Vernon Area Library hosts Zoom program on retirement Jan. 18

Can you afford to retire?

That provocative but urgent question is the title of a Zoom-based presentation by retirement expert Jigar Doshi on Wednesday, Jan. 18. The program is being hosted by the Vernon Area Public Library and begins at 6:30 p.m.

To register, go to calendar.vapld.info/event/can-you-afford-retire-online.

For more information, call the library at (224) 543-1485 or email AdultDesk@vapld.info.

Doshi, of Bentron Financial Group, will guide attendees through several self-evaluation exercises that help reveal their readiness for retirement.

Thereafter, attendees will be introduced to 10 critical questions that every retiree must answer before embarking on a successful retirement. In addition, the session will cover the basic need for an estate and/or a financial plan, as Doshi provides an estate analysis questionnaire and an example of a balance sheet.

The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in an additional layer of uncertainty as people approach retirement, Doshi said.

"In a real, practical way, this program helps people assess whether they are ready to retire," he said. "And, if not, what steps do you need to take to get there?"

A Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor, Doshi has an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from the University of Mumbai-India and a master's degree in Financial Markets from the Stuart School of Business-IIT Chicago.

He and his wife, Kosha, have two children and are active members of the Vernon Hills Indian Association.

Bentron Financial Group was founded in 2001 by Dr. Jim Flanagan, who has provided financial guidance to people at or near retirement age for over 30 years. In that time, he has become a nationally recognized expert on financial issues impacting older adults and late-life transitions.

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