Emekli olmaya hazır olduğunuzu mu düşünüyorsunuz? Bu 6 önemli dönüm noktasına ulaşmadan kararınızı vermeyin.

Think you're ready to retire? Don't bite the bullet until you've hit these 6 key milestones

Vishesh Raisinghani

Sat, September 19, 2026 at 12:30 PM GMT+3 6 min read

YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV/Shutterstock

You've been working for decades and are eagerly anticipating your retirement years, when you'll finally be free to do whatever you want — whether that's travel, golfing, hiking or volunteering.

But while you may be looking forward to ending your worklife, you may not have yet created a strong enough plan. A 2026 study from the Employee Benefit Research Institute, for instance, found that only half of retirees rated their household financial well-being as at least very good, while two in five said healthcare costs have been higher than they expected. Two in five also said their overall spending in retirement was more than they expected.

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Instead of waiting until you're actually retired, consider hitting these six milestones before you press the "no more work" button for good.

1. Create a comprehensive income and expense plan

One of the biggest concerns for retirees is whether they'll have enough money to survive for years to come without a steady paycheck.

Financial advisors often cite the 25X rule, which states that you can expect to retire comfortably if your assets are worth at least 25 times your annual expenses. However, this rule of thumb doesn't guarantee how much you can spend each year, or how much income your assets will realistically generate every year in retirement. You should also be clear about when you want to claim Social Security benefits and what your monthly payment will be.

You may want to consider consulting a professional financial advisor who can help you create a customized plan that accounts for your income, investments and expenses. After all, a plan is never one size fits all — some people dream of expensive vacations and yacht life after retirement, while others are happy to live in a low-cost-of-living area and spend very little.

An advisor can help you create the best plan for you, and also assist in changing or modifying your plan if needed after you retire.

2. Make sure you've handled your debt

Carrying debt without employment income doesn't often make for a fun retirement, but unfortunately, many retirees live with this unpleasant burden. As the New York Fed's credit and debt report for Q2 2026 finds, credit card debt increased by $21 billion, up nearly 2% from the first quarter. High-interest credit card debt can be the most damaging to your wallet.

Before retirement, you should come up with a plan to eliminate or at least minimize your non-mortgage debt. You might even consider paying off your mortgage, as getting rid of this monthly expense, along with the interest payments, can help boost your financial security when you are no longer receiving regular paychecks. Do keep in mind that real estate taxes never go away, although some loopholes do exist.

3. Ensure you have a robust healthcare plan

One of the reasons many seniors have debt is because of unexpected medical expenses. A National Debt Relief survey found that roughly 17% of older people carry an average of $9,144 in debt due to outstanding medical bills.

There can also be confusion about Medicare, how to enroll and which plan you want to sign up for. For example, you'll want to consider whether or not a Medicare Advantage plan is right for you.

Don't wait until the last minute to make these plans, or you could find yourself in a difficult situation.

4. Create a strong estate plan

If you have enough assets to retire, you may have something to leave behind for your heirs after you're gone.

You could always wait until you stop working to plan your estate. However, managing your estate and retirement plans simultaneously can help you maximize potential tax advantages and other benefits.

For that reason, consider making a comprehensive estate plan before your working days come to an end. Working with an advisor on this can be very helpful.

5. Make a mental and social plan

After decades of building a career or business, a retiree's identity is often wrapped up in their work. Most people spend so much time working and raising children that they have little time to nurture relationships outside of these two settings.

This is a recipe for loneliness and boredom in retirement. While a recent AARP retirement survey found that the most common reason for returning to work after retirement is financial need, 18% of respondents said they did so because of boredom or a desire to stay active.

This is why it's important to create a social and mental health plan before you retire, so you can understand what else is out there for you other than work. You may still decide, in the end, to go back to work because you want to, but you should at least know all of your options.

6. Give the retirement lifestyle a trial run

Consider a trial run before you retire. This could include taking a month or two off from work to experience retirement before you officially call it a career.

Use this time to meet the people or do the activities you've included in your social plan so you can assess whether you need to make any adjustments, or whether you are actually ready to retire at all.

If your mini-retirement isn't as fun or fulfilling as expected, you can consider delaying retirement for a few years. — With files from Rebecca Stropoli

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This article originally appeared on Moneywise.com under the title: Think you're ready to retire? Don't bite the bullet until you've hit these 6 key milestones

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.