While delivering talks to a variety of companies and organizations, retirement expert Jan Cullinane was approached by single women who told her they needed help. Some said they were "happily never married" and looking for a place to relocate. Others, who were widowed and looking for companionship, wanted tips on how to start dating again. Some were divorced but said their ex-husbands had done all of the financial planning, so they wanted advice on how to manage their money.

After hearing these concerns echoed across the country, Cullinane decided to write AARP's The Single Woman's Guide to Retirement. She spoke with U.S. News about how women can make smart decisions on the path to financial stability, love, and self-fulfillment. Excerpts:

You wove anecdotes from single women throughout the book to illustrate certain concepts. Which stories resonated with you the most?

The ones about the "grey divorce," meaning they were married for 20 years or more and then got divorced. Some took a very humorous approach, while one woman was floored by her divorce. Another woman initiated it but was still very sad.

The tips for women who had become widowed and how they dealt with their grief also resonated with me. From the woman who said she got a rescue dog because she didn't want to come home to an empty house at night, to the woman who said yes to everything for the first six months and found that even though that was difficult, it was a way to get her engaged with the world, their stories were moving.

[In Pictures: The 10 Best Places for Single Seniors to Retire.]

Do you think single women have a harder time navigating retirement than single men?

I can't say that I'm an expert on the single men, but I would have to say yes because of the fact that women live longer, so they're going to have that longer horizon. And if they're doing the same jobs as men, they're paid less. They also tend to be more risk-adverse in investing, which sometimes works in their favor but sometimes works against them.

Negotiation skills are another thing. Research shows women aren't as good at negotiating as men. So because they're not as good at negotiating their first salary, and you roll that down for 40 years, that can make a huge difference in their nest egg.

What tips do you have for single women who want to continue working in retirement but want to pursue a different line of work?

See the rest here:
How Single Women Can Thrive in Retirement