Whether you are planning to retire soon or many years from now, planning is the essential difference between a full life and just scraping by. Fortunately, a handy retirement planning checklist is here to guide you step-by-step through the process of getting your affairs in order. Download it for free right here.
This list can be customized to individual needs. It uses simple, fundamental questions to organize major life events that everyone needs to take care of in order to enjoy a secure retirement.
How to Use the Retirement Planning Checklist
- Fill out the top section with your basic information.
- Answer the questions in each section: Lifestyle, Health, Finances and Legal. The questions are designed to make you think about how you want your retirement to look and stimulate the planning process to take you there.
- Save the retirement planning checklist in a convenient place and update it regularly. It will help keep your planning on track and avoid costly errors and omissions.
Tips On Using the Retirement Planning Checklist
- Research each question thoroughly, consulting with family and the appropriate professionals. The result from top to bottom should be a clear image of what you want your life to look like.
- Treat this as a long-term project. For example, under Finances, the list documents your assets, insurance and estate plans. These may need regular updating to meet your goals.
- Keep your family and friends informed. Proper planning and clear, unambiguous documents will keep the peace and avoid needless squabbles over how to carry out your wishes.
- Save any changes to the retirement planning checklist with the date and time they were made. Back them up both with a computer and on paper, stored in a secure place.
- Keep the documents referenced on the list, including wills and trusts, financial accounts, insurance and medical records, in a safe, accessible place along with the checklist itself.
We make lists for everything in life from groceries to everyday chores. The Retirement Planning Checklist gives you the guidance to organize life itself. Nothing is more important to your future, and this simple, versatile tool helps you plan ahead with confidence.
Download: Retirement Planning Checklist