Retirement Answer Man

Does inflation have you worried about retirement? If so, you’re not alone. A couple of listeners are looking for ways to inflation-proof their retirement. Can you inflation-proof your retirement?

I’ll answer these questions and many more on this episode of Retirement Answer Man. But before we get to our current listener questions we’ll take a look back at a question that was asked earlier this month. I asked you all to help me answer it and today you’ll hear the responses.

Listeners’ responses to Wendy’s question 

On episode 429, Wendy asked for my thoughts on increasing her savings with the goal of retiring early or whether she and her husband should enjoy life now and travel more given her husband’s recent bout with cancer. After giving my thoughts on the matter, I turned the question over to all of you and I received many responses. 

One listener remarked that their 1 million dollar savings wouldn’t be enough to fund an early retirement when considering long-term care and health costs. 

Another listener, Craig, retired early at 62 and regrets not working longer. He feels bored and wishes that he had worked longer while slowing his savings rate. 

Joe took 3 months off of work, then started back to work part-time. He reminds us that we don’t have to choose between work and retirement. By working a flexible or limited schedule you can take advantage of pretirement and enjoy the best of both worlds. Retirement doesn’t have to be binary. Retirement isn’t about getting to a date–it’s about making the most of the time you have.

Kate retired at 56 and is bored. She advises planning how you will create your new life and spend your time in retirement. 

Choices don’t have to be black and white–find a way to work with the grey areas

While Wendy’s question was posed as a choice between two options, it is important to remember that you can go back and forth between the two. Things don’t have to be black and white. You can increase your savings a bit while increasing travel and living life to its fullest now. Don’t wait until retirement to enjoy life since no one is promised tomorrow. We must all live for today while doing our best to make the most out of tomorrow. 

Listen in to hear Kevin Lyle’s ideas on how to blend work into your retirement plans. 

Can you inflation-proof retirement?

Since inflation has continued to rise more and more people are looking for ways to inflation-proof their retirement. Dave is looking at taking a mortgage on his house so that he can buy rental properties and another listener is curious about using gold as an inflation hedge. 

A couple of months ago we did a month-long series on inflation in retirement. You can start the first episode of the series here. In episode 423 we explored several inflation-fighting tactics you can use to enhance your retirement strategy. Some of those were I bonds, TIPS, money market funds, and utilizing debt instead of cash to make large purchases. 

It is important to understand that no retirement plan is inflation-proof. What you can do is ensure that you have a sound retirement strategy in place before rushing into any major decisions. Walkthrough your process and see how the choices align with your values and fit into your retirement plan. 

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN

PRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT

  • [3:40] Looking back at your responses to Wendy’s question from earlier this month

LISTENER QUESTIONS WITH KEVIN LYLES

  • [11:27] A blended retirement question

LISTENER QUESTIONS WITH NICHOLE

  • [20:44] Should Dave take on a mortgage to buy rental properties?
  • [24:30] Is gold a good way to fight inflation?
  • [27:55] The 5-year rule and opening of 2 separate Roth IRAs
  • [29:41] Moving a 401K to a Roth IRA before retirement
  • [31:43] Should Roy liquidate his stock options into cash and buy a 2nd home?
  • [35:55] A rule of 55 question
  • [39:03] Sally wants to consolidate accounts and buy crypto how should she do that/

TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT

  • [44:26] When trying to decide how to balance life today with saving for tomorrow remember that tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Don’t miss the live webinar on May 19!

Episode 423 - What Investments Help Protect Me from Inflation?

LTCI Partners

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: RAM432_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am CDT

Today we are continuing our month-long series of listener questions. On this episode, you’ll hear questions about Roth conversions, interest rate-hedged ETFs, pension payments, and the value of dividends as a source of income in retirement. If you are ready to gain the wisdom that you need to rock retirement, press play now.

Time to pull out your May calendars

Next month we will be focusing on functional health in retirement. You’ll learn what you can do now to get your body in the right place so that you can do all the things that you have dreamed of in retirement. You won’t want to miss the interview we have lined up with a functional health expert, so be on the lookout for this series coming up in May.

While you’re planning what to listen to in May, mark your calendar for May 19 at 7 pm CDT for our live webinar. During this interactive session, we’ll be chatting about the market and inflation, I’ll answer some retirement questions, and we’ll discuss the Rock Retirement Club’s open enrollment of the spring 2022 cohort.

