Retirement Answer Man

We chat with Fritz Gilbert, founder of the Retirement Manifesto blog and author of Keys to a Successful Retirement, Staying Happy, Active and Productive in Your Retirement Years.

Direct download: RAM_Special_Edition.mp3
Category:Finance -- posted at: 7:13am CDT

Choosing where to live in retirement can seem daunting to some and exhilarating to others. On this final episode of the Where to Live in Retirement series, we hope to teach you how to take steps to navigate a transition to create the retirement and the life that you really want. If you listen to this show that means that you are preparing to rock retirement. Listen in to this episode to hear how to take intentional action to plan where you really want to be in retirement. 

Let’s acknowledge the crazy things going on

We can’t begin this episode without acknowledging the crazy life-changing events that are happening all around us as we live through this Coronavirus disruption. I have talked to so many worried people in the past few weeks; clients, Rock Retirement Club members, and listeners who are all concerned about the effects of the Coronavirus. They want to know what they can do to mitigate the financial damage. To address everyone’s concerns, share tips, and answer questions, I’m hosting a town hall tomorrow 3/26 at 7 pm central. You can sign up for this webinar at my website: rogerwhitney.com just click the ad at the top of the page to register. 

How to avoid bad decisions during the Coronavirus disruption

Stop! Don’t do that! It’s important that you don’t make large, rash decisions in the middle of a crisis. Unfortunately, the Coronavirus has disrupted many aspects of our lives. Although you shouldn’t make big decisions at this time, you can take small actions. Cut some discretionary expenses, have a positive attitude, bring in some extra income. Most importantly, ask yourself what does this make possible? Find out what is possible during this challenging time and lean into it. 

Open your mind to the possibilities of where to live in retirement

How to begin to decide where to live in retirement? First of all, you need to open your mind to the myriad possibilities. The world is your oyster. Where can you envision yourself living? Try this exercise separately from your spouse. Have a seat and write down 3 places to live or even styles of living that you would enjoy. List the pros and cons of living in each place. Then each of you can present them to each other. This is an exercise in healthy communication. 

How can you have the best of both worlds?

You and your spouse may not have the same lifestyles or places written on your list of places to live. Think about how you can have the best of both worlds. Could you rent a place a few months out of the year? Buy a second home? It’s important that both of you make your voice heard. Think about the creative ways that you can live your ideal retirement. Listen in to hear how you can navigate the transition into retirement and decide where to live. You’ll also hear listener questions that could help you up your retirement game. 

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN

COACHES CORNER

  • [3:30] Open your mind to possibilities
  • [7:45] How to avoid bad decisions

Q&A SEGMENT

  • [12:10] How to verify expense ratios?
  • [15:24] Should he track information in a spreadsheet?
  • [19:35] Cash value or pension?
  • [20:34] An unusual retirement plan

TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT

  • [28:58] Realize you have choices to create the type of environment you want

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Dan Crosby

Rock Retirement Club

Roger’s YouTube Channel - Roger That

BOOK - Rock Retirement  by Roger Whitney

Work with Roger

Roger’s Retirement Learning Center



Direct download: RAM318.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

Direct download: RAM_Special_Episode.mp3
Category:Finance -- posted at: 12:25pm CDT

Over the past several episodes we have been discussing how to decide where to live in retirement. After listening to the previous episodes in this series, you have been able to acknowledge your own status quo and build a framework to decide the kind of place that you want to live in retirement. Now is the time to experiment and decide what makes the most sense for you and your situation. Listen in to hear different ways you can experiment and choose the right place to retire.

Is the grass really greener somewhere else?

All this talk of packing up and moving can get you ready to pack your bags and drive across the country to start a new life. But before you do that, think about if that is what you really want. Our thought experiment is really meant to get you thinking. So now examine where you are right now. What would happen if you decluttered the house or even remodeled it? Would it feel more liveable? What if you reexplored your own city? Check out the museums, parks, and trail systems. You may find there is more to love than you thought. 

