Five Keys to Retirement Happiness That Are Unrelated to Money

An older woman takes a selfie with her chocolate Lab dog.

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published 19 October 2025

An often overlooked, but important, part of a successful retirement is nonfinancial considerations. Failure to plan for these parts of your life can lead to an unfulfilling retirement and a speedier physical and mental decline.

As a financial adviser, I give advice about the money components of retirement planning.

However, based on nearly two decades of experience, I find a meaningful percentage of my conversations also include discussions on the nonfinancial considerations.

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Kiplinger's Adviser Intel, formerly known as Building Wealth, is a curated network of trusted financial professionals who share expert insights on wealth building and preservation. Contributors, including fiduciary financial planners, wealth managers, CEOs and attorneys, provide actionable advice about retirement planning, estate planning, tax strategies and more. Experts are invited to contribute and do not pay to be included, so you can trust their advice is honest and valuable.

Some non-money issues that every soon-to-be retiree should consider include:

1. Choose housing you can live with for a long time

It's essential to determine appropriate living accommodations. The financial factor includes a home that's affordable during a multidecade retirement.

Taxes, repairs and upkeep costs might all be challenging on a fixed budget.

Important nonfinancial considerations include:

Single-story layouts to eliminate stairs
Barrier-free bathrooms with walk-in showers and grab bars
Wide doorways and hallways for wheelchair or walker access
Open floorplans for easy navigation
Accessible outdoor spaces such as patios with level surfaces
Installing smart home technology for lighting, security and emergency alerts

A home that's set up to accommodate aging will allow retirees to live there for longer with a lower probability of suffering serious injury.

2. Set a daily routine that you're excited to dive into

Our working years are filled with meetings, projects, commuting and other activities. We tend to complain about these tedious tasks while we're working.

However, without them and the structure they provide, folks have seemingly endless time on their hands. Lack of a daily structure and productive ways to fill one's time is linked to more rapid mental and physical decline.

While doing the same work in retirement that you did while working might be a bit too intense, finding occupations that offer structure in your day is crucial. This might include volunteering, working part time or mentoring.

Infusing your retirement years with activities has immense benefits that shouldn't be overlooked.

As people age, social circles tend to shrink, but the quality of relationships often improves. Older adults should prioritize emotionally fulfilling connections, which are extremely beneficial in retirement.

Studies have shown that strong relationships might help protect against cognitive decline, buffer against depression and offer higher levels of happiness and purpose.

Prioritizing healthy socializing is imperative. This can happen at places of worship, study groups, book clubs, the golf course and many other venues.

4. Develop a strong sense of purpose

After four decades in the workforce, a career can become part of your identity. Waking up one day with that identity gone can be a large hole to fill.

To fill this void, start by making a list of things that are important to you. The next step is figuring out how to incorporate those interests into your everyday life while in retirement.

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Family and spirituality might be part of your sense of purpose. However, family members could have their own schedules, and hanging out at your place of worship most of the day might not be practical.

Instead, determine projects or causes you care about and explore how to get involved. This type of work can cause an immense amount of reward and give you a reason to jump out of bed every morning.

5. Keep your mind and body working

A phrase I hear often from retirees is "use it or lose it." If you don't use your mind or body, it will inevitably deteriorate.

As tempting as it might be to sit on the beach and drink cocktails every day, fight this desire and figure out a way to keep your mind and body working.

Find a physical activity that you enjoy and can do consistently. Pushing yourself cognitively and physically can help prolong your active retirement years.

Physical activity helps both your body and mind. Daily walking, biking, swimming and other low-impact sports can help keep your mind and body healthy. I've had retired clients who do triathlons and bike around the country.

In addition to physical activity, finding cognitive exercises that push you to think is extremely helpful.

This might be playing games (which can double as a good social activity), writing a book or a regular column in the local paper or teaching a course at a nearby high school or community college.

There are many ways of "exercising" your brain. The key is finding something you enjoy so you stick with it over the long term.

Legal considerations to keep in mind

Holistic wealth planning also encompasses having your legal affairs in order. This could include these legal documents:

A will outlines how a person's assets and property should be distributed after their death.

A power of attorney authorizes someone to act on another's behalf in financial, legal or medical matters.

A health care proxy names someone to make medical decisions for you if you're unable to communicate them.

A living will states your medical treatment preferences if you're incapacitated and unable to communicate decisions.

Having these four items in place can make handling your affairs much more seamless. Take the time and spend the money to get these documents prepared by a competent attorney.

Equally important is to communicate where they are to your loved ones so they know how to find them should they be needed. This will save your family headaches and heartaches down the road.

Final thoughts

Similar to the financial aspects of retirement planning, the nonfinancial areas also require planning ahead.

When it comes to having enough money in retirement, we're constantly reminded to save and invest to have a sufficient nest egg.

For non-money issues, the legal items should be revisited once a year to ensure they accurately reflect your wishes and potentially new family dynamics.

The lifestyle and housing concerns should be explored and tested out in the five to 10 years before retirement.

This might mean exploring various retirement communities, picking up a hobby, starting a physical activity or joining a social club that you can continue to pursue while in retirement.

Take action in the years leading up to retirement to make your golden years a successful and rewarding phase of life.

Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment Advisory Services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. ParkBridge Wealth Management is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS. Investor Disclosures: www.kestrafinancial.com/disclosures.

Disclaimer

This article was written by and presents the views of our contributing adviser, not the Kiplinger editorial staff. You can check adviser records with the SEC or with FINRA.

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Jonathan I. Shenkman, AIF®, is the President and Chief Investment Officer of ParkBridge Wealth Management and serves as a financial adviser and portfolio manager for his clients. In this role, he acts in a fiduciary capacity to help his clients achieve their financial goals.