Podcasts about active retirement

Are you interested in “Squeezing All the Juice Out of Your Retirement?” If so, this Podcast is for YOU!! During our last podcast we introduced you to Dr. Riley Moynes and his powerful research on the topic of the Four Phases of Retirement. We covered the first two phases, 1) The Vacation Phase, and 2) Disillusionment. We went from the honeymoon phase of retirement where we were delighted to throw away our alarm clock, travel, and enjoy sitting around and doing nothing. Then after 1-2 years, we enter Phase 2 filled with obstacles and challenges as we grapple with the magnitude of losses we experience, including our identity, structure, and relationships, which provided us with meaning and purpose in our life. In addition to experiencing these losses, we enter what Dr. Riley Moynes calls the 3-D's, which are frequently experienced in this phase, which are a) Decline, b) Depression, and 3) Divorce. These challenges can either take us down or provide the stimulus for finding a solution. We come to grow from this experience. Our quest is to make the most out of this phase of our life by addressing the question, “What can I do to keep getting me up in the morning and discovering what I can do to provide me with meaning, satisfaction, and a sense of accomplishment?” We enter Phase 3, that of Rapid Experimentation. Here we experiment with a number of new ideas, from volunteering, to learning a new language, taking an art class, and more. We create a new structure that provides us with new relationships, meaning and purpose. According to Dr. Riley Moynes, only about 65% move through Phases 2 and 3. For those that are successful in Phase 3, we then enter Phase 4, where we Reinvent and Rewire. This is the most satisfying phase since we find new meaning and purpose and discover one common element that gets us there. Whether you are retired, approaching retirement, or in mid-life where you realize the opportunity to educate yourself on this stage in life to better prepare for it. Sit back and enjoy the education, tips and ideas to squeeze all the juice out of your retirement.

On this week's 95.9 Company Break, we speak with the Director of Marketing and Sales for StoneRidge Active Retirement Living in Mystic, CT, Jamie Cornell. Located just two miles from the riverfront, StoneRidge is a senior living community of doers and thinkers, artists and educators, lifelong learners, and dedicated volunteers. We support each other, learn from one another, and enjoy each other's company. New retirement community residents tell us they're surprised at how quickly everyone knows their name. Visit us, and it won't be long before you feel connected to the people here. People who, like you, want to continue an active lifestyle in a corner of Connecticut close to their hearts. For more information, call 860-333-8995 or visit www.stoneridgelcs.com  

Are you interested in “Squeezing All the Juice Out of Your Retirement?” If so, this Podcast is for YOU!! Dr. Moynes had a successful 20-year career as an educator before turning his talents to the financial services sector where he launched and grew a multi-city wealth management firm. He was a recipient of the Dalbar Financial Professional Seal as one of Canada's most trusted financial advisors. Riley Moynes, now in an active retirement, talks on the topic of The Four Phases of Retirement and what to expect when you are retiring. He shares the good, the bad, and the ugly with sound advice on how to squeeze all the juice out of your retirement. He offers sound advice on how to smooth things out. The advice is dispensed in his descriptions of the four phases of retirement: vacation, loss, experimentation, and the reward. Many have found his research and advice to be both relevant and eye-opening. A MUST for those preparing for and entering retirement. Personally, I found his his talks, workshops and commentary PROFOUND and a match to what my own experience entering retirement was like.  Heather and I continue our focus on retirement and will use this podcast to share the highlights of Dr. Moynes work along with my own experience and how I used his advice to be squeezing all the juice out of my active retirement.

