Retirement Answer Man

Rocking retirement requires focusing on both the financial and non-financial aspects of retirement. In  the previous two episodes we explored the four financial areas that help build a rocking retirement, and today, we begin to examine the non-financial areas starting with energy and mindset. After listening you’ll understand why rocking the non-financial part of retirement starts with building your energy. Learn how to improve your energy and mindset by listening to this episode of Retirement Answer Man. OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN PRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT [1:30] Energy is the first pillar4:17] Create a plan to improve your energy[7:10] Develop a growth mindset[12:46] An example LISTENER QUESTIONS [15:38] Do you have to be actively earning income to contribute to a Roth?[18:53] How doing their own taxes saved them thousands of dollars (and not only in tax preparer fees)[22:55] Will my spouse receive the COLA as well?[25:28] Are CDs a good way to invest?BRING IT ON WITH MARK ROSS [29:51] Foster an abundance mindset[35:34] Tools to use to practice an abundance mindsetTODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT [37:24] Be aware of the stories that you tell yourself and how they affect your mindsetResources Mentioned In This Episode BOOK - Limitless Mind by Jo BoalerRock Retirement ClubRoger’s YouTube Channel - Roger ThatBOOK - Rock Retirement by Roger WhitneyRoger’s Retirement Learning Center

Rocking retirement requires getting your financial and nonfinancial ducks in a row. As we work through the 8 pillars of rocking retirement this month, we’ll explore both the financial and non-financial elements of retirement. This week, we’re reviewing the resilience and optimization stages of the financial side of retirement. If you didn’t listen to the previous episode, make sure to go back and do so first to about the first two financial pillars. In this episode, we’ll be reviewing the next two: resilience and optimization. OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? [1:40] What is the debt ceiling?[5:43] What will happen with the debt ceiling?PRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT [7:55] Make your feasible plan resilient[14:10] Build a funding strategy[18:07] Now it’s time for optimizationLISTENER QUESTIONS [22:45] Estimating Social Security using the detailed calculator[25:02] The pros and cons of investing in REITs and private funds[31:45] Choosing a retirement planner vs. a CFP[36:16] Should Tammy sell one of her rental propertiesBRING IT ON  [41:28] What micro roles can you play in various relationships?TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT [47:20] Assess the resilience of your retirement planResources Mentioned In This Episode SSA.gov detailed calculatorEpisode 486 - The 8 Pillars Of Rocking Retirement: Financial - Vision And FeasibilityRetirement Plan Live episodes with Rosie - 468, 469, 470, 471Rock Retirement ClubRoger’s YouTube Channel - Roger ThatBOOK - Rock Retirement by Roger WhitneyRoger’s Retirement Learning Center

If you don't know where you are going any path will get you there. This is why it is so important to have a vision of where you want to go–you don’t want to end up anywhere!This series is dedicated to teaching you the 8 pillars to rock retirement. In this episode, we focus on creating a vision so that you can create a feasible pathway to get you to your vision. Listen in so that you aren’t wandering aimlessly through your retirement. Press play to learn how to visualize your goal and create a way to get there. OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN PRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT [2:52] What do you want?[6:32] What are your objectives?[8:14] What are the obstacles?[12:39] How to make your plan feasibleLISTENER QUESTIONS [18:54] A tip about going from two to one[20:57] A pie-cake baking tip[22:22] How to consider long-term investing when you get older[29:01] Would a stable value fund be a healthy or junk investment?BRING IT ON WITH KEVIN LYLES [34:17] How volunteering can improve your retirementTODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT [40:38] Think about your life as if it were a clean slateResources Mentioned In This Episode LiveWithRoger.comBOOK - The Top Five Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie WareFences for FidoRock Retirement ClubRoger’s YouTube Channel - Roger ThatBOOK - Rock Retirement by Roger WhitneyRoger’s Retirement Learning Center

