So you planned;did it all fall in place? (pensions, beach, divorce)
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Just curious. I know many folks on this forum planned many years for their retirement.
And it appears that many are already retired and indeed, their plans fell in place as envisioned.
I am wondering how many folks planned but then something did not work out either a few years before they retired (or planned to retire) . . . so they had to restructure their retirement "vision." Also, those who went into retirement with everything "on course," but then something occurred and they had to shift gears.
It seems when we discuss "retirement planning," it is almost exclusively to do with FINANCIAL PLANNING. And the second topic would be: Retire in place, Downsize and stay in the same location, or Relocate?
But what about all the other variables?
In my own experience, I would say that more than half the folks I have known over the course of my lifetime planned for their retirement and things went smoothly and the things they envisioned fell in place. But a significant percentage of people had something happen along the way . . . from an adult son having an accident and ending up a paraplegic and in their home . . . to the death of a spouse just prior to or right after retirement. Also in that group are folks who had everything planned, made a move and then realized they were not happy where they had moved. One couple even sold everything, bought a houseboat, moved across country, only to realize that this was NOT the life they had dreamed of for more than a decade.
So . . . what has your experience been? Smooth sailing or Readjusting the Sails?
We divorced 10 yrs before retirement and realized soon after we had made a mistake. Family dynamics that centered on my mother and some other challenges had driven us over the edge. We were stretched. But got back together, carrying on. We had married at age 19 and 21 respectively, so I guess you can say we've spent nearly our whole lives together and when they say for better or worse they mean it, lol.
So yeah, it hasn't been smooth sailing. But we've pulled ourselves back into the boat and are rowing together again.
We divorced 10 yrs before retirement and realized soon after we had made a mistake. Family dynamics that centered on my mother and some other challenges had driven us over the edge. We were stretched. But got back together, carrying on. We had married at age 19 and 21 respectively, so I guess you can say we've spent nearly our whole lives together and when they say for better or worse they mean it, lol.
So yeah, it hasn't been smooth sailing. But we've pulled ourselves back into the boat and are rowing together again.
That is wonderful that you both were wise enough to realize what you had done was not the best thing for either of you. And figuring that out in time to make changes in planning the next phase of your lives together was fortunate, as well.
Divorce can have a devastating effect on finances overall, and can create financial stumbling blocks for retirement. Splitting pensions hits hard, for example. Although this may not have been a concern in your situation, I know that it can be a financial problem for many folks.
Glad you all are in the same boat and working together towards the future!!!
I planned pretty well financially for retirement, but we ended up moving to an area with much more expensive housing than I had anticipated.
So my retirement was a bit squeezed for awhile, especially with the massive housing downturn in my area. But we have hung in there, and figured we'd be OK eventually.
Marriage, family and health wise everything has gone fine, no unexpected disruptions.
I really disliked the idea of planning too much for the retirement life we had envisioned as being one of leisure, my wife died just a few months into my retirement and the changes just kept coming. But at some point I finally realized that this is just life, retired or not. We seem to have such a button down life due to the fact of working and child rearing requiring it. Just let loose and see what life hands you when the bills are rolling in and you've got twenty years on the chain gang to go. Retirement planning usually IS thought of as a financial feat rather than seeing the possibilities now that you have time, and money. Basically I'd have to say that things went well, simply because I didn't plan my life with an eye towards great expectations.
We shifted gears somewhat due to a parents illness. We decided to change states in the same area of the country.
Due to the housing crisis we bought our retirement home sooner to get a good deal and took longer to sell our old home both due to market and also process was interrupted due to needing to care for parent. Also, slowed a bit by one boomerang child lol.
But, our plan had flexibility built into it in because the plan was to retire within/beneath our means same as we have always lived.
except for a lot larger projected balance from 2000 on and not seeing it materialize as markets have been below average since then but things are still solidly on track and it is all systems go.
I planned pretty well financially for retirement, but we ended up moving to an area with much more expensive housing than I had anticipated.
So my retirement was a bit squeezed for awhile, especially with the massive housing downturn in my area. But we have hung in there, and figured we'd be OK eventually.
Marriage, family and health wise everything has gone fine, no unexpected disruptions.
The downturn was scary for many of us but I would think the stress of the situation had to be more palpable in the worst hit areas. It sounds as though you were basically optimistic about the future and took a "batten down the hatches" approach, along with staying calm and looking forward.
I have noticed that my friends who made it through that period with the most grace assessed, stood back, took a deep breath and were able to disengage a bit . . . the ones who didn't ended up with health problems that even they think were exacerbated by all the worry over "the future."
One of my friends told me (in 2009) that he felt things would be back on course by 2015 and so the thing to do was enjoy every day with that assumption. Good advice and it looks like he was right with his assessment, at least in regard to the housing market in most regions of the country.
Good to hear there have been no unexpected disruptions!
So far smooth sailing with a few big waves in the rear view mirror.
Hee Hee. As long as those waves were behind you, and not in the form of a tsunami, sounds like you left some turmoil behind and have navigated to calmer waters, lol.
Isn't it a gift to wake up each day and feel excited about the possibilities . . . a walk on the beach, a nice evening watching the sun go down. You have a good life, my friend!
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