LIST OF CATEGORIES
Prologue (what you should know before you start)
Happiness and the Psychology of Life Two
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#1 WHY BOTHER?
https://donezra.com/why-bother/
Blurb: You may wonder why you should bother with retirement-related stuff at all. Here’s why.
Takeaway: Convert your labor into financial assets. That’s how you enable yourself to retire.
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#2 YOU DON’T NEED TO BECOME AN EXPERT
https://donezra.com/you-don’t-need-to-become-an-expert/
Blurb: Really! Here’s why you don’t ever need to be an expert on any aspect of this.
Takeaway: You can get all the benefit of the expertise that you need if you’re an informed consumer.
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#7 TAXES
Blurb: How to think about the taxes you pay, and why there are no universal principles that you can follow.
Takeaway: The subject of taxation is important. Don’t ignore it. You might want to seek advice on this issue even if you choose a do-it-yourself approach on other retirement issues.
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#9 “I’M RICH!”
https://donezra.com/9-im-rich/
Blurb: I’ve come across lots of rules about how much money you’ll need for a happy, comfortable retirement. And all sorts of numbers, and all sorts of ways to calculate them. When I saw what colleagues of mine came up with, about what it really means to be rich, I loved the simplicity of their concept.
Takeaway: If your assets are enough to support your lifestyle for as long as you live, with something to leave after you’re gone, you’re rich.
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#13 TEACHABLE MOMENTS AND WAKE-UP CALLS
https://donezra.com/13-teachable-moments-and-wake-up-calls/
Blurb: Life is so busy, there never seems to be enough time or even a good time to think about this stuff. And then suddenly something happens and triggers a connection. Let’s examine teachable moments – and their scarier companions, wake-up calls.
Takeaway: Life provides natural teachable moments. If those are what prompted you to read this, that’s good. If your own curiosity prompts you to go further, and treat the blog posts themselves as a series of teachable moments, so much the better.
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#16 PERCENT AND DECIMALS
https://donezra.com/16-percent-and-decimals/
Blurb: If you’re one of the many who don’t understand the meaning of “percent” or what decimals are, don’t be embarrassed, just read on …
Takeaway: Percentages and decimals are just ways of expressing fractions of something bigger.
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#3 THERE’S A CONNECTION BETWEEN HAPPINESS AND AGE
https://donezra.com/theres-a-connection-between-happiness-and-age/
Blurb: Our happiness varies through life. You may not know that typically the way happiness varies with age is predictable.
Takeaway: That’s a destination in our learning: that it’s natural that these turn out to be the happiest years of your life.
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#4 LIFE’S ABUNDANCE IS NOT JUST ABOUT MONEY
https://donezra.com/lifes-abundance-is-not-just-about-money/
Blurb: Of course money is important. But life is about so much more.
Takeaway: Let me be explicit about the destination of this stage of the tour of life after full-time work: there’s more to life and happiness than money.
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#8 DREAMING ABOUT LIFE AFTER FULL-TIME WORK
https://donezra.com/8-dreaming-about-life-after-full-time-work/
Blurb: Mostly we don’t think about life after work until it gets really near. So I asked some people to think it about now, while they’re still working. Can you learn from the dreams and hopes and fears of others?
Takeaway: I’m not sure, to be honest, except that people are different and have different dreams and hopes and fears. But isn’t it nice to dream!
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#11 IS RETIREMENT COMPLICATED? OR IS IT SCARY?
https://donezra.com/11-is-retirement-complicated-or-is-it-scary/
Blurb: Most people are scared to think about a phase of life that could represent a big change. It’s possible to confront and overcome that fear. Here’s how.
Takeaway: Being scared is natural. Once you understand why, and what you can do about it, the fear typically goes away. Just take the first step.
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#24 TALKING TO YOUR ADULT CHILDREN OR OTHER CLOSE FAMILY MEMBERS ABOUT THIS PHASE OF YOUR LIFE
Blurb: Parents are often uncomfortable to talk to their adult children about personal matters. This post identifies some of the benefits of that kind of conversation.
Takeaway: Share information with your adult children: about your current finances, about your desires if you should become incapacitated, and about your will.
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#31: WHAT IF YOU DON’T HAVE A FINANCIAL PROFESSIONAL TO HELP YOU?
https://donezra.com/31-what-if-you-dont-have-a-financial-professional-to-help-you/
Blurb: Not everybody has, or finds, a financial professional to help them. This post looks at the kinds of attitudes and issues people typically have in connection with pensions, through the eyes of a rare national advisory agency.
