Retirement Starts Today Radio

If you’ve saved more than a million dollars, that puts you ahead of 90% of your peers. Statistically, that makes you a super saver. But one of the biggest challenges super savers face is this: it’s hard to spend your own money.

In this episode, I share one exercise that can help break some of those old habits and open the door to a more fulfilling retirement.

A Practical Exercise 

Think back over the last year or two and pick a tri...

We’re taking another look at one of retirement planning’s sneakiest pitfalls — underestimating your own life expectancy.

We explore why smart people make short-sighted Social Security decisions, how psychological biases can distort your thinking, and why planning to live a long time isn’t pessimistic.

Then, our listener question covers the nuts and bolts of how to apply for Social Security (online, phone or in-person), a critical h...

We’re going inside the new tax rules for retirees. 

From a brand-new $6,000 deduction for seniors to major changes in how charitable giving is handled, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act has reshaped key parts of the retirement tax landscape. 

We’ll break down what’s changed, what’s just political spin, and what you can do right now to take advantage of these new rules. 

After that, we answer a listener question: Have you ever wondered...

Nick Maggiulli’s latest article in Of Dollars & Data challenges one of the core ideas that drives personal finance blogs, podcasts, and even some of our own thinking — the belief that financial independence should be the ultimate goal.

We explore the surprising downsides of chasing early retirement, the difference between financial independence and financial freedom, and why something called “Coast FIRE” might be the real goal wort...

The (f)law of averages challenges a dangerous assumption we see far too often in retirement planning: The use of average life expectancy as a reliable planning target. 

The question is: If you make it to retirement - are you already above average - and if that’s true, how do we use that in our planning? 

I share six key takeaways from the article:

1. Life expectancy is an average, not a prediction
2. The mode — not the mean — may be...

Could heaven be an RV in a state park?

It is for Marian Barry, who became a traveling nurse after working in hospitals during the pandemic.

We share this story from a Business Insider article, pointing out that she lives on $2,972 a month in Social Security and is lovig life. "I literally live in heaven."

Key takeaways:

• Low-cost retirement living
• Lifestyle vs. possessions
• Community and mental well-being
• Flexibility in retireme...

New research from David Blanchett, head of retirement research at PGIM, challenges one of the biggest assumptions in retirement planning: that happiness in retirement depends on maintaining a constant—or even increasing—level of spending.

⬇️ Upon entering retirement, households experience a median consumption decline of about 20%.

This drop is often viewed as a red flag in traditional financial planning models.

However, Blanchett a...

There is a lot to cover in this episode, including new legislation that could impact your retirement.

Plus, 6 More Retirement Financial Myths to Avoid, and a listener with substantial assets who wants to know how to pay for a new car.

The OBBB

The One Big Beautiful Bill became public law on July 4, 2025. Included are:

• Lower Tax Brackets Are Now Permanent
• 
Larger Standard Deduction
• New Senior Bonus Deduction (2025–2028)

• Above-...

This week’s headline reads like a financial horror story — and unfortunately, it’s a true one. 😱

33-year-old Mr. Handy changed jobs and did what millions of Americans do every year: he requested a rollover of his 401(k).

Paychex, the provider managing his old employer's plan mailed him two paper checks: one for his traditional 401(k), and one for his Roth 401(k). They were intercepted in the mail, and over $114,000 vanished. Gone....

According to BankRate, 23% of Americans 60-78 have a side-hustle. Maurie Backman says in an article by Kiplinger that this would help with two key areas in retirement planning: It provides us with something fulfilling to do after our primary career and provide a little extra cash in retirement.  

The benefits of a side hustle:

• Mental Engagement
• Extra Income
• Social Connection
• Sense of Purpose

The Pitfalls of a side hustle...

If you've been anywhere close to a retirement podcast over the last 10-20 years, you've heard of the 4% rule. And like many people, you might have questions about it.

We're going to hear about it directly from the horse's mouth as we talk to Bill Bengen, who first articulated the 4% withdrawal rate as a rule of thumb for withdrawal rates from retirement accounts.

The 4% rule is not a rigid rule but a guideline. Its application requ...

Only 3% of Americans have saved $1 million for retirement. according to 24/7 Wall St. & AOL. I’ll break down what that means—and why your personal number might be more important than any national average.

After that, I answer a listener question where we tackle how to cover healthcare costs in early retirement—specifically for a 58-year-old retiree with a non-working spouse and three adult kids under 26 still on the family plan. We...

What do you do with RMDs you don’t actually need?

If you’re retired and over age 73 — or 75 if you were born in 1960 or later — you know the IRS requires you to start taking Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from your traditional IRAs and workplace retirement accounts.

Even if you don’t need that money for living expenses, you still have to take it - which means more taxable income, higher Medicare premiums, and a bigger chunk ...

What happens when your emergency cash runs dry—and life keeps happening? 

A recent article lays out a ranked list of ten ways to access emergency cash, starting with the best options and ending with the ones you’ll want to avoid unless it’s truly a last resort:

1. Emergency Fund / Short-Term Securities
2. Low-Risk Assets in Taxable Accounts
3. Roth IRA Contributions
4. Life Insurance Cash Values
5. 401(k) Loan
6. Home Equity Line of Credit (HEL...

“By the time your child turns 18, you’ve spent 95% of the time you’ll ever spend with them in your lifetime.”

This comes from research by the American Time Use Survey, highlighted by Our World in Data. And let’s be honest, when you first hear that, it stings a little. Especially as a parent. You can’t help but wonder, “Have I been a good steward of that precious time?” 

But here’s the twist: this isn’t about guilt. It’s about aware...

We’re talking about rebalancing! Rebalancing is key to any retirement plan, but how often should we do it? That’s the topic of today’s retirement headlines segment, where we’re going to look at an article by by Jennifer Reed

Key discussion points:

💵 Financial Considerations
💔 Emotional Considerations
🧩 Relational Considerations
📊 A Look at the Numbers

Resource:
Article by Jennifer Reed: Is The Optimal Rebalancing Strategy To No...

What are the perceived benefits of moving to a low-tax state in retirement? Is it all it’s cracked up to be? 

We’re gonna cover a Wall Street Journal article by Debbie Carlson that delivers an important dose of nuance: “Don’t let the income-tax tail wag the total-spending dog.”

I also answer a very thoughtful question from Lynn about sequence of returns risk, as well as average returns vs order of returns. 

Key topics from the arti...

How do you stay calm and confident when the markets get messy? In today's Retirement Headlines we go through Cullen Roche's article from Discipline Funds - "Finding Certainty in a Sea of Uncertainty".

With tariffs, global uncertainty, and market volatility making headlines again offers nine practical steps to help you stay grounded, focused, and on track with your retirement plan. 

The 9 Calming, Confidence-boosting steps the artic...