When Planning for Retirement, Think About How to Avoid Loneliness, Not About How to Have Fun

Loneliness is the enemy of good health.  How much time a person chooses to spend alone varies from one person to another, but not having enough social interactions with other people can send your physical and mental health into a downward spiral.  People in addiction recovery support groups often talk about avoiding boredom, the state during which they are most likely to be tempted to relapse into drinking or drug use, and they remind themselves and each other that boredom is just another word for loneliness.  Say what you will about how work stinks, but it at least gives you something to do so that you are not at loose ends; this is why, in prison, so many people eagerly volunteer for jobs, even unpleasant ones, because it is better than doing nothing.  Retirement is one of the riskiest things you can do in terms of vulnerability to loneliness.  Some people’s solution to this is to stay in the workforce until long after they have saved enough money to retire, although this is not the only possible solution to the problem.  A Dade City estate planning lawyer can help you plan for a retirement that helps you stay connected to family, friends, and the community.

Retirement Is a New Normal, Not a Vacation

When you are still in the workforce, it is easy to think of retirement plans in terms of brief experiences you want to have after you retire.  This is only natural, because this is how you plan for vacations from work.  Deciding how to spend the rest of your life is not the same as deciding how to spend two weeks next summer, though.  Joseph Coughlin of Forbes says that many retirees make the mistake of planning for retirement as if they were planning a vacation.

Coughlin says that you should plan for 8,000 days of retirement; in other words, plan to do things that you will not get tired of if you do them every day for 20 years or more.  In other words, think about living somewhere that you can easily get to Publix and where you can go for a walk in your neighborhood without having to cross a major street.  Think about how you will get from home to doctors’ appointments and from your bedroom to your bathroom.  It is still fun to make items on your bucket list come to fruition, but this is no substitute for planning for a retirement routine that does not feel lonely or monotonous.  The easiest way to make room for fun, exciting experiences in your new normal is to buy long-term care insurance or hybrid life insurance, so you know that you will have your most expensive care paid for and can safely spend more on discretionary expenses.

Contact a Florida Estate Planning Attorney About Preparing for Retirement in Florida

A probate attorney can help you plan for the less fun parts of retirement.  Contact The Law Office of Laurie R. Chane in Dade City, Florida to discuss your case.

Source:

orbes.com/sites/josephcoughlin/2024/07/31/why-your-endless-summer-retirement-dream-is-a-fantasy/