Our lives change in many ways as we get older. As we move into the different phases of our life (e.g., infant, childhood, early adulthood, adult, and senior citizen, our overall human needs remain the same (e.g., need for security, safegy, belonging, love, esteem, and self actualization), HOWEVER, what these needs entail and focus are different. Our focus here is on the Senior Citizen and Retirement phase. To cover this topic, we will use the infamous model from Abraham Maslow, known as Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, a psychological theory proposed by Abraham Maslow, outlines a five-tier model of human needs, typically depicted as a pyramid. The levels, from the bottom to the top, are physiological needs, safety needs, love and belongingness needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization needs. The premise of Maslow's hierarchy of needs is that, in order to meet higher-level needs in Maslow's hierarchy, we must first meet the lower-level needs first. For example, we must have met the basic physiological needs to exist and maintain a level of health and wellness before we can achieve any of the needs above this in the pyramid. For example, If I am not healthy or able to perform the basic human body needs, one is not likely to exist, much less achieve the needs to feel safe, find love, have a healthy self-esteem, etc. The same is true at the top of the pyramid. In order to Self-Actualize, which is characteristic of becoming your full potential, one must have developed their self-esteem. Maslow's hierarchy of needs can help with retirement planning by highlighting the importance of meeting basic needs before pursuing other goals. For example, if you want to travel after retirement, you should make sure you have enough money to cover basic needs before you go. Another key example today relates to people living longer, but the key is living longer while maintaining a good to great quality of life. Therefore, part of our planning for retirement should be the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs to stay active and pursuing our self-actualization needs. Overall, Maslow's hierarchy helps in understanding the psychological adjustments retirees must navigate. While basic needs persist, the shift in focus toward social connections, self-esteem, and personal growth highlights the need for fulfillment in the later stages of life. Recognizing these needs can guide retirees in creating a fulfilling, balanced retirement experience.

Maureen Kavanagh is CEO of Active Retirement Ireland.

A Clare member of Active Retirement Ireland has lambasted the government for delays to legislation that would allow employees to remain in their jobs until they reach the state pension age of 66. In March, then Minister for Enterprise Simon Coveney received approval to introduce laws that would prevent employers from retiring workers at 65, if they wish to remain in their jobs. But delays introducing the law, mean thousands of workers may have to claim social protection payments to tide them over for a year. Quin based Digital Ambassador for Active Retirement Ireland Eugene Philips says he can't understand the lack of progress.

In this inspiring episode of the Total Health in Midlife Podcast, Elizabeth interviews Brenda, a dedicated client who shares her journey to overcoming health challenges in her late 60s. Brenda's story is a testament to the power of personalized coaching and mindset shifts. She discusses her struggles with weight gain, and binge eating, and how Elizabeth's coaching helped her develop a healthier relationship with food and regain control of her health. Tune in to learn about the transformative journey Brenda embarked on and the valuable lessons she learned along the way. Chapter Summaries: Transformation Through Resilience and Mindful Eating (0:00:04) Brenda shares her journey from farm life to retirement, discussing weight gain during menopause, binge eating, and embracing mindful eating. Active Retirement and Coaching Program (0:16:10)  Retirement, American Dream, group coaching, shared experiences, and sidecar coaching are discussed in this episode. Understanding and Overcoming Binging Behavior (0:21:45)  Breaking free from food binges by understanding internal dialogue, emotional/physical needs, and strategies to combat cravings. Mindset and Habits in Healthy Eating (0:25:46)  Self-judgment, societal pressures, and the myth of 'calories in, calories out' impact our food choices and body image. Finding Balance and Self-Acceptance (0:38:27)  Reshaping mindset around health and weight loss, focusing on sustainable habits and empowerment with age. Get full show notes and more information here: https://elizabethsherman.com/180

We will all reach retirement age at some point. For many, the question arises: Will I have nothing to do? Don't I still need something to do? What will keep me fit and healthy? Austrian author and podcast producer Richard Kaan specialises in these topics. Richard is also a frequent visitor to Australia and has close ties to Down Under, as he tells us in this interview. - Wir alle kommen irgendwann ins Rentenalter. Für viele stellt sich die Frage: Habe ich dann nichts mehr zu tun? Brauche ich nicht auch weiterhin eine Aufgabe? Was hält mich fit und gesund? Der österreichische Autor und Podcast-Produzent Richard Kaan hat sich genau auf diese Themen spezialisiert. Richard ist auch häufig in Australien und hat eine enge Bindung nach Down Under, wie er uns im Interview berichtet.

A Clare-based former Active Retirement Ireland President has criticised the government for forgetting about older people this year. Budget 2024 saw all welfare payments, including pensions, increased by €12, which is substantially lower than the €20 the retirement group was lobbying for. SEAI figures show that the average cost of heating a home during the winter months is 180 euro more expensive than between May and October. Clare Active Retirement member Kay Murphy thinks some ministers have forgotten they have parents and grandparents that need vital supports.

A Clare-based former Active Retirement Ireland president has labelled the pension increase in the Budget as "a plaster on a bleeding wound" for older people. Budget 2024 sees the weekly allowance of all those in receipt of welfare payments, including those on a pension, rise by €12.