How to experiment and decide where to live in retirement

How do you know where to even begin? Deciding the right place to retire can seem like a daunting task, but just like any other research project, you can start with the internet. Think about the aspects of a place that are important to you to get a profile of what you are looking for. Country or city? Beach or mountains? North or south? You’ll also want to think about factors such as affordability, proximity to airports and family. 

Keep your ear to the ground

Once you find a place that intrigues you start chatting with friends and colleagues about that location. Keep your ears open and you’ll hear plenty about that place. Another way to investigate places to live in retirement is to test the waters. Use your vacations to explore the places you are thinking of. Instead of buying a new place right away consider renting for a year to see if it’s somewhere that really suits your needs. 

Test the waters

Remember the whole point of this exercise is to have you analyze your status quo to see if it will still fit your desires in retirement. After doing this you may find that you are exactly where you want to be. So build your framework and put it to the test. Test the waters to see what may work for you. Continue to flush out your living profile to research and experiment on where you are thinking of settling. Try booking a vacation there or testing the waters. This will help you decide what is right for you. 

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

  • [2:00] What is huzzah?

PRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT

  • [3:00] Is the grass really greener somewhere else?
  • [7:44] How do you research and explore
  • [11:45] How these decisions are made in my home

Q&A SEGMENT

  • [17:45] How to evaluate when you will be ready to retire
  • [25:35] Should you hold onto a stock?
  • [30:55] How to protect yourself against identity theft when working with a planner?

TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT

  • [38:15] Continue to flush out your profile to research and experiment

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Rock Retirement Club

Roger’s YouTube Channel - Roger That

BOOK - Rock Retirement  by Roger Whitney

Work with Roger

Roger’s Retirement Learning Center

Direct download: RAM317.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT

In this episode, I share some perspective to help you navigate this crazy market

Direct download: Special_Edition_on_Bear_Market_3.13.20.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:12am CDT

Creating an ideal living profile will help you build a vision of your retirement. On the Where to Live in Retirement series, we’re not giving you a list of top places to retire, instead, you will learn how to build a framework to help you understand where is the right place for you. On this episode, you’ll consider questions to ask yourself and your spouse to create the ideal living profile for your retirement. Listen in to learn how to build a vision of what you want your retirement environment to look like.

Would you move across the country if it meant you could retire 2 years early? 

Moving can often lead to a completely different lifestyle. If you live somewhere with a high cost of living then moving to a state with a lower cost of living could completely change when and how you retire. Some people are completely happy with where they live and even identify with that place, and if that is you, then great! But for those that may be considering a change, make your decision intentionally. Don’t base your choices on the status quo. Consider your right answer. 

How to create your retirement living profile

How do you feel about your living environment? Our living environment sets us up for success and happiness. To create an ideal living profile there are many things that you can consider. Consider the climate. Do you like consistency or do you like change? Are you someone that wants to see the seasons change or would you prefer warmer weather all year long? Would you prefer to live in the city, suburbia, or out in the country? Would you enjoy the conveniences of a planned community? What kind of amenities do you like to be near? Listen in to hear what you should consider when creating your ideal living profile. 

What tools can you use to create your ideal living profile for retirement?

Now that you know what kind of questions to ask yourself, it’s time to actually build your living profile. There are many different ways that you can do this. One way is to create a vision board. A vision board is a way to use pictures, words, and ideas and arrange them in a visual way. You could also use a mind map to help you create your retirement living profile. I use a mind mapping app called Mind Node that helps me create mind maps. Make sure you’re signed up for 6 Shot Saturday to receive a mind map example. 

Create a conversation

When considering where to live in retirement it is important to check your status quo at the door. As you work through this exercise of creating your living profile make sure to do it separately from your spouse. Define what is important to you individually. After you have both created your living profiles you can use them to spark an ongoing conversation. You want to make sure that both of you express your feelings. Use this exercise as your Smart Sprint this week and start the conversation with your spouse.

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

  • [1:40] What is a bond ladder?

PRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT

  • [3:38] Would you move across the country if it meant you could retire 2 years early?
  • [7:07] How to create a living profile
  • [15:44] What are some tools you can use to create your living profile?
  • [19:42] Next week: how do you experiment with your decision?

Q&A SEGMENT

  • [21:50] Roth conversions and making use of your tax brackets
  • [27:15] What are the pros and cons of using a bond fund vs. using a bond ladder?
  • [31:15] Target-date funds

TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT

  • [35:06] Start thinking about the environment where you want to retire 

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

The Pie Cake episode

Mind Node

Rock Retirement Club

Roger’s YouTube Channel - Roger That

BOOK - Rock Retirement  by Roger Whitney

Work with Roger

Roger’s Retirement Learning Center



Direct download: RAM316.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:59pm CDT

Retirement is one of those life changes that gives you the opportunity to reevaluate and set yourself up for the next stage of life. On this monthlong Retirement Answer Man Series, we’re going to think about how to decide where to live in retirement. This will not be a list of the top ten places to go, but instead, I want to help you build a framework to weigh your decisions. In this episode, we’ll get you thinking about your own status quo so you can evaluate whether it’s right for you. Listen in with an open mind and really think about whether your in the right place or if you’re just comfortable. 

The Coronavirus and market corrections

I can’t sit by and ignore the recent market correction due to the Coronavirus. The whole situation can seem scary, While I can’t assess the health risk of the illness, I can discuss the market risks. Nobody knows how this event will slow down our economic system overall or how it will affect the profits, growth, and earnings of individual stocks. What you can do is consider whether you have the right structure in place. If you have done your planning then you need to sit down and remember that the money you have in the market right now won’t be touched for 5+ years. Relax and remember that this too shall pass. 

Are you getting trapped by what is?

The status quo can be quite comfortable. But instead of sitting back and letting life pass you by you can use the status quo as a baseline to help you consider what could be. How did you come to live where you do? Think about what that journey was like. Have you lived there long? What ties you there now? Retirement is a unique time in life where you don’t have the ties of work or kids to influence where you should live. Acknowledge your status quo but don’t simply accept that life must remain the same. Consider whether a change would improve your life. 

What are the pros and cons of selling stock by specific shares?

I recently got a great question about selling individual stocks by specific shares to manage one’s tax bracket. If you are looking to manage your tax bracket when selling stocks that were bought at different periods of time then it’s a good idea to do multi-year tax projections. Think about what your spending will be like and what your income will be. Where will you obtain that income? What will your tax bracket be? Map it out and model it. Listen in to hear the full explanation of how you should handle selling stocks by specific shares. 

What can average people do about long-term care?

Another listener sees long-term care insurance as a luxury since prices range from $3000-$7000 per year. He is wondering what people with average incomes can do to help with long-term care. Unfortunately, there is no good answer. First off you need to really consider if it is a luxury for you. Can you exchange a different expense like life insurance for long-term care insurance? Is there a way you can mitigate the odds and make some lifestyle changes? You’ll also need to begin discussing this issue with your family. Find out why having this discussion sooner rather than later is important by listening to this episode of Retirement Answer Man. 

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN

HOT TOPIC SEGMENT

  • [2:53] The Coronavirus and the markets

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN SEGMENT

  • [10:00] What is status quo bias

PRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT

  • [11:02] How did you come to live where you do?

THE Q & A SEGMENT

  • [17:08] What are the pros and cons of selling stock by specific shares?
  • [23:50] Buying long-term care is a luxury, what can average people do?
  • [27:55] The goal is to not use long-term care insurance

TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT

  • [29:44] Start having this conversation about where to live with your spouse

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Ask me a question! - RogerWhitney.com/AskRoger

Rock Retirement Club

Roger’s YouTube Channel - Roger That

BOOK - Rock Retirement  by Roger Whitney

Work with Roger

Roger’s Retirement Learning Center

Direct download: RAM315.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am CDT

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