Retire Sooner with Wes Moss

Wes and Christa compare ETFs vs. index funds and retirement accounts vs. brokerage accounts. Unlock financial clarity and early retirement strategies with this jam-packed episode of dynamic discussion and listener questions, covering topics such as: • The importance of staying invested during market volatility, using a recent market upswing as an example of patience leading to productive results....

Is owning a home still a good investment? What are the 5 most important topics to cover when meeting with someone for financial guidance? Wes and Christa cut through the noise to explore these issues and answer listener questions, including: • Explore the pros and cons of that homeownership question, housing as a long-term investment, and why it still matters. Learn why housing may serve as forced...

Explore ways fear can sometimes subside in financial markets. Examine how missing the worst days, not just the best ones, can lead to less productive gains over time. Wes and Christa analyze: • Why 2025’s market feels more like a “bungee cord” than a rollercoaster. • How to use the VIX (fear index) to gauge investor sentiment—and what it could mean for your investments. • What historical spikes in...

Make informed decisions about your retirement plans, even in a bear market. Learn whether to cancel your vacation plans due to stock market concerns and discover how to manage your investments effectively. Explore strategies like layering for early retirement and understand the implications of drawing down your TSP defined contribution plan. Examine rebalancing your taxable brokerage account, incl...

Explore the latest developments in the tariff tumult, including how a lack of clarity may have led to both market meltdowns and a melt-ups: a rollercoaster of highs and lows. Learn the key takeaways from a complicated situation and discover how to potentially navigate your path to financial independence in retirement. Headlines are temporary, but your financial plan shouldn't be. Analyze the essen...

Max out your financial insight with real-world retirement strategies and listener Q&A. Learn how to respond to shifting interest rates and weigh the pros and cons of working part-time during retirement. Explore ways to manage Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs), understand Social Security’s 35-year formula, and decide when to tap into pensions. Get strategic about funding early retirement for yo...

Take control of your financial future. Learn how to determine the withdrawal rate for your retirement. Should you stick to the classic 4% rule, or is a 5% withdrawal rate possible? Hear why flexibility is key and how different spending approaches can impact your long-term security. Discover the impact of inflation, the pursuit of optimizing Social Security, and how a surprisingly small number of s...

Unlock secrets to increase the probability of saving more for retirement, managing risk, and making more efficient financial moves. Learn how a simple mindset shift could potentially lead to a 14% increase in savings, why your risk tolerance evolves over time, and how to structure your investments for a more secure future. Explore strategies for dry powder reserves, Roth vs. traditional 403(b) con...

Learn how to optimize your retirement planning by utilizing essential financial tools. Discover strategies for leveraging a COLA-adjusted pension, navigating 403(b) withdrawals while contributing to a Roth IRA, and minimizing taxes. Explore rolling I bonds into a 529 plan without triggering taxable events. Analyze switching funds while managing a 401(k) or how Fidelity’s BrokerageLink might provid...

Dive into the six biggest mistakes early retirees often make—and how to avoid them. Are you financially prepared to retire sooner than 67? See why a phased retirement strategy can be a game-changer, learn how to secure multiple streams of income, and examine why location matters when it comes to staying close to family. Tackle the real cost of healthcare, the Social Security timing trap, and the r...

Break down the five financial habits of the happiest retirees—including how much money you really need, the power of multiple income streams, and why paying off your mortgage faster might boost happiness. Learn how rational optimism can fuel effective investing and how the 4% Plus Rule of thumb can typically keep you from running out of money. Then, discover the five lifestyle habits that make ret...

Tackle the million-dollar retirement question: How much is enough? Use Wes’s "Fill the Gap" (FTG) method to simplify retirement math—subtract guaranteed income like Social Security from your monthly spending goal and multiply the shortfall by 25 to calculate target savings. Explore other early retirement strategies, including the debate about lump sum buyouts vs. pensions, and weigh real estate ag...

