seniors

For the past few years, it has seemed like depressing economic news has been America's only actual growth industry, and all that negativity is still echoing in our heads. Across the age spectrum, we're downbeat about the future, even as the signs are finally looking up.

Planning for a happy retirement takes foresight, a lifetime of saving money and little luck. But planning for love? That might cost you. The choices for how we spend our golden years -- and how much we spend -- have a big impact on our social lives, and our chances of discovering new love.

For the first time, there's a state-by-state scorecard of America's performance in providing long-term services and support to senior citizens and people with disabilities, and the results aren't much to brag about. But they do point the way toward improving the long-term care system -- and saving the nation billions.

The reverse mortgage was invented to help seniors facing economic hardship access the equity in their homes. But these loan products are complicated, expensive and ripe for abuse, which lead a reader named Fred to ask DailyFinance's Laura Rowley for some advice. Here's what she told him:

In a shaky economy, senior citizens have become a prime target for scammers. Here are some of the common scams -- and warning signs -- to watch out for, along with some tips on how to protect your elderly loved ones.

Seniors are more likely to decide to delay their retirement when they consider the benefits of waiting before they think about the advantages of retiring early, a new study finds. Here's why you should consider the future first.

While Congress and President Obama battle over ways to "fix" Social Security, a small conservative seniors group, the Association of Mature American Citizens, sees a possible solution to part of the reform brouhaha -- a Social Security IRA.

More than 8,000 Baby Boomers are turning 60 each day, and many have made serious miscalculations about what they'll need in retirement. So Elder advocate Marion Somers, Ph.D., is crisscrossing the country again to spread the word: "This country is going to be hit with a geriatric tsunami and we are not prepared."

Described as a "fear tactic" by critics, the White House warned Tuesday that if Congress fails to raise the debt ceiling soon, come August, millions of Social Security recipients may find themselves without a check. The comments were met with a firestorm of criticism by seniors and their advocates.

Who would pick the pocket of your grandma or grandpa? Apparently, a lot of people: Older Americans are losing $2.9 billion annually to elder financial abuse, up 12% from 2008, according to The MetLife Study of Elder Financial Abuse. Here's how to protect your older relatives from becoming victims.