What is the best way to balance your portfolio given today's economy and volatile stock market?

What are some of the factors to consider before seeing an attorney for a living trust? How can you self-insure for long-term care? How should you strategize your IRA withdrawal this year?

These and other pertinent financial questions for retirees will be addressed in an upcoming Sandhills Community College Contin-uing Education course.

The class begins Thursday, Sept. 9, at 3 p.m. in room 202 of the Van Dusen Building on campus. It will meet on five consecutive Thursdays through Oct. 7.

The instructor is Noelle Granville, a financial planner and certified senior adviser with Granville Financial in Pinehurst.

In addition to exploring techniques of financial planning and selecting investments, Granville will emphasize several areas that are especially critical to those during retirement years: preservation of capital, maintaining adequate liquidity, income generation, estate planning techniques, reducing income taxes, long-term care planning and end-of-life planning.

For retirees new to the area, this course is rated a "must see," Granville says. Participants will be introduced to special features of North Carolina income tax laws, as well as estate and probate laws.

Guest speakers will include an estate attorney and a certified public accountant.

The registration fee for this class is only $65, but is free of charge for residents age 65 and over.

Register by calling (910) 695-3980 for course No. 3018. Registration will continue until the first class meeting.