
<p>Retirement insights from a Colorado PERA perspective</p>



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A distant view shows a mountainous landscape with sloping peaks, green trees in the foreground, and a cloudy sky above.


<p class="has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-medicare-trust-fund-trump-74e13292f510739724a555d7ded7c1a3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Medicare and Social Security Go-Broke Dates Pushed Up | AP News</strong></a></p>



<p>This year’s annual assessment of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds found the programs could be forced to begin cutting benefits even sooner than previously expected, if the government doesn’t take action. Social Security is expected to deplete its trust funds one year sooner than last year’s estimate, while Medicare’s hospital insurance fund is expected to run out of cash three years earlier.</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/fed-set-hold-rates-steady-middle-east-crisis-tariffs-cloud-outlook-2025-06-18/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Fed Keeps Rates Steady but Pencils in Two Cuts by End of 2025 | Reuters</strong></a></p>



<p>The Federal Reserve is cautiously keeping its key interest rate unchanged for the time being due to concerns over inflation ratcheting back up. Chair Jerome Powell said that while inflation has been low in recent months, it’s possible prices will rise as the full effects of tariffs are realized. However, experts say rate cuts later this year are still possible.</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://www.planadviser.com/workers-dont-expect-succeed-saving-retirement/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Workers Don’t Expect to Succeed in Saving for Retirement | PLANADVISER</strong></a></p>



<p>If you ask people if their generation has it harder than their parents’ generation, 8 times out of 10 they’ll say “yes,” according to a recent report by the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies. The survey found that across generations, Americans say they’re struggling to meet their financial needs and save for retirement. The good news is employer-based retirement plans are a vital part of retirement success and more than three-quarters of Generation Z say they’re saving for retirement.</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://coloradosun.com/2025/06/16/aging-in-colorado-housing-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>As Colorado Ages, Seniors are Colliding with the Housing Crisis | The Colorado Sun</strong></a> </p>



<p>The Colorado Sun continues its series on aging in Colorado with an article that explores how the state’s seniors—the fastest-growing demographic group—are finding themselves dealing with the housing affordability crisis as they search for homes that meet their needs.</p>



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<p><em>News You Should Know is a digest of news from publications around the nation about finance, investing, and retirement.</em></p>


News You Should Know: Social Security, Medicare Finances Worsen


<p class="has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://coloradosun.com/2025/05/20/colorado-aging-demographics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Colorado’s Median Age is Nearing 40 — and Getting Older. Here’s What That Looks Like. | The Colorado Sun</strong></a></p>



<p>Colorado has long been one of the “youngest” states in the country as measured by median age of its population, but that’s changing as birth rates and migration into the state have declined. The Centennial State’s median age has crept up to 37.9 years old, which is still one of the lowest in the nation, but our state is now aging at the third-fastest rate.</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://www.kiplinger.com/retirement/401ks/new-bill-would-lower-age-to-contribute-to-401k-to-18-from-21" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>New Bill Would Lower Age to Contribute to 401(k)s to 18 from 21. What You Need to Know | Kiplinger</strong></a></p>



<p>Federal lawmakers have reintroduced a bill that seeks to expand access to employer-based retirement plans like 401(k)s for younger workers. The Helping Young Americans Save for Retirement Act would lower the minimum required age to 18 from 21 and make it easier for employers to offer plans to those workers.</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/fda-approves-alzheimers-blood-test/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>What to Know about the First FDA-Cleared Blood Test for Alzheimer’s Disease | AARP</strong></a></p>



<p>The Food and Drug Administration has for the first time given approval to a blood test that can help diagnose Alzheimer’s disease. Diagnosing Alzheimer’s traditionally involves brain imaging and invasive procedures like lumbar punctures, so doctors hope a simple blood test will make it easier to identify the disease. &nbsp;</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://www.realsimple.com/signs-you-are-aging-well-11739429" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>5 Subtle Signs You’re Aging Well, According to Longevity Experts | Real Simple</strong></a></p>



