Fast forward ten years… What decision would you look back on and wish you had made today? More often than not, regret in retirement isn’t about a single mistake. It’s about missed chances to plan ahead while you still had options.

What if you’re unhappy when you retire? That’s a sad reality for more than 1 in 3 retirees. And almost half of them have one thing in common—they’re lonely. This shouldn't come as a surprise. Research shows that people generally aren't prioritizing social connections before retirement, and the trend toward maintaining existing friendships or cultivating new ones is even weaker. That can end up backfiring in a big way when we retire, even if we have massive nest eggs and solid financial plans.

Retirement is wonderful if you have two essentials — much to live on and much to live for.” — Unknown What happens when you retire and life doesn’t go according to plan? It’s a question worth asking before you commit to a fixed income and assume your bases are covered. That’s because even the best-laid plans can come up short. If that happens to you, you could have far less to fund the lifestyle you expected in retirement.