I've finished blogging about the main text of the book. Of course I've left out a few things that you'll want to read in the book itself-- the chapter checklists, the personal stories, and other goodies. Impact Publications says that the book should show up at Amazon.com in May and in the exchange bookstores by ...
There's nothing wrong with seeking your avocation by trying different types of work or volunteering. But you can simply enjoy "not working" for the rest of your life! You've earned your retirement, and you have no further obligation to society beyond living a fulfilling life that does no harm. Working and ...
I've spent most of the last five months posting chapter excerpts of "The Military Guide". This post starts the last of the book's chapters. It could also mark the end of the retirement fairy tale: "And they all lived happily ever after." Right? Not so fast. If you retire in your 40s then your age demographic can ...
Now that you're enjoying a stimulating retirement and exploring new horizons, what about "back to school"? A surprising number of retirees seek out the classroom, especially if they feel obligated to extract every penny from their GI Bill benefits. Some see school as an opportunity to make up for lost time: the ...
You might have joined the military to see the world, but now you can do it all over again at your own pace. Vacation travel is expensive on a fixed schedule for short times at destination resorts. However, retirement travel and the "perpetual travel" lifestyle can exploit seasonal prices with longer stays. ...
Now that you're taking better care of yourself, it's time to have fun with it. While you're designing an improved lifestyle for yourself you can also get a life. It bears repeating: retirement means that you're responsible for your own entertainment. This is especially true if you happen to have retired at a more ...
Now that you're financially independent with more control over your time, it would be a shame if this "retiree duty" ended early from negligence. One of your new goals should be to maximize your longevity! Turn that goal into a plan and execute it. After years of denial and deferred gratification, it's tempting to ...
The first post of this series talked about small financial steps to take during the first few months of retirement. We'll close by considering how to handle your tax-deferred investments in the Thrift Savings Plan and what other adjustments you may want to make to your investments. When you leave the ...
When you're planning and saving for early retirement, your ER budget is only an estimate of your ER spending. It may be a very good estimate, and you'll adjust it as you get closer to retirement, but only when you're retired will you finally know what you're really spending. It's natural to keep a wary eye on ...
As you blissfully go about your daily retiree routine, you'll be blindsided by an epiphany: "Gosh, I could do THAT job!" The realization could be triggered by anything-- a clerk's fumbling efforts at the home-improvement store, a chance encounter with a battle buddy, a news item about an old wingman, or a job ...
We're military veterans, not financial advisors. We're trying to share what we've learned and to pay it forward – but you have to make your own decisions.
What worked for us will probably work for you, but unfortunately, we can’t guarantee it. Let us know if something’s not working for you, and we’ll try to figure out a better way... Continue Reading...
Doug Nordman