“The advisor should work with the couple to figure out the new roles they will have so there is no resentment. What if the working spouse wants the retiring partner to pick up some of the slack at home by doing more, but the retiring spouse looks at this as a time to travel or relax? It can build resentment,” Keady says.
If the retiring spouse starts spending more money on travel or leisure expenses, that can also cause hard feelings.
“All of this needs to be talked about ahead of time so that everyone is on the same page,” Keady advises. “An advisor in this situation can become a trusted ally to both of the spouses if this is handled correctly.”