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Transitioning to retirement is a big life adjustment, one fraught with mixed emotions and moments of uncertainty.

In this issue, we explore several recent changes to Social Security that may affect your benefit planning, best practices for creating an emergency fund for unforeseen expenses, and how to take advantage of healthcare savings accounts, an interesting planning tool with attractive tax benefits.

As you rush to work, run to pick up the kids, or scramble to make dinner, retirement may seem like a far-off dream. Or maybe you try to talk to your partner about planning for the future, only to end up in a fight about how much to save now so you can enjoy life later. You delay this money conversation hoping that, in time, it will get easier. The truth is that waiting can be detrimental to achieving a secure future. So the time to talk about retirement is now.

Life insurance benefits are not paid automatically, so if you are the beneficiary of a policy, you must file a claim in order to receive any money. However, if this is the only step you take, you may be missing out on other life insurance benefits to which you are entitled if you fail to locate all of the life insurance benefits that the deceased was entitled to.

As you grow older, your housing needs may change. Maybe you’ll get tired of doing yardwork. You might want to retire in sunny Florida or live close to your grandchildren in Illinois. Perhaps you’ll need to live in a nursing home or an assisted-living facility. Or, after considering your options, you may even decide to stay where you are. When the time comes to evaluate your housing situation, you’ll have numerous options available to you.

As the parent of a child with special needs, you face many of the same challenges that other parents face. But you’ll have to cope with some unique issues as well. The term special needs is often used to describe a wide variety of conditions and may mean different things to different people.

Divorce can be a lengthy process that may strain your finances and leave you feeling out of control. But with the right preparation, you can protect your interests, take charge of your future, and save yourself time and money. You certainly never expected divorce when you cut the wedding cake—you and your spouse planned on spending the rest of your lives together. Unfortunately, the fairy tale didn’t work out, and you’re headed for a divorce. So where do you begin?

If you are in a long-term, committed relationship, you have many of the same financial concerns as married couples. However, you lack many of the legal protections and advantages that married couples enjoy. Here are some tips that can help you and your partner stay on the road to financial security.