On this weeks 95.9 Company Break we speak with Director of Marketing and Sales for StoneRidge Active Retirement Living in Mystic, CT Jamie Cornell. Located just two miles from the riverfront, StoneRidge is a senior living community of doers and thinkers, artists and educators, lifelong learners and dedicated volunteers. We support each other, learn from one another and enjoy each other's company. New residents of our retirement community tell us they're surprised how quickly everyone knows their name. Visit us and it won't be long before you feel connected to the people who live here. People who, like you, want to continue an active lifestyle in a corner of Connecticut that's close to their hearts. For more information call 860-333-8995 or visit www.stoneridgelcs.com  

My guest today is Dave Durell. Dave is a fitness coach, blogger, and speaker and has been in the health industry for over 40 years. He has worked as a personal trainer, an NFL strength and training and conditioning coach, and a physical therapist assistant.  We came across Dave's work at StrengthAfter50.com, where he shares strength training tips, personal training guidance, and the latest research on fitness. He believes not just in staying strong after 50 but staying strong forever–and it all works a little differently at 50 compared to when we were in our 20s and 30s.  In this conversation, Dave and I explore what it means to be fit for life and to be able to live to the fullest. We discuss the benefits of strength training (and why lifting weights isn't just for young people), what fitness programming looks like over 50, and the benefits of tools and tech toys designed to encourage recovery.  From there, we dig into what a full-body workout for retirees and pre-retirees might look like, how to get started, and the proper diet to support your body's needs.  GET A FREE COPY OF DAVE'S E-BOOK, NEW RULES OF STRENGTH TRAINING OVER 50 ALONG WITH 4 INSTRUCTIONAL TRAINING VIDEOS Here's all you have to do... Step 1.) Subscribe to the podcast and leave an honest rating & review over on iTunes. Step 2.) Text BOOK, that's BOOK to 866-482-9559 for a link to our book request page, complete the form and we will ship you the book for free. It's that simple! In this podcast interview, you'll learn: Why so many retirees suffer when they have the time and the resources to live, but lack physical ability and mobility. Why even putting 5 pounds of muscle on is a huge deal after the age of 50–and why you don't have to train like crazy to achieve it.  The reason Dave won't let many of his older clients train more than two days a week.  How to avoid getting hurt lifting weights. Why Dave is such a big fan of exercise machines despite their criticisms. The importance of nutrition–and especially protein–in a diet intended to build and keep muscle.  Show Notes: RetireWithPurpose.com/384 Rate & Review the Podcast: RetireWithPurpose.com/review Sign Up to Casey's Weekend Reading Email! Sifting through the copious amount of conflicting financial advice and retirement information can be daunting - but it doesn't have to be! Each week, Casey makes it super easy. He hand-picks 4 of the most important articles you need to read, that are beneficial to you whether you're at, near, or in retirement! If you want them sent straight to your inbox, sign up by visiting RetireWithPurpose.com/weekend-reading

In this episode, meet Dian Seidel. She is a newly published author of Kindergarten at 60: A Memoir of Teaching in Thailand. You can pre-order her book on Amazon now, or after you hear this exciting interview. Imagine at age 60, after retiring from Governmental Science career, you decide you want to give back to society by teaching adults. Then add a twist and decide to teach somewhere outside of the comfort of your own country. Finally, when you arrive to teach, your students are the exact opposite of adults. Listen in. "Teacher Dian" and "Teacher Steve" are the epitome of ACTIVE RETIREMENT. Enjoy this episode.

