In this powerful episode, Coach Woody sits down with financial coach and veteran investment manager Steve Selengut, who spent over 40 years helping clients build portfolios that generate income—not just paper gains. If you’ve ever been told that retirement is about selling off your nest egg bit by bit, this conversation will challenge that mindset.

Steve doesn’t just advocate for income-focused investing—he lives it. With a strategy rooted in closed-end funds, REITs, and income securities, he shows how your money can work harder for you, even in retirement. But this episode isn’t for beginners—it’s a deep dive into a rarely discussed approach that may just change the way you think about financial fitness forever.

🔑 Key Insights from the Episode:

• Why the traditional “4% rule” falls short for many retirees—and how it can actually shrink your nest egg.

• The hidden incentives behind model portfolios most financial advisors push (hint: it's not your income).

• What closed-end funds are—and why they’ve been quietly outperforming in income generation for decades.

• Why market value isn’t the best measure of wealth—and how “working capital” reframes the conversation.

• The single question you should ask your advisor: How much income is my portfolio generating for me right now?

  
  

🎧 Listener Takeaway:

If your retirement plan is based on hope, market swings, or selling off stocks, Steve’s message is a wake-up call. With the right education and structure, your portfolio can become your primary source of income—without sacrificing growth. Start by asking better questions and exploring alternative strategies. Your financial independence might be closer than you think.

• 00:00 – Steve on old-school brokerage models and why the system isn’t designed for your retirement income

• 00:51 – Coach Woody introduces the conversation on financial fitness and portfolio design

• 03:27 – Debunking the 4% Rule: Why market downturns wreak havoc on traditional retirement strategies

• 07:19 – The education gap: Why most people don’t understand what they’re invested in

• 11:18 – Risks of overconcentration and the power of diversification

• 14:22 – Turning portfolios into income machines—and why most advisors never talk about it

• 21:41 – How to shift your financial mindset (and how Steve helps clients make the change)

• 25:28 – Closed-end funds vs. traditional ETFs/mutual funds: The real difference

• 30:46 – Steve’s working capital model: Focus on income, not market value

• 35:13 – Steve’s personal journey: From miserable commutes to financial freedom

• 39:40 – How to identify income-paying securities and analyze dividend yields

• 45:31 – The difference between financial “sickness” and “fitness”

• 51:39 – What to do if your current advisor won’t support an income-first strategy

• Book: Retirement Money Secrets by Steve Selengut

• Website: theincomecoach.net

• Course: Start the FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) — launching soon

• AMA Questions: Click here to ask a question

  
  

🎙️ Subscribe to the Next Better Podcast on your favorite platform:

• YouTube

• Spotify

• Apple Podcasts