This month we’re heading back to basics. All month long we’ll be building your foundational understanding of how to create a rocking retirement. If you’re new to the show, this is a fantastic starting point. If you are a long-time listener you’ll appreciate this review.In this episode, you’ll learn how to solve the essential problems of retirement planning: how to live a life without regret and how to balance squeezing as much out of life as possible today while ensuring that you have enough financial stability so that you won’t be a burden to others in your later years. Listen in to learn how to build a retirement that you can be excited about. OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN BOOKS I READ LAST MONTH [1:30] My monthly reading listPRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT [8:22] My experience in retirement planning[9:38] The retirement challenges you’re facing[15:35] Problems with traditional retirement planning[19:18] 3 things you need to have hope[21:10] Why I use an agile project management approachLISTENER QUESTIONS [27:33]Could joining the RRC help Matt help his mother-in-law?[30:05] On sharing the results of the survey[31:40] A book recommendation[33:33] How to transition to the decumulation stageBRING IT ON WITH DR. BOBBY DUBOIS [40:33] How exposure to heat and cold can benefit you[42:02] The history of using heat and cold to relax and heal[44:20] Defining heat and cold exposure[47:08] The evidence that supports exposure[53:09] The downsides[55:13] The benefitsTODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT [1:03:50] What is your planning process?Resources Mentioned In This Episode LiveWithRoger.com - Join me on May 11 or May 13, 2023, to learn the 4 phases of great retirement planning and to hear more about the Rock Retirement Club!BOOK - Unreasonable Hospitality by Will GuidaraBOOK - The Creative Act - Rick RubinBOOK - The Tiger by John VaillantBOOK - What Are People For? By Wendell BerryBOOK - Atomic Habits by James ClearBOOK - Tiny Habits by BJ FoggBOOK - Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers by Robert SapolskyEpisode 481 - I’m in My Fifties and Got Laid Off. What Should I Do?Morning Star’s The Long View Podcast - Retirement Planning Is Not Financial PlanningRock Retirement ClubRoger’s YouTube Channel - Roger ThatBOOK - Rock Retirement by Roger WhitneyRoger’s Retirement Learning Center

How will Social Security benefits fit into your retirement equation? If you have a spouse, there is an added level of complexity when considering your Social Security claiming strategy. We explore this topic and more through listener questions on today’s episode of Retirement Answer Man. Learn what to consider and how to approach the Social Security question by pressing play. OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN LISTENER QUESTIONS [3:49] Kathy shares Soaring Spirits International – a widows' group[4:33] Claiming Social Security strategies[9:55] Non-qualified stock options[18:39] Simplifying your investments going into retirementBRING IT ON [32:19] Having passions or projects to drive you[35:09] Plan your days in retirementTODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT [36:47] Declutter one thingResources Mentioned In This Episode Soaring Spirits InternationalSSA.govRock Retirement ClubRoger’s YouTube Channel - Roger ThatBOOK - Rock Retirement by Roger WhitneyRoger’s Retirement Learning Center

If you are thinking about retiring in the next few years you’re probably wondering what the best tools are to help you plan. Finding the right retirement planning software can not only help you plan retirement but help put your mind at ease so that you can Rock Retirement!One listener asks my opinion on the best retirement software to use. If you are curious about my answer you’ll press play. In this episode, you’ll also hear about the books I read in March, an interview with Steven Chen from the New Retirement Calculator, and learn the benefits of creating horizontal relationships. OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN BOOK REVIEWS [1:30] Books I read in MarchLISTENER QUESTIONS [5:30] Which retirement software should I use?[11:49] On using dividend investing to fund retirement[20:19] On using indexed annuities with downside protection[24:04] A recommendation for my wife, Shawna[24:55] Looking for a financial planner that is a retirement consultant STEVEN CHEN INTERVIEW ON THE NEW RETIREMENT CALCULATOR [26:45] What New Retirement Calculator users think about[33:06] Planning for the future[38:36] What’s new with the New Retirement CalculatorBRING IT ON [41:55] The benefits of creating horizontal relationshipsTODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT [47:10] Revisit your allocation planResources Mentioned In This Episode NAPFAGarrett Planning NetworkNew Retirement CalculatorMoney Guide Pro EliteFinancewareBOOK - The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro KishimiBOOK - Make Your Bed by William McCravenBOOK - Sea Stories by William McCravenBOOK - Build by Tony FadellBOOK - Top Five Regrets of the Dying by Bonnie WareMorningstar’s The Long View Podcast - Retirement Planning Is Not Financial PlanningLiveWithRoger.com - Register for the webinar on May 11, 2023 to discover the 4 Phases of a Great Retirement PlanRock Retirement ClubRoger’s YouTube Channel - Roger ThatBOOK - Rock Retirement by Roger WhitneyRoger’s Retirement Learning Center

We continue our focus on you this month as we dive deeper into listener questions. Today we have a range of questions from various aspects of the retirement process.If you have a question you want to be answered, head on over to RogerWhitney.com/AskRoger. You can type in a question or leave an audio recording–those are my favorites!Listen in to learn how to work through the decumulation phase of retirement by developing a withdrawal plan that fits your needs. OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN LISTENER QUESTIONS [3:32] What are the advantages or disadvantages to using bond funds to create an income floor?[9:21] How do I report a QCD on my income tax return?[14:50] Can you contribute to a Roth IRA with only a 1099 income?[16:00] On doing a series on grey divorce in the future[17:14] Where to pull money from first in the decumulation phase[23:04] Where to put your passwordsBRING IT ON [28:20] Are we ever enough?TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT [31:01] Confirm that your spouse knows your passwordsResources Mentioned In This Episode Everplans1PassRock Retirement ClubRoger’s YouTube Channel - Roger ThatBOOK - Rock Retirement by Roger WhitneyRoger’s Retirement Learning Center

