After nearly 45 years in nursing, Rosie Messer is enjoying the next stage of her life. As she prepared for retirement, she took steps to ensure that her life would stay full and that she could have the lifestyle she desired.
Fortunately, her longtime employer, University Hospital in Augusta, had a pension program, and, after 23 years there, she had a foundation to fund her retirement. Still, she didn't leave her future to chance.
"I'm a future-thinker, and I made the conscious decision to ensure that I would be ready for retirement, financially and otherwise," said Messer, who retired in December from her job as CEO of Brandon Wilde, an assisted-living facility operated by University Hospital. "I really worked hard on being able to retire — working with a personal life coach, decreasing my debt and increasing the money I was setting aside."
Messer, RN, MSN, got serious about her role in shaping a comfortabl retirement about six years before she left the work force.
"Many people wait too late to get a good picture of their retirement," she said. "Either they're too busy taking care of other people or they just aren't ready to think about life without a regular paycheck."
Messer hired a fee-based financial planner — one who is paid by the hour rather than by commission — and began to make a plan. She listed how much she spent so that she had a realistic picture of where her money was going.
"It was like Weight Watchers for finance," she said. "Since I'm divorced, I knew it would be up to me to fund this next stage of my life." She also committed to adhering to a budget.
In her years as a nurse, Messer saw firsthand the challenges of aging.
"I worked with older adults and began to question them about their lives and what's fulfilling to them," she said. "I learned that I should pace myself, not overcommit and realize that this is just another stage in my life. Nurses are used to caring for others, and the message I heard was that it was time to do some things for myself in retirement."
Messer has avoided committing to volunteer projects, partly to gauge what would be the most fulfilling and also to keep her options open.
"The one age group I hadn't worked with much during my career was children, so I'm doing some work with them now," she said.
Messer's life coach helped her set priorities about spending both time and money. She likes to travel, she works out regularly, and she takes computer and photography classes. She deposits her monthly Social Security checks into a credit union account, and that's her money for fun, clothing and travel.
"My pension goes into a checking account for paying day-to-day expenses, including my mortgage," she said. "Being single, I don't have many deductions, so I was advised to reduce all my debt except for my mortgage."
Messer supplements her income by teaching Pilates classes at a local fitness center. "With a background in health care, there are many nontraditional ways to use your knowledge. I understand anatomy and physiology, so teaching Pilates is a good choice, but I can also volunteer for hospice or even be a nanny," she said.
Messer says that thinking ahead put her in a good position to retire at age 65, without having to worry about making ends meet.
"I wouldn't be in this good shape now if I hadn't worked with a financial planner and a life coach," she said. "I love this stage of my life, and I'm in control of what I do when I do it. Every day I wake up and say that I've got another day in paradise."