Yours might not have been a May-December romance, but what happens if you are more than a few years older than your working spouse but still want to retire “on time”?
Our certified Fit-To-Retire coaches witness this situation every day. The husband is ready for his next stage while his wife wants (or needs) to stay in her career several more years. She may not even see the need for retirement planning because it seems so far away. He, on the other hand, might be looking forward to more shared activities – travel, leisure sports, cultural pursuits – that she may not have time to enjoy.
Compromise, of course, is the key to a successful marriage and the same can be said for couples in staggered retirement.
The husband, in this case, may have to postpone many shared experiences for after his wife’s retirement. But, that doesn’t mean he can’t enjoy his second phase to the fullest with other people. Trips with extended family members, sports with friends, and concerts through a local university will keep him busy and stimulated while she winds up her career in her own time.
Meanwhile, by sharing some of the household tasks she might have performed in the past, he can free up her time for more spontaneous fun as a couple.
Then, when his wife is ready, she can take her own FTR assessment and come away with a customize 100-Day Playbook that recommends fitting activities she can enjoy as an individual and with her husband, the “old pro” at retirement.
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Here are some other important factors to keep in mind if you’re an ‘age-gap’ couple thinking about retirement.
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