June 15, 2017

If you are not saving enough for your retirement, then you might want to consider adjusting your health and exercise habits to allow you to work longer. A new study from the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies identified that 39% of people globally who retired earlier than they expected, 29% of them did so for health-related reasons. In the United States alone, 61% of retirees left their jobs sooner than planned and this was the highest rate around the world. 

A person in poor health was more likely to plan to work to age 70 or beyond and never retire when compared with those in excellent health. Although there is no guarantee that you’ll be able to work for as long as you intend to make up for retirement savings shortfalls, keeping yourself healthy is one of the best bets for continued employment. This certainly gives you the most opportunities to determine how long you wish to stay in the workplace. Only 58% of the respondents in this survey reported eating healthily and just over half reported avoiding negative behaviors like smoking or drinking too much.

You can reap numerous benefits for maintaining good health in the decades that are leading up to retirement. Taking care of yourself reduces your healthcare expenses and allows you to invest this in retirement to make up for a savings shortfall, and your retirement healthcare costs will be decreased. Consulting with an experienced estate planning attorney is strongly recommended if you are approaching retirement.