We applaud couples who stay married for 40 and 50 and more years, but very few marriages fulfil the fairy-tale dream they may have started out with. Couples counsellor Paul Bogacs talks about complications that can come as couples age.
Transitioning into retirement isn’t always easy and for couples it can be even harder. Couples counsellor Paul Bogacs talks about how couples can best work through the issues they may face. As you’ll discover, working together can make a big difference.
I retired more than four years ago. I was well-prepared (having completed the first draft of my book, Retirement Ready? helped). But there were still surprises and issues to address.
Being part of a couple adds complexity to retirement planning. And this complexity needs to be worked through. I was reminded of that recently when John and Beverley were in my office for their regular review.
Almost a quarter of Australians are forced to retire. There are three main reasons: loss of work, and not being able to find another job; personal health issues; or becoming a personal carer—usually for a family member. So, if this is you, what can you do? Here are 5 strategies that will help you take charge of your situation.
Would you, should you retire interstate? In Australia, it seemed that in the 1970s there were many ‘southerners’ (particularly from Victoria) travelling up the Newell Highway in record numbers to live in Queensland. Now Tasmania may become the ‘Florida’ of Australia. The Apple Isle is likely to attract many who want to retire there.
I’m no expert on marriage, but I’ve been talking to some marriage counsellors about the pressures retirement puts on marriage. I’ve learned a few things about the problems retirement can bring.
The happily ever after isn’t happening for many couples approaching retirement, and it may seem that the easy thing to do is give up. But couples should count the cost before making that decision.
You don’t do retirement alone if you’re part of a couple. I spoke to marriage therapist Bryan Craig about couples preparing for retirement and he suggested there are three areas that can be worked on to help create a satisfying, happy relationship.
By far the most-commented-on chapter in my book Retirement Ready? is ‘Let’s talk about sex’. I’ve been surprised by this response. It seems like it was an unexpected topic. And yet sex is a normal, natural and healthy part of a couple’s relationship—at whatever age.