We've been told our whole lives that retirement happens at 65, maybe 62 if you're lucky.

But in my experience, that traditional timeline is not always the reality.

In fact, for many people, retirement may be much closer than they realize.

After nearly two decades of building retirement plans, I've noticed a recurring theme.

Most people overestimate how much they think they need and underestimate how

financially and personally ready they already are. So today I'm breaking down seven signs that

could indicate you're closer to retirement than you might think. These aren't about hitting

some arbitrary savings target or chasing a so-called magic number. Instead, they're practical,

real-world markers that can help you reframe your own timeline. If even just a few of these

resonate with you, it may change the way you think about making work optional and enjoying the

money that you've worked so hard to save. Welcome to another episode of the Stay Wealthy Retirement Show.

I'm your host Taylor Schulte, and every week I tackle the most important financial topics

to help you stay wealthy in retirement.

And now, on to the episode.

Before we dive into The Seven Signs, let me share a quick story that tackles one of the biggest misconceptions about retirement.

As many listeners know, I have three kids under the age of eight at home, and this summer I spent an afternoon hauling boxes of their old toys into the garage.

I kept telling myself, one day we'll find a use for these things, so we'd better hang on to them.

But all it really did was fill up the space and block us from turning that third car garage into the home gym that we've always wanted.

Most people treat retirement the same way. They keep packing away more and more, convinced they'll need every last dollar.

But in reality, chasing that arbitrary number ends up crowding out

what those savings are really for, your life, your family, and your time. The goal isn't to stack

more boxes in the corner. It's to clear enough space so your money and your life can actually work

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