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Welcome to the blog pages for Next Phase of Life. Here you will find informative articles, how-to advice and inspiration from experts as well as those who have faced the same challenges as you. We’ll cover topics that are important to your Next Phase of Life including finances, activities, community, health and motivation. Feel free to browse, or better yet, subscribe to get a weekly digest of new articles.
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Articles & Information From Next Phase of Life
What Needs Will Your Business Fulfill in Retirement?
What’s the most important thing to consider as you transition into retirement?
The obvious answer is making sure you’re financially stable…
…but what about after that?
Then what?
Work demanded so much of your time and provided more than just money to you. read more…
The Benefits of Simply Getting Outside
Americans now spend an alarming 93 percent of their time indoors, despite the benefits of getting outside.
We have become an indoor species, which is having consequences on our physical and mental health.
Staying inside is detrimental on its own, especially since indoor air can be 5 times more polluted than outdoor air. We’re also often sedentary and tethered to a digital device while inside. read more…
Planning Your Retirement Finances
It’s time to get your retirement finances in order but you don’t know where to start. Your biggest asset is your 401k so do you start with retirement planning? But then you think about the other money you have in real estate, a college savings account and at the bank. You begin to wonder if you need a financial plan instead? Then you start to think about what you want to do in retirement. Do you want to travel, have a mobile lifestyle or simply sit back at home and perfect your hobbies? Which plan does that fit into? read more…
Single and Retired – 5 Steps to Prepare
As you reach the end of your career, it is imperative that you begin to look into the next steps of life, especially if you are single and retired. However, many overlook the simple fact that retirement does not look the same for everybody — especially those who are single.
A stereotypical American life can often be defined as growing up, getting an education, pursuing your career, and more often than not, getting married. But for those who are perhaps divorced, or have made the choice to remain single, this path of life is not the one they chose. read more…
Have a Happy Retirement (or Not): It’s Your Choice
I bet the title of this article got your attention. You may have immediately agreed with the premise. However, there will be many people who claim that it is not their choice of whether to have a happy retirement because the circumstances of their life make it impossible.
I talk to a fair amount of people who are either in, or about to enter, the retirement zone, and when I suggest that they have control over their retirement happiness, I hear things like: read more…
More Great Stuff From Next Phase of Life
COVID-19 – Could This Be A Dress Rehearsal For Retirement?
As some of the pandemic restrictions are slowly lifting you can feel a big shared sign of relief.
As people slowly return to some of their regular activities (even though modified either through social distancing or wearing of masks), it would be a shame if we didn’t look for some lessons that we may have learned during this experience.
And this includes retirement. read more…
One Question to Help You Know What Type of Business to Start in Retirement
You are pondering which type of business to start in retirement, but not sure which type of business makes sense for you. There are so many different types of businesses you can start these days. Where do you even begin?
There’s one key question you must ask yourself when deciding what type of business to pursue, and if you don’t, you’ll end up wasting your time and money. Let’s avoid that mistake all together. Shall we?
What’s the question to ask yourself? read more…
7 Ways to Write Your Own Story and Change Your Outcome
A cartoon character named Pogo made the observation, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” Entire books have been written about this topic and how our own thoughts and actions can sabotage forward progress. This is as true at age 60 or 70 as it is for someone in their 20’s or 30’s. This is why it is helpful for you to write your own story in a way that serves you best. read more…
5 Retirement Planning Mistakes
Here are five retirement planning mistakes and how to deal with them, courtesy of ColoradoSpringsOver50.com.
1 – Be careful in putting all your investments (nest egg) in one basket
A planned well-diversified portfolio facilitates positive performance of some investments and can balance out poor performance of others investments. The mix of investments in different asset classes (e.g., stocks, bonds, real estate) help keep your retirement goals on track even when one investment goes through and downsizing period. read more…
Are You Scared About Retirement? – Here are Five Ways to Get Unscared!
