Planning to Retire in 2025: A Complete Guide

If you're about to stop working, here's a look at some need-to-know financial topics.

By Matthew Frankel, CFP – Updated Nov 20, 2025 at 3:05 PM | Fact-checked by Frank Bass

Key Points

Utilize Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) to mitigate retirement healthcare costs.
Consider annuities for guaranteed income but study terms to avoid pitfalls.
Learn Social Security claiming strategies to maximize retirement benefits.

Many of us look forward to it for decades -- retirement! In this retirement planning guide, we'll cover everything you need to know about the financial side of it. You'll have the information you need to meet your retirement goals and stop working when you want.

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The best-case scenario: You have enough saved to retire

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The medium-case scenario: You have nearly enough saved to retire

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The worst-case scenario: You don't have enough saved to retire

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To get an idea of what a deferred annuity might offer, know that a 65-year-old woman would have recently been able to spend $100,000 for an annuity that would start paying her in five years, offering $828 per month for the rest of her life. Deferred annuities can be useful tools to help you avoid running out of money later in life.

In times of higher interest rates, annuity contracts will offer bigger payouts. When rates are low, consider a "laddering" strategy, where you spend just a portion of the amount you want to spend on annuities first, and then spend another portion in a year or two, when you hope interest rates will be higher, and so on.

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A highway sign says retirement next exit. — Image source: Getty Images.

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Related retirement topics

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Retirement Plans Options for the Self-Employed

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Working While on Social Security in 2025

Working and collecting Social Security benefits? It gets complicated.

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About the Author

Matt Frankel, CFP, is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst and personal finance expert covering financial stocks, REITs, SPACs, and personal finance. Prior to The Motley Fool, Matt taught high school and college mathematics. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of South Carolina, a master’s degree in mathematics from Nova Southeastern University, and a graduate certificate in financial planning from Florida State University. He won a SABEW award for coverage of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. He is also regularly interviewed by Cheddar, The National Desk, and other TV networks and publications for his financial, stock market, and investing expertise.

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