Do you remember being a kid during summer vacation?  Sometimes, you and your friends would have all sorts of plans.  You’d spend your days riding bikes, playing games, and licking popsicles under the shade of your favorite tree. 

But there would be times when the weather was bad.  When all your friends were off on family vacations.  When you felt like you’d already gone everywhere on your bike, all the games had been played, and you were just a little bit sick of popsicles. 

On those days, maybe you’d stare out the window and think, “Now what?” 

In our experience, retirement is a lot like summer vacation.  There are all sorts of things to do and enjoy!  But sometimes, the shock of not working can also lead people to ask themselves, “I’m retired – now what?”

When it comes to retirement planning, it’s important to spend a good deal of time on financial issues.  But retirement planning is about more than just finances.  It’s about quality of life, too. 

Over the next few issues of The Road to Retirement, we’re going to explore the question of “Now what?”  The decisions to make and the opportunities to consider in the immediate aftermath of retirement to ensure a smooth transition…and a high quality of life! 

This month, we’re going to look at three simple, “quality of life”-oriented questions to ask yourself before retirement.   (I’ll keep the issue short, because, hey, it’s summer!)

Have a great summer!  Enjoy!