The Essential Guide To Retirement Readiness

Long gone are the days of simply calling it quits from work and spending your remaining days on the front porch. Today's cohort is retiring earlier and living longer. Some of these retirees have the financial resources to do what they want. They are healthy, happy and enjoying the fruits of many years of hard work and diligent saving. These folks planned for their retirement, and, as a result, are able to live out their retirement dream to the fullest of their capacities. But they tell only one part of the retirement story. For all the images of smiling seniors depicted in the media, there are still an important number of retirees who do not do the work needed to prepare for the transition into retirement. Far too many who are near retirement age spend their time counting down the days until their retirement date arrives. Instead of thinking about what life after work will look like, they focus only on their exit date. Still others are too busy at work and at home to pay much attention to their planning needs. Whatever their reason for failing to prepare for this important new period in their lives, the end result is a retirement spent in idle business as they try to make the time go by. With all of their previous reference points for happiness, fulfillment and contentment gone, these people struggle to create a new life for themselves that doesn't include boredom, anxiety and depression. The truth is, of all the transitions we face in life, few can elicit the same level of anxiety and stress as retirement does. From whether you've saved enough money to what will happen if you become ill, the numerous unknowns that await us once we leave the safety of our work are at the root of this discomfort. These feelings can lead many people to simply give up on life and hope for the best once they leave work. That's where a well-thought-out retirement plan can make a difference. If you're approaching retirement and starting to worry about what you should do, this book is written for you. And even if you have already begun planning for your retirement, you will still find this book helpful. That's because conventional retirement planning with its focus on the financial aspect is no longer enough to assure you of financial independence and a fulfilling life. While important, a financial plan fails to take into account three other key ingredients to a meaningful retirement that I share with you in this book.