Retired? What’s Next?

You’ve spent an entire career working hard, and now it’s time to retire. But what exactly does that mean? Author Michael Bivona was unsure about what to do with his life when retiring, but he didn’t let that stop him from finding ways to enjoy it. In this memoir and guidebook, he describes his retirement experiences and considers how to overcome challenging physical times that most retirees face; enjoy new hobbies without getting ripped off; find activities to enjoy with your significant other; and stretch a retirement budget. He looks back on the great vacations and places he’s enjoyed with his wife, Barbara, during retirement. Learn from his mistakes and follow in his footsteps to live some great experiences of your own. You’ve worked hard to get to this point, and you don’t want to mess things up now. Get the information, tools, and strategies you need to live your life to the fullest in retirement. Retired? What’s Next? by Michael Bivona CPA, published by IUniverse, was a finalist in the Annual Eric Hoffer Awards for Short Prose & Independent Books. After a rigorous first round of judging, less than 10% of over 1,000 entrants were privileged to have the '2013 Eric Hoffer Award FINALIST-Excellence in Independent Publishing' assigned to their books and digital presentations. The US Review of Books 'Before retiring, it’s wise to begin building bridges to things you are passionate about, so that when the time comes, you have a choice of which bridges you can comfortably take into the next phase of your life.' Some people transition seamlessly into their 'golden years,' while others have a tougher time entering into retirement, wondering what’s next? In Retired? What’s Next?, retired accountant, Michael Bivona shares his answer. Part memoir, part retirement guide, this is both informative and inspirational. Touching on essential aspects of retirement like remaining healthy, financial matters, preparing a will, finding part-time and or volunteer work, Bivona delivers practical, real-life advice and insightful reflections. 'I realized after a friend’s demise that many of the possessions that he had accumulated over his lifetime and were so dear to him, were of no interest to his heirs or friends, and were disposed of like pieces of junk.' Staking his own territory in the popular and compelling category of memoir writing, Bivona writes in a genuine narrative tone about how to manage the freedom, new opportunities and choices of retirement by focusing on what he knows and enjoys-traveling, dancing, boating, fishing, tennis, golf, writing, reading, and collecting books. And showing by example, Bivona frames his real-life tips on planning for a rewarding retirement around his reflections and recounting of the collective highlights and significant moments and events of his life and retirement journey with his wife, Barbara. Clearly, the Bivonas have a winning strategy for living life to the fullest in retirement. By learning not merely how to cope, but to thrive by crafting a retirement path that is focused on personal fulfillment and joyful meaning, as evidenced by their successful post-retirement journey. In Retired? What’s Next?, retired readers, or those thinking of or planning for retirement, will gain insight from Bivona’s shared personal wisdom and learn by example the guidance of his inner and outer retirement journeys, which can be applied to their own retirement goals for staying happy, healthy, and active.