The days of Suzy Homemaker are over. (Thank goodness, because cooking in a dress and heels had to be exhausting!) But, with due respect to the stay-at-home dads out there (and we love you guys!) – over 80 percent of homemakers today are still female. And, some of those women may have a different attitude (read: degree of ownership) toward retirement than their working spouses.
For instance, she may feel like retirement is “his thing” and she is just “along for the ride.” This perspective tends to skew retirement planning toward the working spouse’s goals and interests… not exactly conducive to a couple’s successful transition. Homemakers should remember that while the home-making work will continue (and, perhaps, shared a bit more), retirement is equally earned – and should be equally planned – by each partner.
That’s not to say that “his” and “her” ideas of a happy retirement will look the same. (Oh, we could tell you stories!)
That’s why the Fit-To-Retire program asks couples to take our Readiness Assessment individually and why each partner receives his or her own 100-Day Playbook. Typically, a couple will work through their Pre-Retirement Checklist together, but certain items will pertain to one and not the other. (Here is a great article on things homemakers should consider.)
Our certified Fit-To-Retire coaches can facilitate conversations in which couples share common retirement dreams and negotiate their individual needs and desires. (She many want to spend weeks out of town visiting the grandkids while he prefers to stay home tending the gardens.) It’s vitally important for couples to have those discussion before they find themselves at home together, 24/7, whether or not both partners work outside the home.
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