Planning for the “black hole” of retirement

Many folks, especially women, unexpectedly find themselves in a “black hole” while waiting for their eligibility to receive Medicare benefits. The black hole generally takes place between the ages of 55 and 65 when most individuals want to retire and their health insurance benefits disappear once they leave their job. That’s when they become responsible to cover those costs on their own until Medicare kicks in. Erroneously, many people believe that you can qualify for your Medicare benefits early, much like Social Security. However, that simply isn’t true. As a result, people find themselves in a quandary when it comes to receiving healthcare during this time. Private insurance can be very expensive if not planned for well in advance. In many cases it becomes completely unaffordable once they are in retirement. It is often this expense that drives retirees back to work.

In some cases, upon retirement, the retiree can receive healthcare benefits as part of their retirement package. This is the best scenario. Unfortunately, it’s becoming more and more rare with employers cutting back on retirement benefits. There are many available healthcare insurance programs that could be affordable if only given the opportunity to save for them prior to actually needing them. Fitting that cost into a retiree’s monthly budget prior to retiring could be a determining factor in their actual retirement date. As we know, prescription costs become more and more prevalent as we age, and in some cases are the highest expense during the month.

Retirement is a time when we look forward to enjoying the fruits of our labor. Knowing what lies ahead and planning for it can ensure the experience we’ve been waiting for. Neglecting to discover the relevant facts to a successful retirement could put the kibosh on all those lovely plans. Go into your retirement with your eyes wide open, knowing what you can expect your expenses to be, and having adequate funds to meet those needs. Wouldn’t you rather be cruising around the world as opposed to counting pennies to make ends meet? The choice is yours.

© 2009 Start Smart Advisor