Retire Sooner with Wes Moss

Anyone in the Retire Sooner family knows how passionate Wes is about the 4 Percent Rule—William Bengen’s rule of thumb that originally discovered retirees who draw down 4 percent of their portfolio in the first year of retirement and then adjust this amount yearly for inflation would likely see their money outlive them, assuming a 50 to 75 percent allocation in stocks. On today’s episode, Wes disc...

Happy holidays to my favorite happy retirees and aspiring retirees! The Retire Sooner Team is taking a little time off to step away from the office and connect with friends and family. We'll be back with a new season in January with more fun episodes that I hope will help push you to retire that much sooner and happier. If you have any ideas on topics you'd like for us to cover in the near year, p...

Arguably the most recognized male figure skater in the world, Scott Hamilton has won seventy titles, awards, and honors, including an Emmy nomination, induction into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame, and the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame. He later became a fan-favorite analyst/commentator, performer, producer, and best-selling author. He even shared the big screen with Will Ferrell and A...

In today’s episode, Wes points out that the population of mini-millionaires is growing and that society’s perception of them isn’t always very accurate. Producer Mallory Boggs joins to discuss this latest variant of what authors Thomas Stanley and Bill Danko originally coined, The Millionaire Next Door. They elaborate on five habits that this cohort tends to follow. And Wes points out that althoug...

On today’s episode, Wes sits down with a woman who has dedicated her life to finding ways to protect retirement assets. As the director of victim support for the AARP Fraud Watch Network, Amy Nofziger has nearly two decades of experience in fraud prevention and victim support. A certified fraud examiner, she’s worked with the Wall Street Journal, Live with Kelly and Ryan, and Dr. Phil, among other...

Is your relationship with money holding you back from finding financial success? Many of us have a rocky relationship with money, but if we looked at our capital from a different perspective, this could possibly change our outlook and relationship with money. To aid us in improving our connection with our funds and uncover the trick we need to change our relationship with money, Wes sits down with...

When Betty White died in 2021, we were somehow surprised. Even at 99-years-old, it felt like she was gone too soon. Smokey Robinson just released a new album at 83 years of age. Martha Stewart posed in a bathing suit on the cover of Sports Illustrated at 81.   How we think about aging is much different than it used to be, and Ken Dychtwald is one of the foremost authorities on these changing perce...

Although numerous habits make up the structure of a happy retiree, financial habits play a large part in creating the fulfilling retirement you’ve always dreamed of and being able to fund your additional interests. In this episode, Wes breaks down the five financial secrets of the happiest retirees based on research from his latest book, What The Happiest Retirees Know, and reveals how these patte...

The term “Unretirement” is popping up more and more these days, and Chris Farrell literally wrote the book on it. After years of studying and reporting on the economy for PBS Next Avenue and Bloomberg Businessweek, Chris’ latest book, Purpose and Paycheck, further drives home the point that, at our core, humans have a deep need to be useful. A leading voice of the Unretirement movement, Chris join...

Change is a natural part of life. The more we lean in to that change, the better we can plan for and adjust to its consequences. On today’s episode, Wes points out some of the common catalysts for that change, and how we can ultimately make them work for our own retirement happiness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do banks calculate the amount due on your monthly mortgage payment? Here’s a hint: it’s not based on an intrinsic desire to benefit you. Banks are in business to make money; you are their compound interest vehicle. In part two of our interview with Adam Carroll, he tells Wes about the Shred Method: a step-by-step guide to optimize your income, eliminate debt, and build real wealth and home equ...

On today’s show, Wes takes some time to answer listener questions. He covers the different phases of retirement, the pros and cons of keeping more than one property at a time, and why some folks have been apprehensive about the recent bond market. If you have a question for Wes, call 800-805-6301 to leave a voicemail or head to our Facebook group and write a comment. Learn more about your ad choic...

Imagine playing Monopoly with actual money. Adam Carroll put $10,000 cash on the board and made his kids roll the dice. He wanted them to learn money's true value before entering the real world. From virtual tokens to Apple Pay to mom and dad’s wallet, kids aren’t often exposed to the concept that there is a literal price to pay for the goods and services we need and desire. On today’s episode he’...

