You’re almost ready to retire, finally in the home stretch. You can see the finish line, and once you get there, the rest of your life will be nothing but playing golf and sipping piña coladas. The rest is in your financial advisor’s hands. After all, they got you to this point. Why wouldn’t they be able to get you through it?

While some people dream of an early retirement at age 60, and others are determined to work well into their 70s, the fact of the matter is that turning 65 is a watershed moment for most Americans. Regardless of when you retire, age 65 is the year when you are first eligible for Medicare. You’re also approaching what the government considers to be your “full retirement age,” that is, the age when you’re eligible to receive your full Social Security benefits.

At least once a year you’ve been meeting with your financial advisor to make sure you’re on track for retirement. But this year it’s different. This is the year you’re planning to retire, and your idea of retirement might not line up with the reality. That’s why your annual meeting may be more important now than ever.

Meeting with a financial advisor, or a new financial advisor, is the first step in creating a relationship with the person you may choose to put your financial future in the hands of. It’s a huge responsibility that your future advisor should not take lightly, and neither should you. ;