Jeans
3. Leather/Faux Leather jackets
4. Blazers
5. Belts
6. White Shirts & Tanks
7. Long Coats
8. Maxi Skirts
9. Sequins
10. Plaids

While trends are not attached to a specific age range, some fashion trends are simply not feasible for women over 50. What I like to do is look at the big picture at what is trending, then break it down to make it accessible for fashionable older women.

Fashion and luxury lifestyle blog Glamour and Gains founder, Eve Dowes, offers a good example of this. She says that she doesn’t really believe there’s any such thing as dressing for a certain age but one thing she has been asked by her older clientele is for styles that cover more of the arms or that offer lower heels.

With knee-high boots and over-the-knee boots being a big Fall/Winter 2022/23 fashion trend, one suggestion would be to go for a flat boot with either a thin sole for a classic look or chunky lug sole to be more fashion-forward or a small heel versus the platforms that are trending now.

Read 12 STYLES OF WOMEN’S WINTER FASHION BOOTS.

Sixty & Me contributor and fashion blogger, Jodie Filogomo, gives us her views on Fall/Winter 2022/23 trends.

“Different silhouettes of jeans. Personally, I think it’s fabulous to have a variety of silhouettes in our closet. The skinny jean will always be a classic style now since they are easy to tuck into boots and act as a thicker legging. But many times the bootcut jeans and wider leg jeans fit us older women even better. Many of the newer versions of these jeans will have some spandex, so they will be just as comfortable.

The best way to make them work in your closet is to find inspiration from Pinterest or other women and be open to new looks.”

NYDJ Teresa Wide Leg Jeans

“Leather. Leather and faux leather are great for so many reasons. For the colder weather, they act as better insulation. And my favorite aspect about them?? The pet hair doesn’t stick to them. Just think of them as the perfect option for pet lovers!!

If you haven’t embraced the leather trend yet, I would start with a shirt or shacket. You will be surprised at how much you love them!”

Michael Kors Plus Size Faux-Fur-Collar Leather Moto Jacket, created for Macy’s.

“Blazers. I’m so excited that blazers are a huge trend for fall because it’s such an easy way to give any outfit an upscale vibe.

If you’ve thrown out all of your work blazers, don’t fret. The second hand stores can have a huge selection. And don’t think they need to be boring. You can always DIY some embroidery or any kind of extras onto the blazer to make them less “professional” Just as I did here with one of my work blazers. Best of all, many of the newer blazers are a knit material, so they are comfortable and easy to move around in. Think of putting them on instead of wearing your denim jacket.”

Knit Blazer at Talbots

“Belts. Belts are one of those underappreciated accessories. I know many of my friends shy away from them because of the weight gain in their midsections. Yet as Lesley showcases on my site, any woman can wear a belt. I would start with the thinner belts and try wearing them under a cardigan or shacket. One trick is to take a selfie wearing the belt and not wearing the belt and compare the two. Sometimes the outfit is better with it, and sometimes without.”

GIANI BERNINI Cobra Chain Logo Stretch Belt

More Fall/Winter 2022/23 Trends

White Shirts/White Tank Tops

Crisp white shirts and also white tank tops can be seen in most collections. Wear them with blue jeans and trendy boots for the perfect fall look.

Long Jackets and Coats

Long and oversized coats are seen in several collections in an array of colors, from tan to bright pink.

Maxi Skirts

Everything seems maxi this season, including maxi skirts.

Animal Prints

Go wild with animal prints. Animal prints never really go out of style. They are a staple print and can be worn practically any way. Yet, in some seasons they seem to be more popular than others. Fall Winter 2022/23 is one of them!

Sequins

Time to glitter and shine! Sequins are all over and are not limited to the holiday season only.

Plaids

Plaid patterns of all colors can be seen in blazers, pants, skirts, shirts, and jackets.

You probably have some items in your closet that fit right into this season’s trends. Mix and match and have fun with your outfits.

Read 5 WAYS TO REFRESH YOUR FALL WARDROBE AND GET MORE FROM FASHION OVER 60.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What is your favorite trend this season? Where is your favorite place to shop for new trends? Tell us about it in the comments below.

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, STYLECASTER may receive an affiliate commission.

If you’re using retinol on your face but not your body, we need to talk. While transforming skin with retinol is mostly left up to the visage, next level body care is getting yourself a lotion with retinol in it. Vitamin A is my best skin care friend, so I make sure that all of my skin is covered in it.

