An excellent short list of what needs to be decided before retiring in this Kiplinger article.. The article is written by a financial advisor.  I am happy that he started the list with creating a vision for your retirement.  The money parts of the decision will become more clear after you know what your retirement- and your lifestyle in retirement- looks like.

Item #5 on the list- Legacy Plan- also includes non-financial components.  What do you want to pass on in terms of values, experiences, life lessons, and family history?

Item #2 on the list is also important.  Understanding what your spending pattern will be is critical to figuring out what your lifestyle looks like, and in turn, whether your money covers your lifestyle.

The key point is to begin with what your vision of retirement looks like. If you need help creating your vision, reach out to me and I will provide some ideas how you can start.

Read more…