Valerie Kumkov Hill Valerie has lived in Lubbock since 1969. Her father came here initially to teach mathematics at Texas Tech. She ended up going to Texas Tech University and has been there ever since. She majored in Art and had a second degree in Dance. She taught in the public school system for 24 years. She has always been mindful of health and nutrition. Currently, in retirement, Valerie teaches yoga to seniors.Valerie's husband was the first one to come to the Blair Chiropractic Clinic after doing some research. He'd been having some major neck problems even before they were married. It must've been sometime in the late '70s; Doctor Blair was there at the time. Her husband, as a child, had had some surgeries and physical problems that actually resulted from a childhood case of polio.While working at a bookstore, Valerie started noticing she was getting stiff and tense in her neck and shoulders. She then started seeing Doctor Blair herself. She started seeing results herself, and after their children were born, they became patients of the clinic as well. By then, Doctor Addington had taken over. He checked the kids out over the years, and they had minor adjustments. Then their son was involved in a car accident as a passenger in high school, and they got him in right away. No one was hurt badly, but their son seemed to recover much more quickly from that. The same happened with her daughter, as an adult, when she was t-boned by a drunk driver in her truck. They immediately brought her in again and had her checked out. She'd had some hip problems because of the way the seatbelt jerked her, and she had some adjustments done in her lower back and pelvis as well.Valerie has noticed as she's gotten older that you often don't feel better right away or for a few days after getting an adjustment. When you come back a week later, things have smoothed out, and it was just her body reacting to being aligned again and the muscles having to pull slightly. The first line of care is to run a graph on the cervical vertebra and see how things are doing. Then if there's a problem, take care of it as quickly as possible so that it doesn't become a chronic problem. She has noticed that over the years, She's had fewer and fewer adjustments. She can't even remember the last time she had her neck adjusted because it has been maintained so well.While teaching yoga at the community center, Valerie adjusts poses that need to be adjusted for age, and they work on things like getting down and up from a chair or the floor. Taking a long time to warm up, the first thing they do after breathing is to start gently moving their neck muscles, the very top of the spine, and then gradually warming the spine up. Her mission is to let people get over that fear of yoga and not be intimidated.Valerie wrote a children's book during Covid called Clive the Lonely Llama. It was published by Wild Lark Books, a bookstore in Downtown Lubbock.Here is Valerie's teaching schedule:Yoga classes: M, T, TH 9:30 at Maxey Community CenterSeated Yoga: T, TH 10:45Fitness/light aerobics: Wed. 9:45To see more of Valerie's work or to purchase her art:ShopView artTo contact Ruth, go to https://www.blairclinic.comruth@blairclinic.comhttps://www.facebook.com/rutelin

A Shannon-based former President Of Active Retirement Ireland feels the current pension rate will not be sustainable for older people going into the new year. A 12 euro increase in the maximum weekly rate of all state pensions was announced in Budget 2023 and is due to come into effect from January 23rd. However Ireland's rate of inflation reached its highest level in 38 years in October, when the Consumer Price Index showed the price of goods and services increased by 9.2% on average compared with October 2021. Active Retirement Ireland MidWest Region Representative, Kay Murphy, believes the pension increase will be wiped out by the rising cost of living.

Jim, a fitness attendant at Fort Hill Fitness and a former executive in a large corporation tells of how he survived a major health crisis and is now enjoying an active retirement.

The Clare Active Retirement PRO has branded a recent proposal to link pension payments to the rate of inflation as 'fluff'. Shannon-based Active Retirement member, Kay Murphy and Ennis retiree Michael Corry have been speaking to Clare FM's Morning Focus about the suggestion.

Are you planning on enjoying an active retirement? If so, it may cost you more than you think.  On this episode of Retirement Starts Today, I interview Thatcher Taylor, the financial advisor behind ProPathFinancial.com. Thatcher and I discuss how to prepare financially and mentally for an active retirement. Outline of This Episode [1:42] How to navigate the balance between [3:18] How plan for a longer retirement [9:00] A phased retirement plan could help you stay active [11:55] Do you have a sense of purpose in retirement? [18:33] Check out Thatcher's YouTube channel Resources & People Mentioned Dr.Peter Attia Connect with Thatcher Taylor Thatcher Taylor on YouTube ProPathFinancial.com @DadBodFinancial on Instagram Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit: http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/ Follow Ben on Twitter: https://twitter.com/retiremeasap Subscribe to the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter Subscribe to Retirement Starts Today on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Podbean, Player FM, iHeart, or Spotify

Electricity and gas price increases of about 200 euro a year have been announced by SSE Airtricity. They'll begin in December, when the average bill will rise by 9 per cent for a typical household. The company says it's due to the rising cost of energy throughout Europe. On Monday's Morning Focus, Alan Morrissey was joined by Kay Murphy, PRO of Active Retirement's Midwest region. Picture (c) Aitormmfoto on Getty Images via Canva

