Retire Sooner with Wes Moss

In the aftermath of two big banks collapsing, it's no surprise that some investors may feel uneasy about the state of their retirement savings. In this episode, Wes Moss gives details to explain if and how these bank failures impact your retirement journey. He provides insights into how the banking system works, walks through the history and current state of the FDIC, and the common perception that it's safer to use bigger banks versus regional or community banks. Additionally, he delves into the mismatch between interest rates and short-term US Treasury bonds and how you can invest your funds wisely to secure a respectable yield. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do economists and philosophers have in common?It’s not a trick question, but rather a debatable topic that Wes Moss and today’s guest, Paul Blaschko could discuss until the end of time! Paul Blaschko is the professor for the University of Notre Dame's most popular undergraduate class on philosophy.Wes and Paul dive deep into the philosophy versus theology schism and how Aristotle could be in the happy retiree camp. They also discuss Paul's "good life method" and the importance of good conversations.As this episode concludes, Paul shares some ways that people approaching retirement or later stages in life can continue improving their happiness and virtues and be comfortable with leisure for leisure's sake. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are seven fundamental habits that many self-made millionaires have in common, and today’s guest best-selling co-author of "The Millionaire Next Door," affluence expert and educator Dr. Bill Danko, explains.In this episode, Dr. Danko sits down with Wes to explain his research and findings on the most common traits among those who have accumulated wealth and how they did it. Dr. Danko also goes over what frugality can accomplish, the role of marketing in American consumer behavior, and occupations that may help you retire sooner. They also discuss the dynamics between being versus feeling versus looking wealthy and how happiness, giving, and gratitude fold into that idea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does your digital footprint say about what you want?Data scientist, author of best-seller "Everybody Lies," and speaker Seth Stephens-Davidowitz sits down with Wes Moss to talk about how data can reveal societal and personal trends in desires, psychology, wealth building, and more. This includes when you become a sports fan, who you seek out for romantic partners and how you present yourself to them, and what activities are ranked as the happiest to do. Seth explains how he went from just reviewing data to using it to make his life decisions, and gives examples of how listening to his own data has made a difference for him. As for what data he encourages retirees to pay attention to, listen in to learn! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Purpose + passion + fun = core pursuits!When it comes to living a happy retirement, the more passions a retiree has, the better. But, on the other hand, our research shows that unhappy retirees tend to have less than two core pursuits driving their post-work life. So, how can you discover your core pursuits as part of your happy retirement plan? This episode will help you revisit ways to find core pursuits and what they can mean for you.In honor of March Madness, we've compiled a Core Pursuits Bracket to square off sixty-four "hobbies on steroids" to see what kind of core pursuit is championed for the happiest retirees on the block. Would you choose gardening versus pickleball or skydiving versus pottery? Voting is still open, so make your selections on the Retire Sooner social media pages! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The finance industry has innovated exponentially in recent decades, but are there some innovations that investors find more helpful than others?In this episode of Retire Sooner, Wes is joined by renowned economist and author of the highly influential book on investing, "A Random Walk Down Wall Street," Burton Malkiel. They dive deep into investing insights for yourself and your family's future and discuss various investment types. In addition, Wes and Burton address multiple ways to handle emotions and expectations during market volatility and how there's no one rule for how retirees should organize their finances. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Wes and Retire Sooner producer Mallory Boggs go over Warren Buffett's "secret sauce" published in the Berkshire Hathaway 2022 Year In Review. They talk about how investing is not easy.While browsing through Buffett's rate-of-returns, Wes explains how Buffet's big numbers can equate to a more manageable scale that the average American can work with. He also assures that while Buffett is a special case of investing success, the mogul's lesson that the big wins tend to overshadow the little losses can be applicable to all who invest in stocks. The takeaway? Happy retirees aren't just savers, they're investors, too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would they cast to play you? Today's Retire Sooner guest is Los Angeles Times columnist and four-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, Steve Lopez. In Steve's case, Iron Man himself, Robert Downey Jr., plays Steve in the film adaptation of his best-selling nonfiction book, The Soloist. Wes and Steve talk about the story behind the story, as well as how Steve fell in love with Los Angeles and the fateful accident that got Steve thinking about retirement for his latest book, Independence Day.As they dig deeper into the book and discussion around retirement, Steve addresses the importance of structure and planning in retirement, six classifications of happy retirees, and why women can be better at retirement planning than men. Steve later relates advice Mel Brooks and Norman Lear gave him about purpose and passion. Finally, Wes wraps up the episode by asking Steve about his future plans for retirement and core pursuits. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can there be progress without pain? The last 50 years have been a rollercoaster in the financial world and the world at large.In this episode, Wes gives a snapshot of key events from decades passed that had a significant impact on both the financial and cultural zeitgeist, including the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, despite every war, conflict, or struggle, Wes emphasizes the positive developments that keep him (and happy retirees) rationally optimistic. "Tomorrow" can always be somewhere good and great! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Valentine's Day, let's talk about something near and dear to Wes's heart: Dividends!What does it take to be wealthy in America? In this episode, Wes and Retire Sooner producer Mallory Boggs take a look at statistics from a new wealth survey showing what level of earner is considered "wealthy" in this day and age. They also discuss dividend investing, show what a balanced portfolio could look like, and the possibility of enjoying dividend returns in retirement. Wes and Mallory wrap up this episode sharing what they love about Valentine's Day!This information is provided to you as a resource for informational purposes only and is not to be viewed as investment advice or recommendations. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. There is no guarantee offered that investment return, yield, or performance will be achieved. Stock prices fluctuate, sometimes rapidly and dramatically, due to factors affecting individual companies, particular industries or sectors, or general market conditions. For stocks paying dividends, dividends are not guaranteed, and can increase, decrease, or be eliminated without notice. Fixed-income securities involve interest rate, credit, inflation, and reinvestment risks; and possible loss of principal. As interest rates rise, the value of fixed-income securities falls. Past performance is not indicative of future results when considering any investment vehicle. This information is being presented without consideration of the investment objectives, risk tolerance, or financial circumstances of any specific investor and might not be suitable for all investors. There are many aspects and criteria that must be examined and considered before investing. Investment decisions should not be made solely based on information contained in this article. This information is not intended to, and should not, form a primary basis for any investment decision that you may make. Always consult your own legal, tax, or investment advisor before making any investment/tax/estate/financial planning considerations or decisions. The information contained in the article is strictly an opinion and it is not known whether the strategies will be successful. The views and opinions expressed are for educational purposes only as of the date of production/writing and may change without notice at any time based on numerous factors, such as market or other conditions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices