Couples who are nearing their retirement (Third Age, Second Act, Re-fire-ment, Encore, etc.) need to prepare psychologically as well as financially for this new stage. The change in their relationship in this uncharted territory can be similar to when they first married.

The degree of togetherness cannot be assumed. Looking at the goals of the couple in addition to the individuals’ goals need to be communicated with openness and honesty. In fact, it is often the case that each partner has their own idea of how the next stage in life will be played out and that picture of the future can be very different from the other’s view. One might want to spend time traveling the world and the other might want to start a new business. One might want to spend more time with the grandchildren as a family and the other might want to go back to school and earn a degree. One might want to spend time volunteering and pursue a hobby while the other wants to buy a home on a golf course and spend their days without a schedule.

Deciding who will be responsible for the day to day tending of the home may change. The family ’social chairman’ might change.

Deciding how the couple wants their life to look after years raising children and working in the workforce may take some serious discussion. There are many opportunities to explore to make the rest of their married life together meaningful and fulfilling. Unfortunately, there are those who see that they don’t like their life the way it is and rather than changing it within the marriage, they opt to get out of the marriage.
I will talk about how to have the serious discussions in future posts.

Baby Boomer couples have their own set of decisions to make. Often, it is the one who has worked the longest (likely the husband) who is ready to retire. Women who may have been out of the workforce while raising children, or who didn’t enter the workforce until mid-life for other reasons, may see retirement as a far-off option!

My colleague and I are surveying other life coaches who work with baby boomers and our own clients to get a picture of what the current concerns are in baby-boomer couples. If you have some thoughts about choices for baby-boomer couples, feel free to share with me. I’ll post the survey when we complete it.

Everyday I hear of people reinventing themselves. The Today Show had a piece on reinventing one’s self this morning. Here is the link: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/23609264#23609264.

If you have a reinvention story, please send it to me: suzann@suzannokooncoaching.com.

After 8 months, I have made it back to my blog. Hopefully, I will be able to continue this time!

I have a new website! Please take a look! I’m looking forward to speaking more often and this website is a good place to get to know me. It’s a start.