I’m 40 and Anxiously Planning for Retirement—Will I Regret It at 60?

A lot of people worry about what retirement will look like from a financial standpoint. And that’s understandable.

It can be very daunting to go from earning a full-time paycheck to suddenly having to live off of savings. And retirement can also introduce a host of expenses, like healthcare, that you may not have dealt with earlier in life.

In this Reddit post, we have someone who’s 40 years old and is looking to retire at 60. But they’re not necessarily worried about not having enough money to end their career at 60. Rather, their concern is not being healthy enough at 60.

It’s a valid concern. But the poster should take steps to address it now — not later.

The importance of taking care of your health

A lot of people push themselves to work stressful jobs, and their health ends up taking a toll. The poster here doesn’t talk about their job or its impact on their health. But they do bring up the concern that they’ll have less energy to do things at 60.

It’s clear that the poster has doubts about their future health and is worried they don’t be able to enjoy retirement to the fullest. At the same time, they can’t ditch work now and do things like travel because they have young children.

What the poster should do, in that case, is focus on their health starting now. The poster doesn’t say what shape they’re in. But it would be a good idea for the poster to start pursuing healthy habits immediately that could lend to better health later in life. These include, but aren’t limited to:

• Minimizing stress as much as possible
• Getting plenty of sleep
• Being current on health screenings and physicals
• Eating a balanced diet
• Doing some amount of exercise each week

If the poster gets into these habits now, it could set them up for stronger health once retirement rolls around.

Get help with the financial end of things, too

While the poster’s concerns seem primarily health-related, it’s also a good idea for them to get a financial checkup — especially since they do want to retire on the early side.

Granted, 60 isn’t unreasonably young in the context of retirement. But even though they’re concerned about their health, they have to plan for longevity, just in case. So they should talk to a financial advisor to make sure their savings are on the right track, and that their investments are optimized for long-term success.

A financial advisor can also help the poster work through their health concerns in different ways. An advisor might suggest life insurance to protect the poster’s children. Or, they might prepare the poster for having to buy long-term care insurance during their 50s. An advisor can also share what healthcare costs tend to look like in retirement so the poster can plan appropriately.

Health matters, as they relate to finances, are an important thing to think about. So it’s a good idea for the poster to consult someone who understands the ins and outs of financial planning.