Budgeting and Financial Planning
Financial Planning for “Orphan Retirees”
|
November 18, 2025
More than 16 million people 65 and older live alone in the U.S, and more Americans are aging alone without spouses or any close family members. For some it means no family heirs for their estates, but the larger issue is how to face challenges if they are incapacitated or suffer a debilitating long-term illness such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Hello, I'm
Rodney Brooks
An award-winning journalist, writer and author and my specialty is retirement planning and other personal finance issues. I have written for many national publications, including USA TODAY, The Washington Post, U.S. News & World Report, AARP and National Geographic. I am available to speak on personal finance, financial literacy and the racial wealth gap.
Learn More About Rodney
Sign Up For My Newsletter!
Subscribe for the latest news and features
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
The author tells the history of the Freedman’s Savings Bank, how it grew much too quickly, why it failed and the impact on Black America. The Freedman’s Bank offered a safe depository for formerly enslaved people, expanded quickly and gained millions in deposits – mostly ranging from $5 to $50. But inexperience and corruption doomed it to failure, costing may of the small depositors their savings.
