Category: Spending

  • Dealing With Financial Risk in Retirement

    In the last article, we looked at what I believe to be the greatest risk in retirement: retiring without a clear sense of calling and purpose. But I also mentioned some other risks—the financial ones. The Bible encourages us to take wise precautions as part of good stewardship to protect ourselves from the adverse effects…

  • Sustainable Retirement Income—Part Two: Variable Withdrawals

    In the last article, we examined the first of two main types of systematic withdrawal strategies for sustainable retirement income: fixed withdrawals. In this article, we look at variable strategies. A variable strategy may be a better fit for some retirees, as financial advisors often suggest you adjust your spending based on your portfolio’s value.…

  • Sustainable Retirement Income—Part One: Fixed Withdrawals

    In a recent article, I discussed spending in retirement and whether our costs go down as we age. In this article and the next, we’ll look at the other side of the equation: generating income, specifically the different ways to withdraw from savings to fund your spending, hopefully for as long as you live. This…

  • Does Retirement Cost Less As We Age?

    There are two prevalent assumptions about the cost of living in retirement. One is that most retirees can live on 70% to 90% of their pre-retirement income. Another is that that percentage will decrease (net of inflation) as we grow older. Both offer some comfort when we look at the cost of a long retirement.…

  • My Year-End Retirement Stewardship Review and Planning Routine

    I’m occasionally asked how I manage my retirement finances. I’ve touched on some aspects in previous posts, but I thought I’d share a little about my not-very-formal-or-complicated year-end regime. I don’t do this to suggest that I handle things in an exemplary way or that you should do what I do. Retired families can have…

  • The Expenses Side of the Retirement Equation

    As I mentioned in my last article about spending in retirement, this one is a chapter from my new book, which I plan to self-publish very soon. The book, which will be titled “Redeeming Retirement: A Practical Guide to Catch Up,” is targeted at the large number of middle-aged and older households who realize (or…

  • Spending and Retirement Stewardship

    I try not to “preach” about spending in general or spending in retirement in particular. It’s not my place to tell anyone how much to spend or what to their money on. If you’re a responsible person, you certainly don’t need me to tell you that your essential living expenses and caring for your family…

  • Is Purchasing a Vacation Home Wise Stewardship?

    I was recently asked by a friend what I thought about buying a vacation home, specifically a beach house. They said they have a relative who owns one and rents it out with annual positive cash flow. We didn’t have a very in-depth discussion, but I have been thinking about it since. Something that occurred…

  • Making New Years Resolutions? How About “Spend Less, Save and Give More”

    Lots of people make resolutions this time of year. Not surprisingly, things like paying down debt and saving more tend to show up the most. According to Fidelity’s Fidelity’s 11th annual New Year Financial Resolutions Study, “more than half of Americans, 53%, say they aim to save more in 2020, 51% plan to pay down…

  • 12 “Hard Truths” For Graduates to Help Them Not Be Broke

    I occasionally get the opportunity to talk about stewardship and money with young people (high school and college age). I am always grateful to get the chance and I always enjoy the interactions. We are near the end of the school year, a time when many will be graduating from high school or college. So…