How do you envision your retirement years?

If you are fortunate enough to live on the coast of North Carolina for any length of time, you’ll hear (in great detail, most likely) about the “Bouncebacks”. These are couples who retired in large northern or midwestern cities, moved to Florida, regretted their decision, then moved half-way home to the shores of North and South Carolina or Georgia. This restlessness may be, in part, based on a lack of planning for one’s retirement years and the long-standing myth that retirees need to sell everything and move to Florida (sometimes called “God’s Waiting Room”.) One of the problems inherent in this retirement plan is that the retiree changes, in a short period of time, everything about their lives: their job, home, neighborhood, friends, church community, etc. Experts who counsel retirees urge their clients to change one thing at a time (two at the most) so that time is available to adjust to life without ______________ (fill in the blank) before you move on to something else. Retirement, ironically, is the thing that many of us spend years hoping for and dreaming of, but never actually plan for. What I’d like to talk about this week is how you envision your own retirement years. Will it be sun and fun in Fort Lauderdale, “aging in place” in your own home, going back to your roots (retiring to your hometown), seeking out a community of retirees with similar interests or just traveling (if your fortunate enough to have the funds to do so.)
Discussion Question: how do you envision your retirement years? Even though is may be a long way off for many of you, we usually have some vague idea about what our future is going to look like. Do you have relatives (grandparents, parents, Uncles and Aunts) who have retired already and are doing well or regretting their choices? Give it some thought and start the dialogue! – Mr. Phelan

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