Episode 222: Do You Actually Need Long-Term Care Insurance in Retirement?

This episode continues the long-term care discussion by breaking down how long-term care insurance actually works, including benefit structures, coverage limits, and key policy levers like waiting periods and inflation adjustments. Wade and Alex explore why traditional policies have declined in popularity, how hybrid options and annuities can serve as alternatives, and why long-term care […]
Episode 221: What Actually Counts As Long-Term Care?

In this episode of Retire With Style, Wade Pfau and Alex Murguia introduce the fundamentals of long-term care planning as part of their ongoing walkthrough of the Retirement Planning Guidebook. They clarify what long-term care actually is, how it differs from traditional healthcare, and why it represents one of the largest and most unpredictable financial […]
Episode 220: Why Your Health Insurance Stops Working at 65

In this episode of Retire With Style, Wade Pfau and Alex Murguia walk through what actually happens when you enroll in Medicare and where people tend to make costly mistakes. They break down the enrollment timeline, clarify how Medicare interacts with Social Security, and explain why failing to enroll can leave you unexpectedly exposed to major […]
Episode 219: Medicare is Confusing: Here’s How to Make Sense of It

Medicare is one of the most confusing parts of retirement planning. In this episode, Alex and Wade break down the basics, including the difference between Medicare Parts and Plans and the key choice retirees face between Original Medicare (Parts A, B, and usually D with a supplement) and Medicare Advantage (Part C). They discuss the […]
Episode 218: Is Social Security Really Running Out? What the 2026 Numbers Show

In this episode of Retire with Style, Alex and Wade explore the role of Social Security in retirement planning. They examine when to claim benefits, the tradeoffs between early and delayed claiming, and ongoing concerns about the program’s long term funding. The discussion highlights how Social Security fits into a broader retirement income strategy and […]
Episode 217: The Annuity Debate: Smart Strategy or Overpriced Product?

This episode of Retire with Style features Alex Murguia and Wade Pfau discussing the role of annuities in retirement planning, drawing from Wade’s Retirement Planning Guidebook. They examine the purpose of annuities, the primary arguments for and against their use, and the key types available. The conversation also emphasizes how annuities align with different retirement […]
Episode 216: The Retirement Tax Mistake That Costs Thousands

In this episode of Retire With Style, Wade and Alex discuss key retirement tax planning strategies, including Roth conversions, effective marginal tax rates, and the role of income tracking in decision-making. They examine long-term capital gains treatment, IRMAA surcharges, and the structural design of retirement accounts. The conversation also highlights the complexity of the tax […]
Episode 215: Are You Paying More in Retirement Taxes Than You Should?

In this episode of Retire with Style, hosts Alex Murguia and Wade Pfau discuss the launch of the third edition of the Retirement Planning Guidebook and respond to audience questions on tax planning and retirement strategy. They explain what’s new in the latest edition, explore tax-efficient planning concepts including Roth conversions, and unpack key issues […]
Episode 214: When Spending More in Retirement Is Actually the Right Call

In this episode of Retire With Style, Alex and Wade discuss the nuances of the 4% rule and why it may be either too high or too low depending on factors such as inflation, portfolio diversification, market conditions, and individual circumstances. They explore how withdrawal rates work in practice, including the role of variable spending […]
Episode 213: Retirement Without The Guesswork: The 4 L’s and Funded Ratio Strategy

In this conversation, Wade discusses the essential financial goals of retirement, encapsulated in the concept of the four L’s: longevity, lifestyle, legacy, and liquidity. He emphasizes the importance of assessing financial preparedness through the funded ratio, which compares assets to liabilities. The discussion also covers safe withdrawal rates, suggesting a rate of 4.5% based on […]