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Retirement opens up the time to try new things. The question is what to do with that time. Gardening in retirement has become one of the most popular answers, and for good reason. It gets you outside, gives you something to tend to each day, and produces results you can see. And in the case of a vegetable garden, eat.
Transitioning from a lifelong career into retirement is exciting. It can also be disorienting. The structure, schedule, and sense of purpose that once shaped your days are suddenly gone, replaced by open time that doesn’t always feel as freeing as expected. Without something to anchor it, that freedom can quickly turn into a lack of direction. So the question becomes: what will take its place? For a growing number of retirees, the answer starts with adopting a dog.
Stay ahead of the markets with timely insights by uncovering the latest on the global economy, geopolitics and retirement, among other timely investment ideas - Student of the Market - June 2026
Many seniors head into retirement dreaming about an "endless vacation."
But if you're retiring around age 65, you're hopefully looking at 20 or 30 years of retirement.
That's more than a vacation. It's an entire third act of your life.
And we all know that no matter how great a vacation is, when it's over, we're ready to go back home, back to our normal routines, back to our friends and family, back to ...
Work?
Let's discuss how redefining what work means in retirement can be more fulfilling than stopping work altogether.
As Life-Centered Financial Planners, we always want your finances to bring a smile to your face.
But for most seniors, it's your spending that's going to "smile" as you age through the Go-Go, the Slow-Go, and the No-Go years of retirement.
That's because spending, like life, doesn't progress in a straight line. At every stage of retirement, your needs are going to change, your goals are going to change, and your perspective on the future is going to change. It's important that you have a spending plan that's capable of supporting you today while also preserving your long-term financial security.
And it's also important that you avoid two potential pitfalls of the spending smile: spending too much too early in retirement or being too afraid to spend and really enjoy your retirement every step of the way.
Here's what to expect from the three stages of retirement and some tips on how to keep "smiling" across your whole Lifeline.
When parents begin teaching their children about money, they often focus on the mechanics. Counting coins and cash. Earning money through chores and part-time work. How to open accounts and what different accounts are for. The magic of compounding interest. Budgeting and saving for purchases.
But understanding how money works will only take your child so far. Kids also need to understand the correlation between the actions they take with money and resulting outcomes. They need to believe that they are in charge of their money, not the government, the markets, or turmoil on the other side of the world.
Here’s why self-efficacy should be a bigger part of your money conversations with your kids.
You have a first meeting with a new financial advisor, congrats! You’re taking an essential step in forging a path to financial confidence and clarity. But this is more than just a casual chat; it’s a critical conversation to determine if this professional is the right fit for you. You’ll need to equip yourself with the right questions, clarify your goals, and more.
What would it be like to be ultra-wealthy? Would it mean homes in Hawaii and Paris? Do you envision sailing a luxury yacht across the Mediterranean? What about chartering a trip to space? While it’s fun to imagine, this isn’t the reality for most of us.
You might have heard the term “Ultra High Net Worth” (UHNW) before. It’s a term for those who have north of $30 million in net worth. There are currently 142,990 UHNW individuals in North America1 out of 369 million in total2. That’s less than one-tenth of 1% (.03% to be exact).
There simply aren’t that many people flying private, sitting front row at sporting events, or buying private islands…contrary to what we see on TV or in social media. So why do we sometimes feel the desire for more, even though we’re doing just fine financially?
The mindset of accumulating wealth is deeply ingrained in most of our psyches. It’s important in the sense that we all have goals and want to retire comfortably, but it can be dangerous in its extremes. Let’s take a moment to understand some of the psychology behind why this happens:
Understanding your money values helps to ensure that your financial decisions align with what matters most to you and your family. These values serve as a foundation for making consistent, purpose-driven choices, while reducing financial stress and potential arguments.
For instance, prioritizing education might mean setting aside funds for college rather than opting for an extravagant vacation. It’s not that you wouldn’t vacation, family memories are important too, but opting for something in-state may align better with your family’s goals than taking three weeks in Bali.
Let’s get practical and discuss some steps to help arrive at meaningful goals as a family. We think you’ll find the exercise itself to be rewarding and insightful.