In this live webinar, you’ll learn more about our inclusive online community of more than 800 members where you can create your financial plan, take masterclasses, and attend online meetups on financial and non-financial topics. If you are looking for a way to meet new, like-minded people in the same situation as you and supercharge your retirement, don’t miss out on the May webinar to hear more about the Rock Retirement Club. 

How to calculate a pension on a net worth statement

One listener has a question regarding pensions on their net worth statement. A net worth statement is a financial statement that lists your assets in one column and liabilities in another. By subtracting your liabilities from your assets you can calculate your net worth.

Up until now he has included the lump sum of his wife’s pension in the assets column, but she will soon start collecting her monthly pension, so he no longer knows where to calculate the pension. 

Once you start collecting your monthly pension, you no longer have an asset. Instead what you have is social capital–similar to your Social Security benefit. Social capital doesn’t belong on a net worth statement; rather, it can be included on a household balance sheet. We use household balance sheets in the Rock Retirement Club when calculating projected retirement budgets. 

Are interest rate-hedged ETFs a good idea?

Interest rate-hedged ETFs trade like stocks and hold like bonds. However, rather than being organic financial products, interest rate-hedged ETFs use derivatives to hedge price movements as interest rates rise. 

While these ETFs are a great idea, in theory, one problem is that much of your cost in buying these funds goes to the derivatives. Since these ETFs are manufactured and don’t naturally occur, they can be quite costly. Try to avoid these synthetic tools in your investments. 

Instead of using interest rate-hedged ETFs, you can look at purchasing TIPS (Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities) or I bonds. Another way to achieve the same goal is to build a bond ladder. Listen in to hear how a bond ladder works to see if that would be a good solution to building the bond portion of your pie cake. 

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN

PRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT

  • [2:47] My recent win
  • [4:46] My morning routine

LISTENER QUESTIONS

  • [7:52] Calculating a net worth statement
  • [10:45] Are interest rate-hedged ETFs a good idea?
  • [15:40] Where to put a lump sum payment so that you wouldn’t have to pay the taxes all at once
  • [17:35] Does the 5-year rule apply in a backdoor conversion?
  • [20:12] The value of dividends as a source of income in retirement

TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT

  • [24:20] Write it out – Today is the day…

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Boomer Benefits

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: RAM431.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am CDT

This is a fantastic time to enjoy a pretirement tailwind. If you have ever considered using pretirement as a gateway into full retirement, the job market is desperately searching for experienced talent. Listen in to discover how this cultural shift in the workplace could benefit your retirement plans. 

On this episode, you’ll also hear the answers to a number of questions from listeners like you. If you are worried about how to shift from saving to spending, wondering how to plan for taxes in retirement, or how RMDs work for married couples then make sure to press play to hear the answers to these questions. 

Retirement is not binary

Traditionally, retirement is considered to be the opposite of working. You work 40 years or so then one day you stop and retire. However, in today’s world, this does not have to be the case.

There are plenty of ways that people can incorporate a pretirement phase before retiring fully. I like to call part-time work, consulting, or working a flexible schedule before full retirement pretirement. Pretirement can be a great way to ease into retirement while still benefiting from staying engaged in the working world.

Companies are more flexible than ever before

The pandemic reframed the way people work. Companies experimented with remote work and flexible schedules and many corporations that tried to reinstate traditional office work ended up seeing pushback from employees.

This shift has created a talent shortage in many fields which has led to a desperate need for qualified, accomplished individuals to fill various positions. Since corporations are struggling in their search for skilled labor, many are rethinking their cultural rigidness and becoming more flexible. 

Many companies have realized that employees can be just as productive or even more so by working from home or on a flexible schedule. This corporate cultural shift has led to a huge opportunity for those that are seeking alternatives to traditional retirement. 

How to explore pretirement

If you have been considering retirement, but aren’t sure if you are ready, consider exploring the boundaries with your current employer. You may be able to negotiate a 3 day a week schedule or a 100% remote position. 

If you have already retired and would like to enjoy the stimulation of working without the limitations of a full-time schedule, now is a great time to cash in on your career capital by reaching out to your network to explore your options. 

You may discover the right part-time, consulting, or contract position that allows you the time freedom of retirement while enjoying the mental stimulation and income of the working world. 

How to go from being a saver to becoming a spender?

Since you have been saving for retirement your entire working career, making the transition to spending that savings takes a huge shift in mindset. One reason for this is the money scripts that we have ingrained in our minds since childhood. Money scripts are the stories we tell ourselves about money. Changing your money scripts will not happen overnight. 

