Think a retirement nest egg is a financial must? Think again, say a some financial advisors.

In this week's Northern Express - sister publication of The Ticker - financial planners from across northern Michigan weigh in on retirement planning and the debate over planning for one's financial future versus enjoying monetary freedom now. "What good is saving money all your life, eschewing travel or a vacation home or occasional luxuries, if you never get a chance to enjoy the fruits of your labors?" ponders writer Ross Boissoneau.

Raymond James financial adviser Trevis Gillow of Traverse City agrees "there has to be some level of flexibility" in investment and financial planning, while Sandy Duley of Edward Jones in Harbor Springs notes "everybody's retirement goals are different." Jeff Bucher of Citizens Advisory Group, who has shaken up the industry by challenging the nest egg theory, advocates instead for maximizing income and rethinking the idea that retirement means no longer working or earning money. "Retirees are some of our most talented people," he says. Read more in the cover story "Rethinking the Nest Egg" in this week's Northern Express.

This week's issue also features an inside look at offbeat investments (think pop culture memorabilia, comic books and coins), an in-depth spread on Charlevoix's historic Early Young homes and the movement to protect them, profiles of Traverse City dance band One Hot Robot and Martha's Leelanau Table in Suttons Bay - and much more! Check out the Northern Express online, or pick up a free copy at one of more than 600 distribution spots across 13 counties. And, stay connected throughout the week on Facebook.