All month long, I’ll be answering fantastic questions from listeners like you. Today, we’ll explore the steps you should take if you’re in your 50s and get laid off. Have you ever thought about what you would do in this situation? Listen in to find out. In the Bring It On segment, Dr. Bobby Dubois helps us understand the effects of stress and what we can do to combat stress so that we can live longer, healthier lives. You won’t want to miss his four exercises for working through everyday stressors. OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN PRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT [3:38] Who is listeningLISTENER QUESTIONS [6:38] In my fifties and laid off. What should I do?[17:08] Is there a widows group within the Rock Retirement Club?[18:11] What can retirees do to protect themselves from the effects of the government reaching the debt ceiling?BRING IT ON WITH DR. BOBBY DUBOIS [25:05] Another skill to keep you healthy [27:45] Defining mind-body activities[29:22] Defining stress[34:22] Stress affects many areas of our lives[38:35] What you can do to combat stress in your life[44:20] How to try stress relieving exercises to see if they work for youTODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT [46:40] Assess your situation and do some basic triageResources Mentioned In This Episode Wings for WidowsRock Retirement ClubRoger’s YouTube Channel - Roger ThatBOOK - Rock Retirement by Roger WhitneyRoger’s Retirement Learning Center

Reimagining life after widowhood can be challenging. In the beginning, it may seem like something that is impossible to imagine. Even if life seems insurmountable at the beginning, it is crucial to remember that someday you will be able to enjoy life again. Just not yet. Yet is an important word. Yet helps you understand that things will not always be as they are now. Today you’ll learn how to change your mindset from I can’t do this to I can’t do this yet. On this episode of Retirement Answer Man, you’ll hear wisdom from those who have traveled this same journey. They open up and share their financial and nonfinancial experiences. You’ll hear what has helped and what hasn’t, their challenges and triumphs, and how they have learned to power through and begin to create new dreams.Listen in to hear these brave widows share their stories so you can understand that a new life after widowhood isn’t impossible. The power of yet can change your mindset and help you rebuild your dreams. OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN WIDOWS LIVING A GREAT LIFE [3:20] Emma has had difficulty navigating the nonfinancial side of widowhood[9:30] It has taken time to reimagine her goals[11:20] Insights from the financial side[17:03] Mary needed time to grieve[23:00] How Mary managed the project[25:12] The nonfinancial side of widowhood[28:20] The financial side of widowhood[35:15] A new widow’s perspectiveTODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT [42:40] Think about how you can use the word yet to envision what is yet to comeResources Mentioned In This Episode BOOK - Getting Grit by Caroline MillerEverplansRock Retirement ClubRoger’s YouTube Channel - Roger ThatBOOK - Rock Retirement by Roger WhitneyRoger’s Retirement Learning Center

Nobody wants to face life as a widow or widower. However, it is an unfortunate reality that many must face. Successfully navigating widowhood could be easier if you could prepare yourself in advance. In this Widowed in Retirement series, we aim to do just that. Today you’ll learn how you can start life again on your own. Mark Trautman joins me again to discuss his experience moving forward after the death of your spouse. He touches on prioritizing actions to take, setting up a summarized retirement plan, and rebuilding your life as a single person. While we didn’t have time for Listener Questions today, we have a bonus interview with Chris Bentley from Wings for Widows as well as a chat with Lori Mage in our Bring It On segment.Listen in to learn what you can do to rebuild your life and begin again. OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN PRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT A CHAT WITH MARK TRAUTMAN [5:16] Our time is finite - make use of it[7:42] Could people have reacted better?[10:55] What were short-term actions[18:02] A retirement plan summary document[20:39] Going forwardA CHAT WITH CHRIS BENTLEY FROM WINGS FOR WIDOWS [23:04] How he decided to create Wings for Widows[31:52] Working with the financially illiterate [38:02] How to plan for widowhoodBRING IT ON WITH LORI MAGE [41:02] On relationships[43:33] What Lori did to build a relationship with herselfTODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT [50:30] When you mess up say it was a mis-takeResources Mentioned In This Episode Lori MageHeroic AppWings for WidowsFoundation for Financial PlanningBOOK - The Leadership Challenge by James KouzesBOOK - After the Death of Your Spouse by Mike PiperBOOK - Option B by Sheryl SandbergRock Retirement ClubRoger’s YouTube Channel - Roger ThatBOOK - Rock Retirement by Roger WhitneyRoger’s Retirement Learning Center