How to Retire: 20 lessons for a happy, successful, and wealthy retirement Paperback – September 17, 2024

I’m four years away from retirement and am looking ahead to try and get prepared; I just don’t know how and what to prepare for, which is why I chose this book.Much of the book is about the financial aspects of retiring, which is certainly important, and while I did gain some more knowledge about tax and estate strategies, the most interesting parts (to me) explored the more personal subjects of retirement.What will I do with my days? Will I lose my sense of purpose? Should we move? If we stay, is our house suitable for aging? How will my final wishes be fulfilled once I can no longer communicate them? What things should be communicated with our children and when? These and other things are discussed which was/is very helpful for me, although a little overwhelming to consider all at once. Fortunately I have time to prepare and consider these things as it draws closer.In the month since finishing the book I have bought a kit that organizes all of our financial and personal information (accounts, real estate, power of attorneys, will, passwords, etc…) so when I pass away my family will not have to search around for everything. I am starting to fill it and have already communicated with them where to find it.I have also made progress on what I might do with (some of) my time to maintain a sense of purpose and that has actually energized me with something to look forward to spending time on that is meaningful to me (beyond paying the bills and saving).Small things, maybe, but significant in that I now have more direction on my path to retirement; and that definitely reduces my anxiety about the future.I’ve been recommending it to my family and friends so I certainly recommend it to you.

Excellent book by personal financial planning expert, Christine Binz. The book was helpful and easy for me to understand.

This book is an easy read, organized as conversations with 20 experts on different aspects of retirement. It might be a too-easy read--in places, I would love to see some calculations or templates or something. But it, along with my own research as I approach retirement, has already inspired me to make choices (like moving some money from some riskier investments into cash, so that we won't have to sell investments in the middle of a market downturn--and you KNOW one is coming--just to pay the regular bills) and to rethink some choices (like when, exactly, my spouse and I should claim Social Security benefits--if the higher earning spouse delays, that can mean substantially larger survivor benefits for the lower-earning spouse, and for the rest of their life). I have also taken some steps--exploring volunteering opportunities--toward building those post-retirement relationships and activities that can make the difference between a rewarding retirement and a depressing isolation.This is not a high-end financial guide. I haven't yet run into tables or templates or formulas. And you might fault the book for too much promotion of the individual experts' other ventures, like their website or their newsletter. But the book does give a nice taste of a lot of relevant advice.Yes, it is an America-focused book. It would be great to have similar volumes targeted at retirees in other countries. I think the advice and suggestions are delivered in a useful way and I would like to see more prospective retirees benefit.Overall, I am very pleased with the purchase.

The book is full of investment strategies to consider and lots of other things that people should consider as they prepare for retirement. It does not really recommend what you should do since everyone is different and the various investment options available all go through good and bad cycles, and you cannot really predict when the cycles will occur. The contributors cover the situations they have experienced or have heard about, but they do not tell you what you should do. The book is worth reading and then you and your financial advisors can make decisions when the time comes. The book will expose you to things you need to know to make informed decisions.

Great book. Lots of useful info. Many relevant topics.

I checked this out from the library and loved it so much I'm considering buying my own copy. Benz has gotten over a dozen academics and well-known financial planning gurus to share their two or three BEST, most actionable ideas. In addition, she's got a chapter on estate planning and a chapter in which someone else interviews her on her "bucket theory" of allocating retirement assets. Some of the people she interviews have different views; this book doesn't tell you "the way" but instead shows how complex financial planning in retirement can be, and helps you spot ideas you may want to implement in your own plans. By contrast, I think most paid financial advisors/planners try to act like there is only one way. Once you've read this book, you'll be better equipped to decide which of the market professionals best fit your retirement priorities. The book also has multiple chapters addressing emotional/psychological aspects of retirement (not just the basic "don't panic when markets tank" advice you see often).

This is a great book. It covers all sorts of aspects of retiring, through interviews with experts in the field. Not just financial. After reading it, I feel prepared to fully tackle the prospect of retiring. Even if you think you have it all figured out, you will discover things or approaches you probably had not thought of.

A decent summary, but nothing new if you’re a Boglehead.