In many ways, retiring as a married couple is easier than retiring as a single person. You have someone to split expenses with, spend time with, and, if needed, rely on for caregiving.
On the other hand, retiring as a couple means having to take each other's needs into consideration. So it's important to plan for that milestone together. Here are a few key moves to pave the way for a retirement you and your spouse are both happy with.
The lifestyle you intend to lead in retirement will help determine how much money you'll need. It's important to have those conversations ahead of retirement to get on the same page.
It may be that you're content with a low-key lifestyle, while your spouse is hoping to ramp up on travel. Your vision might cost a lot less than your spouse's, so you may need to come to a compromise.
It's also important to talk about how you'll spend your days. If your spouse envisions you moving to a senior community and participating in group activities, but you're not that social, it's an issue you'll want to get ahead of. And if you think it's a good idea to work part-time, but your spouse doesn't want either of you tethered to a job, that's something to discuss, too.
