Make retirement front of mind, enjoy the later stages in life

We could hold our breath. We could have faith in our current and future governments that they will make pensions fair and plentiful. We could cross our fingers and trust that by the time we reach 65 (or 70? 80?) Britain will be a sweet utopia full of palatial retirement homes and kind, attentive carers.

However, just in case it turns out that in 30, 40, 50 years the government doesn’t necessarily have the resources or the inclination to adequately care for an ever increasing, ever ageing population, that instead the unprepared elderly are doomed to spend their final years in desperate poverty and squalor, well, if it turns out that way don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Given the current climate only the giddiest optimist would choose to rely on a state pension if they hope to survive, never mind enjoy, the later stages of life. It may not be the most fascinating subject for the young professional, particularly given that everyone’s backs are to the economic wall, but it is prudent to consider your retirement no matter what stage you are in your professional life.

Take some time to familiarise yourself with a pension calculator, consider using a state pension forecast, this will paint a very accurate picture of your personal future financial landscape.

There is a prevalent attitude in our modern age - of lotteries and talent shows and consumer celebrities and financial collapse - that we will be picked from millions, that everything will be fine for us if not for everyone else. While we don’t like to disrupt a nice fantasy, it may not definitely work out that way. It is irresponsible for a member of society to not consider how they will financially support themselves when they are no longer capable of earning. If no one makes provision for the future then we are doomed.

Get your finances in order. Put your retirement to the forefront of your mind, because if you don’t why should anybody else? And if no one else does then they will be stacking us up like firewood. Forget about enjoying the later stages of life, we will be a land of zombies kept alive at the forbearance of the young. The NHS, if such a thing still exists, may decide to prescribe everyone over 65 with a shovel and ship us to the gulags.

Of course maybe everything will be fine. Perhaps we develop a society that values and cherishes their elderly and sees to it that they enjoy themselves in their autumnal years. Maybe we will all hold hands and sing, or aliens will invade, or nuclear war will break out or that sweet rapture will descend upon us. In the meantime, just in case, we’ll be planning and working hard for our retirement.