Ask Doc With a few smart moves, you can stop worrying about how to earn income in your retirement.
That's according to a new book by Marc Lichtenfeld, You Don't Have to Drive an Uber in Retirement.
It just came out this week and I wanted to take a moment to bring it to your attention.
As the chief income strategist at The Oxford Club, the best way to describe Marc would be as a competitor of mine... but a good one. We're in the same business of helping people plan for and live through retirement.
His new book delivers a flurry of investment, income and savings ideas... things that are near and dear to our heart here at the Health & Wealth Bulletin.
The goal is to make your retirement a true retirement, not one in which you're working just as hard to enjoy the things you like.
It's just too good not to share. Marc reveals his dividend-investing strategies, how to become a "hard money" lender and make money like a banker, and even how to collect (and keep) other people's tax payments (legally – of course).
You'll even see a quote from me on the back cover calling it "filled with nuggets of wisdom and ideas for living a richer life."
Here's the best part...
If you grab a copy by clicking here, you can buy on Amazon or Barnes & Noble, and you'll get a free, unpublished chapter, "How to Save Money Every Time You Visit the Doctor."
Now let's get into this week's Q&A...
Q: Is the opioid epidemic as bad as the media claims? Who's really at risk for addiction? – J.P.
A: The opioid epidemic is real and it's a growing problem. You've likely heard about the new task force that aims to use law enforcement and the legal system to fight the opioid epidemic. They're going to focus on Big Pharma in particular.
An overlooked group in the press coverage, however, are seniors. That's because folks over 65 are more likely to face problems with opioid use and possible addiction. We've covered what those problems are and what you need to ask your doctor. Click here to watch now in today's Weekly Update video.
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Q: Thanks for your work. You might want to step out of the Big Pharma bubble and take a look at statins. This is maybe the biggest scam ever foisted on the American public and statins directly affect the liver. – G.G.
A: We've railed against statins (cholesterol-lowering drugs) for years. Longtime readers know that statins are overprescribed and have dangerous side effects. They can cause cataracts, diabetes, muscle weakness, and memory loss.
When it comes to your liver, lots of drugs damage it. In fact, we've even railed against the worst offenders, like acetaminophen. It's rare that statins lead to liver damage, but there are studies that show it happens.
If you're on any long-term prescription, consider asking about liver-function tests to make sure you're still healthy.
Q: I loved the content about coffee and its myriad of benefits. My only concern is the caffeine. Caffeine and I don't get along very well. Too much leads to heart palpitations, etc. So, I guess the main question is, "Does decaffeinated coffee provide the same benefits as regular coffee?" Aside from the obvious stimulating effects of caffeine, of course. – R.M.
A: Coffee reaps a host of incredible health benefits... It lowers your risk of heart disease, dementia, Alzheimer's, skin cancer, and erectile dysfunction. It's likely that most of the benefits come from the caffeine.
But decaf coffee does have its own health benefits.
A 2012 study from the National Institutes of Health showed drinking coffee lowered the odds of dying from causes like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Study participants who drank two to three cups a day lowered their risk of dying during the yearlong study period by 10%... The outcome was the same whether participants drank coffee with caffeine or without.
So if you can't or don't want to drink caffeine, you'll still get benefits from a cup of decaf.
What We're Reading...
- Did you miss it? Your 'Melt Up' moment has arrived.
- Something different: The Tooth Fairy is becoming a cheapskate.
Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,
Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team,
March 2, 2018