We start with Olympic rowers Paul O'Donovan and Fintan Mcarthy on their homecoming to Skibbereen.Michael Collins T.D. & Cllr Christopher O'Sullivan discuss the ongoing problems at Bantry Hospital.Many older people have felt neglected during the lockdown, we talk to Margaret Hopkins of Active Retirement.Songs from the Blackwater is an outdoor concert coming to Mallow Castle this month, we talk to organiser Keith WoodgatePaul Murphy from People Before Profit is proposing we have 3 extra bank holidays.Our counselor Joe Heffernan is advising 'laughter is the best medicine.' See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this weeks 95.9 Company Break program Mike talks with the staff at Stoneridge Active Retirement Living in Mystic, CT. Senior living in Mystic, CT doesn’t get better than this. Located just two miles from the riverfront, StoneRidge is a senior living community of doers and thinkers, artists and educators, lifelong learners and dedicated volunteers. We support each other, learn from one another and enjoy each other’s company. New residents of our retirement community tell us they’re surprised how quickly everyone knows their name. Visit us and it won’t be long before you feel connected to the people who live here. People who, like you, want to continue an active lifestyle in a corner of Connecticut that’s close to their hearts. For more information call 860-333-8995 or visit www.stoneridgelcs.com  

In this weeks 95.9 Company Break program Mike talks with the staff at Stoneridge Active Retirement Living in Mystic, CT. Senior living in Mystic, CT doesn’t get better than this. Located just two miles from the riverfront, StoneRidge is a senior living community of doers and thinkers, artists and educators, lifelong learners and dedicated volunteers. We support each other, learn from one another and enjoy each other’s company. New residents of our retirement community tell us they’re surprised how quickly everyone knows their name. Visit us and it won’t be long before you feel connected to the people who live here. People who, like you, want to continue an active lifestyle in a corner of Connecticut that’s close to their hearts. For more information call 860-333-8995 or visit www.stoneridgelcs.com  

In this episode, Catherine chats with Steve Mendl, a Mind Matters client for several years now. Steve has participated in a number of our NeuroCoding programs over the years. Apart from achieving great success in business and life, Steve has also reached a long-term goal to publish a book, which has since received Amazon Best Seller status. He is an executive mentor and active retirement coach, founder of Next-Aging and Senior Consultant at Lee Hecht Harrison Australia/New Zealand. He has over 25 years’ experience in training, educating, career transition, workforce transformation, and business improvement through effective leadership. Steve’s work life journey began in public relations, marketing and then one day he found his role was made redundant. He used the opportunity to really think about what he wanted to do and went on to start a fashion label, become a teacher and a radio and music DJ. He’s also the author of ‘Beyond The Money’, which looks at the mindset needed to transition from full-time work into the next stage of people’s lives. Episode highlights: Steve’s background story - a degree in business and his first job in public relations marketing Steve’s role being made redundant gave time to really think about what he wanted to do Building his own fashion label in the 90’s Going back to University to become a teacher in Australia and then moving to the UAE as a Business Economics teacher Returning from the UAE as a radio and music DJ Combining his two loves - learning development and teaching development and training and executive coaching Steve’s thoughts on having the right mindset in business How Steve created new direction If time and money wasn’t an issue, what would you do? Figuring out your likes and dislikes and creating your business around that - knowing where to spend your time and where to outsource work Steve’s biggest obstacles over the years - over-analysing and staying focused A look at Steve’s book, ‘Beyond The Money’  a practical guide for people moving out of full-time work and into the next stage in their lives, Successful men need to mentally prepare to leave the workforce and move into the next stage of their lives The tough times in Steve’s life that have shaped his learning and mindset in business How being present has worked both for and against Steve Steve’s opinion that ‘the clearer the vision, the more likely it is to happen’ Steve’s thoughts on Mind Matters and how we’ve helped him Useful Links:  Steve Mendl on LinkedIn Beyond The Money Website Useful Links: Mind Matters Website Catherine Connolly on LinkedIn Rex Urwin on LinkedIn Mind Matters Twitter  Mind Matters Facebook info@mindmatters.me See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A collection of seminar talks from the Vineyard National Leaders' Conference 2018, including talks from Jon Tyson, John & Eleanor Mumford, Mike Pilavachi and many more. Recorded in January 2018 at Trent Vineyard church, Nottingham.