Today, Wes wades into the concept of Unretirement. Multiple studies suggest that some Americans return to work six months or a year after retiring. There are several reasons for the trend. Wes explains the potential motivations and lists essential factors folks need to consider when making this decision. Whether you’re looking for a renewed sense of purpose or a change to your financial situation,...

On today’s episode, Wes sits down with Ryan Doolittle, host of the Retire Sooner Team’s brand new podcast: Happiest Retirees. Ryan tells Wes that he originally came up with the idea as a way to talk less about philosophy and more about the actual people on the ground, living happy lives in retirement. How did they discover the core pursuits that gave them purpose and passion and how did they make...

On today’s show, Wes talks about what Warren Buffett called the “rising tide.” Wes feels the bad news about higher interest rates is good news for income investors. By combining the rising stock dividends, the concept of yield at cost over time, and higher interest rates paying more income, Wes has seen the typically diversified growth/income portfolio looking more robust than it has in a long tim...

What does your digital footprint say about what you want? Data scientist, author of best-seller "Everybody Lies," and speaker Seth Stephens-Davidowitz sits down with Wes Moss to talk about how data can reveal societal and personal trends in desires, psychology, wealth building, and more. This includes when you become a sports fan, who you seek out for romantic partners and how you present yourself...

Suze Orman recently called the 4 Percent Rule “very dangerous” and said, “It doesn’t work anymore.” In today’s episode, Wes joins forces with Connor Miller, Co-Chief Investment Officer for Capital Investment Advisors, to fight against those statements. Using market history, they defend the legitimacy of what they feel has been a solid retirement strategy since William Bengen discovered it in the m...

We’re revisiting a listener favorite this week that was originally released in March of 2022. The Retire Sooner Team believes this message from Carl Honore about slowing down is more relevant than ever. Our world is built on speed. From our lives to the stock market, even retirement, we aim to tackle every task as quickly as possible; but when is it time to reduce speed and pump the brakes? While...

In this episode of Retire Sooner, Wes conveys his dismay at the abundance of scary headlines bombarding Americans these days. With unsettling bylines flooding our news feeds, he says it’s understandable for people to consider pulling money out of the market. But is that productive? Using a lesson he learned from Tom Cruise’s 1990 racing film Days of Thunder, Wes points to the statistical advantage...

Medicines help to treat illness within the body, but what if we replaced filling a prescription with filling our bags at the farmer’s market with foods that can heal our bodies from the inside out? Dr. William Li, world-renowned physician, scientist, TED speaker, and author of “Eat To Beat Disease," joins this episode to share just how much food can impact our health. Dr. William Li provides his d...

Today on Retire Sooner, Wes Moss revisits one of his favorite interviews from his radio show, Money Matters. He talked about Blue Zones - areas in the world where people live exceptionally long and healthy lives - with renowned explorer, educator, and expert on longevity from National Geographic, Dan Buettner. From diet to social connections to DNA, they explore many factors that impact our well-b...

For a lot of people, what they want and what they expect can be two very different things. This may include those in their 30s and 40s who want to be able to retire but don't expect they'll be able to.   Dr. Jennice Vilhauer is a psychologist, author, and the developer of Future Directed Therapy. On today's Retire Sooner, she lends her expertise around activating a future-connected mindset to expl...

Today on Retire Sooner, we're revisiting one of our most popular topics of the year: five reasons why someone may want to retire as soon as they can! Wes talks through catalysts for retiring, dives into the retirement transition, and shares comments from listeners regarding their retirement. He also reveals financial checkpoints of happy retirees and provides his insights on retiring happy. Disclo...

One of the top real estate agents in the US, best-selling author, entrepreneur, and Georgia Bulldog, Bonneau Ansley does it all. On Retire Sooner, he sits down with Wes Moss to tell his story of success. From building houses and developing to becoming an agent and buying an international luxury real estate network, Ansley has followed his passion to achieve massive success. Along the way he's weat...