“A smart woman never retires, she simply reinvents!” ~Katana Abbott
I believe that work is the New Retirement Solution. So do more and more Baby Boomers who are exploring their options. In a recent Gallop Poll, 80% of Baby Boomers approaching retirement expect to continue working after retiring to supplement their pensions, Social Security, and savings; some because they have to, others because they want to! 
The silver lining, according to research, is that people who continue to work during retirement often experience better health than those who don’t work. So long as the work remains low stress, retirees who continue working are less likely to suffer from major diseases such as cancer, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease. They are also less likely to become depressed.
This is great news because I see many people continuing to work by doing something they absolutely love. I call this The New Retirement Solution, and I believe that this new version of retirement will consist of a simpler lifestyle with less consumerism and doing something they are passionate about.
In fact, retirement is often not the problem; it’s getting to retirement that is the issue. With the right planning, retirement can be a time to explore what you love to do, to make a difference, and to have an opportunity to focus on your health, family, and friends! The key is to plan as early as possible.
This month we are exploring how to prepare for a fabulous retirement by thinking outside the box. Women I talk to today would love to turn their vocation into a vacation so that work is optional and retirement is affordable.
Women often face challenges like caregiving, small savings, college debt for themselves or their children, and they are not sure how to proceed. Many women are also exploring the option of moving overseas where the cost of living or access to health care may be less. We will be addressing these issues and more on our radio shows this month.
In our first show, special guest host, Chris Lewandowski-Freer will be interviewing me about how to know when you can retire, how much you will need, and creative solutions for meeting retirement income shortages that may surprise you!
If you are interested in living abroad and navigating your options, then you won’t want to miss our second show, when I interview world traveler, former caregiver, and author, Ann Hoffman, author of The Happy Expat. Ann has visited 30 countries, she found an innovative care solutions while caring for her mother, and today she is living joyfully in Mexico!
If you want to explore your options for a fabulous, workable and meaningful retirement, be sure to join us for both shows, either live or from your favorite podcast venue!
Katana Abbott, CFP®, is a Retirement Coach, founder of the Smart Women Companies, and the host Smart Women Talk Radio with over a million subscribers. For over 30 years, Katana has shown women how to take charge of their life and finances and believes it’s never too early to plan for expected and unexpected events like retirement, encore careers, moving abroad, or preparing for long-term care. She has written several books, created a financial literacy course, and is a popular speaker. Katana has been honored by NAWBO as one of Detroit’s Top 10 Business Women, receiving the Breakthrough Award. To download her new ebook, The Five Biggest Money Mistakes Women Make and How to Fix Them, visit www.katanaabbott.com