Retire by Degrees

Retirement is often painted as a time of freedom—travel, hobbies, and relaxation. But for many, it’s also a time when social circles shrink unexpectedly. Your family might still be working, your closest friends could retire at different times, and the daily interactions with co-workers come to an end. Much of our casual socialization happens at work, and when that’s removed, it’s easy to feel […]

Last week I wrote about “phased retirement” contrasted with “phased working” and wondered how to perhaps shift the focus from “being done” to continuing to contribute and have a purpose. A growing trend seems to be reshaping how we think about “retirement”: more people are choosing to work well into their later years. And it’s not just about […]

At a recent class reunion, I noticed a clear trend: many people were already retired. Some were financially comfortable and eager for less stress. Others were relying on a solid pension. Quite a few were counting down the days until they could finally stop working. But one conversation stood out. I spoke with an attendee […]

Here’s a little secret I’ve recently uncovered about retirement: all those things we set aside for “someday”? We may never actually get to them.  For years, even decades, I’ve tucked things away for “someday”: books from as far back as college, a box of old VHS tapes to digitize, and a long list of hobbies I hoped to explore.  There’s this mystique of retirement as a magical […]

This week, I was up and out early one morning to attend a local service organization’s weekly meeting. One agenda item was a reminder to recast our goals throughout our lives (I suppose having a defined set of goals in the first place is a given). Our goals at 18, or 30, or 50 may look very different. And I […]

One of the things people don’t talk about much when you leave a full-time role — whether you retire completely or just slow down — is how different it feels to show up in the same spaces. Many people are supportive, interested, and maybe even a wee bit jealous of your newfound freedom. But…it can also happen […]

Jonathan Clements was a former Wall Street Journal personal finance columnist and author of several books on the subject. He died on September 20th of a rare cancer at the age of 62. He also founded and ran the Humble Dollar blog and, since his diagnosis last year, he was very transparent about how he […]