<p>We hear a lot about aging and some of the health concerns and other issues that can arise, but how do you know you’re aging well? Here are five things that medical experts say are good signs you’re living your best life as you get older.</p>



<p><em>News You Should Know is a digest of news from publications around the nation about finance, investing, and retirement.</em></p>


News You Should Know: Colorado is Getting Older Faster


<h2 style="color:#000000;" class="wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/when-will-i-get-my-2025-tax-refund/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Will the Expected IRS Staff Cuts Delay my 2025 Tax Refund? | CBS News</a></h2>



<p>The federal government’s downsizing efforts have extended to the Internal Revenue Service, where thousands of positions are expected to be cut in the middle of the busy tax season. While most taxpayers likely won’t encounter any trouble with their returns, there may be delays for anyone who needs to reach out to the IRS for customer service.</p>



<h2 style="color:#000000;" class="wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dandoonan/2025/03/03/the-unsung-economic-engine-retiree-pension-spending/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Unsung Economic Engine: Retiree Pension Spending | Forbes</a></h2>



<p>An annual analysis from the National Institute on Retirement Security highlights the significant contributions retirees make to local and national economies. Their pension spending results in $1.5 trillion in economic output and supports 7.1 million jobs nationwide, according to NIRS. On a more local level, PERA <a href="https://www.copera.org/pera-on-the-issues/measuring-the-impact-of-4-5b-in-annual-retirement-benefits-in-colorado" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">paid $4.55 billion in benefits</a> to more than 114,000 retirees who lived in Colorado 2023, resulting in $7.1 billion in economic output and supporting more than 28,000 jobs.</p>



<h2 style="color:#000000;" class="wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://401kspecialistmag.com/401k-millionaire-ranks-grew-27-in-2024-fidelity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">401(k) Millionaire Ranks Up 27% in 2024, Says Fidelity | 401k Specialist</a></h2>



<p>Retirement plan recordkeeper Fidelity says its data show a significant increase in the number of people with over a million dollars saved for retirement last year. The company noted a 27% increase in 401(k) “millionaires” over the course of 2024, most of them members of the Baby Boom generation and Generation X. On average, they’ve been saving for 26 years and contribute 17% of their income to their retirement accounts, according to Fidelity.</p>



<h2 style="color:#000000;" class="wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://www.mcknightsseniorliving.com/news/more-older-adults-living-disability-free-lives-and-thats-extremely-encouraging-researcher-says/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">More Older Adults Living Disability-Free Lives, and That’s ‘Extremely Encouraging,’ Researcher Says | McKnight&#8217;s Senior Living</a></h2>



<p>We know people tend to live longer than they did generations ago, and new research sheds some light on the quality of that extended lifespan. A recent analysis finds that the percentage of older Americans who say they’re living without a disability has increased in recent years—reaching 65% in 2017.</p>



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<p><em>News You Should Know is a digest of news from publications around the nation about finance, investing, and retirement.</em></p>


News You Should Know: Will IRS Staff Reductions Affect Tax Filing Season?


<h2 style="color:#000000;" class="wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://coloradosun.com/2024/12/10/colorado-economic-forecast-2025/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Colorado Experts Predict What the Economy Will Look Like in 2025 | The Colorado Sun</a></h2>



<p>Every year, local experts have the difficult task of taking stock of the state economy and predicting what a new year will bring. For 2025, experts say the state’s population continues to grow, albeit slower than in years past. And that slower growth rate could have a ripple effect on the job market as employers struggle to find enough employees to fill open positions.</p>



<h2 style="color:#000000;" class="wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-urges-many-retirees-to-make-required-withdrawals-from-retirement-plans-by-year-end-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IRS Urges Many Retirees to Make Required Withdrawals by Year-End Deadline | Internal Revenue Service</a></h2>



<p>If you’re retired and you have savings in a defined contribution plan like a 401(k), 457, or IRA, you’re likely required to make minimum required distributions (RMDs) by the end of each year. The IRS sent out a notice reminding retirees of the deadline and new rules enacted under the SECURE 2.0 Act.</p>



