In this episode of Redefine Retirement hosted by Ryan Wheless powered by Allied Wealth, the discussion focuses on a real client case study of a couple (ages 60 and 57) with approximately $3.143 million in net worth who approached the team with common retirement concerns: whether they had saved enough, could afford to retire, travel extensively, move to Florida, optimize Social Security, manage taxes, and handle healthcare before Medicare. After building a detailed financial blueprint that included their asset breakdown (IRAs, 401(k), cash, life insurance, and a $1M primary home with a small mortgage), the team addressed downsizing and relocating to the Gulf Coast, bridged the healthcare gap until Medicare eligibility, incorporated $11,000 monthly after-tax expenses (growing at 3%), potential long-term care needs, and $20,000 annual travel goals during their “go-go” retirement years. The host emphasized shifting focus from average returns (their current portfolio at 7.6%) to risk via standard deviation (12.5%), illustrating how the portfolio could gain up to 20.1% in strong markets but lose nearly 30% in severe downturns—potentially devastating for the couple. By reallocating to reduce risk and slightly improve returns, the plan’s long-term success probability rose from a marginal 72% to a more comfortable 85%, allowing the couple to enjoy their retirement with confidence rather than fear of running out of money. The episode highlights how Allied Wealth’s planning process empowers clients to make informed decisions for a limitless retirement.

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In this episode of Redefine Retirement, host Ryan Wheless shares his personal journey from a troubled youth to discovering purpose through aviation, navigating industry crashes post-9/11 and the 2008 financial crisis, and ultimately founding his wealth management firm to guide clients toward financial security and fulfillment. Joined by happiness strategist Monique Rhodes, the conversation shifts to the deeper, often overlooked emotional side of retirement—beyond money—emphasizing that true abundance comes from internal mindset shifts, community, simple joys, and intentional living rather than material consumption or external validation. They discuss the grief of losing identity after decades of work, the dangers of social media-driven comparison, the power of gratitude and mind training to combat anxiety and depression, the importance of rebuilding purpose and structure in later years (like rediscovering passions or fostering connections), and how small, meaningful experiences—such as family moments or shared adventures—far outweigh wealth in creating lasting happiness, making retirement a limitless phase of growth and joy when approached with clarity and proactive self-awareness.

Visit Monique Rhodes Website at: https://moniquerhodes.com/

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In this episode of Redefine Retirement hosted by Ryan Wheless of Allied Wealth, guest Rob Slovak, an attorney specializing in complex business divorces, joins to discuss protecting business partnerships—especially relevant for retirement planning when exiting or transitioning ownership. The conversation emphasizes that many partnerships begin with good intentions but loose documentation, leading to nasty, costly disputes often more emotional than spousal divorces. Key advice includes aligning expectations early (e.g., on exit timelines, capital contributions, and valuation methods), properly documenting agreements like operating agreements, shareholder contracts, buy-sell provisions, and dispute resolution mechanisms (mediation, arbitration, or third-party valuations) to avoid ambiguity. They highlight pitfalls like outdated handshake deals, shifting economics, undisclosed liabilities in acquisitions, and the high emotional/financial toll of litigation—including expert fees, lost control to judges/juries, and opportunity costs—while stressing proactive front-end planning with a lawyer saves far more pain and money than reactive fixes. Real-world examples, such as ambiguous EBITDA definitions causing multi-million disputes, family fights over control, and beneficiary mismatches in buy-sell life insurance, illustrate how poor planning can fracture relationships and wealth, with a cautionary note on using public AI tools like ChatGPT for sensitive strategy (as it may not be privileged). Overall, the episode urges business owners to treat agreements as risk-management tools for smoother transitions, succession, and secure retirement.

