Redefining retirement — and doing it well

Our Retiring Well series kicks off today, exploring what it means to grow older with purpose, community — and a plan.

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This week in The Ledger: ‘Retiring Well’ — a special series

Editors’ note: Retirement isn’t just about stopping work—it’s about starting something new. This week, The Charlotte Ledger is looking at how to make the most of this next chapter, from managing money to finding purpose, staying connected and embracing change. Whether you're close to retiring or just starting to think about it, we hope these articles help you imagine what “retiring well” can really mean.

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With more Americans turning 65 than ever before, retirement is becoming less about winding down—and more about staying active, engaged and intentional

By Kerry Singe

A record number of Americans are turning 65 this year — long seen as the gold standard for retirement.

But for the more than 4.2 million baby boomers reaching that milestone, retirement is looking very different from that of their parents and grandparents, shaped by medical advances, a desire for connection and an increasingly nomadic lifestyle.

Retirement planning, once a fairly straightforward calculation of savings, age and time, now includes a range of new considerations: remodeling costs, travel budgets, strategies for avoiding loneliness and ways to stay mentally sharp.

Since the Covid pandemic, there’s been a growing shift—not just to plan for a longer lifespan, but for a better health span.

“Retirement and retirement planning now is so much more than just about money,” says Mary Ware, managing partner and senior wealth advisor with Carnegie Private Wealth in Charlotte.

From full-time to ‘Jobette’

Americans are both living longer and working later into their lives. Last year, North Carolinians retired at an average age of 63, higher than the national average of 62 for 2024, and considerably higher than national average of 59 in 2002, according to a 2022 Gallup poll.