Yes, I know that “unscared” is not a real word – but it fits the purpose of this article – especially if you happen to be scared about retirement. Let’s face it, while retirement can be exciting, it can also be a bit daunting, with some unique challenges and pitfalls to avoid. Here are a few reasons why you might be legitimately scared about retirement, along with potential solutions. read more…
Eight Ways to Boost Your Personal Value
One of the unfortunate aspects of facing retirement, or getting older for that matter, is the tendency to lose our sense of personal value. Our work doesn’t require our services, our friends may drift away, our adult children are mostly self-sufficient and perhaps we even feel as if our thoughts and presence are now unwanted. Perhaps we now depend on those who used to depend on us.
It’s not unusual to sense a loss of personal value in the retirement phase of life, but this does not have to be the case. read more…
Reconciling our retirement dates and dreams
Note: we are happy to bring you this article because it showcases the types of issues many couples face when planning their retirement dates. You can find many more articles from Brian Jones at https://brianjonesdiary.com/.
Reconciling our retirement dates and dreams
My wife dropped the bombshell last night that she was considering putting off her retirement to “somewhere between 60 and 65”. read more…
Everything You Need To Know About Retirement Home Equity
Home financing options and mortgage terminology can be confusing. Plus, people’s home financing needs change with age and vary in different stages of life. Understanding retirement home equity is an important key to finding financial success in retirement.
Equity is the portion of your home’s value minus the mortgage balance that you accrue over time. When you get a home loan, the bank owns the majority of the home and they charge interest to borrow that money. read more…
Stop Being Judgmental and Boost Your Happiness
First, let me start with a confession. I wrote this article about how to stop being judgmental because I have this tendency in my own life. Does this ring a bell with you? Judgmentalism is a common human trait that sometimes grows as we get older. And no, I am not one of those who yell at the kids to “Get off my yard” out my front window. First of all, because we are not located where kids are likely to play in our front yard, and second, because I would probably go out and join them. read more…
Avoid Boredom In Retirement
Avoid Boredom In Retirement
“I don’t think I’ll ever retire. I don’t know what I’d do all day.”
Have you ever had anyone say that to you? I suspect you have, given how common this sentiment is among people of retirement age. Many people love their work and worry that they’d be bored without the daily activity their job provides. Unfortunately, even if you love your work, there will likely come a day when you’ll retire, whether by choice or by circumstances outside your control. read more…
Choose Your Retirement Tribe Carefully – the Power of Community
Of the many decisions people make going into retirement, the choice of one’s “retirement tribe” is often the most neglected. Lots of thought may be given to issues like finances (do we have enough?), health (will I have energy for the journey?), residence (where are we going to hang our hats?), and so forth.
So, what do I mean by “retirement tribe”? Simply the people that you will see or talk to on a regular basis for the purposes of support or recreation. read more…
12 Fun Retirement Ideas
At the time I am writing this, we are still in the middle of the coronavirus era of social isolation. Hopefully, that will be easing soon and we can all get out to play more – perhaps with more social distancing and avoidance of large crowds. But with this in mind, there are still plenty of options for fun and recreational pursuits. read more…
Understanding Your Personal Balance Sheet
A personal financial balance sheet shows you a snapshot of your financial health: how much money and assets you have, how much debt and liabilities you have, and what your net worth is when you subtract your liabilities from your assets.
Unlike a budget where you track how much money is coming in as income and how much money is going out as expenses, a balance sheet tracks how much you have at a fixed point in time. Even businesses, the government, and non-profits use a balance sheet to measure their financial strength. read more…
9 Signs You Are Ready to Retire
Occasionally, I’m asked by readers and personal contacts, “When do I know that I am ready to retire?”. My immediate reaction is: don’t worry, you will know. While this is true for some, for others, they are not sure when the right time is, and just sort of play it by ear. Sometimes, the decision is made for us, by a company that no longer wants our services. If this happens to you, perhaps you are a victim of ageism in the workplace. Or, there may be a triggering event, like the deterioration of your health or that of a spouse or close family member. However, like most things in life, it is better if retirement is an intentional event, not one foisted upon us by circumstances. read more…
No Money Saved for Retirement? Here’s How to Fix That.
