Our longtime nanny is getting married this weekend, and our whole household is buzzing. She’s been with us for twelve years, four kids, countless school runs, and an especially heavy season when my wife was sick. At this point, she’s basically family, so watching her marry the man of her dreams feels like a win for all of us.
Grammy is flying in for the celebration. She’s traveling through the brand-new Pittsburgh airport that’s only been open for three days. Apparently, it’s beautiful. Meanwhile, Sarasota’s airport feels like organized chaos most days. Maybe we’ll get a new one someday… one can hope.
Living farther out in the country has introduced a few new sounds, namely, coyotes in the distance at night. Thankfully, all our animals stay inside: four cats and two dogs. One of our cats, Coconut, treats every open door like an NFL drill. She rockets past you like a running back before you can even react. Fortunately, she never goes far and usually just circles the house until she gets nervous and decides to come back. We are still a bit nervous, though.
Joey and Jane Jenkins, both 65, walked into retirement feeling proud—forty years of work behind them, Social Security and investment income more than covering their bills. And yet, that old, familiar worry crept in.
"What if something big hits us out of nowhere?" Jane asked. "One huge bill can shake everything."
Joey nodded. "Maybe we should cut back. Stick to the basics. I guess the travel, the nicer dinners, spoiling the grandkids—that might be for other people. We’ll just play it safe."
Funny enough, they did run into almost every "unexpected" expense retirees fear. The good news? None of it derailed their retirement.
Dental Work
By Joey’s mid-70s, a lifetime of quick brushing caught up with him. A root canal and crown in his 70s… another in his 80s… and Medicare covers none of it.
These days, major dental work can run $2,000–$3,000 per tooth, sometimes more. For many retirees, this is one of the largest surprise expenses.
Hearing Aids
At 74, Joey finally admitted he couldn’t hear the TV anymore. A decent set of hearing aids today runs $3,000–$6,000. Medicare still doesn’t cover them, though certain Medicare Advantage and supplemental plans sometimes help.
Prescriptions Jane’s rheumatoid arthritis medications weren’t cheap, but with Medicare Part D and supplemental coverage, her yearly out-of-pocket costs stayed within the plan limits. For many retirees, prescriptions end up being far more manageable than expected, especially with discount programs and income-based assistance.
Car Repairs Even driving less in retirement, things still break. Joey’s transmission failed in his late 70s, costing a little over $5,000. Annoying? Absolutely. But financially devastating? Not even close.
Home Repairs Living in Florida means sun, storms, humidity—and wear and tear. Over their retired years, Joey and Jane replaced two air conditioners (roughly $7,000–$8,500 each today) and eventually needed a roof replacement (now often $25,000–$35,000). These are among the most common big-ticket items retirees face.
Helping Adult Children (and Grandkids)
Their daughter Jessica went through a painful divorce, suddenly needing help with rent and childcare. Joey and Jane stepped in, contributing $1,000 a month for a season until she got back on her feet.
In my experience, helping adult kids is one of the most emotionally driven and potentially expensive retirement surprises. You never stop being a parent, and it’s impossible to predict when a child might need support.
Unexpected Pet Expenses
Another common surprise: pets. As they age, dogs and cats can require surgery, medication, or emergency treatment—easily running $1,500–$5,000 or more. For many retirees, pets are family, and these bills often arrive without warning.
________________________________________
Here’s the bigger point: When you lay out all the typical "unexpected" expenses—dental work, hearing aids, home repairs, medical events, pets, and family needs—you start to see there really aren’t that many true unknowns. They’re frustrating, yes. But they’re also normal, predictable parts of life.
And there are always options:
1. Emergency savings. Keeping $20,000–$25,000 liquid covers a huge portion of life’s curveballs.
2. Using IRA withdrawals when needed. For example, withdrawing $50,000 reduces your future monthly retirement income by roughly $200. Not ideal, but far from catastrophic. It’s simply adjusting the plan.
3. Financing certain expenses. If the monthly budget can absorb the payment, it’s a perfectly reasonable solution.
Retirement isn’t about avoiding every bump in the road. It’s about knowing the bumps aren’t big enough to knock you over.
Be Blessed,
Dave