Four later-in-life professions

VOICEOVER ARTIST CARMEN LIGATO, JR., 61 | $20,000 a year Home: Saratoga Springs, NY PREVIOUS LIFE: IT quality assurance manager WHY HE DID IT: After 35 years in the IT field, my position was

moved overseas. As I job-hunted, I realized my heart wasn’t in the field any longer. I had a cousin in the voice over business who helped me find a coach. HOW HE SUCCEEDED: After building a

small recording studio in my home, I began writing scripts and producing videos featuring my voiceovers. I auditioned up to six or seven times a day.  After nearly six months, I landed my

first job, and soon I was working nearly every day. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: If your career isn’t making you jump for joy that the alarm clock just went off, what are you doing there?  Find

one that does! REFERENCE LIBRARIAN FRANCIE BERGER, 57 | $45,000 A YEAR HOME: Ellington, CT PREVIOUS LIFE: Art Director for LEGO HOW YOU CAN DO IT: “Building giant LEGO installations, such as

the world’s largest Cinderella Castle in Orlando, was a childhood dream come true. I studied architecture and joined the company right out of college. After 24 years, my job was outsourced

abroad. I was lucky to know in advance. I dusted off my other childhood dream — becoming a librarian.” WHAT YOU CAN LEARN: “I fast-tracked a two-year master’s degree in Library Science in 15

months. I followed that with an internship, but my internship director told me, ‘there’s no place for you here. No one retires.’ When I graduated in 2011, she called me. Someone had

retired. I live a charmed life.” WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: “I miss paid vacation. There are few full-time librarian jobs unless you’re a director. INVENTOR SANDY STEIN, 66 | $100,000 a year

Home: Los Angeles HOW SHE DID IT: I had been a flight attendant for 33 years. One night, I had a vivid dream about how to invent a new product that would decorate the outside of a handbag

while preventing keys from getting lost. The next morning, I fashioned a rough prototype. HOW SHE SUCCEEDED: I invested $130,000 and ordered 200,000 units. With a sales squadron of flight

attendants doing multilevel marketing, my concept took off. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: As an entrepreneur, you’ve got to turn on a dime as the business changes. ATTORNEY CHRISTOPHER OWEN, 65 |

$25,00-30,000 A YEAR HOME: Las Vegas PREVIOUS LIFE: Electrician WHY HE DID IT: My father always wanted me to be a lawyer. I wondered if, at age 58, I was too old to try it. HOW HE DID IT: I

found out where the LSAT was being given, studied for it and took it. I did well enough on the test to get admitted. I attended Whittier Law; I was older than all but one of my professors,

but I joined an elder society and my peers helped. I passed the Nevada bar and set up office with a lawyer friend. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: My school loans are about $200,000. I set up a

minimum payment plan that works with my income.