According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, 48% of people over age 55 have no money saved for retirement. That’s a scary high number which makes you wonder how that many people got to 55 without putting any money aside. I’m willing to bet that some of that number is based on some sort of financial catastrophe like a divorce or a major medical situation. Another portion of that stat is going to be folks working hard, raising a family and just not having enough to set any extra aside. read more…
Protecting Retirement Finances in the COVID Era
As I write this, the stock market is off about a third from its high, with no sign of a rejuvenation. According to an April 2, 2020 article in Forbes, a MagnifyMoney survey found that 38% of investors are worried they’ll lose all their retirement savings due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Almost 10 million Americans have filed for unemployment in the first two weeks since serious social isolation happened. This double sledgehammer of job loss and dwindling assets is a hard burden to bear. The need for protecting retirement finances is even greater in the COVID era. read more…
Now or never? Deciding when to retire
Publisher’s note: This Retirement Voices blog post by Roxanne Jones, explores factors that go into making her personal decision about when to retire.
I’ve been working for (gulp!) 50 years, the last 25 as a freelance medical writer. I’m fortunate to have developed a stable of clients who give me regular work. To keep my sanity, I sometimes even have to turn down projects. It’s a good problem to have.
But juggling constant multiple deadlines is getting old. I’m 66, and the “life is short” refrain is getting louder and more insistent. read more…
What is Your “Why”?
To Succeed You Need To Have A Strong “Why” – What is Your Why?
“There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only when it’s convenient. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses; only results.”
– Kenneth Blanchard
Retirement is Liberating – and Hard Work
Note: this article about retirement planning and achieving a liberating retirement originally appeared Feb 27, 2020 at the Squared Away Blog and is republished with permission of the author, Kim Blanton.
Most baby boomers find the first weeks of retirement liberating. But it takes some work to ensure the feeling lasts. read more…
Why You Need the Right Retirement Mindset
Many articles, books and videos about retirement neglect the value of a positive retirement mindset. Yet, I believe that your attitude about this important phase of your life can be as crucial as the issues of health and finances. We all know retired people who have money, good health, and plenty of friends and family around, yet spend much of their time acting miserable. read more…
Ageism in the Workplace: How to Protect Yourself
Ageism in the workplace is a serious issue that can damage your chance of finding a job or moving up the corporate ladder. Ideally, advancing in age should be considered a beautiful thing, a telling testament of long years of acquiring knowledge and experience. Yet, if a hiring manager passed you by simply because you were too old, or opted to give the promotion you deserved to someone younger, but far less experienced – you, may be an unfortunate victim of this insidious form of discrimination. read more…
Five Retirement Landmines You Must Avoid
You can read lots of articles, listen to podcasts and watch videos on what to do to create an ideal retirement. That’s great but you can hurt your golden years by not paying attention to some potential retirement landmines – danger zones that can sink even thoughtful retirement plans.
Here are five retirement landmines to avoid: read more…
Embracing Lifecycle Health
As we progress through what we’ve termed the “Wellness Revolution” there are a lot of belief systems about human health and wellness that need to evolve and change to deliver a wide-angle approach to embracing Lifecycle Health. We’ve chosen the term, “Lifecycle Health” to signify a more comprehensive view across the complete human life cycle. None of the other terms used today in the fields of Healthcare and Wellness are comprehensive enough, either in scope or time frame. read more…
Dying of Loneliness – Living Alone Can Shorten Your Life
Approximately one-fourth of Americans over the age of 65 live alone. By the time they reach age 85, this will increase to around one-half of senior citizens who are living alone. What most of them do not realize is that living alone increases their risk of an early death by 32 percent, regardless of any other health issues they may have. Loneliness is as deadly as smoking 15 cigarettes a day or being obese. read more…
Financial Retirement Planning: Don’t Outlive Your Money
Retirement financial planning is crucial because many Americans are at risk to outlive their money. Or at the least they risk having to make sacrifices and live below their preferred standard of living. Some are worried about even making it to retirement. In fact, according to a study by the Boston College, “one in three baby boomers don’t think they’ll ever be able to retire.” read more…
Entrepreneurial Mindset – The Most Critical Characteristic
My wife is from eastern Nebraska also known as the cornhusker state. Traveling thru eastern Nebraska, just about all you can see is corn and more corn. The lack of visual diversity often causes abstract thoughts to dominate my self-talk as the miles click by. During a trip one summer, I realized that an ear of corn can teach us much about a critical characteristic of an entrepreneurial mindset. read more…
Mapping Out a Fulfilling Retirement
Note: this article about achieving a fulfilling retirement originally appeared Feb 20, 2020 at the Squared Away Blog and is republished with permission of the author, Kim Blanton.
