The retirement conversations couples often avoid
Retirement is a relationship transition too.
Ad - before we start, a quick promo for our upcoming Epic Retirement UK Flagship Course kicking off in a week. Get your booking in and kick off your Welcome module now in advance of the full launch next Thursday!
Book your place on the Epic Retirement UK Flagship Course
The How to Have an Epic Retirement 6-week Flagship Course is the only course available that’s independent, comprehensive and tells you the truth about all your retirement choices. More on the program at the bottom of the email. Or simply download a brochure here.
AND we’re giving away 5 seats on the course, to our UK social community. All you have to do is follow our Epic Retirement UK Facebook page here and comment on our posts. We’ll be in touch via your social media inbox.
The retirement conversations couples often avoid
One of the most interesting things I’ve noticed about retirement planning is this: In many couples, one person is usually more ready to think about retirement than the other.
One person is curious. Planning ahead. Wondering what the next stage of life might look like.
The other is often still deeply focused on work… or quietly hoping retirement will somehow just “sort itself out” later.
While this is incredibly normal, it can also create tension if couples never properly talk about what they each want from the years ahead.
Because retirement isn’t just a financial transition, it’s a relationship transition too.
Suddenly you may be spending more time together than you have in decades. On top of that, your routines change. Your independence changes. Your priorities can shift. And sometimes, couples discover they’ve been imagining very different versions of retirement altogether.
For example, you might dream of travel and adventure, and your partner might want stability at home. Or perhaps you have decided it’s time to slow down and give up work for good, but your partner might want to start volunteer, study, or work part-time.
And neither person is wrong. But these conversations matter more than people realise.
I often say that one of the greatest gifts couples can give each other before retirement is not a perfect financial plan. It’s clarity.
Clarity about:
what matters most
how you want to spend your time
how much freedom you each need
where you want to live
what role family plays
what a meaningful life actually looks like for both of you
One small exercise I encourage couples to try is this:
Ask each other:
“What does a really great week look like for you in retirement?”
Not the fantasy version. The ordinary version.
Where are you waking up?
How are you spending your days?
What would make you feel energised, connected, fulfilled and balanced?
You might be surprised by how different - or how similar - your answers are.
And that’s exactly why these conversations are so valuable. It will help you build be on the same page and approach retirement as a team.
Join us for our very first UK course
After helping thousands of Australians through the How to Have an Epic Retirement program over the past two years, we’re now bringing the course to the UK for the very first time.
It’s hosted by me, Bec Wilson and UK Actuary and Retirement Coach, Charlotte Gibson - so you’ll get some really useful learnings from both of us plus there’s three live Q&As over the program, with guests include: Dan Haylett, Financial Adviser and Author and Neil Jones, Retirement Expert from Standard Life.
This isn’t a webinar. It’s a proper program, done together, over six weeks and it starts on the 28th May. The course is designed to give you the confidence and practical know-how to plan your retirement properly. It’s not generic advice. It’s a program built from the ground up for the UK – the State Pension, workplace pensions, ISAs, finding purpose, happiness, looking after your health, traveling in retirement, building plans, goals and so much more.
Plus, the pilot pricing is the cheapest it will ever be - and you can share the one ticket with your partner (in fact, we encourage couples to do it together). It’s designed to help people start talking about retirement differently, not just through the lens of money, but through lifestyle, relationships, purpose, health and the future you’re building together.
Included in the program:
6 weeks/ 100 video lessons organised in 14 modules
Exercises in every module, making it easy to digest
A Conversation Starter workbook to accompany your learning
A copy of How to Have an Epic Retirement - UK - ebook edition
3 Live Q&As with some of the UK’s best retirement experts.
Or if you’re ready, you can book your spot here before registrations close.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out with your questions to bec@epicretirement.net
Cheers - let’s make it epic!
P.S. Don’t forget - to celebrate the launch of the UK Course, we’re also giving away 5 free seats in the program. To go into the draw, simply give our Epic Retirement UK Facebook page a like and follow along.
Author, podcast host, columnist, retirement educator, and guest speaker