10/08/2025
Are you ready to retire?
Choosing to retire is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make in your lifetime. Here are four signs you are ready to transition out of the workforce and start your next adventure.
You’re Financially Prepared. You’ve calculated how much money you’ll need to live comfortably throughout your retirement years, and you’ve built up an adequate nest egg through personal savings, investments, etc., to maintain that lifestyle after you stop working. You’ve created a budget, and you’ve factored inflation into this plan. Maybe you’re even planning to work part-time to supplement your savings. If you can check off this step, you’re off to a great start!
You Have a Plan for Social Security. Whether you start claiming at the age of 62 or at the full retirement age, depending on your birthdate, you understand how Social Security works and how it will support the additional retirement income you’ve accumulated. You understand that the longer you wait to claim Social Security benefits, the larger your benefit will be, and you’ve factored this distribution strategy into your retirement budget.
You Have a Healthcare Plan. You will qualify for Medicare at age 65, but you’ll need another plan if you retire before then. Latest research findings show that healthcare costs pre-retirement are grossly underestimated, and the vast majority of investors inaccurately predict their life expectancy, increasing retirement income planning risk. Obtaining supplemental coverage can help offset the costs of prescription drugs, dental visits, and other medical expenses.
You Have Tackled Debt. Or at least you have a plan to tackle what little debt you have left in retirement. It seems obvious. If you’re still repaying debt in retirement, that means you have less money to live on, and if you accrue more debt in retirement, your expenses will be higher. More Americans are in or are approaching retirement with more debt than at any time in our nation’s history.