Dealing with a "Surprise" Retirement

March 20, 2019

Dealing with a "Surprise" Retirement

For years, you have imagined the way your “second act” will unfold: when it will start, what you will do, and where you will be. Then life hands you a wild card. You are forced to retire years earlier than you planned and with little notice. How do you adjust?

This turn of events is not uncommon. The respected Center for Retirement Research at Boston College finds that 37% of Americans retire earlier than they anticipated. The big dilemma is that you find yourself potentially having to fund a few more years of retirement with a few years less of accumulated retirement savings. There are ways to respond to that challenge. Many new retirees work a little, and you might be able to find part-time or lower-paying employment, possibly with health care benefits. While not the work you once did, it can help you refrain from tapping your savings too soon. You may want to reconsider when to claim Social Security benefits. You might not want to make big consumer purchases or embark on major vacations until you are confident you can justify them, financially. You may definitely need to run the numbers again, as variables affecting your potential retirement income have changed. This circumstance could call for significant financial adjustments – and a fresh look at where you stand now in relation to your retirement savings and income objectives.¹