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How to Commemorate a Colleague’s Retirement

By U.S. News & World Report

As the baby boomers continue to retire, you are likely to be invited to a growing number of retirement celebrations. Many people bring a gift to commemorate the occasion. Here’s how to appropriately recognize a co-worker’s retirement.

Acknowledge years of service. Some retirement gifts are inscribed with the number of years of service or the dates the employee worked at the company. “Something that references the occasion can be nice,” says Peggy Post, director of The Emily Post Institute and author of “Excuse Me, But I Was Next: How to Handle the Top 100 Manners Dilemmas.” “Sometimes things are engraved with the year the person started and the year they leave.”

Recognize future plans. If you know what activities your colleague plans to pursue in retirement, you could purchase a gift that will be useful. “It’s a good idea to think about what the person is going to do in the next stage of their life and try to think of something that could match up to that,” Post says. Checking in with a spouse or close friend could help you come up with ideas that will be appreciated. “If you know they plan to travel, something geared toward their trip would be appropriate, such as a passport holder or suitcase,” says Barbara Pachter, president of Pachter & Associates and author of “The Essentials of Business Etiquette: How to Greet, Eat, and Tweet Your Way to Success.” “However, if they are going on a fishing trip, maybe get them some fishing gear.”

Consider experience gifts. Retirees have a lifetime of accumulated possessions and often don’t need additional household items. But a fun experience or night out might be more appreciated. “If the person is a golfer, getting them a couple of rounds of golf would be a very nice gift,” Pachter says. “If they are a sports fan, you can get them a couple of tickets to a sporting event.” A foodie might enjoy a gift card to a nice restaurant or a wine-tasting experience.

Be sensitive to unplanned retirement. Retirement is not always a choice. Some people retire due to a layoff, health problem or to help care for a loved one. In this case, there may not be a party, but it can still be nice to mark the occasion, especially if you are close to the person who is retiring. “If it’s a health-related issue, maybe you want to get them some books that they can read and some movies, and include a really nice note,” Pachter says. Retirement is not necessarily an ending, but a transition to a new phase of life.

Consider group gifts. Giving a gift as a group often helps keep costs down. It can also make the gift more meaningful if everyone in the office or department signs it and writes a personal message. Scrapbooks, photo albums and collections of letters from customers, clients or colleagues are likely to be cherished by the retiree.

Personalize your gift. For someone you know well, include a note with your gift that highlights any meaningful impact the person retiring had on your life or career. “Giving a custom gift that is personalized with the recipient’s name can really make the gift that much more memorable,” says Diana Adair, a spokesperson for the online retail site Zazzle. Also consider a gift related to the industry or field you work in such as a framed photograph of a noteworthy work achievement.

Tread carefully with humor. A humorous gift can make a retirement celebration more fun, if you can avoid offending the recipient. “The biggest trend is humor, with funny cards, mugs and [T-shirts] that say things like ‘goodbye tension, hello pension,'” says Emily Bidwell, a merchandising specialist at Etsy, an online marketplace for handmade and vintage items. Etsy’s humorous gift ideas include a hand-stamped fork that says, “I’m Done.” Zazzle’s top-selling retirement gifts include a clock with the numbers scrambled that says, “Who cares! I’m retired!” and a personalizable mug that says, “Joe Smith can retire, but the legend will live on!”

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How to Commemorate a Colleague’s Retirement originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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