Are you emotionally ready to retire?
Edward Jones - Chad Choate, AAMS
Nov 10, 2022
Florida - Sarasota, Bradenton & Charlotte Counties
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When it comes to the right retirement age, there is no right answer. The traditional retirement age of 65 may not be feasible – or desirable – for you. But what really matters is if you are financially and emotionally ready to stop working. The two work hand in hand: when you are financially prepared, you can focus more on your purpose and vision in retirement - the fun stuff, many would say.
We think it's important to invest some time now to prepare for this change, so we recommend involving your spouse and other family members in the conversation. Openly discussing your vision can help ensure a successful adjustment to your new life. And even though there's a lot to think about, your Edward Jones financial advisor can help you better prepare for the financial impact of not working full time – whenever that may be.
Explore these five important questions
Thinking about your answers to the following questions can help bring your retirement vision to life:
What does the word "retirement" mean to you?
The idea of a traditional retirement doesn't fit many of our ideal notions anymore of how we may want to spend our future. You may want to travel, volunteer or spend more time with your family. You could also be ready to spend more time enjoying a hobby or even start a new career. Is working part time or volunteering an option or desire for you? Having a plan of what will fulfill you during the next phase of life can help you start to envision what your days may look like.
How will leaving the workforce make you feel?
You've probably worked most of your adult life. Making the switch can be a big adjustment. It's normal to be excited yet have some doubts. You don't have somewhere to go every day. Are you OK with that? Do you have other things you want to do? Money is only part of the picture. Make sure you've thought through how you actually feel about retiring.
What’s the first thing you want to do when you retire?
Write down the first three, five or 10 things you want to do – and don’t expect to achieve them all in the first week. Remember, you’ll have plenty of years to fill with the things you want to do.
If you have a spouse or partner, is he or she on board?
Does your spouse or partner want to retire when you do? If so, what's your health insurance situation? Is working part time or volunteering an option or desire for you? If you want to travel, does your partner? Talk to your partner about his or her ideas about retirement. If you have different visions, discuss them and find some common ground. By talking now, you can work together to make the best of retirement for both of you.
If you have children, how do they feel?
Talk to your children about their – and your – expectations. For example, do they expect you to offer childcare or other favors after you are no longer working full time? If necessary, decide on ground rules and boundaries ahead of time. This can help prevent uncomfortable conversations down the road.
It's OK to be a little concerned about making the right choices about retirement – these are big decisions. Working with your financial advisor can help address some of these worries and make you feel more confident about your path forward.
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Local Services By This Author
Edward Jones - Chad Choate, AAMS
Financial Services 828 3rd Ave. W., Bradenton, Florida, 34205Hello, I'm Chad Choate a dedicated financial advisor in Bradenton, FL, I began my career with Edward Jones in 2017. As a financial advisor, I want to find out what's important to you and help you build personalized strategies to achieve your goals. As a lifelong Manatee County resident, I graduated from the University of South Florida and was a teacher in Manatee County before joining Edward Jones. My driving force is to change people's lives in a positive way, and what better place than my home to do that. Whether you're planning for retirement, saving for college for children or grandchildren or just trying to protect the financial future of the ones you care for the most, we can work together to develop specific strategies to help you achieve your goals. We will also monitor your progress to help make sure you stay on track or determine if any adjustments need to be made. Throughout it all, we're dedicated to providing you with top-notch client service. But we're not alone. Thousands of people and advanced technology support from our office can help ensure you receive the most current and comprehensive guidance. In addition, we welcome the opportunity to work with your attorney, accountant and other trusted professionals to deliver a comprehensive strategy that leverages everyone's expertise. Working together, we can help you develop a complete, tailored strategy to help you achieve your financial goals. I currently volunteer with the Manatee Hurricane football Broadcast and Booster Club, serve on my church's trustees council and have previously served as a leader in Young Life. I am a member of the Manatee Chamber of Commerce and an alumnus of their Leadership Manatee program. I have been married to my childhood sweetheart, Ashley, for 15 years and we have a son, Wesley, and daughter, Camryn. We enjoy watching our children play their sports and traveling as a family.
Edward Jones - Chad Choate, AAMS
Investments 828 3rd Ave. W., Bradenton, Florida, 34205Hello, I'm Chad Choate a dedicated financial advisor in Bradenton, FL, I began my career with Edward Jones in 2017. As a financial advisor, I want to find out what's important to you and help you build personalized strategies to achieve your goals. As a lifelong Manatee County resident, I graduated from the University of South Florida and was a teacher in Manatee County before joining Edward Jones. My driving force is to change people's lives in a positive way, and what better place than my home to do that. Whether you're planning for retirement, saving for college for children or grandchildren or just trying to protect the financial future of the ones you care for the most, we can work together to develop specific strategies to help you achieve your goals. We will also monitor your progress to help make sure you stay on track or determine if any adjustments need to be made. Throughout it all, we're dedicated to providing you with top-notch client service. But we're not alone. Thousands of people and advanced technology support from our office can help ensure you receive the most current and comprehensive guidance. In addition, we welcome the opportunity to work with your attorney, accountant and other trusted professionals to deliver a comprehensive strategy that leverages everyone's expertise. Working together, we can help you develop a complete, tailored strategy to help you achieve your financial goals. I currently volunteer with the Manatee Hurricane football Broadcast and Booster Club, serve on my church's trustees council and have previously served as a leader in Young Life. I am a member of the Manatee Chamber of Commerce and an alumnus of their Leadership Manatee program. I have been married to my childhood sweetheart, Ashley, for 15 years and we have a son, Wesley, and daughter, Camryn. We enjoy watching our children play their sports and traveling as a family.
Edward Jones - Chad Choate, AAMS
Long Term Care Insurance 828 3rd Ave. W., Bradenton, Florida, 34205Hello, I'm Chad Choate a dedicated financial advisor in Bradenton, FL, I began my career with Edward Jones in 2017. As a financial advisor, I want to find out what's important to you and help you build personalized strategies to achieve your goals. As a lifelong Manatee County resident, I graduated from the University of South Florida and was a teacher in Manatee County before joining Edward Jones. My driving force is to change people's lives in a positive way, and what better place than my home to do that. Whether you're planning for retirement, saving for college for children or grandchildren or just trying to protect the financial future of the ones you care for the most, we can work together to develop specific strategies to help you achieve your goals. We will also monitor your progress to help make sure you stay on track or determine if any adjustments need to be made. Throughout it all, we're dedicated to providing you with top-notch client service. But we're not alone. Thousands of people and advanced technology support from our office can help ensure you receive the most current and comprehensive guidance. In addition, we welcome the opportunity to work with your attorney, accountant and other trusted professionals to deliver a comprehensive strategy that leverages everyone's expertise. Working together, we can help you develop a complete, tailored strategy to help you achieve your financial goals. I currently volunteer with the Manatee Hurricane football Broadcast and Booster Club, serve on my church's trustees council and have previously served as a leader in Young Life. I am a member of the Manatee Chamber of Commerce and an alumnus of their Leadership Manatee program. I have been married to my childhood sweetheart, Ashley, for 15 years and we have a son, Wesley, and daughter, Camryn. We enjoy watching our children play their sports and traveling as a family.