Takeaway: Access to an independent advisory service is useful and has lessons for us all.
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#34: HOW HEALTHY IS YOUR ROMANTIC VENN DIAGRAM?
https://donezra.com/34-how-healthy-is-your-romantic-venn-diagram/
Blurb: We’re all different; we’re all individuals. Even in marriage, becoming one team, we still retain our own personalities. This post focuses on times when it’s important to recognize those differences.
Takeaway: A couple is not just a couple; you’re also two different people.
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#55 RAISE A GLASS TO THE PEAK TIME OF LIFE
https://donezra.com/55-raise-a-glass-to-the-peak-time-of-life/
Blurb: Here’s why graduating from full-time work should be viewed as a very desirable change.
Takeaway: Put it all together: freedom, time, happiness. This is the BEST of life, for which the rest was made.
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#56 INTERVIEWS ABOUT RETIREMENT
https://donezra.com/56-interviews-about-retirement/
Blurb: Two sets of interviews as a gentle introduction to thinking about retirement.
Takeaway: Everyone is different, with different things that turn them on. Learn from your own past and from observing others.
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#57 REINVENTING YOURSELF IN A NEW LAND
https://donezra.com/57-reinventing-yourself-in-a-new-land/
Blurb: Mostly we don’t think about life after work until it gets really near. Then there’s little time to adjust, and we might find the transition scary. But you can learn from the ideas I’ve grabbed here from others — and you may actually have done something similar before.
Takeaway: When you leave full-time work behind, it’s both scary and an opportunity. But this is a transition you may have made before, and there are many ideas from the experience of others.
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#59 TRANSITIONING AWAY FROM FULL-TIME WORK
https://donezra.com/59-transitioning-away-from-full-time-work/
Blurb: When we retire, we know what we’re leaving. But we don’t often know what we’re going to. In this post we’ll see why it’s unhealthy to contemplate a blank future, and why it’s important to recognize that we’ll probably transition gradually, not jump instantly, into a new lifestyle.
Takeaway: Make sure you have some ideas about your post-work life; transitioning to a vacuum is depressing.
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#63 MOVE BEYOND THE WORKPLACE, EXPLORE LIFE’S JOURNEY
https://donezra.com/63-move-beyond-the-workplace-explore-lifes-journey/
Blurb: You’re not the first to embark on this stage of the journey. Learn from the experience of others.
Takeaway: Six lessons have enabled 70% of people in this survey make a smooth transition from full-time work. Follow them and you won’t be one of the other 30%.
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#64 EVER THOUGHT ABOUT A RETIREMENT DRY RUN?
https://donezra.com/64-ever-thought-about-a-retirement-dry-run/
Blurb: Here’s the story of a couple who actually did a “dry run” to test how their retirement might work. In this post we’ll explore the why and the how with them.
Takeaway: A retirement “dry run” is unusual, but it could be a great learning experience.
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#95 VOLUNTEERING IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FOR SOCIETY
https://donezra.com/95-volunteering-is-an-opportunity-for-individuals-and-for-society/
Blurb: Have you considered volunteering? Here are lessons from a case study
Takeaway: Volunteering helps individuals as well as society. Individuals find fulfillment and shared company. Society benefits from needs filled.
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#112 LIFE EVENTS AND TEACHABLE MOMENTS
https://donezra.com/112-life-events-and-teachable-moments/
Blurb: When something big happens, whether it’s positive or negative, it’s an opportunity to change our thinking. Here’s how.
Takeaway: Life provides natural teachable moments. Here I’ve provided a “to do” list to help you cope and learn.
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#113 IN PRAISE OF ED JACOBSON
https://donezra.com/113-in-praise-of-ed-jacobson/
Blurb: He greatly influenced how I view life.
Takeaway: [None]
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#116 LAZY? OR SMART?
https://donezra.com/116-lazy-or-smart/
Blurb: We waste so much time doing unproductive things, Ernie Zelinski reminds us.
Takeaway: A small sampling of inspiration from a wise philosopher. Thank you, Ernie.
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#122 A WEBINAR INTERVIEW ON RETIREMENT
https://donezra.com/122-a-webinar-interview-on-retirement/
Blurb: I was interviewed at the annual Academic Forum of the (US) Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association.
Takeaway: I’m delighted that an investment-oriented association is devoting some time to thinking about non-financial aspects of retirement.
