ARE YOU READY? 3 THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE ACCEPTING EARLY RETIREMENT
Perhaps you anticipate retiring in the next few years — or even less than a year — but a request by your employer to take early retirement can leave you with more questions than excitement. Before you agree to or reject the offer, consider these factors. IS THE OFFER GOOD? Companies often offer customary perks as part of early retirement. Our friends at Investopedia write that these usually include one week’s worth of pay for every year the employee has worked with
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the company and gap insurance coverage options until the employee hits Medicare enrollment age. This can be a great option, but it may not be the right choice for everyone. Let’s say you have worked for your company for less than 10 years, and you are still 5–7 years from Medicare enrollment age. You would only get 10 weeks of pay before that well runs dry, and you have at least half a decade of gap insurance to pay for before Medicare kicks in. This may make the offer less appealing than it would for an employee who has worked at a company for 20 years and has two years to go until Medicare’s enrollment age. Consider your situation and negotiate if you can. COULD YOU RETIRE TOMORROW — COMFORTABLY? Some pre-retirees could retire much earlier than their plan dictates and still lead a comfortable life. If that’s you, early retirement might not be out of the question. But for others, early retirement could throw a serious wrench into their plans. Saving for retirement isn’t an exact science, but planning prepares you for future highs and lows. If your plan still needs time to mature and grow, it may not be your time just yet. ARE YOU READY? Do you love your job? Is it starting to exhaust you? Is there another job you’d like to try? Do you have retirement options and lifestyle plans? These are all very important questions to consider as you weigh the possibility of retiring early. Consider what you will do in retirement — this might include finding another job if it fits into your plan — before agreeing to early retirement. You may regret retiring if you do so without a plan or if you feel like you can do more career-wise. The good news is you have options. If you’re considering early retirement, contact our team at Patriot Wealth today. We can guide you through your various options.
Skip the can-shaped cranberry sauce this year and bring a jar of homemade sauce to Thanksgiving instead. This easy recipe can be made ahead of the big event and keeps for 10 days in the fridge. ZESTY ORANGE CRANBERRY SAUCE
INGREDIENTS
• 1/2 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed • 1/2 cup water • 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
• 12 oz fresh cranberries • 2 tsp orange zest • Salt to taste
1. In a medium saucepan, heat the orange juice, water, and sugar to a boil. Add other ingredients, then bring mixture back to boiling. 2. Reduce the heat to medium and cook gently for 10–12 minutes, until the cranberries burst. 3. Transfer the sauce to a bowl or jar, cover, and refrigerate until serving. DIRECTIONS
Inspired by OnceUponAChef.com
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