Every time the lottery reaches historic levels – and though our odds of winning the Powerball are roughly 1 in 290 million – my husband and I formulate a comprehensive 100-day plan. To wit:
1) Wait to discover our winning numbers until the morning after the drawing in order to get a good night’s sleep before our lives drastically change forever.
2) Stash the winning ticket in our fireproof home safe until we regain our minds.
3) Don’t tell anyone – not even the kids – until we’ve met with our financial advisor, signed our winning ticket, redeemed it anonymously (which you can do in our state, thank goodness) and left town.
4) Consult our financial advisor before deciding whether to take the lump sum cash payout or go on the payment plan. And, for the many major decisions sure to follow.
5) Donate at least half of the grand total amount to worthy causes through a family foundation.
6) Buy a new SUV for my husband. GPS optional.
7) Fly first-class to Salzburg and take the “Sound of Music” tour (my bucket list), combined with a trip to Oktoberfest in Munich (his bucket list).
8) Upgrade family room furniture. Husband’s ratty recliner stays. Non-negotiable.
9) Set up trusts and educational funds for all family members through a trusted attorney.
10) And, needless to say, retire a few years early.
Presumably, we aren’t the only ones having crazy, detailed what-if conversations as lottery jackpots climb into the realm of the ridiculous. Why not? It’s fantasy, a fun distraction! Besides, someone’s going to win it, eventually. Might as well have a plan.
Wouldn’t it make sense to devote the same thoughtful planning to your first 100 days of retirement? After all, many more of us will win that prize someday. It’s a payout we’ve earned – with a little luck involved, maybe – and can be life-changing in far less stressful ways.
Research shows that your retirement will be more successful if you have a plan right out of the gate. What will you do on Day One? How about Day Two, Five, Ten? Where do you want to travel? What do you want to buy? What do you wish to do for or with your family? How are you protecting your investments to go the distance? What’s your financial strategy going forward?
The Fit-To-Retire 100-Day Playbook, customized just for you, helps you answer those questions based on information and insights gained through your Readiness Assessment and Pre-Retirement Checklist. Take the assessment today and get started planning the retirement of your wildest dreams. It may not be mega-lottery wild, but you’ll still feel like you’ve hit the jackpot.
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