Top Retirement Planning Books

There are many books with different strategies and plans for a happy, healthy and wealthy retirement. Here are a few of the top retirement planning books we’ve selected to help you get educated about how to plan for your financial future.

We read to prepare for just about anything in our lives. We read to better understand our health, our parenting strategies, our careers — the list goes on. Preparing for retirement should be no different.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by retirement planning or just want to know more about financially planning for retirement, check out our list of top books to help you get your retirement planning in order.

1. The 5 Years Before You Retire by Emily Guy Birken

Americans are woefully unprepared for retirement. “The 5 Years Before You Retire” tops our list because it actually helps you prepare for your financial future before retirement. Focusing on budgeting techniques and working through financial worksheets, this helpful book takes a hands-on approach to retirement planning and demands action from the reader. It also walks through how people nearing retirement can take advantage of retirement programs, enroll in Medicare, and make the most of a real estate investment.

2. How to Retire with Enough Money: And How to Know What Enough Is by Teresa Gilda Rucci

Statistics suggest that most Americans over the age of 50 have $30,000 saved for retirement. This means that most Americans will be living near poverty level for retirement since our current social security reforms cannot sufficiently meet this need. “How to Retire with Enough Money” takes a deep dive into the misunderstandings of the policymaking that leads Americans to spend excessively and save poorly. Encouraging readers to save eight to ten times their annual salary before retirement and keep humble expectations from government reforms, the book gives tips for budgeting and prioritizes minimizing debt.

3. How to Retire Happy, Wild and Free by Ernie J. Zelinski

“How to Retire Happy, Wild and Free” takes a positive and inspirational approach to retirement, encouraging readers to see retirement as a new adventure and a new chapter. The author says that the key to enjoying an active and happy retirement is more than having adequate financial resources and takes a comprehensive approach to retirement that includes physical and emotional wellness. Putting retirement in a positive light, Zelinski encourages readers to live boldly in retirement and to budget assets adequately through retirement and live within their means.

4. You Don’t Have to Drive an Uber in Retirement by Marc Lichtenfeld

Lichtenfeld takes an honest yet positive approach to retirement in his book, “You Don’t Have to Drive an Uber in Retirement” — acknowledging that many Americans have not saved enough to continue their lifestyles after retirement. The book walks through how much money you should actually need in retirement, how to maximize Social Security payments and 401k benefits, how to cut travel costs, invest in real estate, and legally reduce your investment taxes, among other retirement tips.

5. Retire Inspired by Chris Hogan

Recommended by financial guru Dave Ramsey, Chris Hogan says that retirement is not necessarily an age - it’s a financial number. “Retire Inspired” equips readers to assess their current financial situation, learn more about making wise investments, set reasonable expectations for retirement, and also encourages readers to find a team of experts to build retirement success. Hogan hosts a podcast as well as events all over the country, equipping people to prepare for retirement throughout their career.

Enlist Retirement Planning Help

In addition to reading and educating about retirement, enlisting the help of a professional advisor is also important to get your finances in order. According to financial expert, Paul Merriman, “People are saving about 50 percent less than they were 40 years ago and we need to help — and teach — people about saving as investing to be financially prepared for the last third of their life. A qualified, fiduciary financial advisor is one of the best ways to do this.”

Our list is far from comprehensive but we believe no list would be complete without these five books on retirement planning. What books would you recommend for someone looking to plan better for retirement?

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