This article is part of the Retirement Financial Life Equation (RFLE) series. I need to confess: In retirement, I’m what I call a “growth and income” investor, not a pure total-return investor. I suspect that’s true for many retirees, especially those in their 70s and beyond. What I mean is that as a retiree, I … Read more
This article is part of the Retirement Financial Life Equation (RFLE) series. Every so often, a viral post (or a variation on it) shows up on social media about Social Security. I recently saw one—not written by but shared by a friend—expressing frustration that the government was supposedly renaming Social Security checks as “Federal Benefit … Read more
This article is part of the Retirement Financial Life Equation (RFLE) series. The headlines can be concerning: “Social Security Trust Fund to Be Depleted by 2033!” “Automatic Benefit Cuts Coming!” “Bankruptcy Looms for Nation’s Largest Program!” If you’re counting on Social Security—most are, whether you’re already collecting, planning to retire soon, or decades away—these warnings … Read more
This article is part of the Retirement Financial Life Equation (RFLE) series. Most people think of Social Security as a “monthly check.” Some see it as something they paid for and therefore “earned.” Others view it as a government program that may not be available for the duration of their retirement. Many younger readers fear … Read more
This article is part of the Retirement Financial Life Equation (RFLE) series, which focuses on the critical levers that affect your retirement income and financial sustainability. When I was preparing to claim Social Security benefits, I thought I understood how the taxation worked. After all, I’d written about it before on this blog. But when … Read more
This article is part of the Retirement Financial Life Equation (RFLE) series. It was initially published in March 2024 and updated in March 2026. It’s that time of year again: income tax time. And I can’t be sure, but I think many retirees are more concerned about taxes in retirement than they were when working. … Read more
This article is part of the Retirement Financial Life Equation (RFLE) Series. It was initially published on July 26, 2023, and updated in March 2026. 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. … Read more
This article is part of the Retirement Financial Life Equation (RFLE) series. It was originally published June 21, 2023 | Updated December 2025. The 2025 Social Security Fund Trustees’ Report was released in June 2025, and here’s the latest on Trust Fund solvency: The Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund, which pays retirement and … Read more
This article is part of the Retirement Financial Life Equation (RFLE) series. It was initially published in October 2022 and updated in December 2025. If you read much about retirement finance, you’ll see a lot of hyperbolic rhetoric about “Required Minimum Distributions,” or “RMDs.” You’d think RMDs are going to sneak up on you and … Read more
