The nexus between relational life and life satisfaction is riddled with endogeneity problems. By investigating the causal relationship going from the first to the second variable, we consider that retirement is a shock which increases the time investable in (outside job) relational life. As a consequence, we instrument investment in relational goods with the aggregate exogenous age-retirement pattern. With such approach we document that investment in relational life has a positive and significant effect on life satisfaction. Consequences of our findings in terms of retirement effects and age-happiness pattern are also discussed.