Having a Plan for More Than Just Finances Can Protect You From the Retirement Curse

Most of us take comfort in the fact that our circumstances will change substantially at some point in the future. We only have to suffer in the heat, paying more than we can afford for air conditioning, until the summer ends. Eventually, we will grow up and move out of our parents’ house, even if we can only afford to share a cramped apartment with roommates we don’t enjoy rooming with. One day, the baby will be old enough to sleep through the night. If you are patient enough, you will reach the age where you are old enough to draw Social Security, and then you will be able to retire, even if your standard of living is modest. After retirement, what is the next big change? Widowhood? Ill health? Death? It is scary to think about. Many retirees suffer from what journalists call the “retirement curse,” where they feel stuck, like they are staring into the void, and they can even fall into a cycle where loneliness worsens their physical health, and their poor health makes it harder to seek out human connections. Yes, the saying is true about how having more money means having more options, but even if you have limited funds, a little bit of planning can help protect you from the retirement curse. For help not feeling stuck when you are facing an unglamorous retirement, contact a Bronx estate planning lawyer.

Does Retirement Wreck Your Health, or Does Your Health Wreck Retirement?

Some people retire simply because they are old enough to retire, while others stay in the workforce simply because they are healthy enough to continue working. Money is not usually the deciding factor; “enough” money is a subjective judgment. A lot of people suffer a sharp decline in health shortly after they retire. In some cases, it is because they retired because their health was getting worse. The trouble is that people who are healthy when they begin retirement often also suffer a decline, first in mental health and cognitive ability, then in physical health.

Finding the Appropriate Level of Challenge

The key is to stay connected to the aspects of the workplace that had protective effects on your health. The routine that is not monotonous, some days of work and other days of rest, makes a difference. Likewise, staying in contact with a large number of people, even if you interact with some of them only in group settings, has a protective effect on your health. You can stay connected to this world by caring for your grandchildren enough hours a week to keep you involved in their activities but not enough that you are exhausted. Another option is to adopt a dog, since you will need to walk the dog every day, inevitably interacting with other people. Some retirees even choose to beat the retirement cure by unretiring and reentering the workforce.

Schedule a Confidential Consultation With a Bronx Estate Planning Attorney

An estate planning lawyer can help you plan to stay active after retirement, even on a limited budget.  Contact Cavallo & Cavallo in the Bronx, New York to set up a consultation.

Source:

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