Reflections on the Retirement Scene

We often have monthly themes to guide the topics of this show, but this month on Retirement Answer Man we are doing a bit of a mishmash. Today I want to share some thoughts I had on retirement in general and answer a few retirement questions. As you listen, think about which topics apply to you and your situation and see if you can come up with actions that can get you closer to your retirement goals.  Overcoming frugality can be a challenge After decades of saving your money and delaying gratification, suddenly letting loose to spend money on the things that make you happy may not come easy. If you have been a diligent saver over the years, you may find it challenging to shift from a saving mindset to a spending mindset especially when that mindset shift is timed with the loss of income from your human capital.  The good news is that shifting to a spending mindset doesn’t need to happen like flipping on a light switch. This is a gradual change that can occur slowly. One way to help yourself become more open to spending is to construct a framework to help you make decisions. Becoming a new version of yourself takes time. Give yourself grace and time to make change happen.  Retirement planning is complicated If anyone ever tells you that they have all the answers to retirement planning, run in the other direction. This is because no one can ever have all the answers to something so complicated as retirement planning. The way I like to go about planning is by organizing decisions under 3 separate categories.  Are your dreams feasible? Consider the life you want and whether it is feasible given your resources. This means that you need to consider your values and what you really want. Next, you’ll want to discuss it with your spouse if you are married and run the numbers to see if your dreams are truly feasible. Is your plan resilient? The winds of change will come and they could take many forms. They could come in the form of inflation, uncooperative markets, death, or healthcare bills. Having a resilient plan will help you stay the course that you set. Ways that you could make your retirement plan resilient could be through cash flow planning, matching your assets, and managing your risks in an organized way.  Can your plan be optimized? Optimization is a way to enhance your journey. Tax planning, asset allocation, Roth conversions, ACA credits, and Medicare decisions all fall under the category of optimization. These are ways that you can enhance your plan to improve it. However, it is important to remember that these are the extras, not the plan itself.  Organize your retirement planning to stay on track By organizing your retirement planning under these 3 pillars you can ensure that you aren’t letting the tail wag the dog. Having an organized way to deal with your retirement plan will ensure that you aren’t missing out on an aspect of retirement that could have a major impact on your life.  Make sure to stick around for the listener questions segment of the show. You’ll hear me answer questions on how to calculate modified adjusted gross income to include capital gains and I’ll even respond to a recent critique that I had from one listener.  OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN REFLECTIONS ON RETIREMENT [4:35] Overcoming frugality is a challenging thing for many recent retirees [6:50] Retirement planning is complicated LISTENER QUESTIONS [13:07] Modified Adjusted Gross Income  [16:33] My response to Janet’s critique [18:57] Otto’s comments on a recent question I answered TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT [22:28] Think about something that you need to undo Resources Mentioned In This Episode Rock Retirement Club Roger’s YouTube Channel - Roger That BOOK - Rock Retirement  by Roger Whitney Work with Roger Roger’s Retirement Learning Center