Retiring early seems to be at the top of everyone's wish list. After all, who wouldn't want to sit back, play golf, and not have to deal with a boss. But, then again, how many people do you know that are truly enjoying retirement? In a recent Barclays Wealth survey, only 25 percent of retired high net worth Americans described their retirement as the best years of their life.
[See 10 Tips for Retirement Overseas.]
Now think about that for a second. Here we have people who don't have to worry about running out of money saying that being retired is not the best thing that ever happened to them. Perhaps early retirement isn't all it's cracked up to be. Still not convinced? Here are five more reasons you might want to stay in the workforce for a bit longer.
More income. For some of you, additional income is more of a necessity than a luxury. But for others, being able to generate income allows you to splurge whenever you want to. No matter how much you have saved by the time you retire, it is simply depressing to see your total assets fall in value. As a result, it's very easy to be conservative with spending, even if you have enough money to live comfortably for the rest of your life. When you are generating income, you can spend much more freely.
[See 7 Ways to Check Up on Your 401(k).]
Something to do. Not many people realize this when they are in the middle of the 9 to 5 grind, but there's often so much time once people don't go to work that they fail to find activities to fill the day. Work allows you to focus on something most days of the week, and it's really much better than sitting at home and watching TV all day. Of course, if you are on the opposite end of the spectrum and need to make more time, there are ways to do that too.
Satisfaction. Work can be demanding and stressful, but it can also bring unparalleled satisfaction. The social interaction that the water cooler talks bring, the sense of pride when a project comes to completion, and a sense of belonging are all byproducts of working that not many people talk about.
Physical and mental exercise. Going to work can mean getting dressed, commuting, getting to the office, going to grab coffee, arguing in meetings, and complaining about work over lunch. These don't all sound like fun, but they provide a challenge for you mentally and physically at the same time.
[See 8 Tips for Meeting with a Financial Adviser.]
Live longer. You probably don't want to be working when you are 69, but when we hear stories of people working when they are 99, we often get a warm and fuzzy feeling of how fortunate they are. Now guess what? The 99-year-old was working when he was 69, still working when he reached 79, and was working when he was 89 too. Working gives you purpose and helps you stay sharp. And who doesn't want that?
David Ning runs MoneyNing, a personal finance site aimed at helping others change their habits for a better financial future. He suggests that everyone to sign up for an online savings account to get more out of our hard earned money.
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carter of WA 4:58PM February 04, 2013
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