💬 Show Notes

Wade Pfau, author of The Retirement Planning Guidebook and creator of the Retirement Income Style Awareness (RISA®) assessment joins Roger for a wide-ranging conversation on the big questions of retirement income planning. Wade breaks down why the RISA is a better fit for retirement than a traditional risk tolerance questionnaire, how to think about real estate and reverse mortgages as retirement tools, and what the research actually says about annuities — including when to buy, whether to add inflation protection, and how fixed index annuities with living benefits really work. This podcast is a replay of a recent Rock Retirement Club meetup where members were able to join live and ask questions.

Outline Of This Episode Of The Retirement Answer Man

• (00:00) Roger previews the episode and invites listeners to register for Noodle Live — a Saturday morning Zoom on March 28 at livewithroger.com

CONVERSATION WITH DR. WADE PFAU

• (02:00) Roger introduces Wade Pfau, author of The Retirement Planning Guidebook
• (04:15) RISA vs. risk tolerance questionnaires
• (10:45) How to use The Retirement Planning Guidebook
• (12:00) AI in retirement research
• (14:30) RRC Member Question: How does real estate fit into retirement planning?
• (17:00) Reverse mortgages as a retirement tool — usage trends, how the HECM line of credit works, upfront cost hurdles, and why adoption remains low
• (21:30) RRC Member Question: What is an effective marginal tax rate (EMR) and how does it affect Roth conversion strategy?
• (25:00) Navigating ACA subsidy cliffs before Medicare
• (28:00) RRC Member Question: Fixed vs. inflation-adjusted annuities
• (33:00) Annuity timing
• (37:00) RRC Member Question: Should we explore intentionally breaking the ACA cliff every few years?
• (48:00) Fixed index annuities with living benefits vs. income annuities
• (53:00) RRC Member Question: Is there an optimal age window for buying an annuity if it's a "nice to have" rather than a must?
• (57:00) Interpreting retirement planning software

SMART SPRINT

• (59:00) Pick up the latest edition of The Retirement Planning Guidebook. Use it as an approachable reference guide, or read it straight through if you're really into retirement planning.

REFERENCES

• livewithroger.com — Register for Noodle Live on March 28!
• The Retirement Planning Guidebook, 3rd Edition — Wade Pfau / retirementresearcher.com
• Take the RISA® assessment.
• Submit a Question for Roger.
• Sign up for The Noodle.

Roger Whitney dives into practical strategies for navigating health care before Medicare, sharing insights from retirees, survey results, and listener questions. Together they explore real-world solutions for coverage gaps, timing withdrawals, and managing medical expenses in early retirement.

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN

• (00:00) This show is dedicated to helping you not just survive retirement but have confidence in your financial and life decisions.
• (00:40) Roger introduces the focus: pre-Medicare health care, survey insights, and practical strategies.

LISTENER EXPERIENCES AND STRATEGIES

• (03:00) Roger shares experiences and questions from listeners navigating pre-Medicare coverage. They discuss timing COBRA versus ACA transitions, evaluating company retiree plans, managing risk when uninsured, and creative strategies like catastrophic insurance, health-sharing plans, and part-time work benefits. Listeners also explore using HSAs and inherited IRAs to manage costs and maximize subsidies, providing a broad view of practical approaches for early retirees.

ROCKING RETIREMENT IN THE WILD

• (32:50) Jennifer retires at 59½, discovers watercolor painting, fitness classes, and increased spending patterns in early retirement

SURVEY INSIGHTS

• (37:08) Roger summarizes key takeaways from over 400 survey respondents.

SMART SPRINT

• (48:19) Action step: identify your “homies” for retirement planning. Notice how your closest relationships influence your retirement experience and take one step this week to strengthen those connections.

REFERENCES

• Submit a Question for Roger
• Sign up for The Noodle
• The Retirement Answer Man
  
  

Roger Whitney shifts from financial planning to the non-financial pillar of relationships, sharing a live conversation with Harry Reis about how to feel more loved and connected in retirement. Together they explore the science behind belonging and loneliness, introduce practical mindsets for deepening relationships, answer listener questions, and close with the team’s latest book recommendations.

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN

• (00:00) This show is dedicated to helping you not just survive retirement but have the confidence and clarity to lean in and rock it.
• (00:27) Roger outlines the month ahead: a focus on relationships, an upcoming financial deep dive with Wade Pfau, wisdom from retirees navigating health care before Medicare, a candid discussion on retirement calculators, and a live Noodle hangout.

CONVERSATION WITH HARRY REISS

• (02:00) Roger introduces Harry Reis, co-author (with Sonja Lyubomirsky) of How to Feel Loved, for a conversation recorded live in the Rock Retirement Club.
• (05:17) Roger asks Harry what led him down the path to study relationships and partner with Sonja Lyubomirsky for the book.
• (15:00) Harry talks about the loneliness epidemic and the effects of not feeling loved.
• (17:45) Roger and Harry talk about the obstacles and myths of being loved.
• (23:15) Harry introduces the sea-saw framework for relationships.
• (27:00) Harry shares practical mindsets for strengthening connection, including listening to learn, radical curiosity, multiplicity, and mutual vulnerability.
• (43:30) Roger reflects on why this is important.

LISTENER QUESTIONS

• (45:00) Listeners share questions about one-sided conversations, vulnerability, and love languages, leading to practical discussion about compatibility, communication, and choosing people willing to “play seesaw.”

WHAT’S ON THE BOOKSHELF?

• (58:00) The team shares recent reads.

SMART SPRINT

• (1:05:55) Consider one relationship you want to deepen. Practice listening to learn this week. Ask one more follow-up question than you normally would and notice what happens.

REFERENCES

• Submit a Question for Roger
• Sign up for The Noodle
• The Retirement Answer Man
• How to Feel Loved by Sonja Lyubomirsky and Harry Reis