Retirement

Liberation. Refinement. Or, perhaps, afterlife. Those are some alternatives to the word retirement posted on an Inquirer discussion board on the subject. Many age-conscious baby boomers don't like the R word, which, some argue, connotes disengagement from life. They prefer to call it the "next stage" or "second calling" or anything but "retirement. " So say experts. Some posts defended the word: "Retirement is my favorite word. I just wish it wasn't so far away.

  Few American business leaders are as connected to the concepts of saving and long-term investing as John C. Bogle, founder of the Vanguard Group in Malvern. Bogle's principles were to provide key assets for anyone seeking a comfortable retirement - the reward for a lifetime of striving and planning. But for many Americans these days, a well-financed retirement is a quaint goal unlikely to be gained. Here is what Bogle, who turned 84 last week, said about the future of retirement in the United States:   Question: Is retirement as we know it today a relic of 20th-century American economic might and something that will not exist in the future, given faltering family incomes, disappearing traditional pension plans, and other wrenching changes in the economy?

Like teenagers seeking concert tickets, about 50 senior citizens camped out last weekend waiting to buy lots in Middlesex County's newest "active adult community. " They were interested in the indoor and outdoor pools, golf course, 25 hobby clubs and 24-hour on-site nursing care. Do you or have you ever considered living in a adult-only retirement community? How did you make your decision? Send responses to Community Voices/Retirement at the address in the Where to Write box above.

In his 23-year run as president of Philadelphia University, James P. Gallagher presided over nothing short of a transformation. Enrollment nearly doubled. So did the campus acreage. Applications grew fourfold. What was once a textile and science college became a university, with new academic programs. Up went several recreational and academic buildings, and a virtually nonexistent endowment reached nearly $30 million. So perhaps it's fitting that, in his final months, the 66-year-old native West Philadelphian - who recently emerged as one of the most highly compensated college presidents in the country - has decided to focus on the finer points of collegiate management.

As a discussion leader of a retirement program for many years and as a retiree, I appreciated George Wilson's Feb. 7 column on retirement. It was well written, very interesting and its criticism of rigid planning very logical. A retiree's adjustment to freedom of time is accepted in different ways and therefore varies with the individual. Certainly the capability or desire to adjust to the change and to the enjoyment of the retiring years is stimulated by a retirement program and is flexible by a casual determination or a specific one as to the scheduling of events to come.

The Vanguard Group, seeking more coordination among its retirement planning services, is consolidating much of that work under one umbrella. The Malvern mutual-fund giant announced yesterday that Ann Combs, a former assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Labor, would head its new Institutional Strategic Consulting Group. The team will bring together business units, including the company's retirement-research and plan-consulting groups, which shape the retirement agenda for Vanguard and its clients.

Mark Messier will not report for a training-camp physical with New York Rangers veterans on Monday. He might, however, take the opportunity to announce his expected retirement. The 44-year-old legendary leader and six-time Stanley Cup champion has not commented publicly on his playing status in 2 months - since telling the New York Daily News he would consider offers from any of the NHL's 30 teams. It is expected he will have a role in the Rangers' organization, and that announcement could come as early as Monday.

Everybody should plan for retirement, but if you are working, there are good reasons not to actually retire if your health allows - at least not yet. About 10,000 baby boomers turn 65 every day, according to this post at bankrate.com, which lists seven "signs" that retirement might not be the best idea for each of them. In addition to financial reasons, the list includes warnings that you shouldn't retire just because of your age and certainly not if you don't know what you'll do with time on your hands.

Le Bec Fin - a name synonymous with fine dining in Philadelphia for four decades - will "retire" in mid-June. Finis . In its place will be a new restaurant - still unnamed - serving progressive American cuisine. Its chef will be Roxborough native Justin Bogle, who at 28 was one of the youngest chefs to receive two Michelin stars for his work at Gilt in Manhattan, which closed in December. Chef Chris Scarduzio, who has had a long association with Le Bec Fin through its founder, Georges Perrier, will be the restaurant's director of operations.