One might say that baby boomers on the cusp of retiring come in two varieties. Some cannot wait to retire and already have a plan. For others, the unknowns fill them with dread.
How will I occupy my days? read more…
Baby Boomers And The Gig Economy – Why It Works
The gig economy is big and growing. It’s projected to have double digit growth over the next five years. And we’re not talking small numbers. The customer revenue generated through this sourcing channel is anticipated to expand from $204B in 2018 to $455B by 2023. That’s no tiny growth curve.
What is interesting is that these type of hiring practices really aren’t that new. read more…
Supportive Community: How to Find Your Retirement Tribe
A supportive community is one of the five pillars of a great retirement or other next phase of life. And even if you have the other four pillars – health, purpose, adequate finances and a positive mindset – your life will be diminished without the right people to share good times and not-so-good times. I read recently that one in five seniors can go a week without having a meaningful conversation. read more…
Achieving Financial Security for Peace of Mind
Financial security can be evaluated in a number of ways however, I believe it all comes down to achieving peace of mind during your retirement or next phase of life. It means that you have no fear of not being able to meet your expenses (expected and emergency) and have the resources to enjoy a happy and productive lifestyle. read more…
Retirement Friendships – Optional or Mandatory?
I was fortunate to read an advance copy of Lydia Denworth’s new book, Friendship: The Evolution, Biology, and Extraordinary Power of Life’s Fundamental Bond. It’s an interesting read because Denworth meets scientists at the frontiers of brain and genetics research and discovers that friendship is reflected in our brain waves, our genomes, and our cardiovascular and immune systems; its opposite, loneliness, can kill. read more…
A Healthy Lifestyle is Good for Your Finances
There is a strong correlation between a healthy lifestyle and your finances. A National Bureau of Economic Research Study found that the people who were among the healthiest 20% in their fifties, retired with three times the assets of the least healthy. They also spent down their assets more slowly due to lower health costs. read more…
How do You Know When You Can Retire – Financial Planning?
Society’s standard on retirement is at the age of 65 when you can start Medicare. There are many in the media and entertainment industry that will tell that you need to have a minimum of $1 million dollars saved. While well intentioned, this is false retirement financial planning.
Those two thoughts would work for almost anyone of course, 65 and $1 million dollars. But I’m in my early 50’s so I would be looking at 10-15 more years of working behind a desk.
That works for some, but it didn’t for me. read more…
A Newly Discovered Link Between Brain Activity and Aging
A new study reveals that the activity of the nervous system affects longevity.
Why do some people live into their 90s and others not make it past 70? Despite centuries of seeking the secret to longevity, we don’t have many answers yet, biologically speaking. But a new study from Harvard Medical School, published October 16 in Nature, has for the first time pinpointed the role of neural activity on the aging process and expanding or shortening how long an individual will live. read more…
European Travel Tips
Hopefully you are dreaming of some great escapes this year. My wife Ione and I have been on some great trips lately, and we want to share some European travel tips that will make your adventure fun and safe.
Europe, yes or no? The answer is yes. read more…
Retirement Living Options Worth Exploring
Retirement living options refer to the choices you have of where and how to live during your retirement years. When many of us think about retirement, we imagine much of the same old, same old in terms of lifestyle, but without that pesky need to go to work five days a week. read more…
Career Advice To My Younger Self
I just read what I thought was a brilliant article by career expert Liz Ryan in Forbes entitled Five Signs You’re Successful – Whether You Know It or Not.
In this post, Liz overrode all our traditional views of what career success is and replaced it with a new model. read more…
Retirement Travel Secrets Part 1 – Road Trips and Lodging
Hopefully you are dreaming of some great escapes this year. My wife Ione and I have been on some great trips in the past few years and want to share some money-saving and experience-enhancing retirement travel secrets.Traveling by car (or RV if you prefer) is still great, read more…
How Small Life Changes Lead to Big Results
The title of this article might seem like an oxymoron. After all, how can “small life changes” lead to big results? Not to get too weird about this but there is something called the “butterfly theory” that theorizes that a single occurrence, no matter how small, can change the course of the universe forever. read more…
How to Ease the Emotional Transition to Retirement
Everyone is aware of the need to financially prepare for retirement but not much attention is directed toward planning for the impact of the emotional transition to retirement. When people think of retirement they envision new found freedom and a never ending vacation full of travel and recreation. read more…
The Retirement Balance Sheet that Will Change Your Life
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” This is the first question to ask when considering your retirement balance sheet.
