Have You Chosen Your Retirement Lifestyle?

We all spend decades working and saving toward the far-off retirement of our dreams. And while we may all have ideas about what we want to do, have you ever thought about what your actual retirement lifestyle will be?

U.S. News and World Report recently outlined “10 Retirement Lifestyles Worth Trying,” and if you haven’t thought about this, you may want to. In this article, we’ll cover a few highlights.1

The first tip it offers up is both very simple and very profound: Reinvent yourself. Consider the years of dedication you put into your career and the sacrifices you made to become successful. Retirement is your time. If you want to slow down and relax, go for it. If you want to dive right into a new strenuous activity, have at it! There’s just one rule, as any financial services professional worth their salt would remind you: Your lifestyle is going to be affected by how much you have saved and what income you’re still bringing in during retirement.

Thinking about a beach lifestyle? You’re not alone. Soft, sandy beaches and warm ocean breezes can lure many of us. Of course, it’s no secret that ocean views can be expensive, but a retirement strategy can make life on the beach attainable. Affordable beachfront living is available here in the United States as well as appealing places across the world.

Retirement with lots of golf has been another frequent retirement theme. Golf may be particularly beneficial because it also provides plenty of exercise and social engagement, two critical components of a healthy retirement. But as any golfer knows, it can be an expensive hobby. Thankfully, many warm-weather communities have plenty of affordable golf options.

Going back to school is often cited as a frequent retirement adventure. Living in a college town has plenty of arts and culture benefits, and many colleges and universities also offer free or discounted classes for seniors. In fact, going back to school has become so popular with retirees that some colleges have built their own retirement communities very close to their campuses.

If you’re one of those folks who is eager to keep busy by volunteering during retirement, your options are nearly endless. You can be a mentor, tutor, coach, or teacher at a library, museum, park, or school. It’s almost certain that you have experiences and skills that other people could benefit from.

Some people want to work part-time in retirement, often not because they have to but because they want to. Working part-time or seasonally at a museum, concert venue, theater or even the neighborhood coffee shop can get you up on your feet doing something fun. Remember, with a solid retirement strategy, you call the shots. You could very well decide to work a little bit for the first several years of retirement before reaching a point where you don’t want to do it anymore. And that’s okay because it’s your retirement.

The whole world is out there waiting for you in retirement. How will you spend it? What kind of lifestyle do you want to have? There’s no time like the present to start thinking about it.

1 https://money.usnews.com/money/retirement/slideshows/10-retirement-lifestyles-worth-trying Advisory services are offered through American Retirement Advisors, Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor in the State of Michigan. Insurance products and services are offered through American Retirement Solutions an affiliated company. American Retirement Advisors, Inc. and American Retirement Solutions are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any government agency. The information contained herein should in no way be construed or interpreted as a solicitation to sell or offer to sell advisory services to any residents of any State other than the State of Michigan or where otherwise legally permitted. All written content is for information purposes only. It is not intended to provide any tax or legal advice or provide the basis for any financial decisions. Moreover, this material has been derived from sources believed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed as to accuracy and completeness and does not purport to be a complete analysis of the materials discussed.