Karen Kreider Yoder is grateful for the time she and her mother-in-law had spent arranging flowers. Illustration: Paul BlowThe first year in retirement is often the most difficult. But it also can be the most crucial, setting the stage for how you’ll fill the years ahead—both financially and psychologically. Stephen Kreider Yoder, 65, a longtime Wall Street Journal editor, joined his wife, Karen Kreider Yoder, 66, in retirement in September. In this monthly Retirement Rookies column, they are chronicling some of the issues they are dealing with in their first year, offering their different perspectives on what can be a confusing transition.

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Persons: Karen Kreider Yoder, Paul Blow, Stephen Kreider Yoder Organizations: Wall Street Journal