4 People You Need to See Before Retiring
Retirement is an exciting transition, of course, but it is also a nerve-racking one. Information is flooding your inbox and mail, and weighty decisions are heaping on your fatigued shoulders.
But think back to previous life transitions: from elementary to high school and from high school (or college) to the workplace. These transitions were stressful as well. But what made them manageable were the people.
The transition to retirement is no different. You need people to assist and advise you throughout this complex process. The following people may not be as involved as a personal mentor or teacher, but they can and will serve as guideposts throughout your journey.
A Social Security Office Representative
So…not exactly your BFF. I realize that. But this person has one vital piece of information to give you: your social security statement. This document details how much monthly benefit you qualify for from the federal government. It contains information you need to consider when planning for retirement. If you already have this filed away, then great! You can move on to guidepost #2.
Employer and/or Human Resource Department Employee
Depending on the size of your employer, you may not be very chummy with these people either, but hear me out because some employers provide retiree benefits such as health care or a pension. You need to find out more about these benefits (if they exist) in order to effectively plan for retirement. One important question to ask is how the benefits will interact with Medicare. For example, in the case of health insurance, who pays first—the employer or Medicare?
Your Doctor
I hope we’re getting a little bit closer to the heart! No? Well here’s the value: you may already have an idea of your overall health and prescription drugs, but if you don’t, your doctor will explain it thoroughly. This information comes in handy throughout the Medicare planning process, especially when shopping for a Part D prescription drug plan.
A Retirement Advisor
If this guy or gal is not your friend beforehand, there is a good chance he will be after all of this is over. A retirement advisor is a person who puts all of the pieces together. He takes the information you gathered from the other 3 people and uses it to develop a retirement plan tailored to your unique needs. This covers planning for expenses (medical and otherwise), social security benefits, and Medicare planning.
As a bonus, the last people I would tell you to visit are your friends and family. Although I wouldn’t necessarily trust them with shopping your drug plan or determining your social security benefits, they are wonderful moral support as you approach this overwhelming milestone. So visit your kids, your grandkids, your siblings, and your lifelong friends. Nothing relieves stress more than knowing you don’t have to handle it all alone.
Looking for a retirement advisor ready to help you transition from work to play? Call Seniormark at 937-492-8800 for personal help at no cost to you!
About the Author
Ready to retire and unsure what to do next? Get our "Introduction to Medicare” eBook to start to make sense of Medicare and your options.