🎧 Episode 94: How to Protect Yourself in the Retirement Danger Zone

🎙 One for the Money Podcast

💡 Episode Summary

You’ve worked, saved, and sacrificed for decades—and now retirement is finally within reach. But what happens if the market crashes just as you’re ready to cash in on all that hard work?

In this critical episode, we explore how to protect your retirement during the most financially vulnerable decade of your life: the five years before and after you retire—a period I call the Retirement Danger Zone.

You’ll learn:

• The real-world lessons from the COVID-19 market crash
• Why emotional decisions can destroy retirement plans
• The three-bucket strategy for safer, smarter retirement withdrawals
• How a rising equity glidepath can actually improve long-term outcomes
• The power of dynamic withdrawal strategies backed by over 100 years of market history
• Why delaying Social Security to age 70 is a game-changer for long-term income

Whether you’re approaching retirement or advising someone who is, this episode offers essential insights to ensure decades of planning aren’t undone by fear or poor timing.

🛠 Tips, Tricks & Strategies Segment

In this episode’s bonus segment, I reveal the truth about a financial product often sold to retirees under the guise of “safety”: annuities.

• Why fixed index annuities may cost more than they’re worth
• How they limit your upside, lock up your funds, and come with steep surrender charges
• Why salespeople love them—and why I don’t recommend them for my clients

🔑 Key Takeaways

• The Retirement Danger Zone is a 10-year window (5 years before and after retirement) where financial decisions have outsized consequences
• Market downturns during this period can have a permanent impact if you’re not prepared
• A well-designed plan using investment segmentation, dynamic spending, and delayed guaranteed income can make your retirement more secure and flexible
• Annuities are not a substitute for planning—and often benefit the seller far more than the buyer

📘 Resources & Mentions

• Episode 93: Why Your First Year of Retirement Is the Most Important
• Rudyard Kipling’s If— (poem referenced)
• Fidelity data on investor behavior during the COVID crash
• Research on rising equity glidepaths (Michael Kitces, et al.)

Want More?

👉 Subscribe to One for the Money on your favorite podcast platform.

👉 Ready to plan your ideal retirement? Schedule a free consultation with our team.

• https://BetterPlanningBetterLife.com 
• Connect with Jonny on LinkedIn