Medix’s 5.5 Retinol Cream combines anti-aging ingredients with natural antioxidants to help decrease the look of wrinkles and fine lines, while natural ferulic acid targets sun-damaged skin. This well-reviewed body care product (it’s up to almost 30,000 reviews on Amazon—and counting) quickly transforms skin and brings life back to you. You can also use it on your face if you don’t already have a retinol in your skin care routine. Bonus points for the chamomile and botanimoist AMS, which helps increase your skins hydration by almost 88%. Your skin will feel hydrates and moisturized, on top of feeling oh so smooth.

Courtesy of Medix.

Medix 5.5 Retinol Body Lotion Moisturizer Face & Body Cream

This Medix 5.5 Retinol Body Lotion Moisturizer Face & Body Cream is a great moisturizer for skin that feels crepey, wrinkles, sagging skin, and sun damage. It’s vegan and cruelty-free, so it’s not tested on animals.

Reviewers love and rave about this body lotion, claiming that it erases the appearance of crepey skin almost immediately. One user said, “In the past two years, the back of my hands had developed crepey dried skin that looked like shiny cracked earth. It was very noticeable. Although I am 63, my face and body look 20 years younger but my crepey hands look at least 10 years older! I wore moisturizing gloves with lotion on at bedtime but not much improvement had shown. I purchased Medix. The first three days I was able to see drastic improvement. A week later my skin had gotten so smooth there was no traces of crepey skin at all. Thank you Medix! I shall recommend this product to all my friends and family.”

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, STYLECASTER may receive an affiliate commission.

If you’re using retinol on your face but not your body, we need to talk. While transforming skin with retinol is mostly left up to the visage, next level body care is getting yourself a lotion with retinol in it. Vitamin A is my best skin care friend, so I make sure that all of my skin is covered in it.

Medix’s 5.5 Retinol Cream combines anti-aging ingredients with natural antioxidants to help decrease the look of wrinkles and fine lines, while natural ferulic acid targets sun-damaged skin. This well-reviewed body care product (it’s up to almost 30,000 reviews on Amazon—and counting) quickly transforms skin and brings life back to you. You can also use it on your face if you don’t already have a retinol in your skin care routine. Bonus points for the chamomile and botanimoist AMS, which helps increase your skins hydration by almost 88%. Your skin will feel hydrates and moisturized, on top of feeling oh so smooth.

Courtesy of Medix.

Medix 5.5 Retinol Body Lotion Moisturizer Face & Body Cream

This Medix 5.5 Retinol Body Lotion Moisturizer Face & Body Cream is a great moisturizer for skin that feels crepey, wrinkles, sagging skin, and sun damage. It’s vegan and cruelty-free, so it’s not tested on animals.

Reviewers love and rave about this body lotion, claiming that it erases the appearance of crepey skin almost immediately. One user said, “In the past two years, the back of my hands had developed crepey dried skin that looked like shiny cracked earth. It was very noticeable. Although I am 63, my face and body look 20 years younger but my crepey hands look at least 10 years older! I wore moisturizing gloves with lotion on at bedtime but not much improvement had shown. I purchased Medix. The first three days I was able to see drastic improvement. A week later my skin had gotten so smooth there was no traces of crepey skin at all. Thank you Medix! I shall recommend this product to all my friends and family.”

It can be easy to make mistakes when it comes to Medicare. This is because our health is often overlooked or pushed to the bottom of our seemingly never-ending to-do lists. Thus, we do not allow ourselves the proper amount of time to dedicate to learning how Medicare works and what mistakes we should avoid.

However, when it comes to Medicare enrollment, you may want to think twice about skipping steps or enrolling at the last minute.

A Medicare mistake can become a costly burden many do not anticipate and are unprepared for. Worst case scenario – you could end up with no coverage or a penalty you are stuck paying for the rest of your life. We do not want this to happen to you.

So, we have compiled a list of the top 5 Medicare mistakes you should avoid if you want to have a worry-free future with Medicare.

Missing Vital Medicare Enrollment Periods

Enrolling in Medicare comes down to understanding when you can and cannot apply for coverage. You can only enroll in Medicare during specific enrollment periods, and not everyone is eligible for each enrollment period. So, to enroll in coverage, you must know when you qualify.

When you become eligible to enroll in Medicare, you have an Initial Enrollment Period. This window allows you to enroll in Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B). Once you have registered in Original Medicare, you become eligible to enroll in Medicare Advantage (Part C) or a Medicare Supplement plan. However, you must choose between the two plan types as you cannot enroll in both simultaneously.

