9 Financial Bucket List Items to Check Off Before 60

Turning 60 is a major milestone. But before you hit the big 6-0, there are some key financial goals you’ll want to strive for.

Whether retirement is on the horizon or still a distant dream, ticking off these financial bucket list items can set you up for a more secure and enjoyable future. From protecting your family to shoring up your savings, we’ve got you covered.

So, let’s dive in and make sure you’re going to be ready to rock your 60s!

1. Max out retirement contributions

Take advantage of catch-up contributions to retirement accounts such as 401(k)s and IRAs to put as much as possible in your retirement savings.

And if your retirement savings are starting to build up, maybe it’s time to at least talk to a professional and see if they can add value.

A Vanguard study found that, on average, a hypothetical $500,000 investment over 25 years would grow to $1.7 million if you manage it yourself, but more than $3.4 million if you work with a financial advisor. That’s twice as much!

If you’ve got $100,000 or more in investments, check out a free service called SmartAsset. You fill out a short questionnaire and instantly get matched with up to three vetted financial advisors in your area, all legally bound to work in your best interests.

Even if you don’t want help picking investments, an advisor can help lower your tax burden, create a comprehensive financial plan, maximize your Social Security, help with estate planning and making sure you’re on the right track. They can also be there in case one day, you’re not.

Using SmartAsset only takes a few minutes, and in many cases you’ll be offered a free consultation.

Nothing to lose and lots to potentially gain. Take a minute and check it out right now!

Please carefully review the methodologies employed in the Vanguard white paper, “Putting a value on your value: Quantifying Vanguard Advisor’s Alpha.”

2. Protect your loved ones

You’d move mountains for your family, but what if you’re not around? Who’ll keep the household running? That’s where life insurance saves the day. Unless your kids are already off the payroll and you’re rolling in dough, you’ll want coverage.

Enter SBLI (Savings Bank Life Insurance). These folks make getting life insurance easier than ordering pizza. Just a few clicks from your couch, no doctors poking or prodding. Answer some quick health questions, and boom — a personalized quote in under 5 minutes.

With SBLI, you can snag term life insurance worth up to $5 million. Or go for the gusto with trusty whole life. Either way, it might cost you less per month than your daily caffeine fix.

Over 1,000,000 families have trusted SBLI with over $187 billion in coverage since 1907. They’re legit and they’ve got your back.

Why put it off? Protecting your loved ones is kind of a big deal.

Get a free, no-obligation quote from your friends at SBLI right now.

3. Free yourself – do what Sarah did

Sarah is a hardworking mother of two who found herself trapped in a vicious cycle of debt. Sleepless nights, constant stress, and the incessant ringing of creditors’ calls was her life. She felt helpless and alone, wondering if she would ever break free from the crushing weight.

Then Sarah discovered the power of credit counseling. With the guidance of a compassionate and knowledgeable team at Freedom Financial Network, Sarah changed her life. Freedom helped her create a personalized plan to tackle her debts head-on, negotiating with creditors and finding solutions that fit her unique situation.

Today Sarah’s a different person. Her debt is gone. Her stress has been replaced by hope. As she followed the path laid out by her new friends at Freedom, the stress and anxiety gradually melted away. No more dodging calls. No more sleepless nights. Her hope was renewed and now she has the confidence to take control of her money and her life.

If you’ve got more than $10,000 in debt, or know someone who does, do something. Contact Freedom Debt Relief. Have a free chat with a counselor.
Get some peace of mind. Remember, you only live once. There’s no reason to live it buried in debt.

Take a minute and contact them right now.

4. Get a will and/or trust

When you’re gone, your problems will be over. But the problems for the ones you leave behind will just be beginning.

Show your loved ones you care by creating a will, a trust or both. It doesn’t take much time and doesn’t cost much money. But it will save a ton of both for your family.

A will is a simple legal document that outlines how you want your assets to be distributed, and you can have one in minutes for $199.

A trust allows you to place conditions on how and when your assets are distributed to your beneficiaries. You can get one of these created for as little as $499.

An hour or two preparing these documents means providing for your family, minimizing potential conflicts, and potentially reducing estate taxes. Do yourself and your family a favor and at least check it out right now.

5. Diversify your investments

If a large part of your savings is in the stock market — as it should be — you’re well aware that what goes up can also go down. You can’t control the market, but you can hedge against uncertainty by having other forms of wealth.

