The 9 Best Retirement Articles on Medium
I need one more for a Top-10 list. Send me yours!
You and I care passionately about reading and writing, otherwise we wouldn’t be here right now. We voraciously consume books, articles, magazines, and we love to scribble down our thoughts and babble about them to everyone we meet.
But you rarely think about retirement.
Why do suppose that is?
It could be because it’s so far in the future, too far out of reach. Maybe you love your job and think you’ll never retire, or more likely it’s too painful to think about because you don’t have any savings or a plan and you can’t afford it and you’ll probably die while you’re working at your desk in your underwear and your puffy bunny slippers.
Well, you will retire one day, and the articles below will help you understand the joy of unshackled freedom, warn you of the risks and pitfalls, and methodically prepare you to make your retirement the best it can be. One of them will bring tears to your eyes.
You won’t have time to read all of these articles right now, so bookmark this post so you can come back when you can. These lessons and stories are absolutely worth your time.
Retirement Matters!
If you know me, you know that I’m a maniac about researching and planning for retirement. I’ve been standing on this soapbox for several years now and will be enjoying a fulfilling life-after-work in a year or so.
I respect Medium because it doesn’t allow advertising. It is reader/writer supported only, so the content is bias-free. Search for retirement on Google and you’ll get 859,000,000 results, most of which want to sell you something.
So, I scoured Medium to find the best of the best retirement articles, and I know you’ll find them helpful and entertaining. Send me a message if you find others that resonate, and I’ll update this from time to time.
First, a little nit:
This was a surprising amount of work because Medium doesn’t curate the “Retirement” tag, so writers don’t always use it with their articles. I had to search through dozens of related tags, publications, and writers to arrive at the list below. There are 45,000,000 retirees in the U.S. alone, all with plenty of time to read— Medium should curate that tag.
The 9 Top Retirement Articles on Medium (in random order)
You’ll Retire 3 Times in Your Life
Nicklas Göke, September 28, 2020
Tags: Retirement, Money, Society, Work, Career Advice
Synopsis: Retirement may seem like a long way off and thus unimportant for now. It’s not! There are events in your life that are as transformational as a conventional retirement. It helps to explore those to better understand the urgency and importance of the final phase of your life.
Brian Feutz’ review: I like this because it’s a radically different, thought-provoking way to frame the need for retirement planning today, not tomorrow. It will give you pause to consider the impact of dramatic changes you’ve experienced in your life.
Favorite quote: “Money works in opposition to retirement: If you overindulge today, you’ll automatically sacrifice tomorrow. Live below your means, and you’ll never spend your days working to pay off bills for things you don’t need. Have the discipline to own today, and you’ll also own tomorrow.”
A Snapshot of Millennial Retirement
Patrick Allan, January 24, 2019
Tags: Retirement, Future, Millennials, Planning, 2069
Synopsis: Speaking directly to a young audience, Patrick lays out what could be a horror story, but is really an honest projection of what their future retirement could become. Social Security, climate change, healthcare, finances — it’s all there. Along with some valuable tips.
Brian Feutz’ review: Plenty of people write retirement articles about millennials but few people write to them. This is a crisp manifesto that speaks directly to the younger generation, without condescension, arrogance, or preaching. It’s entertaining, helpful, and relevant to a group that most retirement experts avoid (because they don’t have much money to invest).
Favorite quote: “…it’s easy to imagine that by the time the millennial generation hits retirement age, we’ll all be living in some sci-fi realm where health care is less complicated and robots take care of the elderly. But in the real world, enjoying your golden years requires careful planning long before you reach them.”
How To Make Enough Money to Retire in the Next 5 Years
Tim Denning, September 22, 2020
Tags: Money, Self, Entrepreneurship, Business, Relationships
Synopsis: Tim is a popular writer from down under. In this article, he challenges the reader to rethink the stereotypical retirement dogma and take some uncomfortable steps as you position yourself for success in retirement.
Brian Feutz’ review: I like this article because it made me uneasy enough to break out of my everyday template. Even if I don’t try all his crazy suggestions, I’m better positioned for a solid retirement strategy because of the visceral impact they had on me. I don’t completely agree with the value of rule #4, but many of you reading this will relate.
Favorite quote: “Face your inner demons.”
The retirement of an IBM legend — Bob Picciano — and a blueprint for true leadership
Paul Zikopoulos, July 1, 2020
Tags: Retirement, Leadership, IBM
Synopsis: This is far from a conventional retirement article. It’s more of a tribute to a man who was an inspiration and mentor to many — for over 35 years at the same company. Sometimes the best retirement lessons come from observation and study, and Paul has painted a detailed and realistic portrait of Bob Picciano for us to admire.
Brian Feutz’ review: This article has a fascinating subplot of science and technology and the writing is emotive and approachable. But what really sucked me in was the immutable reverence of the subject, Bob Picciano. I have never met him, but now I know him like a brother. (Be sure to read the comments — they’re inspirational as well.)
