Should I Take My Pension Lump Sum Now or Wait?

This is our last episode of 2022, so naturally, there will be a bit of reflection alongside the practical planning and your listener questions. Kevin Lyles also joins me in the Coach’s Corner to discuss living your best life in retirement. 

Let’s noodle on what it means to live authentically and discover the answers to some fantastic questions that will help guide you on your retirement journey. Stick around until the end of the episode to hear my word for 2023 and how I plan to review my year. 

Be the author of your hero’s journey

To be authentic literally means to be your own author. That’s what planning your retirement journey is all about. By building a framework to rock retirement you are writing your own story. 

I’m excited to wake up each day and help give you ideas to write your retirement story. By being the author of your own life you will be authentic and live without regret. To start the new chapter of your life consider where you are on your journey. The hero’s journey framework can help you navigate so that you can figure out what is important to you. 

Don’t miss the call to adventure

The hero’s journey is a cycle of constant death, rebirth, and renewal. Some version of you has to die before you can become reborn into your new self. 

If you haven’t retired yet then you are still in Act One of the hero’s journey. In this first act you are being called to something other than your full-time career. Being called to an adventure can be a powerful force. It is a force so powerful that oftentimes our first response is to resist the call. 

However, if you embrace the call you can find mentors to help you along the way. These mentors can come in the form of books and podcasts and they can be people who are further along in their journey that you can look to answer questions along the way.

Act Two requires a leap of faith

To step into Act Two you must take the leap of faith. As you journey into retirement this means stepping away from your old life and into the unknown. Along the way, you’ll face allies and enemies, but you cannot know the trials and ordeals you will encounter throughout this adventure. 

You’ll need a framework to help you navigate Act Three 

In our Third Act of your hero’s journey, you will overcome the trials and ordeals, but only if you have a framework to help us along the way. This is where I come in. Building that framework to help you through the trials and tribulations of retirement is what this show is designed to help you do. I aim to be your mentor and ally along the way.

Some version of this journey plays out in different ways throughout our lives. I’m excited to begin this new chapter with you. We’ll be focusing on building out the financial plan, but as you know, a financial plan alone isn’t the only thing you need to conquer this journey and rock retirement. I look forward to helping you build your retirement in the new year and beyond. 

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN

PRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT

• [3:24] The hero’s journey

COACH’S CORNER WITH KEVIN LYLES

• [9:01] How to live your best life in retirement

LISTENER QUESTIONS

• [19:07] What a yield curve is and why it matters
• [20:42] Should I take my pension lump sum now or later?
• [26:35] Ron’s experience living overseas
• [29:56] Use the Social Security website to help optimize
• [31:07] Can I take outside IRAs and roll them into my 401K?
• [35:22] What should Doug do to help his spouse handle finances when he passes
• [37:51] Whether to take small pensions now or later

TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT

• [41:08] Choose your word for 2023

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Joseph Campbell 

The Heroic App

Rock Retirement Club

Roger’s YouTube Channel - Roger That

BOOK - Rock Retirement  by Roger Whitney

Roger’s Retirement Learning Center