Dear Readers,
Last month I listened to an Apple News In Conversation podcast featuring an interview with Steve Lopez, author of Independence Day: What I Learned About Retirement From Some Who’ve Done It and Some Who Never Will.
In his mid-60s and considering retirement for himself, Lopez, an L.A. Times columnist, interviewed a wide array of people—a priest, a rabbi, a couple of famous comedians, as well as plenty of non-famous folks—seeking advice on becoming a retiree.
Norman Lear told Lopez he will never retire. “Life,” he says, “is about swinging in a hammock…if something gets you out of the hammock, that’s all you need.”
At 96, Mel Brooks, who also says he’s not retiring, suggested Lopez work part time so that “you get to do what you love to do, and you get to find out if there’s something else you might love just as much.” In other words, don’t make a drastic change without first trying it on.
Lopez also spoke with people who are traveling around the world on sailboats, and others whose finances didn’t work out as hoped and are now working shifts in big box stores.
What I learned from the podcast is pretty basic…there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to retirement.
Stephanie Adler Calliott, Bernie Mayer, and Ed Karotkin—three people with different working professions (finance, social work, physician)—share in this section what their retirement lives are like. One thing they have in common: they are happy with their decisions! The interviews begin on page 20.
Investing and planning for retirement are crucial to eliminating the “Am I going to run out of money?” concern. Jeff Chernitzer, a personal financial specialist, offers some general advice, including questions everyone considering retirement should ask themselves. Page 18.
Of course, there’s more, including an interview with Sandee Lefcoe, who at nearly 80, just created an online puzzle/word game.
Whether you’re retired, thinking about it, or just starting your career, we hope you find this section interesting and inspiring. And even though you might enjoy lazy days swinging in your hammock, we hope you also find an exceptional reason to get out of it.
Terri Denison
Editor