Inflation has many investors questioning financial planning and spending decisions, including those making arrangements for a happy retirement. One frequently used concept that can help with retirement spending during times like these lies in the 4% Plus Rule. Listen as Wes Moss explains the math behind the rule during this episode.
Wes shares how running out of money is a top fear, why history can help us navigate through budgeting, and lists similarities between budgeting and dieting. He also talks through starting top down as opposed to bottom up when it comes to spending and provides examples of how the 4% and 4% Plus Rules can be used. Later in the episode, Wes discusses safe withdrawal rates, the importance of planning ahead of schedule, and why flexibility is the key in the budgeting process.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 4% Plus Rule Explained

Wes Moss is on a mission: help at least 1 million Americans of any age retire sooner and find joy along the way. A seasoned finance professional, best-selling author, broadcaster, and teacher, Wes has done extensive research on the habits of the happiest retirees. On this podcast, Wes shares key lifestyle and money habits you can implement now to prepare for a secure future while not depriving yourself of happiness in the present. In addition to leveraging his 20+ years of knowledge as an investment advisor, Wes brings in guests and specialists to teach you how to set and work towards your financial and lifestyle objectives. Refreshingly-free of mind-numbing financial jargon and unrealistic money goals, Retire Sooner with Wes Moss gives listeners the tools on how to retire sooner in the real world.

Business

Investing

Careers

Management & Marketing

Business News

Shopping

Running out of money may be retirement’s most frightening concern, so it’s not surprising that people want to know how much of their nest egg they can safely spend. The 4% rule, identified by William Bengen, states that retirees who draw down 4% of their portfolio in the first year of retirement, adjusting every year for inflation, will likely see their money outlive them, assuming the portfolio has a 50-75% allocation to stocks. But what about people who want or need to spend more than that? Is 6% too high?
On today’s episode, Wes breaks down the pros and cons and estimates the probability of success for a 6% withdrawal rate rather than 4%. With careful consideration and planning, he looks for a way to help listeners max out spending without running out of money.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A 6% Withdrawal Rate: Crazy or Possible?

Chan Hellman was nearly suicidal until someone in his life gave him hope. Now, he works to spread it to others. As the founding Director of The Hope Research Center at the University of Oklahoma, his research is focused on hope as a psychological strength for children, adults, and families experiencing trauma and adversity.

Chan believes one key is to start small. If your goal is to get healthy, that doesn’t have to mean a gold medal in the Olympics. Just go buy some running shoes.

His research shows there is no such thing as too much hope. Even when the chances are slim, there are usually pathways to get where you want to go.

In today’s episode, Chan teaches us how to find hope and implement it in our lives. He says imagination is the instrument of hope. We don’t have to summit the mountain in one day, but if we can imagine our future selves reaching wherever it is we want to go, it generates the willpower and motivation it takes to get there.

And if none of that hooks you, he even uses the Marvel movies as an example. If he can find hope for Iron Man, I know he can find it for you and me!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Finding Hope with Chan Hellman

On today’s episode, Wes welcomes Producer Mallory to the studio to tackle more questions from the hypothetical Retire Sooner conference. They analyze options for when to take Social Security, examine the idea of downsizing or relocating in retirement, review three habits that many happy retirees seem to incorporate into their lives, and discuss which tax considerations retirees might want to keep in mind when planning for the future.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Answering Your Top Retirement Questions: Part 2

We live in a 21st-century world, and our brains haven’t quite caught up. They’re designed to look out for the Saber-toothed tiger, not a million dings and beeps from smartphones. It’s no surprise that anxiety is a massive problem in modern-day life.
But Dr. John Delony says anxiety isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s just an alarm system to keep us safe, and we can learn to tweak the settings.
John is a two-time bestselling author, holds two PhDs, spent over twenty years working in crisis response, and now hosts The Dr. John Delony Show on Dave Ramsey’s network.
John says that despite the good intentions of innovation, we’ve designed a world we just weren’t meant to live in. Trucks do the heavy lifting, air conditioners keep us cool, and algorithms decide what we experience. Our ancestors had to adjust to life’s challenges, and that’s what kept them healthy and connected. It’s easier to become overweight when you don’t have to move. And it’s harder to form a community when you can sit inside alone all day.
Many of us are less happy and more anxious, and John knows how to help change that. He helps people navigate tough decisions, improve their relationships, and accept that they are worthy of happiness. I know I could use some of that. And I’m pretty sure you could, too.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tweaking Your Anxiety Settings with Dr. John Delony

On today's episode, Wes is joined by Producer Mallory Boggs. They brainstorm the idea of holding a “Retire Sooner Conference” and answer some of the questions the attendees might ask the panel.
Using his retirement calculator, Wes explores what constitutes a solid retirement plan and how much inflation needs to be considered. Then, combining his Retire Sooner Team’s research with analysis from The Ramsey Network’sDr. John Delony about the burden of debt, Wes answers whether people should or should not pay off their mortgage at retirement age. Next, he runs through how people can plan for their savings to last the duration of retirement, emphasizing how critical it is to become a tomorrow investor. Finally, he suggests that saving alone is like pushing a manual mower, while investing is like riding a John Deere Lawn Tractor. Which one would you rather use to get the job done?
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 4% Plus Rule Explained

Download our free app to listen on your phone