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Retirement Conversations

Transitioning into retirement well doesn’t happen by accident. Thoughtfulness, intentionality, and proper planning are key. Doing the hard work of reflecting on the implications for your sense of identity and how you will find meaning and purpose — as well as ensuring that you’ve carefully considered your financial resources and plans for healthcare — are essential components of planning for retirement.

Retirement Conversations is designed to leverage on-demand e-learning offerings from the Board of Pensions addressing key concerns related to retirement transitions. This content is intended to be a launching point for more in-depth live engagement and focused discussion.

The following retirement topics will be covered:

  • identity
  • retirement income streams, including Social Security
  • Medicare and other post-retirement medical options
  • housing considerations in retirement
  • vocation and transition

Retirement Conversations is open to plan members, spouses, and surviving spouses within one year of retirement.

Online content

Participants will be asked to complete the following online courses, accessible on the Board of Pensions e-learning site, in advance of the two conversation sessions:

Required content (approximately 3 hours):

  • Leaving Well: Navigating Transitions in Ministry (20 minutes) and/or Navigating Transitions in Work (20 minutes)
  • Beginning Anew: Finding Wholeness in Retirement (30 minutes)
  • Housing Considerations: Clergy Housing Allowance and Housing Costs (17 minutes) and/or Discerning Home and Deciding Where to Live in Retirement (17 minutes)
  • How to Optimize Your Retirement Income Streams (60 minutes)
  • Medicare Essentials: Putting the Pieces Together (35 minutes)

Optional content:

  • Pillars of Lifelong Health (36 minutes)
  • Understanding Dimensions of Health as We Age (11 minutes)
  • Estate Planning for Ministers (60 minutes)
  • Financial Preparation for Aging Parents [Financial Fraud] (60 minutes)
  • Long-Term Care Coverage: Which Option is Right for You? (50 minutes)

Conversation sessions

Program schedule

The program starts with a 30-minute Orientation Session. Two weeks later, you’ll join for Conversation Sessions 1 and 2, each of which is 90 minutes long.

Upcoming conversations

Upcoming conversation sessions will be announced soon.

About the educators

Retirement Conversations will be moderated by Board of Pensions educators and other THRIVE instructors.

Resources