The Retirement Maze
What You Should Know Before and After You Retire
By (author) Rob Pascale, Louis H. Primavera, Rip Roach
Publication date:
05 April 2012Length of book:
224 pagesPublisher
Rowman & Littlefield PublishersISBN-13: 9781442216181
Millions of baby boomers are just beginning to retire, and in doing so many are likely to run into adjustment problems, such as loss of identity, deterioration of marriage and social life, and feelings of disconnectedness to the world. Studies have found that as many as 40% of retirees have difficulty adjusting, and even those who claim to enjoy retirement may experience some uneasiness as they adapt to a life lacking in structure and direction.
This book investigates the struggles faced by retirees in building a new life outside of the workforce. It provides an honest assessment of retirement, based on the not-always-acknowledged fact that it is a difficult transition with pitfalls and obstacles to be overcome.
But along with uncovering problems, the authors also propose solutions to enable both current and future retirees to be better prepared, allowing them to avoid being blind-sided by unexpected situations. By reading about the experiences of their peers, current and future retirees will come to understand that others share their difficulties adjusting, and that tactics are available to improve their comfort level in retirement as well as their overall well-being. Retirees and those planning for retirement will find in these pages what they need to make retirement successful and enjoyable.
This book investigates the struggles faced by retirees in building a new life outside of the workforce. It provides an honest assessment of retirement, based on the not-always-acknowledged fact that it is a difficult transition with pitfalls and obstacles to be overcome.
But along with uncovering problems, the authors also propose solutions to enable both current and future retirees to be better prepared, allowing them to avoid being blind-sided by unexpected situations. By reading about the experiences of their peers, current and future retirees will come to understand that others share their difficulties adjusting, and that tactics are available to improve their comfort level in retirement as well as their overall well-being. Retirees and those planning for retirement will find in these pages what they need to make retirement successful and enjoyable.
There is great content here, provided at a time when millions of Americans will transition into a life without work. The nuggets and insights truly helpful to those planning to get out of the nine-to-five world are nested in lots of psychological and academic research. The retired founder of a market-research firm, Pascale teamed with a former coworker and a psychologist to study the ways and means behind the beginnings of a new life. Based on a substantial number of online and some in-person interviews, they found—no surprise!—that determinants of happily-ever-after work are gender, health, wealth, attitudes, motivation, and personality. Anecdotes (occasionally repeated) underscore the need to thoroughly plan, not just financially but also emotionally, for a purposeful next stage. Perhaps the most powerful chapter of all is the last, spelling out the five nonsequential steps to a great retirement: put back structure, purpose, and direction; get your finances in order; and keep searching and experimenting.