<h2 style="color:#000000;" class="wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://www.kiplinger.com/personal-finance/quiz-test-your-financial-literacy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Quiz: Test Your Financial Literacy | Kiplinger</a></h2>



<p>How would you rate your financial literacy? Believe it or not, three simple questions can help you gauge your literacy. If you can correctly answer all three multiple-choice questions, you’re doing better than over half of all Americans.</p>



<h2 style="color:#000000;" class="wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/real-estate/2024/12/10/how-america-can-age-in-plaec/76826197007/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Baby Boomers Are Aging, and Most Want to Stay at Home Forever | USA Today</a></h2>



<p>A recently released survey from AARP finds that an overwhelming majority of Americans say they want to stay in their homes and their local communities while they age, but many are unsure they’ll be able to do so. Half of the survey’s respondents said they were not confident their current living situation will meet their needs in the future, and over half of that group said they expect to move.</p>



<p><em>News You Should Know is a digest of news from publications around the nation about finance, investing, and retirement.</em></p>


News You Should Know: How Will Colorado’s Economy Fare in 2025?


<h2 style="color:#000000;" class="wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://money.com/trump-2024-victory-money-impact/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Donald Trump is the President-Elect. Here’s What It Means for Your Wallet | Money</a></h2>



<p>Former President Donald Trump has won another term in the White House. What does that mean for the economy and the finances of everyday Americans? Here’s what we can likely expect, based on what Trump has said on the campaign trail.</p>



<h2 style="color:#000000;" class="wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://coloradosun.com/2024/10/23/colorado-hospital-price-lookup/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Coloradans Can Now Compare Hospital Prices for Specific Procedures, Insurance Plans | The Colorado Sun</a></h2>



<p>The State of Colorado is looking to make it easier for people to shop around for their medical costs. A new website, ColoradoHospitalPrices.com, provides a one-stop shop for searching and comparing costs for various procedures and other medical care at different hospitals. The site also shows what different insurance providers pay for the same procedure. Officials hope the added transparency will help Coloradans lower their costs and increase competition between providers and facilities.</p>



<h2 style="color:#000000;" class="wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2024/11/03/new-required-minimum-distribution-2024/76026379007/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">3 New Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) Rules Everyone Should Know for 2024 | USA Today</a></h2>



<p>The end of the year is approaching and so is the deadline for most people to take their annual required minimum distributions (RMDs) from retirement accounts. There have been some changes to RMD rules in recent years, so make sure you’re up-to-date and don’t face any penalties for not meeting the requirements.</p>



<h2 style="color:#000000;" class="wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://fortune.com/well/article/end-of-life-planning-conversation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">How to Discuss End-of-Life Planning with Aging Parents | Fortune Well</a></h2>



<p>Talking about death can be uncomfortable or even taboo, but it’s an important discussion to have with loved ones. Here are some tips for navigating conversations about end-of-life wishes with parents who are getting older.</p>



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<p><em>News You Should Know is a digest of news from publications around the nation about finance, investing, and retirement.</em></p>


News You Should Know: What a Second Trump Presidency Could Mean for Your Finances


<h2 style="color:#000000;" class="wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/finance/when-the-fed-cuts-rates" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">What Happens Now That the Fed Finally Cut Rates? | NerdWallet</a></h2>



<p>Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell recently announced the central bank would lower its key interest rate for the first time since 2020. While a rate cut was expected, some were surprised by the Fed’s decision to slash the rate by 0.5% instead of a more incremental 0.25%. Here’s what lower interest rates could mean for your finances and the economy as a whole.</p>



<h2 style="color:#000000;" class="wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://www.govexec.com/pay-benefits/2024/09/lawmakers-successfully-force-vote-eliminating-windfall-elimination-provision/399759/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lawmakers Successfully Force a Vote on Eliminating the Windfall Elimination Provision | Government Executive</a></h2>



