Designing retirement as short chapters

In this episode we read a lengthy email missive from our good friend Dr. Bill on reaching financial independence a few years early, designing a risk parity portfolio with an advisor, and facing the emotional fog that follows. We share how to replace optimization with intention and use time, not money, as the measure of value, and touch on these points:

• hitting FI earlier than planned after high savings, growth and a modest windfall
• shifting from global cap weight to risk parity for steadier withdrawals
• choosing fee‑for‑service advice and aligning incentives
• handling FI emotions, identity shifts and one‑more‑year urges
• using four idols as red flags for decisions
• buying happiness through relationships, experiences, time‑buying and generosity
• satisficing small choices to protect energy and attention
• building post‑career structure with short chapters and yearly subtractions
• treating time as the scarce currency, not money

Links:

Father McKenna Center Donation Page:  Donate - Father McKenna Center

Dr. Bill's Interview on Bigger Pockets Money:  The Decumulation Strategy After Hitting Financial Independence | Bill Yount

Kardinal Financial:  Kardinal Financial — Flat Fee & Fee-Only Financial Advisor Bryan Minogue | Madison, WI

Afford Anything Episode #618:  They Ran Out of Money. I Didn’t. Here’s Why.

Breathless Unedited AI-Bot Summary:

The number hits, the accounts say you’re free, and yet the feeling isn’t triumph—it’s fog. We dive into that messy, honest space after financial independence with a candid letter from Dr. Bill, a late starter who reached FI years ahead of schedule. His story opens the door to two challenges at once: how to build a portfolio that steadies withdrawals in uncertain markets, and how to build a life that isn’t ruled by “one more year.”

We start with the money. Risk parity isn’t a magic trick, but it’s a powerful framework for retirees and late starters: diversify by risk, not headlines, so stocks, bonds, and real assets share the load. That balance can dampen drawdowns and reduce sequence risk when you’re finally taking income. We highlight why fee‑for‑service advice beats legacy models, what to expect from a thoughtful plan, and how to avoid turning markets into a source of constant anxiety. Sleep matters as much as return.

Then we face the human side: identity, purpose, and the gravitational pull of more. Using a simple lens—avoid the four idols of money, power, fame, and unhealthy pleasure—we redirect focus to the only currency that compounds after FI: time. We break down practical ways wealth buys happiness through relationships, experiences that spark flow, time‑buying that deletes chores and commutes, and generosity that deepens community. You’ll hear tactical rules to cut over‑optimization, pilot a lighter work schedule, structure short chapters instead of a rigid life plan, and run annual “stop doing” audits to keep your days aligned with what matters.

If you’re nearing FI, newly independent, or stuck in the fog, this conversation offers a clear path forward: design a portfolio for resilience, and design a life for meaning. Subscribe, share with a friend who’s wrestling with “enough,” and leave a review to help more DIY investors find a saner way to retire on purpose.

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