The Goal-den Years

Most of us share a dream of a great retirement with few stresses related to finances and the freedom to enjoy friendships, places and activities we have missed during our working years. While this sounds idyllic, in reality retirement has its own “seasons,” and each brings its own challenges. Planning for those seasons is critical to a successful and enjoyable retirement experience — one which can last 30 years or more.

When you retire, and regularly thereafter, you should review your estate plan to make sure that it will continue to fulfill your intentions. Often, as people draw down multiple retirement or other accounts, the portion of their estate going to certain beneficiaries changes as assets are spent. The result may be unintentionally leaving a larger or smaller portion of an estate to certain beneficiaries. Regular periodic reviews of your beneficiary designations and will — along with a snapshot of the underlying assets and resultant payouts — can ensure that you are leaving proportions you intend to those you care about.