For many Americans, retirement isn’t financially carefree and easy. In fact, according to Schroders’ 2025 US Retirement Survey, 19% of retirees are “struggling” or “living the nightmare” while just 5% said they were “living the dream”. Unfortunately for retirees, the time to start saving early and planning strategically is in the rearview mirror. However, for those with a decade or more left in the workforce, understanding the challenges faced by today’s retirees and how to best prepare for them can mean the difference between living the dream and living the nightmare.
With this in mind, let’s take a closer look at a few lessons that can be learned from those who have already entered retirement.
