Transitioning Into Retirement
Open Meetings in Pine Knoll Shores
HBy Greg Patterson
As people retire healthier and better educated than ever before, the
traditional picture of retirement is changing. Today, many retirees aren’t
ready to settle for an unstructured life full of Sundays. Instead, they’re
busy pursuing their passions—going back to school, joining the Peace
Corps, starting new businesses, traveling to exotic places, reconnecting with far-flung
friends and family, tackling athletic challenges and sharing their talents and skills
with others.
But a full, rewarding retirement life doesn’t happen overnight or without some
thought. As you plan for retirement financially, it’s also important to visualize your
next stage of life. The following questions and exercises will help you get started.
Tmagine what your retirement will look like. Consider essential questions such as:
• What will a typical day consist of? How will you spend your time? What will
you and your spouse or partner do together?
• Where will you be living? Will you stay where you are now or move to another
location?
• What’s on your bucket list? Are there things you’ve always wanted to do
but haven’t had the time? How can you make them happen? What small,
manageable steps can you take toward checking those items off your list?
• Would you like to give back? Do you have professional skills that could benefit
others outside of your working life? Would you like to share your expertise? Is
there a charitable organization that interests you? How might you contribute to
its mission?
• Would you like to keep working—for yourself? Have you ever wanted to turn a
hobby into a business? What would your new venture be?
• How would your spouse or partner answer these questions? Are you on the
same page when it comes to retirement? Do you have a plan to balance any
conflicting needs or visions?
Take a “practice retirement” vacation. Before you retire, it can be helpful to take
a temporary break from work and go for a retirement test drive. Take as much time
off for this break as you can. If possible, it should be at least three weeks; optimally,
take a three- or four-month sabbatical or leave of absence. Use this time to try out
the retirement lifestyle you’ve envisioned and see how it feels.
After the novelty wears off, ask yourself if there’s anything you miss about your
work life—for example, the camaraderie and teamwork, the challenge of new projects
or maybe the feeling of being valued. How will you replace these intangible benefits
once you’re retired?
Make a plan to get there. Once you have a clear vision for your retirement, it’s
time to start working toward it. As you move forward, consider these questions:
• What steps have you taken to transfer your job responsibilities to others? What
else needs to be done? Have you shared your plan with your boss, coworkers,
friends and family?
• What is left to do from a financial planning standpoint to prepare for
retirement?
• What, if any, skills or degrees would be useful to you in this next phase of life?
Does it make more sense to get them now or after you retire?
• Are there any roadblocks that might prevent you from achieving your vision?
Are you concerned about taking care of elderly parents or other family
members? Do you have any medical problems or hereditary health conditions
that might affect your retirement?
Remember, making a plan to achieve your goals is the key to enjoying the
productive, fulfilling retirement you’ve envisioned.
Copyright 2015 by Commonwealth Financial Network®. This material has been
provided for general informational purposes only by Greg Patterson of Atlantic Wealth
Management in Morehead City, North Carolina, and does not constitute either tax or
legal advice. You should consult a tax preparer, professional tax advisor or attorney
before making investment decisions. Mr Patterson can be reached at 515-7800 or greg@
myatlanticwealth.com, and is a Registered Representative of Commonwealth Financial
Network®, Member FINRA/SIPC.
By Scott Sherrill
Nothing on TV? Video streaming got you down? Looking for a new way to
spend your second and fourth Wednesday nights? Try the Pine Knoll Shores Board
of Commissioners’ meetings—from home.
With the town’s webinar technology and online edition of agenda packets,
you attend meetings from home. From your home in Raleigh, Wake Forest, New
York, Pennsylvania or even Pine Knoll Shores, you can listen to your mayor and
commissioners talk about things that matter to you: your taxes, the town’s budget,
purchasing new equipment, major capital projects, sidewalks and more.
How it works. The Friday before the board meeting, we’ll send out an all-hands
email that details the link for the agenda packet, the webinar and the regular
agenda. Between that point and the meeting, you can read the agenda packet to
have an idea of what the mayor and commissioners will be discussing and register
for the webinar. The night of the meeting, around 5:50 p.m., log in to the webinar
software and wait for the meeting to begin.
Once we make some final improvements to our broadcast system, you should be
able to see the PowerPoint presentation and even see the mayor and commissioners
as they discuss the evening’s business. If you don’t see the all-hands email or aren’t
on our list, you can always check the town website, towno:^ks.com, where we’ll
have a calendar item that includes links to all of the materials already referenced.
If you have questions or have issues downloading packets or opening webinars,
don’t hesitate to email me at admin@towno^ks.com. We are very excited about the
possibilities.
Two nights a month not enough for you? Make sure to check out our fourth
Tuesday night lineup, featuring the Pine Knoll Shores Planning Board at 5 p.m.
Coming next fiscal year: multiple microphones.
TOWN OF
100 Municipal Girdle • Main - 2474353 • Fax - 247-4355 • Mon-Fri 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
ELECTED OFFICIALS
MAYOR
Ken Jones - 247-4353, ext. 17 - Two-year term - elected in 2013
mayorjones@townofpks.com
COMMISSIONERS
John Brodman - 726-7643 - elected in 2013 - admin@townofpls.com
Larry Corsello - 247-0262 - elected in 2013 - admin@townofpks.com
Robert Danehy - 240-2945 - (IVIayor pro tempore) elected in 2011 - admin@townofpks.com
Clark Edwards - 726-7429 - elected in 2011 - admin@townofpks.com
Fred Fulcher - 808-2569 - elected in 2013 - admin@townofpks.com
TOWN OFFICIALS
TOWN MANAGER: Brian Kramer - 247-4353, ext. 16 - manager@townofpks.com
TOWN CLERK: Scott Sherrill - 247-4353, ext 11 - admin@townofpks.com
FIN & ADMIN: Julie Anderson - 247-4353, ext. 14-janderson@townofpks.com
PLANNING & INSPECTIONS: Chris Jones - 247-4353, ext. 18 - biceo@townofpks.com
PUBLIC SERVICES: Ernie Rudolph - 247-4353, ext. 27 - psd@townofpks.com
PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING - 314 Salter Path Road - 247-2268; Fax - 247-2897
POLICE: Interim Chief Ryan Thompson - 247-2474 - rthompson@townofpks.com
FIRE & EMS: Fire Chief Jason Baker - 247-2268 - jbaker@townofpks.com
Emergency: Call 911
Emergency Communications Center (ECC) - 726-1911; Public Safety - 247-2474
February 2015 I The Shoreline 11