The goal of early retirement is one many Australians aspire too.  And certainly, when thinking about achieving Financial Autonomy, retiring early is very often baked into those goals. But what is the best way to bring that goal to reality, given the uniqueness of our system – superannuation, franking credits, negative gearing, and means tested Aged Pensions, just to get you started. The approach I’m going to take you through today is a multi-phase approach that I’ve built specifically for the Australian early retirement landscape.  Its aim is to use the opportunities we have, such as franking credits and superannuation, to get you to early retirement as quickly as possible. We’ve actually built a special PDF just for this post. I’ve put all of the diagrams in there for you.  You know what they say – a picture tells a thousand words.  And I certainly think visualising this approach is helpful.  So ideally have that in front of you as you consume this episode, but if that’s not practical, then at least download it latter. Early Retirement for Australians Download Early retirement in Australia – an overview To survive in our modern world, you need income.  Long gone are the days where we grew all our own food, hunted for our meat, and lived a subsistence life.  So retiring early necessitates solving the problem of how will you generate the income you need to meet your expenses, if you cease being in your current paid employment role. Let’s start with the helicopter high up in the air. We all know that in Australia we have the superannuation system to assist in funding our retirement.  Considerable tax concessions are provided to encourage us to build up saving within superannuation.  And then when we retire, we are able to convert our superannuation savings into an income stream, and receive even more generous tax concessions. Income drawn from superannuation is tax free from age 60 for the majority of people.  Given the tax favoured status superannuation receives, you’d likely be wise to utilise this system to the maximum extent possible to generate your retirement income after you reach age 60. But what do you do before age 60?  Well if early retirement is your goal, you need to have built up other investments, likely shares and property.  In this pre-60 early retirement phase, you can rely on the income these investments produce, and you perhaps also sell them down progressively to live of the gains and proceeds of the investments, remembering that when you hit 60, you gain access to a new pool of savings – your superannuation. Okay, so that’s the overview – pre 60 you’re living off investment income, and perhaps also some employment income, and I use that term loosely – it could mean as an employee, but it’s just as likely to be some freelancing work, a short term contract, or as an advisor or consultant.  Even if you’ve left your normal job, there’s a good chance that whatever you find to do with your time, you’ll pick up some income along the way. Then after age 60, superannuation is the primary solution for your income needs. The sub phases Let’s bring the helicopter down a bit lower now.  Within these pre and post 60 phases, I believe you can break things down further.  In the pre-60 phase, I’ve termed these two sub phases the Transition phase and the Investment Income phase.  And in the post 60 phase, that can be split into the Active Retirement phase, and the Feet-up phase. Imagine that perhaps in your 30’s you’ve decided that early retirement is something that you aspire to.  You crunch your numbers and determine the amount of income that you’d need to afford the early retirement lifestyle that you want.  You could wait until you have enough investments and superannuation that you can live a total life of luxury.  But most people I work with prefer instead to retire earlier, but still earn some income.  I call this the transition phase.  Maybe you back off from 5 days per week to 3.  Remember episode 20 where I interviewed Adam Murray.  He’d cut back to 3 days per week as a paid employee, and actually spread those hours across 4 days.  Then he had time to pursue other projects, and be the father that he wanted to be for his 2 boys. So during the transition phase, you’re still earning some income, just less than pre-early retirement, and perhaps you’re also earning some investment income. As you get closer to 60, your investments have grown.  In particular it’s highly likely that you’ve used some borrowings to build the wealth, for example borrowing to buy an investment property, and hopefully somewhere in this pre-60 phase, the debt gets repaid, meaning the rent which was going to loan repayments is now freed up for you to live off. So the second sub-phase in the pre-age 60 segment is the Investment Income phase. In the Investment income phase you’ve scaled any paid employment right back, possibly given it away altogether.  You’re primarily living off your dividend and rental income, and perhaps even selling down investments in the knowledge you’ll be turning on the superannuation tap come age 60. Franking credits will keep your tax down here, and you can plan any capital gains tax events to get you the best possible outcome.  Not anti tax Now let’s look at the post age 60 sub phases – Active Retirement and Feet-up.  The Active Retirement phase is likely to be from 60 to 70 or 75.  During this phase you’ve slowed down a little but still remain active – traveling and participating fully in your recreation activities like golf or yoga.  As a result your income needs are likely the same as pre 60. Because you’ve turned age 60 and are retired from the work force, you can now access your super.  And it’s likely that you will turn on an income stream from these savings, given this is the most tax advantageous element of the entire superannuation system. Thus the bulk of your income in the Active Retirement phase will come from superannuation.  But it’s likely you will still have some investment income coming in as a bit of a top-up.  