No, you don’t need $1.7-million to retire

Our first guest sees retirement as having peace of mind and staying close to her community.

My name is Rebecca Howerton.

I'm 33.

I live in Halifax, and I work as a psychologist.

Ideal retirement, I think the biggest thing would be peace of mind, but not just in terms of, like, my mortgage is paid off, I don't have debt.

I think peace of mind for me also means just knowing I have enough money to do what I want.

Maybe later in life I get really into, like, doing hikes all over the world.

I want a peace of mind knowing that I can and I have the option.

But I think for me it's important to be around community and family.

So I think I would stick around here in Nova Scotia.

And yeah, my home base would definitely be, like, in the HRM, Halifax area.

I don't wanna be super rural, 'cause we've lived really rural before.

It was pretty isolating, and I can't imagine how much worse it would be in your older age.

And where we are now is just outside the city, which is kind of a perfect blend of having space, quiet, privacy, um, but then everything that it has, a city has to offer right down the street, basically.

I think I do see myself working in retirement.

There's so many things about work that make me feel good, uh, give me a sense of purpose.

But yeah, I think the concession there is that it does take away your f- a little bit of your freedom and agency.

So yes, I can see myself working, but definitely not more than part-time.

I think my ideal, ideal day in retirement would definitely be something involving, like, being at home, hanging out with friends, spending time with family, time outside, moving my body, and then maybe something, like, fun to look forward to, like a comedy show or something.

And nothing super scheduled.

[laughs] It really ruins my day to have stuff scheduled.

I'm not in a rush to retire early.

I think that's a goal for some people.

I'm not sure how much of a role work will play at 60 versus 65 versus 70.

Again, as long as I'm, like, fit enough, I could probably work till 70, and it's not a big deal to work one day a week from home or, uh, in an office to just sit there and talk to people.

Our first guest sees retirement as having peace of mind and staying close to her community.

My name is Rebecca Howerton.

I'm 33.

I live in Halifax, and I work as a psychologist.

Ideal retirement, I think the biggest thing would be peace of mind, but not just in terms of, like, my mortgage is paid off, I don't have debt.

I think peace of mind for me also means just knowing I have enough money to do what I want.

Maybe later in life I get really into, like, doing hikes all over the world.

I want a peace of mind knowing that I can and I have the option.

But I think for me it's important to be around community and family.

So I think I would stick around here in Nova Scotia.

And yeah, my home base would definitely be, like, in the HRM, Halifax area.

I don't wanna be super rural, 'cause we've lived really rural before.

It was pretty isolating, and I can't imagine how much worse it would be in your older age.

And where we are now is just outside the city, which is kind of a perfect blend of having space, quiet, privacy, um, but then everything that it has, a city has to offer right down the street, basically.

I think I do see myself working in retirement.

There's so many things about work that make me feel good, uh, give me a sense of purpose.

But yeah, I think the concession there is that it does take away your f- a little bit of your freedom and agency.

So yes, I can see myself working, but definitely not more than part-time.

I think my ideal, ideal day in retirement would definitely be something involving, like, being at home, hanging out with friends, spending time with family, time outside, moving my body, and then maybe something, like, fun to look forward to, like a comedy show or something.

And nothing super scheduled.

[laughs] It really ruins my day to have stuff scheduled.

I'm not in a rush to retire early.

I think that's a goal for some people.

I'm not sure how much of a role work will play at 60 versus 65 versus 70.

Again, as long as I'm, like, fit enough, I could probably work till 70, and it's not a big deal to work one day a week from home or, uh, in an office to just sit there and talk to people.