There are fears that can creep into a person’s mind during any stage of life. They tend to change a bit as time goes on, but there is something that almost everyone fears in each stage. As you reach those retirement years and beyond, you begin to think through other aspects of aging and how your life may change drastically. Here are four of the most common fears that creep into peoples’ minds in the later stages in life.

Being Forgotten

Nobody wants to be forgotten. As humans, we are made to have relationships and social contact. It can certainly feel like you are forgotten once you become an empty nester and your children may live far away. As you may not have your family always in close proximity, it doesn’t mean that you are forgotten. This is when you get the chance to find a new community of people who are in the same stage of life as you are. It is much easier to connect on a daily basis with people who are also living your lifestyle, instead of trying to track down young families with busy schedules. It is good to spend and enjoy time with your family, but eliminate the pressure for them by finding some community that you can plug into on your own. You will be happy you did!

Boredom

Being a very capable person can seem like a great curse when it comes to retirement. Many people who are recently retired have a hard time figuring out what to do with themselves after having spent 40+ years in the workforce. This is the time in life when you can fully commit to hobbies you have always wanted to try or maybe if you love adventure, this is your time to travel. Just because you are getting older, doesn’t mean you have to be bored. Now is the time to read all the books you never had time for or take the time to volunteer with an organization that you support. There are so many options for you to choose from. The question is, “are you willing to try and find some new hobbies?”

Selecting the Beneficiaries.

This is choosing who will inherit your possessions and assets. Often times you will have primary beneficiaries and secondary beneficiaries. This is because it’s good to have a backup plan if your primary beneficiary dies before you or if they are not of age to inherit. If that is the case, then your secondary beneficiary will come into play. You want to be specific about the people you choose. Use their full names so that it is clear who will inherit your property. One of the risks of not having a secondary beneficiary is that your property may end up in probate, if the primary person isn’t capable of inheriting. This can drag out the process of distributing the will and is an expensive way to go about things.

Becoming a Burden

Many older adults understand that as they get older, their health generally starts to deteriorate. This in itself is often a fear, but what makes it even worse is becoming a burden to their family. People don’t want to make their family member take care of their physical needs or financial needs.

Aging doesn’t have to be scary. It’s natural to fear the unknown or even life transitions. As these areas may be issues you want to confront with your family and financial planner, you don’t need to allow the fear to overwhelm you. That would lead to a slippery slope of misery, and that is the last thing you want to do as you approach your golden years.