Perhaps this can pay for the annual overseas trip. This Active Retirement phase could be an excellent time to realise any significant capital gains liabilities, for example selling a rental property, as your superannuation is a tax free income source so your total taxable income is likely negligible. The final post age 6o phase is the feet-up phase.  At some point later in life you’re going to have done all of your traveling, and the realities of getting older mean that you slow down.  Expenses tend to reduce, and medical appointments rise. During this phase the bulk of your investment have been used up, and you’re now living on your superannuation.  Depending on your circumstances, an Age Pension may also come into the frame at some point, which will help in prolonging the life of your superannuation savings. Early Retirement for Australians Download An early retirement example So let’s play an early retirement scenario out, so that you can see the how your income need might be meet in each phase. Imagine we first sit down and develop an early retirement plan for you when you are 34.  We work to that plan, refining as we go along, and by age 45, you’ve built up enough assets to be able to quit the high pressure career that has got you to the position you are now in. The first phase is the Transition phase.  You’ve still got great contacts in your profession, and so whilst you want to step back from all the stress and travel of your corporate career, you’ve got an opportunity to do some consulting work for one client for a day a week, and another long-time professional friend has asked if you could do some overflow work for them as it comes up. Your income in the transition phase is therefore generated perhaps 2/3rds from these employment type earnings, and 1/3rd from the dividends from your share portfolio, which until now had been reinvesting all its income. You have an investment property too, but at the moment there is still debt on this, so the rental income goes entirely towards paying down this debt, and meeting the other bills like council rates and maintenance. Further on into your early retirement now and you enter the Investment Income phase.  The rental property has been paid off, freeing up the rental income to further meet your expenses.  The 1 day per week consulting gig has finished, but you’re still getting occasional overflow work from your friend.  Your income split perhaps now flips, to be 1/3rd or perhaps even less from employment type income, and the bulk of your income comes from investments – share dividends, rental property income, and the occasional share sale when a lump sum expense comes up. You reach 60.  You’re in the Active Retirement phase.  You’ve told your friend you don’t wish to do any more overflow work – you don’t have the time!  What with golf 2 days a week, volunteering as the treasurer of the local Rotary club, keeping up with the family, and regular holidays, you’ve got more than enough on your plate. So now you turn on the superannuation income stream.  You’ve sold down most of your share portfolio by now but you still have the rental property so you have income from that in addition to your super. You have a great time during this phase, but by age 74, you’ve had a few health issues and are starting to slow down.  You’re still playing seniors golf on a Friday, but you don’t fancy overseas travel any more and are happy to live a bit quieter life.  You’re in the Feet-up phase. Maybe you sell the investment property around now.  The maintenance is getting a bit of a bother and it’d be nice to have the cash available. Between the proceeds from the sale of the rental property, and your super, you see out your days without a financial worry in the world. So what do you think?  A plan you could work towards.  Early Retirement in Australia is possible and I think many people could imagine living out a scenario something like what I’ve just gone through. The reason most people don’t live that life though is because they never TAKE ACTION.  Don’t let that be you. Don’t forget to visit the financialautonomy.com.au web site to grab the toolkit for this episode, because the glide path diagrams I’ve put together I think will be super useful to you in seeing how you might be able to retire early in Australia. Early Retirement for Australians Download   Important Information: This information is of a general nature only and has been prepared without taking into account your particular financial needs, circumstances and objectives. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information, it is not guaranteed. You should obtain professional advice before acting on the information contained in this publication.

The President addressed the Annual General Meeting of Active Retirement Ireland, the country’s largest community-based organisation for older people.

18-04-2012 Remarks by President Michael D. Higgins at the Active Retirement Network Ireland AGM, Citywest Hotel, Co. Dublin, Wednesday, 18 April 2012

Positive thinking has its limits. To doubt it is not fashionable but is certainly reasonable. Think about all the problems you may have avoided with a little more consideration. You may have retired earlier.

We have become use to flying around in what use to be friendly skies. Traveling by plane isn't what it use to be. It has not only became less enjoyable but now we find out it does a lot of damage to the environment.

Taking a road trip requires some planning. It may be best for all of us to slow down a bit as we set about to enjoy a vacation. It's something to consider. Sometimes less is more and in respect to travel it is absolutely true.

After retirement we are faced with the deciding what to do with the rest of our life. How do we address this question? Are there any guidelines or suggestions? One constant seems to be universal: the desire for happiness. We had best know wherein it lies if we ever hope to find it.

Ever notice how other people sometimes do the most interesting things? We can find examples and inspiration for what makes for a good retirement from others. Sometimes it is our own friends who help illustrate the range of possibilities.