Probe America’s "mini-millionaires"—how they earn, invest, and build wealth through hard work, not luck. Dive into the potential for owning stocks and buying a home with a focus on financial independence, not flash. Wes and Christa take listener questions to tackle substantial inheritance management, debate bonds vs. money markets for long-term gains, examine Robo-advisors hoarding cash, and the i...

Should you take a lump sum or pension payout? Use the 6% Test to help you decide. With markets hitting record highs, is it the right time to invest, or should you wait? History suggests some clues that retirement planning should not be left to chance. Wes Moss and Christa DiBiase provide crucial context by answering listener questions about 401(k) target date funds, beta vs. volatility, selling a...

Discover 5 powerful portfolio diversification strategies to help reduce market anxiety and boost financial security. Learn how these strategies can apply to kids, retirees, and folks in between, with actionable ways to set up a custodial Roth IRA for young entrepreneurs, maximize retirement savings, and choose an investment approach that fits your needs. Find out why kids earning money from small...

New changes in Social Security policies, particularly the elimination of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), may have significant implications for roughly 3 million Americans. Teachers, nurses, firefighters, police officers, and other public-sector workers who previously saw their Social Security benefits slashed may now receive the full benefits they’...

Unpack the keys to investing for a happy retirement by highlighting foundational principles like prioritizing stocks to combat inflation and the strategic use of diversified "dry powder" assets for stability. Tackle listener questions, exploring international investments, mortgage payoff strategies, long-term healthcare costs, and tax-efficient withdrawals. On today’s episode, Wes is joined again...

On today’s episode, Wes looks at 2024’s obstacles to see what might serve as clues for success in 2025. The resilient U.S. economy closed 2024 with a 25% S&P 500 gain, defying inflation fears, international turmoil, and political upheaval. While consumer spending remains a vital economic driver, boosted by low unemployment and rising wages, renewed productivity fueled by AI and innovation could sp...

On today's episode of the Retire Sooner Podcast, we dive into the essential pillars for seeking to achieve financial freedom and a fulfilling retirement. Wes outlines five key strategies that may contribute to long-term success: prioritizing stocks, embracing massive diversification, practicing patience and longevity, navigating today's investing challenges, and creating a robust financial plan. W...

We’ve all met that one guy who pontificates endlessly about the “fantastic” investments he’s made that year. He always seems drawn to the hottest and latest trends. You don’t fully believe him, but it still makes you feel a bit of dread at the thought of being left behind. On this episode of the Retire Sooner Podcast, Producer Mallory joins Wes in the studio to explain why a fear of missing out on...

Most people have a vague idea of what it takes to stay healthy as we age—some combination of cutting out the delicious, irresponsible activities while adding in more nutritious, boring ones. While it never seemed overly complicated, it also didn’t sound very fun. Today’s guest flipped that script. According to Maddy Dychtwald, a healthy mindset can lower stress, which can actually make it easier a...

Everyone wants a good life, but what does that mean, and how can you make it happen? On today’s show, Wes combines analysis from a neuroscientist, a bank CEO, and two very different retirees to find the overlapping characteristics of each. According to Dr. Wendy Suzuki, professor of Neural Science and Psychology at New York University, the unifying theme is some sort of fulfillment. In a discussio...

I was recently at my son’s football games when one of the other dads walked over. He looked about 45 and said he was starting to think about the future. It’s a typical age for that concern to creep in, especially once a person feels financially secure. Now that you can take your foot off the gas a little bit, where should you steer the vehicle? Dr. Riley Moynes is a doctor of figuring out what to...

Our Retire Sooner Team has been researching, studying, and writing about happy retirements for years, so there aren’t many aspects we haven’t considered. But every once in a while, a new study grabs our attention. The latest, Retire Without Regrets, from the Harvard Business Review, used a longitudinal study to examine the gap between retirement expectations and real-world applications. Using life...

The transition from one goal to another is often more challenging than either of the goals themselves. Once you get going, momentum can do a lot of the work, but turning the ship around or veering in a different direction takes planning, effort, discipline, and patience. If that sounds daunting, don’t worry. Today’s guest can help. Dr. Dorian Mintzer specializes in life transitions, helping both i...