There are a lot things you and your partner need to consider before you can retire. Max has some advice on what you can do to prepare.
Dear Max,
My partner & I have lived together for 32 years, we’ve been in business together for 20.
We are carers now for my handicapped sister who has lived with us since my parents died (she has Down’s Syndrome.)
He wants to retire & I’m not ready, he’s 61 & I’m 57. I can’t face the thought of being alone together 24/7.
But I don’t want to be an employer again as staff difficulties are why he came to work with me in the business in the first place.
However I can’t run the business alone.
What do we do?
-Spencer
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Dear Spencer,
You need to sit down with your partner and write down all the different choices you have.
Write down what you want and write down what he wants.
Remember that to retire you need money and also piece of mind.
So try to come out with the best plan you both can handle.
Ask yourself the following questions:
- What am I going to do when I retire?
- What are my new goals in life?
- Do I have enough money to retire?
- Will I feel productive doing nothing all day?
The truth is that most people can’t wait until they retire, but when they do, they can’t wait to start working again to feel productive.
So try to pick the best choices for both of you and be realistic.
Good luck!
Related: Elton John – A symphony of love
PS! Gay pop icon Elton John has no plans to retire from show business entirely but said last year that he is retiring from live performance because he wants to spend as much time as possible with his kids.
Gay actor George Takei on the other hand has said that he finds the word retirement offensive…