In this episode of Retire with Style, Wade Pfau and Alex Murguia tackle listener questions on a range of financial topics, including gold’s volatility, alternative investments, and how to measure retirement success. They discuss the realities of investment returns, the impact of recent U.S. bond downgrades, and the importance of understanding risk, using historical data, and maintaining a solid investment strategy in retirement.

Takeaways

• Gold has lower average returns and higher volatility than stocks.
• Alternative investments require careful evaluation due to lack of historical data.
• Quantifying retirement success rates can provide clearer financial goals.
• The magnitude of failure in financial planning is crucial to understand.
• Investors should assess the compensated risk of their investments.
• Monte Carlo simulations can help in understanding potential outcomes.
• The funded ratio approach simplifies retirement planning.
• US bond downgrades may not significantly impact long-term market trajectories.
• Understanding the underlying assumptions of financial plans is essential.
• Risk assessment is a key component of effective financial planning.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Overview of Q&A Session 02:33 Debating Gold's Volatility and Investment Value 08:56 Exploring Alternative Investments and Their Evaluation 19:03 The Importance of Theoretical Justification in Investments 20:17 Understanding Retirement Planning Tools 23:04 Probability of Success vs. Rate of Return 27:21 Magnitude of Failure in Financial Planning 30:31 The Funded Ratio Approach 34:06 Evaluating Financial Advisors 36:15 Impact of US Bond Downgrades

Links

Explore the New RetireWithStyle.com! We’ve launched a brand-new home for the podcast! Visit RetireWithStyle.com to catch up on all our latest episodes, explore topics by category, and send us your questions or ideas for future episodes. If there’s something you’ve been wondering about retirement, we want to hear it!

The Retirement Planning Guidebook: 2nd Edition has just been updated for 2025! Visit your preferred book retailer or simply click here to order your copy today: https://www.wadepfau.com/books/

This episode is sponsored by McLean Asset Management. Visit https://www.mcleanam.com/retirement-income-planning-llm/ to download McLean’s free eBook, “Retirement Income Planning”

In this episode of Retire with Style, Alex Murguia and Wade Pfau explore Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) and their role in retirement planning. They cover the history of TIPS, their tax implications, and how they help protect against inflation. The conversation also addresses the drawbacks of TIPS, current market conditions, and the importance of clear communication- especially for couples where one partner is less engaged in financial matters.

Takeaways

• TIPS were introduced in 1997 to protect against inflation.
• TIPS provide a real rate of return that adjusts with inflation.
• Tax implications of TIPS make them less efficient than other investments.
• It's important to consider the inflation protection TIPS offer in retirement planning.
• Market timing is not a sound strategy for investing in TIPS.
• Communicating financial plans should focus on meaning rather than just numbers.
• Delaying Social Security can provide inflation-adjusted income.
• Laddering SPIAs can be an effective strategy for income planning.
• Understanding your spouse's values can enhance financial discussions.
• Having a contingency plan for financial management is crucial.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to TIPS and Their Importance 02:57 Understanding TIPS: Historical Context and Current Trends 06:00 Tax Implications and Asset Location for TIPS 09:01 Inflation Protection Strategies in Retirement 12:01 Evaluating the Downsides of TIPS 14:58 Conclusion and Final Thoughts on TIPS 18:21 Understanding TIPS and Their Role in Portfolios 27:15 Communicating Financial Plans to Less Interested Spouses

Links

Explore the New RetireWithStyle.com! We’ve launched a brand-new home for the podcast! Visit RetireWithStyle.com to catch up on all our latest episodes, explore topics by category, and send us your questions or ideas for future episodes. If there’s something you’ve been wondering about retirement, we want to hear it!

The Retirement Planning Guidebook: 2nd Edition has just been updated for 2025! Visit your preferred book retailer or simply click here to order your copy today: https://www.wadepfau.com/books/

This episode is sponsored by Retirement Researcher https://retirementresearcher.com/. Download their free eBook, 8 Tips to Becoming A Retirement Income Investor at retirementresearcher.com/8tips

In this episode of Retire with Style, Alex Murguia and Wade Pfau explore key retirement planning strategies, including how couples can optimize Social Security benefits, what to do with surplus funds from bond ladders, and the potential benefits of purchasing single premium immediate annuities (SPIAs) from Roth IRAs. They highlight the importance of maintaining flexibility and tailoring strategies to each retiree’s unique circumstances.

Takeaways

• Delaying social security can benefit the higher earner in a couple.
• The low earner has flexibility in claiming social security earlier.
• Using software can help determine optimal social security claiming strategies.
• Survivorship benefits are crucial in social security planning.
• Bond ladders are used for retirement income, not just reinvestment.
• Surplus funds from bond ladders can be invested in growth portfolios.
• Roth IRAs can be beneficial for purchasing SPIAs.
• SPIAs can provide tax-free income streams in retirement.
• Tax diversification is important in retirement planning.
• Real-life financial planning requires flexibility beyond strict rules.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Overview 01:16 Social Security Strategies for Couples 06:41 Managing Bond Ladder Surplus Funds 16:29 Exploring SPIAs in Retirement

Links

Explore the New RetireWithStyle.com! We’ve launched a brand-new home for the podcast! Visit RetireWithStyle.com to catch up on all our latest episodes, explore topics by category, and send us your questions or ideas for future episodes. If there’s something you’ve been wondering about retirement, we want to hear it!

The Retirement Planning Guidebook: 2nd Edition has just been updated for 2025! Visit your preferred book retailer or simply click here to order your copy today: https://www.wadepfau.com/books/

This episode is sponsored by McLean Asset Management. Visit https://www.mcleanam.com/retirement-income-planning-llm/ to download McLean’s free eBook, “Retirement Income Planning”