Retirement is not a monolithic stage of life; it's an evolving journey with different phases, each bringing unique opportunities, challenges, and needs. By understanding these phases, retirees can better plan for the future, ensuring that their financial strategy allows them to live life to the full.

Retirement is supposed to be the golden chapter of life we spend decades working towards—freedom from the daily grind, more time for family and travel, and the opportunity to fulfil long-held dreams. But what if that sense of freedom and lasting happiness we expect in retirement isn’t as permanent as we thought?

Many clients are familiar with the concept of 'seasons', and I often use this analogy during meetings. Much like farmers who carefully plan for planting, growing, harvesting, and fallow periods to ensure successful outcomes, we too must approach life’s seasons with foresight.