Some retirement and relationships don’t mix

Retirement may have negative impacts on your marriage or relationships.

In a study conducted by the Skipton Building Society, 660 individuals still in relationships during retirement were polled. The findings were rather shocking!

For example, 8 out of 10 respondents reported that they don’t share any hobbies or interests with their significant other. One in five respondents reported bickering about a lack of income. The most shocking finding was in 10 retirees. Out of 10, 4 retirees admitted they needed to learn how to live with their significant other again. A third of these participants reported spending most of their time arguing and 13{bc669dfb3651bb8509a96034cbe7494d3a811fc0eedf0ddccb239fb9cb737439} reported irritating one another.

Why Routine Changes Spell Bad News

One reason for this may be a change in routine of your plans for retirement and relationships.

For many couples – especially those in which both parties worked – the transition from their previous routine to spending so much time with one another is a rough one. And, when you think about it, it makes sense. When you spend a few decades working and in a routine, breaking out of that routine could be rocky.

A  lot of retirees have trouble adjusting to their new schedules. They often feel depressed due to the lack of regular social interaction provided by the workplace. Additionally, most retirees are empty-nesters, with no children to care for. So the question of how to spend free time that was once devoted to work, personal hobbies and children is also one that puts stress on relationships. A toll that resulted in 29{bc669dfb3651bb8509a96034cbe7494d3a811fc0eedf0ddccb239fb9cb737439} of retirees, polled a report that they had more expectations about retirement.

This study also found that a quarter of individuals participating in the survey. Usually find managing their relationships in their post-retired years difficult.

When these relationship insecurities are combined with money woes – which are often at the heart of relationship problems –  retirement is a powderkeg for marriage strain. There will be rising costs of living and no income stream. So, you need to make sure you are on the same page as your spouse to keep everything balanced. 

The good news about this is that the rocky times aren’t usually permanent. A survey reported that 9 out of 10 couples believe they will eventually settle into a happy retirement. With the average age of divorce hovering around 30, retired couples likely won’t find themselves in serious trouble during this rocky transition.

How To Beat The “Retirement Slump”

The best way to beat this rocky transition into retirement is to plan ahead.

Your retirement plan should be laid out before you reach retirement age. You already know how important it is to lay out a budget. One of the keys toretirement is to plan how you are going to spend your time once you’ve retired.

This includes how your spouse is going to fit into your retirement schedule. It may sound odd, but retiring is almost like re-learning how to be married. It is important to make sure that you schedule time to spend with each other as well as time to yourselves. Try exploring new hobbies together or easing into your retirement schedule by keeping things as close to pre-retirement schedule as possible.

You should also schedule time for yourself. Hobbies and activities are important in retirement. So get out and get active! Making friends with other retired couples could also help you ease the initial rocky transition to retirement.

Creating and maintaining an organized schedule during your retired years is incredibly important. Most individuals neglect this aspect because it seems counter-intuitive. You’ve spent your whole life working and adhering to a schedule and now is time to take it easy. The problem is that “taking it easy” doesn’t mean that you should lose structure and balance in your life, which is why most retirees don’t realize that a schedule is important during leisure years.

If financial woes are burdening your relationship during retirement. Then you should consider picking up a part time job or another source of income, such as freelancing. If you foresee financial woes prior to retirement, you should sit down and discuss your financial plan with your spouse/partner and a financial planner.

How Should Your Retirement and Relationship Look?

Your retirement picture should, ultimately, be something you and your spouse paint together. Having more time to spend with one another may be a difficult adjustment at first but it’s important to remember that you love one another. It may not be easy in the beginning, but sometimes you have to go back to your beginning before you can really enjoy retirement.

Where did you and your spouse picture yourselves all those years ago? It’s important to take time to appreciate how far you’ve come together. Relax and enjoy these years ahead of you! With a good financial plan and some problem-solving skills, your transition into retirement doesn’t have to be rocky.