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In this episode of the Redefine Retirement podcast, hosted by Ryan Wheless and featuring guest Anqi (Angie) Chen, Associate Director of Savings and Household Finance at Boston College's Center for Retirement Research, the discussion centers on America's ongoing retirement preparedness challenges. Chen explains the National Retirement Risk Index (NRRI), which, based on the latest 2022 data from the Federal Reserve's Survey of Consumer Finances, indicates that about 39-40% of working-age households remain at risk of being unable to maintain their pre-retirement standard of living in retirement—though this figure has improved from higher levels post-Great Recession due to a stronger economy and rising home values. The conversation explores key factors contributing to under-preparation, such as limited access to employer-sponsored plans like 401(k)s (which significantly boosts saving rates), the shift from defined benefit pensions to defined contribution systems that place more responsibility on individuals, and common pitfalls including high-interest credit card debt, inadequate emergency savings, and underestimating health and long-term care risks (which often outweigh market volatility concerns). Wheless and Chen emphasize practical strategies like maximizing employer matches, prioritizing total compensation (including benefits), paying off mortgages before retiring, building taxable savings accounts for emergencies, and using rough benchmarks like multiples of income by age to gauge progress. They also touch on tax considerations, Social Security, the 4% withdrawal rule, and the importance of planning—especially for longevity and health costs—while noting that happiness in retirement correlates more with health, relationships, and avoiding burdensome debt than sheer wealth alone. Overall, the episode delivers an evidence-based, optimistic yet realistic call to action for better saving habits, access to plans, and proactive financial planning to achieve a secure and fulfilling retirement.

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In this eye-opening episode of Redefine Retirement, host Ryan Wheless sits down with Dan Buettner Jr., Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer at Blue Zones, to unpack the science of longevity and what it really takes to thrive—not just survive—in retirement. Drawing from decades of global research identifying the "Power 9" habits of the world's longest-living people, Dan reveals how Blue Zones communities achieve extraordinary lifespans with minimal disease, often in low-income environments, through natural movement, purpose, strong social bonds, plant-based eating, and daily stress-downshifting rituals. The conversation explores why pursuing health directly often fails, how environment and community "nudge" better choices far more effectively than willpower alone, and why isolation in retirement can be as deadly as smoking. Ryan and Dan connect these timeless principles to modern retirement planning, emphasizing that true abundance comes from replacing work identity with meaning, belonging, and service—rather than chasing more money or fearing decline. A must-listen for anyone ready to design a vibrant, purpose-filled second half of life.

Visit Blue Zones at: https://www.bluezones.com/

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In this episode of Redefine Retirement, host Ryan Wheless sits down with Dr. Richard P. Himmer, a longtime financial professional and author of Your Encore Years: The Psychology of Retirement, to explore the often-overlooked emotional and psychological dimensions of retirement planning. Himmer argues that true wealth isn’t just about dollars—it’s about having “enough” in relationships, purpose, identity, and structure, with money serving merely as a tool to support a fulfilling lifestyle rather than the sole focus. Drawing from decades of client interactions, he critiques the industry’s money-first approach, highlighting how it fuels anxiety, identity crises (especially post-career), invisible divorces, and regret, while emphasizing the need for emotional intelligence, clear communication in marriages, and proactive lifestyle planning to replace the four pillars—identity, purpose, connections, and structure—that work often provides. Through stories, neuroscience insights, and a balanced “Goldilocks zone” framework, the conversation challenges conventional advice, urging both advisors and retirees to prioritize self-awareness, family involvement, and meaningful experiences over chasing endless assets, ultimately redefining retirement as an opportunity for deeper fulfillment rather than financial survival.

Visit the Himmer Center at: https://www.himmercenter.com/ 

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In this episode of Redefine Retirement, host Ryan Wheless powered by Allied Wealth, Ryan explores a major 2025 regulatory change that has opened access to the previously exclusive world of private equity and private credit for everyday investors. He explains how these private markets - historically dominated by the ultra-wealthy - have outperformed the S&P 500 by over 5% annually since 1988, offering higher returns with significantly lower volatility due to less frequent repricing, active operational improvements by funds, and a focus on middle-market companies. Using examples like private equity roll-ups of veterinary practices and private credit lending to fill the void left by tightened bank regulations post-2008, Ryan highlights perpetual fund structures that provide ongoing income (e.g., 9-10% yields), partial liquidity, and lower entry points. He stresses the potential for a balanced portfolio (e.g., one-third public markets, one-third private markets, one-third non-market assets) to reduce risk more effectively than chasing higher returns alone, urging listeners to discuss these opportunities with their advisors as they could help solve America's retirement crisis.