In retirement, you will have to transition from saving to spending, but this isn’t as easy as flipping a switch. It is a process that you will slowly become comfortable with as you ease into your new life. It will take time, but slowly you will lean into the changes in your life and you will become comfortable with your new life rhythm. Listen in to hear how you can make the shift in mindset from a saver to a spender. 

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN

PRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT

  • [1:30] Enjoy the pretirement tailwind

LISTENER QUESTIONS

  • [7:08] How to go from being a saver to becoming a spender
  • [12:55] Why Bob is lamenting being born in 1960
  • [15:41] How to access a solo 401K plan
  • [17:56] Deciding whether to keep a group universal life plan after retiring
  • [21:10] How to include taxes as future liabilities
  • [24:33] RMDs for married couples

TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT

  • [25:27] Reframe the idea that retirement is binary

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

 

LTCI Partners

BOOK - So Good They Can’t Ignore You by Cal Newport

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: RAM430.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am CDT

Making retirement decisions brings plenty of questions and over the next month, I’ll be tackling your retirement questions. While I love answering your questions, I also enjoy hearing your thoughts. In today’s episode, there are a couple of questions that I’d love to hear your feedback on. If you have any thoughts to share with other listeners please respond to the 6-Shot Saturday newsletter. If you’re not signed up, head on over to RogerWhitney.com and scroll down to the bottom of the page to get weekly tips, news, and resources in your inbox every Saturday morning.

Deciding to spend large sums of money in retirement can be unnerving

Early on in retirement is when people want to have the most fun, but it can also be the most daunting time to spend money. Even if the numbers say that you’ll be ok financially, you can never be certain if you may need that cash when you’re 90. Making the decision to spend large amounts of money in retirement can be daunting.

I got to thinking about decision-making recently when I wrote the biggest check I have ever written. This check will (hopefully) be an investment in my business, but it was still a difficult decision to make that took a lot of thought and counsel from others. 

How I employ my own decision-making tactics

I actually practiced what I preached and used the same decision-making process that I teach on the show. I started with my vision by projecting where I want to be in the future. I thought about how this decision fits into my long-term goals for myself and my company. Then, I got to thinking about the result that I hoped for as well as the worst-case scenario. 

I seek the counsel of others

Since I know I have blind spots in my own decision-making when it comes to myself and my business, I enlisted the help of others to bounce my ideas off of. I started with my wife, Shawna, then sought counsel from Nichole, and others that understand my situation. I encouraged them to challenge my assumptions and poke at my blind spots. We walked through alternatives and discussed opportunity costs. Ultimately, it was up to me to make the judgment call. I won’t know for quite some time whether I made the right decision, however, I know that the process that I used to make this decision was sound. 

With the right process, you can be secure in your decision making

I share this with you, because you may be wondering if you should spend $30,000 to take an epic family trip next year, buy that vacation home, or RV across the country. The memories you create may be well worth the money, but you won’t know if you made the right choice until you reach the end of the road. Nobody can tell you what the correct decision will be for you, but if you work through your decision in an organized way starting with your vision then you’ll know that you made the best decision that you could. 

Speaking of big decisions, Wendy is trying to decide whether to increase her savings now that she and her husband will be empty nesters. Or should they continue to save for retirement at the same rate while taking time to travel and enjoy more of life now while they are both still healthy? Listen in to hear the details of her situation and then let her know what you think by responding in our 6-Shot Saturday newsletter. What would you do if you were in her shoes?

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN

PRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT

  • [1:32] My process as I work through a big decision

LISTENER QUESTIONS

  • [11:05] Daniel’s comment on needs, wants, and wishes and my response
  • [14:22] A consideration on relocating in retirement
  • [17:10] Travel now or increase savings and retire early?
  • [20:50] Bond accrual structural strategy
  • [22:24] A Roth conversion question
  • [26:06] On retirement regret

TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT

  • [31:46] Check out our decision-making worksheet in 6-Shot Saturday

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Boomer Benefits

PODCAST - Deep Questions with Cal Newport 

Episode 402 - The Tax Toolbox with Andy Panko

Episode 416 - Retirement Plan Live: Why We Moved

Episode 426 - How to Plan Your Agile Retirement: A Feasible Retirement Strategy

BOOK - Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections by John Wooden 

BOOK - Born Standing Up by Steve Martin 

BOOK - So Good They Can’t Ignore You by Cal Newport

BOOK - Unstoppable Teams by Alden Mills

BOOK - Antifragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

BOOK - The Way I Heard It by Mike Rowe

BOOK - How to Decide by Annie Duke

BOOK - Grit by Angela Duckworth

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: RAM429.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am CDT

1