Retirement at 65 is ridiculous.  When I was 65 I still had pimples!  I'm going to stay in show business until I'm the only one left!
~ George Burns

Have you ever wondered where that age 65 thing came from?  Back in 1883, the new chancellor of Germany, Otto Von Bismark, wanted to demonstrate to the world how progressive his country was.  He decided to institute an "old age pension."  Not wanting to break the bank, he asked his demographers to determine what age would be appropriate to start this pension, and they said "65." 

In 1883 Germany only 1-1/2% of the population ever reached age 65, so Bismark could make a grand gesture without really doing much.  Sounds political doesn't it?  The thing is, it stuck.  Later, during the depression when Social Security was established, 65 was picked up as retirement age again.

The reality is, in the past 100 years, we have increased our life span by over 25 years!  The life expectancy in 1900 was 47.3 years.  A child born in 2003, if male, has a life expectancy of 73.9, and if female, 79.24.  If you retire in your 50's, as many do, you will have over 20 years, and more likely 30 years at this stage of your life.

What will you do with yourself?  How will you manage your time? 

 

The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level
of thinking we were at when we created them.
~ A. Einstein

Working with a Retirement Coach can help you answer these questions before you reach retirement age.  The more you know about your values, your un-lived dreams, your relationships, your interests, the more planning you can do ahead of time to integrate what is important into your life ahead.

A retirement coach can gently raise awareness of the imbalances that may exist in your life and provide a non-threatening way to brainstorm possible solutions and their impact on loved ones.  Together you can regain sight of what makes life sweet and joyful.

 

The quality of one’s life is directly related to
the quality of questions one asks oneself.
~ Tony Robbins

Click here to discover the ways Debra DeVilbiss, The Un-Retirement Coach, can help you

plan for a retirement that brings richness and fulfillment to your later years.  Utilizing the Retirement Success Profile (RSP), she can help you identify your areas of strength going into retirement, and highlight areas that might need more planning and attention.

You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him to find it
within himself.
~ Galileo

Read more about what an Retirement Coach can offer.