On Feb. 24th, Retirement Expert Begins Three-Part Saturday Series at Triton College

If your retirement picture isn't coming into focus-or if you are concerned about what you do see-then you are a prime candidate to enroll in an upcoming three-part series from a renowned retirement expert.

Starting on Saturday, February 24th, retirement and finance expert Jim Flanagan begins the series with "Affording Retirement." The three-hour session begins at 9 a.m. at Triton College in River Grove.

A Triton adjunct professor, Flanagan has made the class open to the public, along with two related classes the next two Saturdays, on March 3rd and March 10th: "Healthcare in Retirement" and "Financial Management in Retirement."

The fee for each class is $20, along with a $7 registration, with all material provided on the day of the class. To register, call 708-456-0300, extension 3500. Each class can be taken independently of the others; students are not required to attend all three.

"It's common for people to feel overwhelmed by all the factors to take into account at this time of their life," said Flanagan. "There's no previous practice in trying to gauge the right time to transition into your golden post-employment phase of life."

Flanagan, founder of Downers Grove-based Bentron Financial Group, will cover the changing landscape of retirement in each of the three classes.

In "Affording Retirement," Flanagan will outline the current and likely future changes in retirement and then advise attendees on how to take control of them. Students will emerge with a better knowledge of how to create a comfortable, virtually stress-free retirement experience.

"Healthcare in Retirement," on March 3rd, will help attendees navigate the complexities of Medicare Parts A&B, Medicare Supplements, Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage, Medicaid and Long-Term Care insurance. Flanagan will ease the intimidation factor of these health-care options by educating students on the basics of each insurance plan.

Flanagan acknowledged that the details are so numerous that "people can get discouraged quickly" about their prospect of making sense of it all.

"As complicated as all of the options are, as daunting a task as it can be, if you break it into pieces, it becomes very manageable," Flanagan said. "That's what my session will do."

In "Financial Management in Retirement," on March 10th, he will address how saving and investing near or during retirement is dramatically different from any other type of financial concern. For example, income, less risk and lower volatility in investments all become necessary components, yet too few people adjust their portfolios to align with these changing needs.

Against the backdrop of the Great Recession that struck in 2008, it has become more crucial than ever before for retirees to maximize their fixed income, he says.

The "Financial Management in Retirement" class will provide an in-depth look at various savings vehicles and investment products. Flanagan will teach attendees how to analyze income potential, risk and liquidity of various investment products. He will also advise students on tax favored retirement accounts such as IRA's, 401(k) plans and Roth IRAs.

"I'm giving tools for a new and different retirement than any generation has ever experienced before," Flanagan said. "This type of education hasn't existed in the mainstream before."

For nearly 30 years, Flanagan has provided financial guidance to people at or near retirement. Over that time, he has become a nationally recognized expert on financial issues that affect seniors.

The father of three, he is a strong proponent of community service, particularly on behalf of senior citizens. In

2005 he joined the Oak Park/River Forest Township Senior Services Committee, for which he has served as chairman since 2008. And in 2010, Flanagan founded the Celebrating Seniors Coalition, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to celebrating, educating and protecting older adults in Forest Park, Oak Park and River Forest.

Flanagan is also a member of Illinois FAST (Financial Abuse Strike Team), a multidisciplinary unit of financial, legal, law enforcement and adult service providers that intervenes to safeguard older adults from financial abuse and exploitation.

Flanagan's company, Bentron Financial Group, is online at www.bentron.com. Celebrating Seniors is online at www.celebratingseniors.net.