Retiring After 65? The Rules Change (Hint: You Can Spend More)

Dec 28, 2025

Retiring after 65 reshapes financial strategies and priorities. With potentially higher Social Security benefits and fewer years to plan, retirees can often afford to withdraw more. The podcast highlights the importance of optimizing your 'go-go years' for travel and experiences. It delves into the risks of market downturns and emphasizes careful cash flow management. Key topics include navigating required minimum distributions, Medicare surcharges, and investing in health as a priority for a fulfilling retirement.

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INSIGHT

Shorter Horizons Allow Higher Withdrawals

Traditional withdrawal rules assume 30–40 year retirements and over-constrain later retirees.
If you retire after 65, you can often support higher withdrawal rates because your horizon is shorter.

ADVICE

Optimize Your Go-Go Years Now

Front-load travel, family time, and experiences during your go-go years while you have energy.
Intentionally schedule and spend in those early retirement years before health or energy decline.

INSIGHT

Guaranteed Income Reduces Market Pressure

Sequence-of-return risk matters less if you have larger outside income like higher Social Security.
Higher guaranteed income reduces pressure on your portfolio during early market downturns.

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Retiring after age 65 changes the math and the priorities. You have fewer high-energy years, shorter tax planning windows, and RMDs much closer than most people realize. But you also often have higher Social Security, clearer spending needs, and more flexibility if the plan is built the right way.

This episode breaks down how retirement strategy shifts when you retire later. Traditional withdrawal rules are built for 30–40 year retirements. If your timeline is closer to 10–20 years, blindly following those rules can lead to significant underspending and missed opportunities in your healthiest years.

Tax strategy becomes more compressed. Roth conversion windows are shorter. Medicare premiums and IRMAA surcharges matter more. Required minimum distributions arrive faster. Planning mistakes are harder to unwind, which makes coordination between income, investments, and taxes far more important.

Market risk looks different too. Higher Social Security and other income sources can reduce pressure on your portfolio, even though recovery time after downturns is shorter. The goal is not extreme conservatism. It is matching investments to real cash-flow needs while protecting against inflation and future healthcare costs.

The episode also covers survivor planning, charitable giving strategies like QCDs, Medicare surcharge planning, and why prioritizing health becomes one of the highest-return investments you can make when retiring later.

Retiring after 65 is not a disadvantage. It simply requires a different plan, tighter execution, and more intentional use of the years that matter most.

Advisory services are offered through Root Financial Partners, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. This content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered personalized investment, tax, or legal advice. Viewing this content does not create an advisory relationship. We do not provide tax preparation or legal services. Always consult an investment, tax or legal professional regarding your specific situation.

The strategies, case studies, and examples discussed may not be suitable for everyone. They are hypothetical and for illustrative and educational purposes only. They do not reflect actual client results and are not guarantees of future performance. All investments involve risk, including the potential loss of principal.

Comments reflect the views of individual users and do not necessarily represent the views of Root Financial. They are not verified, may not be accurate, and should not be considered testimonials or endorsements

Participation in the Retirement Planning Academy or Early Retirement Academy does not create an advisory relationship with Root Financial. These programs are educational in nature and are not a substitute for personalized financial advice. Advisory services are offered only under a written agreement with Root Financial.

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