There's a decision your surviving spouse is going to make about your IRA, after you're already gone, that can either cut short or stretch out how long your kids get to keep that money growing — and most people don't even realize the choice is being made. We're going to zero in on one option in particular, one that sounds a little crazy on its face: turning down an inheritance on purpose.

In our Listener Question segment: A listener wrote in about a family farm, a couple of brothers he'd rather not be in business with, and whether saying "no thank you" to his own share is the way to keep the peace in the family.

And then to close things out, we'll head over to our Retire To Something segment where Shawn figured out how to check just about every box that matters.

Resource:
Article by Denise Appleby at Morningstar: The IRA Decision That Affects Your Kids

Connect with Benjamin Brandt:

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• Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit: http://retirementstartstodayradio.com
• Work with Benjamin: https://retirementstartstoday.com/start

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Retirement Starts Today: Your Non-financial Guide to an Even Better Retirement

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You've heard it said a hundred times: Spend the money, make the memories, don't die with regret.

However, for certain kinds of retirees, dying as the richest person in the graveyard isn't a tragedy at all. The comfort of simply having the money can be worth more than anything you'd ever buy with it.

Today, we begin with an article, The Many Utilities of Retirement, which talks about RPIG (the Richest Person In the Graveyard) versus FORO (the Fear of Running Out of money).

It's an interesting look at the juxtaposition.

After that, a question - listener that calls himself the millionaire next door — he'll never spend what he's saved, it's all headed to the kids and grandkids, and yet he still mows his own lawn and changes his own oil. He wants to loosen up and spend a little more… but he also kind of loves the life he's already got. So what do you tell a guy like that? I'll give you my take.

And we wrap up the show with our Retire To Something segment.

Resource:

• Article by William Bernstein and Edward McQuarrie: The Many Utilities of Retirement

Connect with Benjamin Brandt:

• Subscribe to the This Week in Retirement: http://thisweekinretirement.com
• Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit: http://retirementstartstodayradio.com
• Work with Benjamin: https://retirementstartstoday.com/start

Get the book!
Retirement Starts Today: Your Non-financial Guide to an Even Better Retirement

Follow Retirement Starts Today in:
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, or iHeart

If you want to spend more at the beginning of retirement, which withdrawal strategies actually let you do that? This week's Retirement Headline from Amy C. Arnott called "The Best Strategies for Boosting Starting Withdrawal Rates in Retirement" answers that question.

For our Listener Question: A listener wrote in wondering whether sequence-of-returns risk really fades away after the first decade of retirement, and if so — whether that means it's safe to bump withdrawals up to 5.5% or more later in the game.

And we wrap it up with another Retire To Something segment.

Resource:

Article by Amy C. Arnott
 at Morningstar: The Best Strategies for Boosting Starting Withdrawal Rates in Retirement

Connect with Benjamin Brandt:

• Subscribe to the This Week in Retirement: http://thisweekinretirement.com
• Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit: http://retirementstartstodayradio.com
• Work with Benjamin: https://retirementstartstoday.com/start

Get the book!
Retirement Starts Today: Your Non-financial Guide to an Even Better Retirement

Follow Retirement Starts Today in:
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, or iHeart