It’s the question we got asked all the time when we were kids. Answering it was like playing pin the tail on the donkey. read more…
25 Retirement Adventures for the Coming Year
We are already well into 2020. Regardless of whether you are one of those people that make resolutions, go with the flow, or something in between, why not try a couple of new retirement adventures this year (also good for pre-retirees). There are literally hundreds (even thousands) of possibilities but I’ve given you a great starter list of 25 options. read more…
Life Balance Sheet – Tracking Non-Financial Assets
Some people despair when they put together their financial balance sheet or net worth statement. Such a document basically lists the value of all of your financial assets (bank accounts, stocks, bonds, precious metals, real estate and so forth) minus your debts (mortgages, auto payments, credit cards, other loans, etc.). read more…
The Healthiest People in the World Don’t Go to the Gym
Go ahead and cancel your membership, you already have the tools you need.
If you want to be as healthy as possible, there are no treadmills or weight machines required.
Don’t just take my word for it — look to the longest-lived people in the world for proof.
Budgeting: Not Fun but Necessary for a Secure Retirement
“Happiness is reality less expectations. When you control your budget you control your expectations.” – Vitaliy Katsenel
Happy New Year everyone! As is common around this time of year, many people are making resolutions to better themselves in some form or fashion. The most popular resolutions people make here in the US center around health and money (I’ll let you guess which of these two we are going to write about today). read more…
Fueling the Healthcare Revolution
Recovering the Health and Vitality of Our Generation and the Next
The field of healthcare in North America is in desperate need of a full-on revolution. Despite more advances in science, medicine, philosophy and psychology than any other time in history, the percentage of chronically ill Americans is also higher than any time in history. Tragically, those percentages are growing dramatically. This healthcare revolution is long overdue. read more…
Focus on the Gain, Not the Gap
As we come to the end of one year and the start of another, our thoughts often turn towards what we accomplished vs. what we failed to accomplish. If we got what we hoped for, it was a good year, and if not, we suffer the pangs of regret. This is what noted author and business expert Dan Sullivan refers to as “focusing on the gap instead of the gain”. read more…
The Most Common Reason People Don’t Walk More for Exercise
In this article I talk about why, unlike in Europe, many people in the US do not walk more. I used to think it was laziness until I visited southern Europe. I live in the U.S. where 2/3 of adults are overweight or obese. But in Spain, France, Italy, Montenegro, and Greece, I was astounded to see sidewalks crowded with pedestrians, in contrast to the empty sidewalks in America. And almost nobody was overweight. read more…
Action Trumps Wishful Thinking
I had a friend who was widowed several years ago tell me that he was waiting for God to send him the right woman to make his life complete. My answer was that he would do well to give God a boost by getting off the couch and going places where he could actually meet women. read more…
Your Finances: Do You Want to Eat Well or Sleep Well?
