Many of us have tightly-held beliefs about what should and should not be during retirement. A common one is “I should not have any debt when I retire.” This may be a lesson handed down by parents that is carried through the years or it may be a concern of a conservative investor who wants to make sure that their retirement is as worry-free as possible.
A question I am frequently asked by people considering retirement is “How do I balance enjoying my retirement now while making sure that I don’t run out of money?” It is a question that makes a lot of sense because when most people retire, they are relatively healthy, have worked for a long time, and want to enjoy the fruits of working and saving. They want to be able to do the things and see the places that they never had time to because they were working. Plus, they want to enjoy their retirement before they get too old and/or their health or energy levels begin to decline. However, now that a healthy couple (both age 65) have a life expectancy of age 89, retirement could easily last over 25 years1, so it stands to reason that people are also concerned about running out of money. So, what can you do?
For many years, I have worked with a couple that had a very specific retirement dream. They wanted to travel the country in their camper. At first, I thought this was something that would be a passing fancy. Over the years, many clients have expressed visions for retirement and yet many of them evolve over time to something entirely different. This couple was unique. They were very consistent and in sync with their dream. Don’t get me wrong. They loved their careers in medicine and education and were dedicated and true professionals. But, when they talked about riding through the country without an agenda or a definite plan but instead stopping wherever they found something interesting, they always lit up with smiles.
Successful business owners often struggle with how to exit their businesses and create enough liquidity to support their retirement. If you are a business owner, there is a good chance that your business is your most valuable asset. However, research shows that over 70 % of business owners do not have a formalized exit strategy.1 While the details of exit planning and getting your business in the best shape to maximize its’ value and transition from your ownership and control are beyond the scope of this post, there are a variety of ways that you can create liquidity to support your retirement.
For retirees of all ages, adequate health insurance continues to be a chief concern.
Healthcare coverage has become an annual decision and, for most, there is a single enrollment period, generally in the fall/winter. Typically, only those with a “qualifying event” (divorce, death, etc.) are allowed to secure coverage outside the annual enrollment period.
Planning for your future can be confusing and intimidating even when life goes according to plan, but when you are faced with an unexpected “turn in the road” it can be overwhelming and cause a feeling of hopelessness.
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