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In this episode of Redefine Retirement, host Ryan Wheless interviews Ashton Applewhite, a leading anti-ageism advocate and author of This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism. Applewhite defines ageism as prejudice or discrimination based on age—often assuming someone is "too old" or "too young" for tasks, roles, or relationships—and stresses that it affects people across all life stages, not just older adults. She explains how internalized ageism (self-limiting beliefs like "I'm too old for that") stems from a youth-obsessed culture that profits from fear of aging, while also perpetuating ableism and gender biases. Challenging stereotypes, she highlights the diversity of aging experiences—older people become more varied, not uniform—and argues for reframing aging as a natural, multifaceted journey with real benefits like wisdom and resilience, rather than inevitable decline. The discussion ties directly to retirement, exploring workplace discrimination, identity shifts post-career, fears of becoming a "burden," the value of interdependence over rigid self-reliance, and the need for inclusive narratives that portray vibrant, purposeful later life—ultimately empowering listeners to reject ageist tropes and embrace aging with curiosity and agency.

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The "best of" episode of the Redefine Retirement podcast, hosted by Ryan Wheless, features insights from prominent guests Ed Slott (IRA/tax expert), Karsten Jeske (early retirement blogger known as Big Ern), and Mark Henry (financial advisor and Alloy Wealth founder). The discussion centers on the looming "retirement savings time bomb" driven by massive national debt, historically low tax rates that are unlikely to stay that way, and trillions in tax-deferred accounts (like IRAs and 401(k)s) that the government will eventually tax heavily. Ed Slott stresses converting to Roth IRAs now to lock in current low rates as "tax insurance," even if rates don't rise immediately, while explaining Roth rules (including the five-year holding periods, penalty-free access to contributions, and why conversions are best for long-term, post-59½ use). Karsten Jeske highlights the U.S.'s relatively favorable tax environment compared to places like Germany, advising balanced Roth conversions to avoid overdoing it and waste low-bracket opportunities, while aiming to equalize marginal rates throughout retirement, fill lower brackets strategically (e.g., pre-Social Security), and manage RMDs to prevent bracket creep or excess distributions. Mark Henry emphasizes the critical need for a guaranteed, written income plan that accounts for inflation, market volatility, widowhood challenges (like the "widow's tax" from lost spousal income, higher household costs, and unexpected expenses), gray divorce risks, and ensuring both spouses understand the plan to avoid leaving a surviving partner unprepared. Overall, the episode urges proactive tax optimization, Roth strategies, and holistic planning beyond mere asset allocation to achieve a confident, abundant retirement free from uncertainty.

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In this episode of Redefine Retirement, host Ryan Wheless welcomes Jean Chatzky, CEO of HerMoney and bestselling author, to discuss the massive intergenerational wealth transfer underway in America, where women—due to longer lifespans—are poised to control the majority of household wealth in the coming years. They explore the key differences in how women approach money compared to men, with women prioritizing safety and security, often holding too much cash and entering investments later, yet frequently outperforming men through disciplined buy-and-hold strategies. The conversation delves into systemic challenges like the gender pay gap and “pink tax,” the tax pitfalls widows face, the critical need for both spouses to be actively involved in financial planning, and practical advice for women of all ages—from automatic saving habits for younger generations to building a secure “forever paycheck” in retirement through guaranteed income sources. Ultimately, Jean empowers women to overcome hesitation, ask questions, and take control of their financial futures with confidence and simplicity.

Follow Jean on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeanchatzky/

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