One aspect of retirement that often gets overlooked is how your relationships change once you retire. You go from having friendly small talk and happy hour drinks with your coworkers, to having the freedom to choose who you spend your time with. This can be especially complicated for married couples to navigate. There is a shift from spending just a few hours a night together catching up on your day, to being together 24 hours a day every day. This can seem intrusive and the adjustment can be difficult.
Usually, at the beginning of retirement, couples are happier, and their relationship might even improve. It can almost seem like a second honeymoon, spending all your time together and doing your favorite activities, but like all honeymoon phases… it will most likely come to an end, which is why we’ve looked into some tips and tricks on how couples can extend their second honeymoon and coexist in retirement.
One of the ways that issues arise is from overdependence, retirees who lean on each other as their only social connection might cause resentment. So, although you should spend time together, you should try not to spend all of your time together and build new friendships. It’s also a good idea to make sure you are on the same page of how you will live together in retirement. This includes who will spend more time on household chores and what leisure activities you can do together. Having different expectations on these things could lead to conflict which is why it’s best to make sure that you have a conversation to ensure that no one’s needs are forgotten.
This could also be confusing when it comes to making retirement decisions. You may learn that your spouse wants to retire in a different state or even a different country, when you always dreamed of retiring in your home close to family. These honest conversations about how you will live together and how you will live in retirement can help you work through situations and decide on the best course of action. Deciding if you should make a retirement move is a tough decision. Maybe buying a vacation home is the compromise you agree on, maybe you realize that you could move somewhere close and still be near family, either way working together to come to a conclusion is the best course of action.
There are many hurdles to overcome when you reach retirement. At Epstein & White, we want to help you navigate retirement hurdles for you and your spouse. We’ll cover everything from lifestyle goals, financial portfolio and estate planning needs to make sure that you and your spouse are prepared for your second honeymoon. Click here to schedule your no cost no obligation financial review!