<p>The federal lawmakers leading the charge on H.R. 82—aka the Social Security Fairness Act, which would repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO)—have succeeded in their efforts to force a floor vote on the issue. Reps. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) and Garret Graves (R-LA) used a rare tactic called a discharge petition, which reached the necessary threshold of 218 signatures to bypass Congressional leadership and get a vote on the floor of the House of Representatives. A vote likely won’t happen until at least November, and the bill would still have to pass the Senate before the conclusion of this Congress in January.</p>



<h2 style="color:#000000;" class="wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/09/24/september-consumer-confidence-falls-the-most-in-three-years.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">September Consumer Confidence Falls the Most in Three Years | CNBC</a></h2>



<p>The latest survey data show American consumers are increasingly pessimistic about the current and future state of the economy. According to the monthly Conference Board report, its consumer confidence index dropped to 98.7 in August, marking the biggest single-month decline since 2021. Survey respondents largely cited the weakening job market and the effects of inflation as their main concerns.</p>



<h2 style="color:#000000;" class="wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://www.ecu.edu.au/newsroom/articles/research/travel-could-be-the-best-defence-against-ageing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Travel Could Be the Best Defense Against Aging | Edith Cowan University</a></h2>



<p>If your retirement plans include travel, you could be doing yourself the favor of improving your health and slowing down the aging process. According to new research from Edith Cowan University in Australia, the pleasure we derive from travel activities—such as unplugging from daily life, getting more exercise, and having new experiences—can help alleviate stress and boost our overall functioning, which can help slow down the clock in terms of aging.</p>



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<p><em>News You Should Know is a digest of news from publications around the nation about finance, investing, and retirement.</em></p>


News You Should Know: What Lower Interest Rates Mean For Your Finances


<h2 style="color:#000000;" class="wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://www.nextavenue.org/us-national-plan-on-aging/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. Finally Has a Plan on Aging: Will We Use It? | Next Avenue</a></h2>



<p>A collection of federal agencies known as The Interagency Coordinating Committee on Healthy Aging and Age-Friendly Communities has taken its first step toward developing a nationwide plan for supporting aging adults. The report focuses on four key areas: age-friendly communities, housing, long-term care, and health and well-being. Officials expect to release a more detailed action plan after listening to feedback from the public.</p>



<h2 style="color:#000000;" class="wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://www.kiplinger.com/taxes/irs-ends-confusion-annual-rmds-required-for-many-inherited-iras" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New IRS Inherited IRA Rules: Annual RMDs Required for Many Beneficiaries | Kiplinger</a></h2>



<p>The IRS issued final rules that clarify the requirements for people who inherit an individual retirement account (IRA) from the original account holder. Beginning in 2025, most non-spouse beneficiaries will have to take required minimum distributions (RMDs) and deplete the account within 10 years.</p>



<h2 style="color:#000000;" class="wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://www.investmentnews.com/regulation-and-legislation/news/second-court-blocks-all-aspects-of-dols-fiduciary-rule-255828" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Second Court Blocks All Aspects of DOL&#8217;s Fiduciary Rule | InvestmentNews</strong></a></h2>



<p>Two district court judges have halted implementation of the Department of Labor’s new fiduciary rule. That rule, which had been set to go into effect in September, aims to increase protections for retirement savers by expanding the definition of who in the financial services sector is considered a fiduciary and is therefore required to act in their clients’ best interests. Insurance companies had sued the government to try to prevent the rule from taking effect.</p>



<h2 style="color:#000000;" class="wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://hbr.org/2024/07/why-people-resist-retirement" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Why People Resist Retirement | Harvard Business Review</a></h2>



<p>Making the decision to retire is a complex and personal process, and it usually involves financial and health factors. But for some, transitioning into retirement is a challenge for various psychological reasons. New research from Harvard found three main obstacles prospective retirees face that aren’t financial: changes in identity, purpose, and relationships.</p>



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<p><em>News You Should Know is a digest of news from publications around the nation about finance, investing, and retirement.</em></p>


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