LONDON - David Beckham's retirement will bring an end to a soccer career that went far beyond his sport, and turned a gangly teenager from east London into one of the most recognizable faces on the planet. Hugely gifted as a player, though far from ranking with the greats Pele, Maradona, and Lionel Messi, Beckham has been a true genius via his marketability. Guided by his Spice Girl wife Victoria, Beckham, 38, progressively became a fashion icon, a global brand, and the world's highest-paid soccer player with a fortune estimated by the Sunday Times Rich List at about 165 million pounds ($250 million)

St. Joseph's Prep retired the No. 32 jersey worn by basketball standout Steve Vasturia in a Thursday afternoon assembly at the school's Kelly Fieldhouse. In his career at the Prep, Vasturia, a 6-foot-5 senior guard ticketed for Notre Dame, totaled a school-record 1,764 points. Twice selected as the Catholic League's most valuable player, he shot 89.2 percent (378 for 424) from the free-throw line in his career. This past season, while leading the Hawks to a 24-6 record and the PIAA Class AAAA state semifinals, Vasturia averaged 20.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.1 steals.

ANDY REID will return to Philadelphia on Sept. 19 when his Kansas City Chiefs face the Eagles in a nationally televised Thursday night game. Another prominent former member of the organization will be in the house that night, as well. Donovan McNabb. McNabb confirmed yesterday on his show on NBC Sports Radio that he will retire as an Eagle in September. He said the team has suggested doing it on the 19th, when Reid, the man who selected him with the second overall pick in the 1999 draft, will be there.

Donovan McNabb said on his NBC Sports Radio show on Monday that he will officially retire as an Eagle this fall and that the team suggested he do it on Sept. 19 when former coach Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs visit Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles did not comment on the matter. Attempts to reach McNabb on Monday evening were unsuccessful. He first told a Syracuse radio station earlier in the day that he would retire as an Eagle, although that has always been the plan. The former Eagles quarterback has not played since 2011.

You knew it. But now it's official. So now you really, really know. Barbara Walters , 83, since 1961 one of TV's most accomplished reporters, and since 1997 host of ABC's wildly populous The View , which she created, will leave TV journalism in summer 2014. (That leaves doors open for specials, etc.) ABC announced it late Sunday; Babs confirmed it on The View Monday. She stays exec producer. When rumors flew in March, Babs said she'd say when, and she said it. Joy Behar leaves The View in August, and rumors teem that token rightist Elisabeth Hasselbeck may be booted; all hands deny it, as per industry standard.

  Few American business leaders are as connected to the concepts of saving and long-term investing as John C. Bogle, founder of the Vanguard Group in Malvern. Bogle's principles were to provide key assets for anyone seeking a comfortable retirement - the reward for a lifetime of striving and planning. But for many Americans these days, a well-financed retirement is a quaint goal unlikely to be gained. Here is what Bogle, who turned 84 last week, said about the future of retirement in the United States:   Question: Is retirement as we know it today a relic of 20th-century American economic might and something that will not exist in the future, given faltering family incomes, disappearing traditional pension plans, and other wrenching changes in the economy?

It's common in some circles nowadays to scoff at the very notion of retirement. Years after the 2008 financial crisis, unemployment lingers at painful levels. Who can think of voluntarily giving up a job? But time is relentless. Unless you plan to work till you drop and your mind and body cooperate, retirement will one day be upon you, ready or not. If you haven't started planning, there's no time better than now. Should you seek professional advice? That's your choice. But you might want to recall other circumstances when you've willingly sought expert counsel - say, a rattle in your car or your knee - and ask how ensuring a secure retirement compares in importance.

A secure retirement usually depends on years of careful preparation. You need to know what the obstacles are, where to turn for help, and what resources will be waiting for you once you retire. These sites can help. You need to get familiar with the Social Security website. Use it to apply for benefits, including for disability and Medicare. Long before retiring, the site can help you estimate the benefits you'll be entitled to. If, say, you are a victim of domestic abuse or identity theft, you can use the site to block access to information about you. www.ssa.gov Social Security 's "retirement planner" has links that will reveal the age at which you'll qualify for full Social Security benefits, how you'll get dinged if you retire early, and your life expectancy.

Workers appear to have little faith that the economic recovery and the stock market's climb have left them better prepared for retirement. Confidence in the ability to afford a comfortable retirement remains at the same record low level recorded in 2011, and is slightly lower than last year, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute, which has conducted the study the last 23 years. Nearly half of workers surveyed in January had little or no confidence that they would have a financially comfortable retirement, EBRI said.