Keen On Retirement

I try to encourage seniors to think about retirement as a beginning, not an end. That means it's never too late to dive into activities that you set aside for "someday" or never quite found time for when you were busy working and raising your family. And that definitely includes your health. I learned from my own personal fitness journey that if you set goals and commit to them, you'll be amazed what you can accomplish at any age. Try this quick three-step process to clear some mental, emotional, and financial hurdles that could be standing between you and a healthier retirement.

In the run-up to retirement, many folks are very focused on how their finances are going to change. But as you're working on an annual withdrawal strategy, reconsidering your monthly budget, and preparing to transition to Medicare, it can be easy to overlook how retirement will impact you psychologically and emotionally. And, unlike clocking out on that last day of work, the way your thoughts and feelings change in retirement won't be a "one-and-done" experience. It's likely that you'll go through many ups and downs as you progress through these five stages.

Is your brain getting the workout it needs to keep you mentally sharp in retirement? Medical science has established a pretty clear link between physical and mental health. According to Harvard Medical School, a variety of mental stimulation, paired with regular exercise and a healthy diet, can create new neural connections in your brain, regenerate new brain cells, and even protect the brain against the loss of cells in the future. The Mayo Clinic says that same mix of healthy living and thinking can lower your risk of developing Alzheimer’s or dementia. And CogniFit Research recommends “brain fitness” as a means to maintain working memory, planning ability, focus, and the speed at which we process information. Consider mixing some of these brain-boosting activities into your retirement wellness routine.

In Part 1 of this two-part series on luxury travel for retirees, we shared some tips on getting the most vacation for your money and took a brief tour of some U.S. hotspots. In Part 2, we are going to explore some international destinations that you might want to consider adding to your bucket list. With proper planning and budgeting, this could be the year you take your dream vacation or journey somewhere unexpected that opens your eyes to how wide and wonderful the world is.

As we head into the summer vacation season, one item that's high on many travelers’ wish lists is value. With the pandemic finally in the rearview mirror, high demand for travel is driving up costs. Additionally, the markets are still recovering, and consumer prices and inflation are still above average. That's enough to make even affluent retirees nervous about spending money on entertainment and leisure while nervous about their long-term security.

For previous generations of seniors, "retirement" meant the end of work, period. The modern version of retirement often isn't that cut and dry. A growing number of seniors who have achieved total financial independence are "unretiring" not because they need money, but because working in some capacity makes their golden years more purposeful and enjoyable. If any of these thoughts about unretiring ring a bell, it might be time to sit down with your advisor and talk about what returning to the workforce could mean for your financial plan.