Do you want to spend more money & pay less taxes on your way to an even better retirement? Great news, you're in the right place!
I'll also teach you the benefits of retiring TO something, while most retirees only solve half the equation by retiring FROM something.
Tune in every Monday morning - hosted by Benjamin Brandt CFP®, RICP®.
Join my "This Week in Retirement" newsletter for the best retirement content of the week, sourced by me: https://pages.thisweekinretirement.com/newsletter
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Position in the Investing chart (US), last 90 days.
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all-time peak
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days in the top 50 since Dec 2024
Latest episodes
Showing 20 · updated from the feed
Why I Object to 'Hitting a Number' for Retirement
Christine Benz got a text from a friend the other day. A mutual friend from college was retiring because he'd "hit his number in the stock market".
Most people would re
Sep 7 20 min
The 'Open Sandwich' Generation
The term "Sandwich Generation" has been around since the 80s. You're the one in the middle - with aging parents on one side and dependent kids on the other.
Dan Haylett
Aug 31 14 min
Your $135,000 Retirement Risk
The 2025 Milliman Long-Term Care Index put a number on long-term care: $135,000, the lump-sum amount an average 65-year-old would need to set aside today to cover the exp
Aug 24 18 min
38% of Retirees Underspend
A Corebridge Financial's decumulation study found 70% of American retirees say it's "very important" that their nest egg doesn't shrink in retirement. Another result foun
Aug 17 20 min
"New" Rules around 401K Catch-Up Contributions
A rule changed on January first that takes the tax deduction away from catch-up contributions for a lot of people who are still working. We'll run through all the 2026 nu
Aug 10 18 min
The Four Risks to Retirement Security
Chris Heye makes the case in a Journal of Financial Planning article that the two retirement risks we obsess over might not be the two most likely to derail us. There are
Aug 3 19 min
How Much Should You Worry About Inflation?
Inflation again? Christine Benz over at Morningstar has three questions that tell you exactly how exposed you are - and how much retirees worry about inflation.
Then, a
Jul 27 20 min
Revisiting the 4% Rule, with Bill Bengen
If you've been anywhere close to a retirement podcast over the last 10-20 years, you've heard of the 4% rule. And like many people, you might have questions about it.
W
Jul 20 21 min
Retirement Is a Sprint, Not a Marathon
Fritz Gilbert says the adage that "Retirement is a marathon, not a sprint" is backwards. He cites an average age where health starts to decline is 64, so sprinting in tho
Jul 13 21 min
Is Your Cautious Retirement Spending Doing More Harm Than Good?
The fear of running out of money in retirement turns out to be mostly backwards. For super-savers, the data says the opposite usually happens. A piece from Danielle Labot
Jul 6 25 min
The IRS Penalty Retirees Never See Coming (And How to Beat It)
Every year, thousands of retirees pay an extra penalty to the IRS — and almost none of them see it coming.
What catches them off guard isn't a penalty for owing too muc
Jun 29 21 min
Consumer Sentiment is Terrible
Americans don't feel great about the economy. Consumer Sentiment just hit the lowest reading in roughly 75 years.
Ben Carlson over at A Wealth of Common Sense dug into
Jun 22 19 min
The IRA Decision That Affects Your Kids
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 ke
Jun 15 20 min
The Richest Person in the Graveyard
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
Jun 8 19 min
The Best Strategies for Boosting Starting Withdrawal Rates in Retirement
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
Jun 1 19 min
How Super-Savers Spend Their Acorns in Retirement, with Dana Anspach
Imagine a lifetime spent diligently saving your acorns, only to face a mental roadblock when it's time to enjoy them. Dana Anspach, CFP®, RMA®, and author of "Living Off
May 25 22 min
How 2 Couples Cut Housing Costs To Speed Up Their Path To Early Retirement
What happens when you reach financial independence by paying off a low interest rate mortgage early? Or being renter instead of buying a home and growing equity? I'll exp
May 18 20 min
The "24-Hour Rule" That Keeps Retirees From Blowing Their Savings
According to Capital One Shopping - 89% of shoppers have made some kind of impulse buy. More than half have spent more than $100 on a whim, and the average shopper made i
May 11 19 min
Sorry, Your Kids Don't Want Your Stuff
Imagine having 10 overstuffed boxes of grandma's collections in your living room.
That's the story that leads our show from a couple in Florida who received these items
May 4 16 min
The Retirement Risk Zone
There is roughly a ten-year window centered around your retirement date, five to ten years before, and five to ten years after called "The Retirement Risk Zone". This is
Apr 27 21 min
Chart positions
Where Retirement Starts Today ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Sep 13, 2026).
A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.
Very helpful podcast, and nice that the format is concise. I think I am reasonably sophisticated and still get a lot out of it. Ben recently noted that some people who save a lot and who are a bit risk averse end up layering protection on top of protection, and ultimately overdo the risk mitigation thing. This was a super-helpful insight that allowed me to improve my own financial plan.
Nathen Potter · Jun 2026
Hoping that the target audience for this podcast extends beyond super savers. As the offspring of super savers I promise you that they get a lot of things wrong. Life is too unpredictable to be obsessive about saving. I appreciate the information in this podcast so much. I strike a balance between just enjoying life and saving for the future.
leftheartSF · May 2026
I’m a small time investor. My brother shared this with my family, don’t know if anyone else listens or not. I listen to several podcasts a year but every time I come away with something new and insightful. Best advice I can offer is stop trying to invest on your own and hire a good fiduciary investor, but be careful not everyone who says they are a fiduciary will really look out for you, and don’t be afraid to find someone else if you need to. Always keep an eye on your financial situation and investments. You are ultimately responsible for your money.
bobjul · Mar 2026
Host always has great insights. I like the article review on the front end and then a listener question at the end.
SoCalCuster · Aug 2025
Benjamin promotes flexible spending using the Guyton-Klinger. He suggests the risk as being basically a one time 10% cut in spending, while allowing a 5% or more initial SWR. However, a January 2000 retiree with a 60/40 portfolio would face four 10% cuts with the first 10 years, resulting in a 35% reduction in spending. That’d be OK if your basic needs represent 65% of your spending at the start of retirement (and you’re OK with potentially that much spending variation); but I’ve never heard him provide this warning.
His other content is good - thus, not giving it one star. But this one omission is pretty serious in my mind.
NOKEOI721 · Jun 2026
We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.
Here you find the Apple Podcasts chart positions of Retirement Starts Today, its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.
