Retirement and Marriage

Retirement can cause stress in a marriage.

This not-so-earthshaking observation comes from the American Counseling Association. While the statement might seem obvious to some couples, others enter retirement with their eyes closed in this regard. Among the pitfalls noted by the ACA:

• Loss of identity—A retiring spouse goes from Susan Bigshot, Vice-President of Operations to plain-old Susan Bigshot. In some individuals and couples, the adjustment to a new identity can be rough.
  
• Money conflicts—Obviously, a retirement often means the end of the biweekly paycheck. Even if retired couples have adequate financial resources, they must now make decisions on how much to draw down in retirement.
  
• Too much together time—In some couples, the adjustment to spending more time together isn't easy. Routines get broken and tensions can result.
  

Many people manage the adjustment from a working couple to a retired couple with remarkable grace. For those who don't, the American Counseling Association recommends—no surprise—counseling.