THE GOOD NON RETIREMENT GUIDE 2008

Frances Kay

Publisher: Kogan Page

Price: £16.99

ISBN: 9780749452216

Amanda Jarvis finds there's more to retirement than day-time TV

Today’s retirees are fitter, more skilled and financially better off than previous generations. They are no longer satisfied with a life of day-time TV, once the demands of working life are over. Many retirees can realistically look forward to 25 years or more of active life and the Good Non Retirement Guide has been written with these people in mind.

As its name suggests, the book covers more than the usual retirement planning subjects of annuities, tax rates and claiming benefits. Edited by Frances Kay, who is a business mentor at the Prince’s Trust, the Guide also provides suggestions about how to fill your time during retirement, from leisure activities, paid and voluntary work to health and holidays.

It acknowledges that money is a major concern for many people approaching retirement and provides tips on budgeting, dealing with money worries and boosting retirement income. Written in an authoritative, yet easy to understand tone, Kay covers common issues such as claiming benefits and pension entitlement, and tackles the tricky, often sensitive, issues of downsizing property and raising money from a home using one of the various equity release schemes.

But what makes this guide stand out from the crowd is its positive attitude to retirement and the encouragement it gives to retirees to seize the many opportunities available to them. From the inclusion of mundane, but essential, subjects – such as sensible eating, accident prevention and alternative medicine – it also ventures into self-fulfilment, with sections on how to appreciate art, wine tasting and learning a language.

This Guide will appeal to anyone approaching retirement, who is determined to make the most of their years ahead.

Accounting Technician - May 2008 - Page 13