WS Chronicle

By Shani Hosten 

Building a financially secure retirement can be an uphill climb for many Americans. AARP research finds that 20% of older adults have no retirement savings at all. Additional research shows that just 49% of Black women have retirement savings, compared to 61% of U.S. adults overall.  

If you’re feeling overwhelmed and aren’t sure how to get started, you’re not alone. “Pretirement” refers to the period in your life, typically during your 40s and 50s, when you are closer to retirement than to the start of your career and are planning for the next phase of your life. Planning for retirement isn’t a waiting game – it takes intention, insight, and initiative to create a secure financial future.  

New Public Service Advertisements (PSAs) from AARP and the Ad Council, titled “The Pre-Game,” use card games as a metaphor for financial planning; both require smart moves, strategy, knowledge, and an ability to overcome obstacles. To play a game well, we need to prepare. 

The good news is that it’s never too little, and it’s never too late. At ThisIsPretirement.org, you can find free resources to help you take steps toward your financial future. Through a simple quiz, you can create a personalized action plan, set goals, and find tips to begin to accomplish them. From milestones like paying off debt, building an emergency fund, and understanding your retirement savings options, the resources are available on ThisIsPretirement.org to help you to play with purpose as you plan for retirement. No matter where you are in preparing for retirement, there are small steps you can take during your “pretirement” years to help you accomplish goals.  

And remember, there is no one way to plan for retirement. Go to ThisIsPretirement.org today to take the first (or next) step that works best for you. 

 Shani Hosten is the vice president of Audience Strategy for the AARP.