Episode 238: SpaceX, Mega-IPOs, and Indexing: When to Buy, When to Wait

In this episode of ‘Retire with Style’, Wade Pfau and Alex Murguia dive into the implications of the SpaceX IPO, exploring its unique characteristics, the risks associated with investing in IPOs, and the historical performance of such investments. They discuss the impact of index funds on IPOs and the broader lessons investors should consider when […]
Episode 237: Should You Spend Your HSA or Let it Grow?

In this episode of ‘Retire with Style’, Alex Murguia and Wade Pfau dive into tax planning strategies, focusing on Roth conversions, effective marginal tax rates, and withdrawal strategies for retirement. They discuss the implications of current tax rates, the importance of blending techniques in tax planning, and the necessity of tax diversification for a successful […]
Episode 236: Are Annuities Better than Bonds in Retirement?

In this episode of Retire with Style, hosts Alex Murguia and Wade Pfau address various listener questions regarding retirement planning. They discuss the implications of long-term care and Medicaid, explore the ARVA framework for retirement income, and delve into variable spending strategies. The conversation also covers healthcare options for early retirees, methods to mitigate sequence […]
Episode 235: Are Stocks Enough to Protect You From Inflation?

In this episode of Retire with Style, Wade Pfau and Alex Murguia continue to answer listener questions, including how stocks perform during inflationary periods, whether equity investments can be viewed through a bond-duration lens, the tradeoffs between buying a deferred income annuity today versus waiting to purchase a SPIA later, and how QLACs interact with […]
Episode 234: Cash in Retirement: When to Hold It, When to Invest It

In this final part of the Retire With Style Live Q&A, Wade Pfau and Alex Murguia answer a wide range of retirement planning questions covering annuities and life insurance surrender charges, the financial impact of losing a spouse, Roth conversions as a hedge against the “widow’s tax penalty,” tax-loss harvesting through direct indexing, dividend reinvestment […]
Episode 233: Should You Worry About Social Security Running Out?

In Part 2 of this Live listener Q&A episode, Wade Pfau and Alex Murguia tackle several retirement planning topics, including Social Security claiming strategies for spouses with age differences, how younger workers should think about Social Security’s long-term solvency, whether to assume future benefit cuts in retirement projections, the impact of the “widow’s penalty” on […]
Episode 232: Is 4.7% the New Safe Withdrawal Rate?

In Part 1 of this live Q&A episode of Retire With Style, Wade Pfau and Alex Murguia answer listener questions covering reverse mortgages, retirement withdrawal rates, Roth conversion strategies, tax-efficient retirement income planning, asset allocation decisions, and bond ladders. The discussion emphasizes that retirement planning rarely has one-size-fits-all answers, highlighting the importance of balancing taxes, […]
Episode 231: Why Financial Planning Alone Won’t Prepare You for Retirement

In this episode of ‘Retire with Style’, Wade Pfau and Alex Murguia discuss the non-financial aspects of retirement with Jason Rizkallah. They explore how relationships change during retirement, the importance of maintaining social connections, and the need for communication between spouses. The conversation also touches on balancing time spent together and apart, as well as […]
Episode 230: Are You Emotionally Ready for Retirement? Beyond the Financial Plan

This episode of Retire With Style explores the non-financial aspects of retirement, focusing on how retirees can build purpose, identity, and fulfillment beyond just having enough money. Wade Pfau, Alex Murguia, and guest Jason Rizkallah discuss the importance of “retiring to something, not from something,” emphasizing that retirement planning should begin with envisioning the life […]
Episode 229: How to Leave More Wealth to Your Children After Taxes

This episode of Retire with Style continues the Retirement Planning Guidebook series by focusing on how tax planning changes when legacy and estate considerations are incorporated into the retirement planning process. Wade and Alex break down key estate planning concepts in a practical way, including step-up in basis rules, Roth conversion decisions tied to beneficiaries’ […]