The Time Is Now: Most Pre Retirees Aren't Ready for Retirement by Age 65

Madonna, Angela Bassett, Kevin Bacon, Alan Jackson and Sharon Stone all turn the big 6-5 this year. If you’re a Gen Xer, these stars may have hung on your wall or blared from your boom box. Today, they could easily retire—if they wanted to.

Could you?

For many of us who aren’t famous actors or musicians, retirement preparedness is not a reality.

A Stanford Center of Longevity survey of 2,000 pre-retirees, found that most workers don’t adequately plan for their future. Individuals have many reasons for objecting to retirement planning, including: 

• Life’s uncertainties

• A desire to wait to be a little older 

• The belief that we’ll all need to work until we die because we won’t have social security 

But when you think about it, life has always been uncertain. Life lessons have shown that just-in-time thinking could lead us to wait until it’s too late. Finally, there’s nothing like planning to mitigate uncertainty.

“It’s critical to start by evaluating your finances,” says Kirsten Payne, Director of Community Sales at VMRC. “Ask yourself: Does my financial situation allow me to buy into a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) and live the lifestyle I have become accustomed to? If not, what can I do now to make that more of a reality?”

We prepared for all sorts of future milestones when we were young. We planned for college, future job prospects, getting married and buying our first home. Why not plan now for the well-being of our older selves?

Since a new year is a time for new beginnings, make 2023 the year YOU assess your retirement readiness. Take the steps necessary to ensure you’ll have enough resources to live where and how you’ll want to experience your next stages of life.

Options abound.

Did you know, for example, that you don’t have to be retired to live in a retirement community? Perhaps there’s a business venture you always wanted to start from the comfort of your beautiful, downsized and easy-to-maintain home. Maybe you’ll want more time to be with your adorable grandchildren—or the grandchildren you’ll have in the future. Maybe you’ll want to continue your high-octane life in the great outdoors with hiking, kayaking or skiing opportunities just beyond your doorstep.

“Begin checking out communities, looking for a place where you can visualize yourself living, participating and thriving,” Kirsten adds. “Check wait lists and get on the ones that appeal to you. Call or drop by these locations and ask questions.”

Kirsten’s door is always open for those who want to tour VMRC’s campus and meet current residents. She advises prospective community members not to wait.

“It’s important to take advantage of all the amenities and services Independent Living communities can offer while you’re still active,” says Kirsten. “Establish a path to aging well and living fully with the assuredness that you’ll have access to a continuum of care as you experience the stages of getting older.”

Does flexibility, control and aging on your own terms sound good? Reach out to Kirsten Payne to learn more.

Get ready for retirement now and you’ll feel like a rockstar later.