DALLAS (BP)--GuideStone Financial Resources has launched its new "Preparing for Retirement" webpage to assist participants' with their planning needs.

The new webpage, at www.GuideStone.org/pfr, provides comprehensive education and other resources related to decisions leading up to retirement.

The new webpage includes:

-- Preparing for Retirement presentation, covering retirement factors, income needs and sources, investment basics, estate planning, ministerial issues and Social Security considerations. The presentation is divided into modules that can be viewed separately when users are ready to learn about each concept.

-- Preparing for Retirement workbook, a companion piece to the presentation that includes retirement planning worksheets. In addition to viewing the workbook online, a printed version is available by contacting GuideStone Customer Service at 1-888-98-GUIDE (1-888-984-8433).

-- Editable worksheets. In addition to the worksheets provided in the workbook, they also are available separately in an editable and printable format.

O.S. Hawkins, president of GuideStone, underscored the Southern Baptist entity's commitment to help its participants "move from the vocational career into the next stage of their life. We hope this informative and educational webpage will prove a valuable tool as our participants plan for their retirement needs."

GuideStone also has announced that it is making long-term care education and insurance available to ministers, church staff, employees of ministry organizations and their families.

"After an extensive search, we've entered into an endorsed arrangement with LTC Financial Partners and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MetLife)," Hawkins said. "Through this arrangement, LTC Financial Partners will provide our participants and their families with superior long-term care education and access to discounted rates for MetLife long-term care insurance plans.

"Long-term care costs are an expense that can directly threaten the financial security and independence of an individual and their extended family, particularly in retirement," Hawkins continued. "As a part of our core mission of enhancing the financial security of those GuideStone serves, we believe long-term care education and access to quality insurance solutions will help our participants protect the retirement and investment savings they've work so hard to build."

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, more than 60 percent of seniors over 65 will need some type of long-term care. This year, that number is expected to be more than 9 million Americans. By 2020, it could exceed 12 million.

Specific details about the program are being shared directly with GuideStone participants based upon a phased implementation plan.

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