The Retirement Journey
Fogg’s journey starts as a life-changing wager for £20,000 (over £2million in today’s money) that he could travel around the world in eighty days or less. His fellow Reform Club members take the wager, claiming; “It can’t be done!” and Fogg sets off.
On the way he has many ups and downs, getting into a flurry of scrapes and adventures, including rescuing an Indian woman from certain death, saving his companion from marauding, bloodthirsty warriors and missing his steamer back to the UK on the last leg of his trip. Sometimes, he doubted he would make it but manages the feat, walking back into the Reform Club a winner – just in time.
But, looked at in another way, Fogg’s voyage is a narrative of our journey through life. Along the way there’s triumph and disaster, things come along and distract attention from the goal but ultimately, we’re all working towards achieving enough money for a happy retirement – the period in life we get to do the things we’ve always wanted.
However, everyone’s different here and this could include anything from: pottering in the garden to a Fogg-like round the world trip, it really is up to you.
It’s simply your reward for all the work you’ve put in building savings and pension pots over the years.
But, as with Fogg, many of us don’t do it alone. Fogg had Jean Passepartout as his valet and traveling companion to help guide him, and that’s what your Financial Planner is – your own Passepartout, there to help you move from a working life to the retirement lifestyle you’ve always wanted.
Despite the help, Fogg initially thought he’d lost the wager and was destined to live in poverty. You may feel the same about retirement, but like Fogg, it could be you already have what you need and don’t know it.
Fogg’s journey was all about saving as much time as possible, your working journey has been about building for retirement. As you approach the next stage and get ready to move to the future – it’s the life equivalent of being about to enter the Reform Club triumphant.
It can be daunting, and like Fogg, you may have doubts – wondering things like:
What next?
Can I retire early at age 55?
Will I have enough to retire?
Will I always have enough?
Your Financial Planner (or Passepartout) is there to help navigate this final step to getting the lifestyle you want. They’ll show you why it’s important to focus on what you’d really like to do in retirement, then work out how you can use your assets (things like your pensions, savings and investments) to get it.
They might ask things like:
What do you really want to do in retirement?
What does enough money look like?
Enough money for what?
Just as Fogg’s life after his mad-dash expedition was different (enjoying life with his winnings and the Indian woman he saved) so will your retirement be different to your working life.
But the prospect of change doesn’t mean it’s something to fear, in fact it should be the time you get to celebrate and enjoy what you’ve earned.
Retirement ultimately, is simply a different kind of journey – one where you get time to do all the things you’ve been too busy for during your working life.
It’s about uncovering the things you love to do and letting us help you get them.
It’s about making the most of your time.
Let’s find out what your retirement lifestyle looks like.
We’ll wager you’ll be pleasantly surprised what you discover.
Call our Stockton Planning Rooms on 01642 52 55 11 to get started.
Joslin Rhodes are Independent Financial Advisers specialising in pension advice and retirement planning, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), we have the additional permissions and hold the Gold Standard award for advising on Defined Benefit and final salary pension transfers.