According to this Investopedia article, “Eat well, sleep well” is an adage that, referring to the risk-return tradeoff, says that the type of security an investor chooses depends on whether he or she wants to generate high returns or have peace of mind. This tradeoff in finances can be thought of as balancing return needs and risk tolerance. read more…
Keeping Relationships Going from a Distance
At one time or another, most of us are faced with the prospect of living away from people we really care about. This can include family members, cherished friends, or esteemed coworkers. They move away, you move away, or you both end up in new locations. read more…
Too Old to Work Out? Think Again
I just read a disturbing Study Finds article that reported that: “Six in ten Americans said at the beginning of 2019 that this would be the year they finally get in shape, according to a recently survey. Yet two in five respondents now admit they feel “too old” to get back in the gym. In fact, the survey of 2,000 adults found that on average, the age when most in the survey felt too old to work out regularly was just 41 years old.” read more…
Why You Should be Thankful for Your Life Transition
Since I am writing this on Thanksgiving Day, it’s timely to consider why there is good to be discovered even in times of an unsettled life transition. Of course, your transition can be perfectly smooth and pleasant but that’s not the way it usually goes. As John Lennon put it, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” read more…
Conquering Financial Insecurity in Retirement
My recent article talked about the elements of financial security, both before and during retirement (or semi-retirement). I happen to live in a community where the vast majority of the residents are comfortable when it comes to finances and they certainly qualify as financially secure. They possess the means to pay all their expenses, fund the lifestyle of their choosing, and have plenty of assets available to cover unexpected emergencies. read more…
Disturbing Data About Loneliness
Late last year, the AARP Foundation published the results of an in-depth survey regarding loneliness and isolation. Not surprisingly, about one-third of U.S. adults age 45 and older report feeling lonely — and, due to an increased number of aging adults, the number is growing. Also not surprisingly, those with lower incomes were significantly more vulnerable to loneliness. For example, read more…
Activities and Hobbies for a Fun and Active Life
When your kids (or grand kids) were little, did they ever whine “I don’t have anything to do”, implying that it was your job to keep them entertained during all waking hours. You know how much this annoyed you, so don’t be your own little kid. There are plenty of things to keep you interested and occupied. Here are a few starter ideas for activities and hobbies. read more…
The Perils of Inactivity: Why You Need to Move
If I had to use one word to sum up the biggest danger to a happy and successful next phase of life, it would be “inactivity”. The perils of inactivity are real to your physical and mental health. You’ve got to keep moving and you’ve got to keep thinking because what doesn’t move atrophies. Wasting Away in Margaritaville is a fun song, but your wasting away wherever you are is a very bad thing indeed. read more…
Change Your Habits and Change Your Life
If you want to change your habits and change your life: let’s say it straight up front: inertia is your enemy. Freedictionary.com gives two definitions for the term “inertia”: 1. The tendency of a body to resist acceleration; the tendency of a body at rest to remain at rest. 2. Resistance or disinclination to motion, action, or change. read more…
Finding Your Next Season Sweet Spot
What am I supposed to do when I grow up?
Are you in your 50’s, 60’s or even 70’s and still wondering: What am I supposed to do when I grow up? If so, welcome to a very large crowd. I hope this article will help demystify things for you and help you gain clarity. read more…
Is Teaching In Your Future?
I’m a retired Computer Scientist originally from the Boston area. I grew up in the suburbs, close to the ocean, toward cape cod. It was a great place to live as a young person. No bills, no worries, and way too much free time. Anyway, schools were good, and lots of opportunity to play. read more…
Should You Have a Bucket List?
Bucket lists are a popular topic among all age groups, but especially those in their 50’s, 60’s and beyond. There was even a popular movie titled The Bucket List, released in 2007, featuring seasoned actors Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman – who played two men with terminal illnesses – who wanted to cross items off their own bucket lists before they died. read more…
Healthy Isn’t a Goal, It’s a Way of Living!
Healthy Lifestyle Choices
We are more educated now than ever before on the benefits of eating a well balanced diet and getting regular exercise. People in America today can expect to live longer than ever before. Making healthy lifestyle choices, like quitting smoking and losing weight, can help you avoid health risks later in life. read more…
Walk Faster to Boost Your Physical and Mental Health
Faster Walkers Age More Slowly
Almost everyone knows about the benefits of walking, but there is one more crucial factor that some are not aware of- the speed at which you walk.
Faster walkers age more slowly, have great cognitive abilities and slow or stop the onset of major diseases. read more…
Good Enough Can Keep You Stuck
Why you should “Activate to Motivate”
Noted author Jim Collins made the observation “Good is the enemy of Great” in his book, Good to Great. Voltaire said something similar: “Perfect is the enemy of good”.
Should Consulting be Your Next Phase Career?
Those of you who have spent years in a knowledge-based profession, may find that your best option to transition from full-time employment to a part-time scenario is to become a consultant. There are many flavors of consultants including: management consultants, technical consultants, HR consultants, marketing consultants, legal consultants, financial consultants, and many others. read more…
