When Miley Cyrus released her album Endless Summer Vacation in 2023, I had it playing on repeat while planning a summer trip to Bulgaria and Greece with my sister. It was the biggest trip I had ever planned on my own, and I spent months researching flights, ferries, hotels, rental cars, and excursions to make it an unforgettable experience. I budgeted for food, activities, and even how much room I would leave in my suitcase for trinkets and gifts to bring home.
It was an incredible trip, and every minute spent planning was worth it. But unlike my favorite summer album, it was not an endless summer vacation. It was 10 days. Ten days of adventure, beautiful scenery, and unforgettable memories, and then it was over. Back to work.
Sound Familiar?
Many people can relate to that experience. Saving and planning for months for the perfect getaway. Mapping out every detail to make the most of your limited PTO. After all, if you only have so much vacation time, you want it to count.
You’re not alone. 91% of Americans plan to take a vacation in the next year.*
But how many people can say they have done the same level of planning forretirement?
That is usually where the hands go down. Only about half of Americans have even tried to estimate what they will need for retirement.
Why is that? Because retirement is our real “endless summer vacation.”
It is the chapter of life where work no longer dictates your schedule and you can focus on how you truly want to spend your time. Planning for a short-term event like a vacation often feels easier than planning for decades of day-to-day living.
One of the first questions I ask clients is, “How much do you think you will need each month in retirement?” The answer is often something like, “That’s why I’m here talking to you.” And that makes sense, because there is no one-size-fits-all number. Everyone’s vision of retirement is different.
The first step is building a picture of what retirement will actually look like for you. Start by calculating your monthly essentials then move into leisure and lifestyle goals.
Is your ideal retirement spending time gardening and enjoying weekends with the grandkids? Is it traveling the world and finally seeing the places you never had time to visit during your working years? Or is it having the freedom to golf or play pickleball whenever you want?
Once you have a vision for retirement, you can begin building a plan to support it.
If the process feels overwhelming, the team at the Central One Retirement and Investment Center is here to help!
* https://theharrispoll.com/articles/more-than-a-getaway-new-data-reveals-a-deeper-purpose-for-travel-in-2026/