Millions of Americans are finding themselves on their own as they head toward retirement. Some are solo by circumstances, others by choice. Baby Boomers all of them, they are driving new trends in housing, work, caretaking and traveling, while also redefining what it means to be part of a community. These partner-less pioneers are rewriting the book on retirement as they learn what it takes to successfully retire solo and remain happy, healthy and independent in the coming years. Being solo is no longer just a stop on the way to a happy ending. For an increasing number of people, it's a lifestyle choice and the destination. Solo is a natural, dynamic state that we experience as we cycle in and out of life stages, living arrangements and relationships. The new reality is that most of us will spend more time solo than in a married or committed relationship over the course of our lifetime. And: It is almost certain that we will be solo during the later years of our lives. Nearly 10,000 Baby Boomers turn 65 every day - a reality that began in 2010 and is expected to continue through 2029. Few feel financially prepared for retirement. Those who are married are likely counting on a spouse's income to help save for retirement and to provide a second Social Security check in the future. Statistics, however, indicate that most married Boomers are destined to become solo again, whether through death or divorce. In short, there are no guarantees in life, whether you are solo, married or somewhere in between. It is likely that you will have to continue working, start a business or come up with another source of income to supplement whatever Social Security benefits you may earn. Have you thought about how you will spend your time in retirement, how or where you may want to live, how you will stay active and healthy in the years ahead, or who will be there for you as you grow older? You should. It's never too late, or too soon, to develop a plan to protect your independence and make sure that your coming years are happy, healthy and brightened by a sense of community. Retiring Solo will show you how to begin. --------------- Author Lori Martinek is a successful serial entrepreneur and an advisor and mentor to business owners. As a small business owner for nearly 30 years, Lori knew that she needed a plan to secure her future and protect her independence as she grew older. As a vibrant single woman with a passion for outdoor activities and social causes, Lori also wanted to protect her health and her mobility, stay active and engaged in the world around her, create a sense of community that would provide social opportunities and support, and find a way to 'live alone, but together' with other active adults. Her journey to create her personal retirement rebalancing plan also produced this book.

Would you like to grow in life-giving ways as you age? Do you have the courage to let go of former ways of thinking to receive God's love and life in new ways? As we age, we experience the loss of physical stamina, independence, and career fulfillment. Yet within each of these losses is a holy invitation to grow. God calls us to let go of our need for accomplishment and embrace the gift of fruitfulness so that we might be transformed in this final season of our lives. In Aging Faithfully, spiritual director Alice Fryling explores how to navigate the journey of retirement, lifestyle changes, and new limitations. In this season of life, we are invited to hold both grief and hope, to acknowledge ways of thinking that no longer represent who we are, and to receive peace in the midst of our fears. We all age differently, and God calls each of us to new spiritual birth as we mature. When we embrace the aging process, we grow closer to God and experience his grace as he renews us from within. Whether you are approaching the beginning, middle, or end of your senior years, you are invited. Come and be transformed. Aging Faithfully includes questions for group discussion and suggestions for personal meditation.

A practical yet humorous guide to aging solo gracefully and achieving a happy retirement. In Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Agers, certified retirement coach Sara Zeff Geber coins the term “Solo Ager” to refer to the segment of society that either does not have adult children or is single and believes they will be on their own as they grow older. This book explores the path ahead for this group. That includes choices in housing, relationships, legal arrangements, finances, and more. Geber reviews the role of adult children in an aging parent’s world and suggests ways in which Solo Agers can mitigate the absence of adult children by relationship building and rigorous planning for their future. Geber shares her expertise on what constitutes a fulfilling older life and how Solo Agers can maximize their opportunities for financial security, physical health, meaning and purpose in the second half of life, and, finally, planning for the end game. Through real-life stories and anecdotes, the author explores housing choices, relationships, and building a support system. You will learn about: · different levels of care and independence in various types of living arrangements · how to initiate discussions among friends and relatives about end-of-life treatment · “what if” scenarios · who to talk to about legal and financial decisions And it’s not just the Solo Ager that can learn from this book. Financial advisors, elder law and estate attorneys, senior care managers, and others whose clientele is on the far side of sixty will benefit as well.

Retirement and good living Are you getting ready to simplify life and move from the world of work to a life of retirement and good living ─ to enter a happy retirement? Retirement and good living: The author of Purposeful Retirement, Hyrum W. Smith, is one of the original creators of the popular Franklin Day Planner, the former Chairman and CEO of Franklin Covey Co., and the recognized “Father of Time Management”. In this book, Hyram shows you how you can move from your world of work, simplify life and enter what can be the most satisfying phase of your life ─ a new world of purposeful retirement and good living. Aging well and a happy retirement: You have had a successful career by almost all measures and now you are concerned about aging well and looking toward a happy retirement. You are definitely not a couch potato. • How are you going to create a retirement that is meaningful and inspiring for your second act? • Can you simplify life? • Is there a way to make intelligent and anxiety free retirement planning choices? • Can you learn from the lives and experiences of people who have found their pathway to happy retirement? • What are their secrets to aging well and a happy retirement? Retirement guide: For four decades, Hyrum W. Smith has been empowering people to effectively govern their personal and professional lives. An award winning author, distinguished speaker, and successful businessman, Hyrum offers a tested and actionable retirement guide to finding that perfect retirement niche. In his book, Hyrum enables you to map the step-by-step route to a retirement that is not just enjoyable but is also deeply fulfilling on a personal level. Welcome to your new life of retirement and good living: This distinguished author, speaker, and businessman combines wit and enthusiasm with a gift for communicating compelling principles that inspire lasting personal change. Hyrum shares a lifetime of wisdom in this powerful retirement guide to discovering your true passion, re-imagining your life, and trying new possibilities. Welcome to a new life of retirement and good living ─ to a purposeful retirement.

