Call it morbid. Call it market research. Call it whatever you want.
But I have noticed something in nearly every memoir and almost every late-in-life interview I come across. When people look back, they rarely wish they had earned more money or saved a little harder. They wish they had spent more time with the people they loved.
They wish they hadn't skipped the family reunion everyone talked about planning for years, the one that didn't actually happen until grandma was already in the hospital. They wish they had taken the grandkids on that shopping spree to the Dollar Tree. Not for the money. For the faces. For the look in a child's eyes standing in front of what feels like infinite possibility.
The Trap of Someday
It is always the moments we think we can do later. And then later becomes too late, and too late becomes never.
Don't miss the opportunities. Don't wait. Don't let your budget stand in the way of what really matters.
You can always make more money. You cannot make more time. It is a line I use almost every day, because it is the truest thing I know about this work.
More Than an Income Plan
This is why I believe so strongly in what we do. We don't just build income plans.
We give our clients the clarity and confidence they need to sleep easy at night. To take the trip. To call their kids and take them to dinner. To get on that plane and see the grandkids on a Wednesday afternoon, for no reason at all except that they miss them.
We plan for real life. Not growth. Not ridiculous returns. Life. The actual life you want to live, while you still can.
How do you know if you can afford to stop waiting?
You sit down with someone and get an honest answer to one question: will I be okay if I actually spend this? Most people who hesitate are not being foolish. They simply have never had anyone tell them plainly that the trip is on the table.
So if you need someone to tell you it's okay, let us be that someone. Bring your accounts and take an hour with one of our advisors. We will tell you plain and simple, no jargon and no pressure, whether you are in a position to go live the life you have been putting off. An honest second opinion from professionals who have been helping people sleep easier at night for more than 25 years. That is all it is. From the conversations our advisors have every week, that one hour is often what finally gives someone permission to go.
And for more people than you would think, the answer is yes. If it is yours, then stop waiting. Go.
I'm Taking My Own Advice
My whole family is headed out on a trip together soon. My mom and dad. My sister, her husband, and their brand new daughter. My wife, my daughter, and our new son. Even a family friend we could not imagine life without. Three generations, ten days, all of us together. Planned, booked, and we are going.
It is going to be amazing. And we are not waiting for a better year to do it.
Neither should you.
Easy Eddie's Take
Here's what I tell folks. The reason so many people who can clearly afford to enjoy retirement still won't spend a dime is simple. Nobody ever built them a real retirement income plan. They've got a pile of money and a pile of worry, and the worry wins every time.
A good retirement income plan answers the one question that keeps you up at night: how much can I safely spend in retirement without running out of money? Once you know that number, the trip stops feeling reckless and starts feeling like the plan working exactly the way it's supposed to. That is the whole difference between hoping you'll be okay and knowing it.
So if you're sitting on retirement savings but you're still afraid to touch them, get a second opinion on your retirement plan. Bring your accounts, spend an hour with one of our advisors, and we'll tell you plain and simple whether you're in good shape to go live your life. No cost to you, no pressure. After more than 25 years of helping people plan retirement income, I can tell you this: the folks who sleep best at night aren't the ones with the most money. They're the ones with a plan they trust.
Disclaimer: The information in this article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or investment advice. Tax laws change frequently, and individual circumstances vary. American Retirement Advisors does not provide tax or legal services. Before making any tax-related decisions, consult a qualified CPA, tax attorney, or financial planner who can evaluate your specific situation.