Reading Time: 4 minutesThe Inevitable Question We All Face All of us who have a life partner face the prospect of losing them to death at some point, or them losing us. Retired couples, being older, likely think about this much more than younger couples. The likelihood of losing a partner to death becomes greater the longer you …
Reading Time: 5 minutesWhen Retirement Goes Smoothly—for One Spouse Bruce and Mary had looked forward to retirement for years. They both worked in stressful professional jobs and were anxious to leave work and finally have time to travel and enjoy life. Initially, everything went great during the retirement “honeymoon” phase. But then Mary became concerned about Bruce. He …
Reading Time: 5 minutesRetirement Is a Beginning, Not Just an Ending Retirement is a new start, not just an ending. For many people, that new start feels abstract—until they make it tangible by changing their physical surroundings. When you retire, you begin the search for a new identity, a new purpose, a new you. That search is easier …
Reading Time: 4 minutesJoe’s Retirement Fantasy Joe got his dream. Then he wondered if he’d made the biggest mistake of his life. For years, Joe had dreamed about the day he’d quit work and retire. He met with his financial advisor well in advance, and together they worked out a financial plan to ensure he could retire when …
Reading Time: 4 minutesRetirement Has Changed—and So Must You It’s not your parents’ or grandparents’ retirement anymore. Back then, people expected to die within the first few years after retiring. Retirement used to mean slowing down until the end. Now it can last decades — and what you do with those decades matters. What will you do with …
Reading Time: 4 minutesThe Surprise Many Couples Face After Retirement Mary and John worked hard for decades to make their retirement dream possible. They built a custom home in the White Mountains of Arizona, where they vacationed every summer. After they retired, they moved there to live their dream. But when the work schedules disappeared and the days …
Reading Time: 3 minutesThe Retirement Fear No One Escapes You’ve saved money throughout your working life, planning for retirement. Now you’re ready to retire. We all worry about one thing. What if I run out of money before I die? No matter how much we’ve saved, almost every retiree wrestles with the same nagging fear: Will my money …
Reading Time: 3 minutesWhy Retirement Often Feels Lonely George, a copywriter at a large advertising agency downtown, enjoyed his social life at work. He had lots of friends, and he’d share coffee breaks and lunch with them. About once a week, they’d all go out to dinner or for drinks at a local bar. But after the retirement …
Reading Time: 3 minutesAt first, retirement feels like freedom. No alarm clocks, no deadlines, no office politics. But after the honeymoon phase wears off, many retirees are surprised to find themselves asking—“Now what?” The good news is that there is a path from lack of meaning to a retirement that gives you purpose and a feeling of fulfillment. …
Reading Time: 3 minutesRetirement with Grandkids: Dream or Duty? For some retirees, time with grandchildren is one of the sweetest rewards of leaving the workforce. You finally have the freedom for mornings at the park, afternoons baking cookies, or even the occasional weekend sleepover. But that’s not everyone’s dream. Some grandparents don’t want—or can’t manage—to become regular childcare …