One of the best ways to protect your savings is diversification. Keep money in different types of investments, ideally ones that go up when others are going down. For example, stocks tend to do poorly when inflation and interest rates are rising and there’s political turmoil brewing.

But there’s one investment that thrives in this scenario: gold.

Be careful who you deal with, though. Lots of companies in the gold business are pretty shady and won’t hesitate to sell you gold and silver at vastly inflated prices.

Goldco, on the other hand, has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, an AAA rating from Business Consumer Alliance, and 4.8 to 5 stars on Trustpilot, TrustLink, Google reviews and ConsumerAffairs. They offer just about everything, from precious-metal IRAs to gold coins and gold bars.

You’ll even receive up to $10,000 in free silver on qualified purchases. If you’ve ever thought about investing in gold, why not take a look?

6. Get a test that could save your life

A simple health screening could be worth a lifetime. You see, cardiovascular disease and strokes are two of the leading causes of death in America. And 80% of them are preventable, according to the American Heart Association and the Centers for Disease Control.

There’s someone on your side, too. A company called Life Line Screening is the leading provider of annual screenings for risk of cardiovascular disease, strokes and other chronic diseases. Screenings provide peace of mind or early detection, and both are a good thing.

Getting a screening is convenient and easy. Just go to Life Line Screening’s website and schedule an appointment at one of more than 14,000 locations across the U.S. The screenings are fast, painless and noninvasive. Results are posted in an online portal within a few days.

It’s not just about preventing death, either — it’s about saving money, too. Strokes and cardiovascular disease are two of the leading causes of serious long-term disability, which could cost you a lot of money. Knowledge is power, and early detection enables you to take action before it’s too late. That’s why Life Line Screening has been trusted by more than 10 million customers since 1993.

These screenings are recommended for everyone over 40. If you’ve never gotten one, now’s the time. Schedule an appointment here to get 50% off.

7. Don’t pay to fix your car

The cost of car repairs is skyrocketing. One shop told Consumer Reports that a decade ago, their average repair was $1,600. These days, the average bill is $4,000.

If you’re concerned about coming up with thousands of dollars for a repair bill, protect your investment with a CarShield auto warranty.

CarShield provides extended warranty plans of up to 24 months, and allows you to choose from at least six different plans, so you’ll only pay for the coverage you need. They cover cars up to 20 years old and offer flexible month-to-month plans so you’re not locked in for years.

CarShield has a network of thousands of ASE-certified repair shops, and they pay the repair bill. All you cover is the deductible. All their warranties include 24/7 roadside assistance and rental car benefits while your vehicle is being repaired.

ConsumerAffairs calls CarShield “a solid choice” for drivers of any age, and “particularly appealing” for those with older vehicles.

Take a minute right now and get a quote.

8. Use this secret source for discounts

Since you’re over age 18, you’re eligible to save hundreds of dollars every year simply by joining AARP.

“What?” You say, “I thought AARP was for retired people.”

As it turns out, you don’t have to be 50 or older to join AARP. And members get discounts on hundreds of things, like:

• Up to $200 per person off flights
• Up to 30% off rental cars
• Up to 15% off restaurants
• Up to 20% off hotels

You’ll also save on eyeglasses, prescriptions, meal deliveries and lots more. And that’s not all. AARP offers a Fraud Watch Network, job listings, retirement planning tools, games, and tons of information, programs and resources.

Anyone trying to save money can’t afford not to join AARP, especially since the cost is as low as $12 per year with auto-renewal. You’ll likely recoup the cost in the first week. Click here and check it out.

9. Get cash from the value of your home

If you purchased a home in the past 10 years, you likely have significant home equity — equity you could harness to improve your home, pay down high-interest debt or accomplish a million other things.

The problem? Traditional home equity loans require a long approval process, interest and monthly payments.

That’s where Unlock Technologies comes in. Their home equity agreement (HEA) allows you to tap your equity without the hassles of a traditional home equity loan.

You can see how much equity you can unlock in less than a minute. No credit score impact. No strings attached.

Unlock could offer you cash in exchange for a portion of your home’s total value. Because an HEA isn’t a loan, there are no monthly payments or interest charges. The Unlock HEA has a 10-year term, and has flexible repayment conditions.

Unlock currently operates in these states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and Washington.

If you’d like to tap your equity without going into debt, check out Unlock.