AWARDS: Silver Living Now Book Award, Mature Living/Aging 2014 (Silver) If you’re one of the 25 million single women over the age of 45 living in the United States today, AARP’s The Single Woman’s Guide to Retirement is your new best friend. Walking you through the challenges of retired or pre-retired life, from managing your finances to staying healthy in body, mind, and spirit, dealing with divorce, and even looking for love or work, the book covers the issues that really matter to you. Whether you’re looking for a retirement home or planning a cruise, this book is packed with specific details to help take the guesswork out of retirement. Author and retirement expert Jan Cullinane has gathered real-life stories from women just like you to illustrate your options and give you fresh new ideas about how to make the most of your retirement years.

"A startling new philosophy and practical guide to getting the most out of your money-and out of life-for those who value memorable experiences as much as their earnings"--

What concerns do you have as you grow older without a spouse or partner by your side? Are you worried that you might outlive your money, or have nowhere to turn if you become seriously ill or hurt or want to make new friends in your age group? This book will help you find answers to those questions and more. Ms. Alvarez also is the author of CCRCs: Find the Right Continuing Care Retirement Community for Yourself Or a Loved One

Retirement, as a major life transition, can be both thrilling and challenging in unexpected ways. Written by acclaimed authors in the fields of business leadership, careers, and work, this book goes beyond the typical financial and health-related advice on retirement, providing insights to guide you in broader areas of your life – identity issues, relationship challenges, and questions about creating a new retirement life structure that works for you. With lively, engaging writing, the book tells the detailed retirement transition stories of 14 people – and draws on over 200 interviews with 120 people – to explore how retiring involves a reconstruction of both the person and their life structure. You’ll gain wisdom on the common themes and the wildly different approaches people take to the four big tasks of retiring: making the retirement decision, detaching from work both tangibly and psychologically, building a new life structure for retirement, and settling into a relatively stable retirement life – but prepared to restructure again as life unfolds into the future. Throughout each chapter, you’ll see how the dynamic interplay of self, life structure, and external context affect a retiring person’s day-to-day experience in the final months of their career, as well as their early years of retirement – and how life satisfaction depends largely on alignment among the three. At the same time, you’ll learn how family, friends, and colleagues, as well as the organization the person is retiring from, can play a crucial role. This book is for you if you are seeking deep, nuanced insight into – and practical advice on – the psychological, social, and life-restructuring aspects of retirement that can make all the difference for life satisfaction. It is also for you if you are a family member or friend of a retiring person, a helping professional, or an organizational leader who cares about your older workers and the value they bring to your organization even as they depart.

Here at last are the hard-to-find answers to the dizzying array of financial questions plaguing those who are age fifty and older. The financial world is more complex than ever, and people are struggling to make sense of it all. If you’re like most people moving into the phase of life where protecting—as well as growing-- assets is paramount, you’re faced with a number of financial puzzles. Maybe you’re struggling to get your kids through college without drawing down your life’s savings. Perhaps you sense your nest egg is at risk and want to move into safer investments. Maybe you’re contemplating downsizing to a smaller home, but aren’t sure of the financial implications. Possibly, medical expenses have become a bigger drain than you expected and you need help assessing options. Perhaps you’ll shortly be eligible for social security but want to optimize when and how to take it. Whatever your specific financial issue, one thing is certain—your range of choices is vast. As the financial world becomes increasingly complex, what you need is deeply researched advice from professionals whose credentials are impeccable and who prize clarity and straightforwardness over financial mumbo-jumbo. Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz and the Schwab team have been helping clients tackle their toughest money issues for decades. Through Carrie’s popular “Ask Carrie” columns, her leadership of the Charles Schwab Foundation, and her work across party lines through two White House administrations and with the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability, she has become one of America’s most trusted sources for financial advice. Here, Carrie will not only answer all the questions that keep you up at night, she’ll provide answers to many questions you haven’t considered but should.

Achieve your dream of retiring abroad while on a budget The International Living Guide to Retiring Overseas on a Budget provides a detailed guide to one of the least-known but most effective retirement strategies in today's chaotic economic environment: retiring abroad. The premise is simple: Enjoy a happier, healthier, more fulfilling retirement than you could possibly afford in the U.S. or Canada by finding the right overseas retirement haven. The book reveals those affordable havens and the strategies for successfully making the move that could save your retirement. Aimed at retirees and near-retirees in the U.S. and Canada, this book's strategies apply just as well to younger people and people with families who are looking for ways to improve their quality of life while at the same time lowering their cost of living. It includes solutions for the challenges of continuing to work and earn money abroad, too. As long-time contributors to the acknowledged leader in the field, International Living, authors Suzan Haskins and Dan Prescher have at their disposal more than thirty years of International Living experience and expertise in the topic. They've been writing about living overseas for more than 12 years and have created their own broad and deep body of work, including regular blogs on the topic for Huffington Post and AARP. The authors include information and strategies that can be successfully applied by anyone regardless of their political or economic opinions. For anyone who wants a happier, healthier, more affordable life, The International Living Guide to Retiring Overseas on a Budget shows you how to enjoy the romance and excitement of living abroad on an affordable budget.