This article is excerpted with permission from the upcoming “AARP Guide to Getting the Most Out of Your Retirement” by Sally Balch Hurme (Fall 2016). Watch shopaba.org for details about its release.

Just about everyone dreams of retiring someday. Who doesn’t want to ditch the commute, slow the pace down, and enjoy our families and hobbies more? You probably have a vision in your mind of what it will look like. Take a moment to savor that dream.