Favorite quote: “So as my boss, friend, and mentor moves into a new chapter in his life; as he decides that next great things he will do, as I take stock in how he shaped me, I bid you the best dear friend…”
How to Easily Create Your First Retirement Budget Ahead of Time
Opher Ganel, April 8, 2020
Tags: Money, Retirement Planning, Financial Strategy, Budget, Finance
Synopsis: Now we have a conventional retirement advice article. It stands above the rest because of its clarity, readability, and utility. It’s hard to write a direct message to a reader without wandering off into the land of obscure metaphors and literary flowers. Here, Opher delivers a dose of strong medicine that we all need to take.
Brian Feutz’ review: I don’t know Opher, but in the world of retirement wordcraft, he’s my brother (read this one I wrote that’s practically identical). Our writing styles are similar, and our advice is pointed and parallel. People need entertainment and stories, sure, but an occasional slap from the stinging palm of reality is essential.
Favorite quote: “There are several big-ticket items that many people forget to address in their retirement planning that could derail your plan. Here are 5 of the biggest…”
The Extreme Early Retirement Movement — Is the Gain Worth the Pain?
Brian Feutz, August 13, 2020
Tags: Early Retirement, Retirement, Work, Money, Advice
Synopsis: This is one of several popular retirement articles I wrote that were curated in a variety of Medium topics. It talks to the romantic nature of early retirement but couches it in a gentle and logical framework of reality. Anything “extreme” tends to appeal to the fringe, but what about the rest of us moderates? Well, this article gives you a chance to learn about extreme early retirement without the risk, and soften its doctrine to fit your tolerance.
Brian Feutz’ review: This is one of my favorites because it entangles fantasy with reality and offers you complete control of your future. You get to choose how extreme you want to go and how much risk to take. And it provides crystal clear steps to shift your perspective towards a realistic and achievable path to an early retirement.
Favorite quote: “Life Happens. The dreams you had when you were twenty may not be the same dreams of the fifty-year-old version of you. Change is easy and low risk when you’re young but picking up broken pieces of your life and starting over when you’re fifty can be heartbreaking.”
Hire a Professional Financial Advisor Now
Pendora, June 9, 2020
Tags: Money, Investing, Personal Finance, Business, Finance
Synopsis: Don’t be fooled by the title. Nowhere in this article is a pitch for your business. In fact, it highlights nefarious practices of the complex financial services landscape, while offering essential tips on how to invest your hard-earned money with a safe and ethical advisor.
Brian Feutz’ review: Most people rely on financial advisors to manage their investment portfolios. Shopping for an educated, certified, and ethical representative with legal fiduciary responsibilities is extremely hard when you don’t know what to look for, or to look out for. This article is an unbiased explanation of exactly that. When you’re done reading this, you’ll be far better prepared to find the right resource — now or whenever you’re ready.
Favorite quote: “A good advisor will always explain the thought behind what they are suggesting. No matter how incompetent you may be regarding a certain topic, it is their duty and obligation to ensure that you understand what you’re getting into.”
Mary the Retiree: A Story
Jeanne Savelle, September 2, 2020
Tags: Retirement, Self Improvement, Personal Development, Self-Awareness, Life Coaching
Synopsis: The life of the retired protagonist, Mary, is a thinly veiled metaphor of our own fears of retirement. The story is a rhythmic romp to the depths of despair and back, through anger, envy, discovery, and triumph. It’s a hard lesson wrapped in the guise of a feel-good story that is compelling from start to finish.
Brian Feutz’ review: This story is strikingly true for so many people who have challenges adapting to retirement. It reminds me of the work of Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, who was a psychiatrist that studied death and dying. She observed that people went through predictable stages of grieving from denial to acceptance, and this journey from Jeanne Savelle applies that same concept to retirement.
Favorite quote: “Maybe I can look at retirement differently than I did before I stopped working. Perhaps retirement isn’t just about having enough money. It could be about living a life regardless of your financial situation.”
Forget The Idea of Retirement, You Should.
Dr. Arthur Kroisel, January 10, 2020
Tags: Finance, Self Improvement, Personal Growth, Personal Development, Money
Synopsis: The Doctor is an expatriated Austrian living in Switzerland. He rightfully observes that retirement has changed over time and is facing an even more radical transformation right now. We’re facing a bleak future of uncertainty. “So what can we do?” he asks. You can read his article to find out.
Brian Feutz’ review: I enjoy articles that challenge us to think differently. Different is hard, but if you can find the strength to literally act out your retirement dreams, you may find that your concept of ‘what’s important now’ is just a false idol.
Favorite quote: “Why should we wait until we are 65 years old to start doing what we truly enjoy? Why shouldn’t we split up the retirement into smaller parts and retire several times *during* our working lives?”
A special thanks
I’d like to thank the writers for the quality of work they’ve produced and the value their work adds to the body of retirement knowledge. One of the most popular pastimes of retirement is helping others, and these articles clearly rise to the occasion.
I’m still looking for the 10th article to round out the Top-10 list. Please let me know if there are other articles that inspire you, or that you’ve written. I will update this article from time to time.
If you’re so inclined, I’d be honored if you’d take a look at my publication that is focused on retirement: Life After Work.
I’m soliciting contributing writers and alliances to help build and grow the quintessential retirement zone on the Medium platform: Life After Work. So if you’d care to contribute, please email me at [email protected].
Thank you.