Suppose you keep your Original Medicare or enroll in a Medicare Supplement plan. In that case, you can enroll in a Medicare Part D plan to provide you with prescription drug coverage. Remember, many Medicare Advantage plans offer drug coverage, so if you enroll in Medicare Advantage, you are not permitted to enroll in Medicare Part D.

If you miss your Initial Enrollment Period, there are additional enrollment periods for you to utilize throughout the year. Other enrollment periods include:

• General Enrollment Period
• Annual Enrollment Period
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period
• Special Enrollment Period

As you can see, Medicare enrollment works as a chain reaction. Once you enroll in one part, you may enroll in the next, and so on. Thus, missing one step in the enrollment process may halt future Medicare enrollment. Plus, if you delay Medicare benefits without creditable coverage, you may incur a late-enrollment penalty that can increase your costs in the future.

Ignoring Your Plans Annual Notice of Change Letter

Each September, your Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plan providers will send you an Annual Notice of Change letter containing all the changes your plan will undergo for the upcoming year.

This letter is not one to be thrown out with the junk mail pile. It is essential to read and understand this letter thoroughly as it may contain vital changes that could impact your coverage. If there are changes in your plan that do not align with your healthcare needs or budget, you will want to review and enroll in a new plan during the Annual Enrollment Period.

Enrolling in a Medicare Advantage Plan That Does Not Cover Your Doctors

Enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan can sometimes be a gamble if the plan involves networks. A doctor can leave or join a plan’s network at any time. So, if your doctor accepts your plan when you first enroll, there is a chance they may not take your plan in the future, and you would be forced to pay higher costs for care or find a new doctor who accepts your Medicare Advantage plan.

To avoid this, it is essential to understand your Medicare Advantage plans network or enroll in a Medicare Supplement plan. Medicare Supplement plans are accepted by any physician who accepts Original Medicare, regardless of your plan’s carrier. This may be the best option for those with multiple doctors or who travel often.

Not Educating Yourself on the Differences Between Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement Plans

Contrary to what you may think, Medicare Supplement and Medicare Advantage plans are not the same. Many seniors on Medicare believe that the two plan names can be used interchangeably. However, that could not be further from the truth. Medicare Supplement and Medicare Advantage plans are two plan types with separate rules.

Medicare Supplement plans are secondary coverage that pays after Original Medicare. Thus, if Original Medicare does not pay, neither will your Medicare Supplement plan. Also, these plans have no network, meaning you can visit any doctor who accepts Original Medicare, and you will not be turned away based on your Supplemental insurance carrier.

On the other hand, Medicare Advantage plans pay in place of Original Medicare. These plans combine Original Medicare benefits with additional coverage to create an all-in-one source of coverage. However, these plans tend to have high out-of-pocket costs, more restrictions, and often require a network of doctors. This allows for more restrictive coverage when compared to a Medicare Supplement plan.

It is hard to determine which plan type is best for you as everyone is different. However, it is essential to compare all the plans available in your area to ensure you receive the best coverage possible.

Not Enrolling in a Separate Medicare Part D Plan with Original Medicare or Medicare Supplement

If you enroll in Original Medicare or a Medicare Supplement plan, you may notice a large hole in your coverage. Neither cover prescription drug benefits.

This is where Medicare Part D comes in. Medicare Part D helps cover some of the cost of prescription drugs. While it is not mandatory coverage, you may be required to pay the penalty if you do not enroll in Medicare Part D.

The Medicare Part D penalty is accrued if you delay Medicare Part D coverage without creditable drug coverage in place. Once you enroll in Medicare part D, you will be responsible for the penalty on top of your chosen plan’s premium for as long as you are enrolled in Medicare. The Part D penalty never goes away.

To avoid this additional cost, it is important to enroll in Medicare Part D coverage as soon as you become eligible.

How to Become Educated on Medicare Do’s and Don’ts

As you can see, Medicare can be confusing, and it can become easy to make a mistake that could cost you thousands of dollars or a lifetime of penalties. To avoid these mistakes, the best thing you can do is to educate yourself on all parts of Medicare.

Medicare education is essential as you become eligible for the federal healthcare program. Take advantage of free online seminars, speak with a licensed agent, and take the time to read your Medicare & You book, provided free of charge by CMS. By understanding your coverage, you become more likely to have success with your Medicare benefits in the future.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Have you ever received an Annual Notice of Change letter? Do you have a Medicare Advantage or Medicare Supplement plan? How long have you been on Original Medicare? Have you ever made one of these Medicare mistakes? Let us know! We want to hear about your experiences with Medicare!