Have you have reached retirement age and are contemplating whether to retire or not? Are you torn between retiring to your golden years or continuing to work for a few more? Here are a few tips to make your decision a little less painful.

1. Consider Your Age
If you are in the 55 to 65 age range, retirement will already seem attractive to you. First of all consider your age. Realistically speaking, we only have limited number of years on this earth. Look at what you would still like to accomplish with those remaining years. Would you like to spend time going around the world? Or do you have any goals you wish to fulfill if it weren’t for the daily grind of work? If that is so then you can factor in these goals and lay out a time table for your retirement and activities afterwards.

Another age-related issue to consider is your ‘actual age.’ You actual age is a measurement to verify how old your body really is. Have ever wondered why some people look about 5 years younger than they really are? This could be because their bodies really are of that age. The factors that determine this aging are genetics, health habits, diet and others. If you feel that your physical age is way beyond working, you may choose to retire.

2. Health
Is your health preventing you from being productive in the workforce? Or is your health making work more uncomfortable for you as time passes by? You may want to check with a doctor for a total health evaluation before considering continuing with work

3. Family
Some people will want to spend more time with their families as the twilight years approach. You may want to factor this into your decision to retire.

4. Finances
Will you be financially capable of sustaining your lifestyle well after retirement? If your retirement savings are not up to par with your spending lifestyle after retirement, you may want to stick it out with work for a little while longer. You also have to consider the fact that some retirement plans become more attractive if you retire later. But if you have saved up enough finances to tide you over those needs and enough to cover unexpected expenses such as medical fees, etc. as well as expenses for your planned vacation trips and other goals, you will want to retire early.

Also consider the fact that many people who retire find out that life without an occupation will turn out to be very boring. You may want to keep in touch with your employer so that he or she may offer jobs that you can do on part-time basis such as consultancy, filling in for those on vacation, etc.