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For decades, retirement planning has largely revolved around one question: Have you saved enough money?

Wes Moss, a certified financial planner and author of The Retire Sooner Method: The 5 Secrets Behind America’s Happiest (and Unhappiest) Retirees, says that’s only part of the equation.

Moss bases his conclusions on his 2025 “Money and Happiness in America” study of more than 1,200 adults aged 50 and older from all 50 states. The survey included both retirees and people approaching retirement. He says the research found recurring differences between people who reported being happy in retirement and those who didn’t.

The findings produced five broad ingredients for retirement happiness: sufficient financial resources, meaningful activities, social connections, a clear plan for the future, and good sleep.

Moss says people who do well in all five areas have a 96% chance of falling into what his research calls the “happy retiree” group. That figure comes from Moss’ own research and should be viewed as an association rather than a guarantee that following the formula will make someone happy.

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1. Get into your financial ‘Green Zone’

Money does matter, but Moss argues that retirees don’t necessarily need to be multimillionaires.

Instead, the goal is to reach what he calls personal “Money Green Zones” — financial thresholds at which someone has enough income and assets to support the life they want without constant financial anxiety.

That distinction is important. A household with a relatively modest portfolio but low expenses, little debt, and reliable Social Security or pension income may feel more financially secure than someone with considerably more assets but much higher spending.

In other words, the goal isn’t simply accumulating the largest possible account balance. It’s making sure available resources are sufficient for expected expenses and the lifestyle a retiree wants to maintain.

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2. Find something to retire to

One of the biggest retirement mistakes may be concentrating exclusively on what you’re retiring from.

Work provides more than a paycheck. For many people, it provides routine, goals, relationships, and a sense of being needed. When work suddenly disappears, all of those things can disappear with it.

Moss recommends developing what he calls “core pursuits,” or what the new book describes as “super activities” — hobbies and interests that retirees pursue seriously and regularly.

They could include gardening, golf, travel, woodworking, volunteering, exercise, music, caring for grandchildren, or working part-time at something enjoyable.

The specific activity isn’t as important as having something that gives structure and purpose to the week.

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3. Don’t underestimate friends

Retirement can also shrink a person’s social circle. Coworkers who were seen every day may quickly fade from view.

Moss’ research points to community and social connections as another important dividing line between happy and unhappy retirees. In discussing the findings recently, Moss called community and socialization potentially the most important part of the formula.

That suggests preparing for retirement may mean investing in relationships as deliberately as people invest in their 401(k)s.

Joining clubs, volunteering, attending religious or community organizations, participating in sports, and making regular plans with friends can help create a social network that doesn’t depend on going to work every morning.

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4. Put the retirement plan on paper

There’s another difference between hoping retirement works and planning how it will work.

Moss says happier retirees tend to have a clearer financial and life roadmap. That can include determining when to claim Social Security, estimating retirement expenses, deciding how investments will generate income, and considering how savings will be drawn down.

But the plan shouldn’t stop with finances.

Prospective retirees can also think through where they’ll live, how they’ll spend their days, whether they’ll travel, how they’ll maintain friendships, and what they’ll do if health or family circumstances change.

A written plan can’t eliminate uncertainty, but it can turn retirement from an abstract goal into a series of decisions.

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5. Get a good night’s sleep

The most surprising item on Moss’ list has nothing to do with investing. It’s sleep.

His research found an association between consistent, quality sleep and retirement satisfaction. Moss includes sleep as what he calls the “happy retiree superpower,” reflecting its connection with both physical and mental well-being.

It’s another reminder that retirement planning isn’t exclusively financial planning. Health can determine whether retirees are able to enjoy the money and free time they’ve accumulated.

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Money is only part of the preparation

Perhaps the most useful takeaway for people nearing retirement is to broaden the preparation process.

Saving and investing remain critical because insufficient income can make virtually every aspect of retirement more difficult. But Moss’ research suggests that reaching a particular dollar amount doesn’t automatically produce a satisfying life.

Someone preparing to retire might therefore ask five questions instead of one:

• Do I have enough money to support my lifestyle? 
• What will make my days feel purposeful? 
• Who will I spend my time with? 
• Do I have a written plan for the years ahead? 
• Am I taking care of my health?

Moss’s argument is that getting those pieces in place may be more important than chasing an ever-larger retirement account.

As the publisher summarizes the philosophy behind The Retire Sooner Method, the objective isn’t having the most money. It’s having enough money — along with the freedom and purpose to enjoy the years it was saved for.