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In the last two articles, to help you answer the “Can I retire?” question, I went over an approach for calculating your essential living expenses and for determining whether you will have enough income from “guaranteed” sources to cover them. I also looked at what you could do regarding withdrawals from “non-guaranteed” sources, such as … Read more
This article is part of the Retirement Financial Life Equation (RFLE) series. It was initially published on January 31, 2018, and extensively rewritten in February 2026 in the context of the RFLE. The Retirement Financial Life Equation isn’t just a theoretical framework. It’s a practical diagnostic tool for answering the question that eventually confronts everyone … Read more
Sooner or later, most of us will ask ourselves this question: “Can I retire?” Perhaps because of an unexpected layoff, a health issue, age, or some other factor, we will need to come up with an answer. No matter what the reason or when you decide to retire, you will need to have some idea of … Read more
This article is part of the Biblically-Informed Framework for Retirement Stewardship. It was initially published in January 2018 but was updated in January 2026. The beginning of a new year is when many people plan and make resolutions. If you’re five or ten years from retirement, you may be increasingly focused on that transition. When … Read more
We are starting a new year. 2017 was a good one for retirementstewardship.com. We were able to stay on pace publishing an article about every two weeks, and also added a lot of new subscribers. So, first and foremost, I want to express my gratitude to every one of you who are subscribers and regular … Read more
You know the old saying, “The only things that are certain in life are death and taxes.” Yes, taxes are a reality – before, during, and even after retirement. But honestly, I don’t think or worry too much about taxes until tax time. Then I download a copy of TurboTax and go to work. My … Read more
Most of us will see a change in our financial situation in retirement. Instead of earning an income from work, we will start receiving income from other sources such as Social Security, pensions and/or annuities, and possibly withdrawals from our retirement savings accounts. Since our income sources will change in retirement, in what ways should … Read more
I was recently reading an article in Forbes magazine titled, “Can You Handle the Truth About Retirement?” It was enlightening but frankly also a little depressing. The author lists things like, “after you retire, the only guarantee is that you will die” (a true statement, but just a tad morbid, I think); “problems don’t go … Read more
The Thanksgiving holiday is almost here. Have you noticed that each year Thanksgiving seems to be more and more about “Black Friday” than Thanksgiving itself? It’s sad to think that, for many, getting a good deal on more “stuff” is at least as important as being grateful for what they already have. Besides, most of … Read more