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#128: RETIREMENT HEAVEN OR HELL: WHICH WILL YOU CHOOSE?
https://donezra.com/128-retirement-heaven-or-hell-which-will-you-choose/
Blurb: A review of Mike Drak’s new book
Takeaway: [None]
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#130 FINANCIAL WELLNESS
https://donezra.com/130-financial-wellness/
Blurb: My takeaways and thoughts after an excellent webinar
Takeaway: [None]
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#136 I’M FEATURED ON THE RATIONAL REMINDER PODCAST
https://donezra.com/136-im-featured-on-the-rational-reminder-podcast/
Blurb: The podcast was released on Thursday
Takeaway: [None]
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#139 WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?
https://donezra.com/139-what-makes-you-happy/
Blurb: Are there national or cultural characteristics that shape our feelings?
Takeaway: Seriously, we’re all different, and there’s no universal formula for happiness.
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#148 MY WEBCAST WITH PIONEERING PENSIONS
https://donezra.com/148-my-webcast-with-pioneering-pensions/
Blurb: I was a guest on a webcast, expressing my views on decumulation, happiness, and non-financial issues in retirement
Takeaway: Retirement involves much more than just money, though of course financial issues are very important. Money is a means to an end, to allow you to focus on what makes you happy.
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#6 THOUGHTS ABOUT INVESTING
https://donezra.com/post-6-thoughts-about-investing/
Blurb: All that’s necessary is to understand a couple of very basic things: why people invest, and what sort of general goals they have for their investments.
Takeaway: Investing means setting aside money today in the hope that it will produce more in the future. There are basically two kinds of investment: safety-oriented (where relative certainty of the outcome is more important than growth prospects) and growth-oriented (much more profit hoped for – but less certain).
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#14 FOUR COMMONSENSE BUT PROFOUND INVESTMENT PRINCIPLES
https://donezra.com/14-four-commonsense-but-profound-investment-principles/
Blurb: Have you ever been to a casino? Wouldn’t it be nice if the odds were in your favor, so that you’re more likely to win than to lose? How would you behave, if you were in that position? Aha, hold that thought, because it can teach a lot about investing, as this post shows.
Takeaway: There’s no mystery to investment principles. People behave just the way you’d expect. They’ll play the investment game (many times) if they think they’re likely to win. They don’t like to lose, particularly not large amounts. Put a lot of people together figuring out the chances, and there won’t be any easy money to be made.
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#15 HOW TO THINK ABOUT DIFFERENT KINDS OF INVESTMENTS
https://donezra.com/15-how-to-think-about-different-kinds-of-investments/
Blurb: A continuation of #14. If you think about playing cards or tossing a coin, you can learn a lot about fundamental investment principles, and how to think about different kinds of investments.
Takeaway: Investment outcomes aren’t as predictable as tossing a coin or drawing a card, where the odds are known and the number of possible outcomes is limited. But there are still similarities. And the odds help us to decide whether an investment is oriented more towards safety or towards growth.
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#36 HISTORICAL INVESTMENT RETURN PATTERNS
https://donezra.com/36-historical-investment-return-patterns/
Blurb: How have different kinds of investments performed in the past? Let’s take a look, because history, even though it doesn’t predict the future, is still a good basis for adding to our understanding of investments.
Takeaway: Historically, equities have behaved like a good growth-oriented strategy, Treasury bills like a good safety-oriented strategy. But neither strategy is absolutely safe. And the past hasn’t been a good predictor of the near-term future.
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#37 ACTIVE OR PASSIVE: THREE SEPARATE ISSUES
https://donezra.com/37-active-or-passive-three-separate-issues/
Blurb: One of the most heated (and therefore potentially confusing) topics in investing is whether to be active (try to choose winners) or passive (just “go with the flow”). In this post we’ll see that one reason for the confusion is that “active versus passive” really encompasses many different questions.
Takeaway: Whether to be an active or a passive investor is a discussion that typically confuses three separate questions: how much you pay, what you’re paying for, and whether the choice should be “active and passive” rather than “active or passive.”
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#38 UNBUNDLE THE FEES
https://donezra.com/38-unbundle-the-fees/
Blurb: What do we pay for the privilege of asking someone else to manage our investments? This post lists many forms of payment.
Takeaway: It is reasonable to be charged for financial advice and assistance. You pay for these services in many possible ways, some direct and some indirect. Only if you are aware of exactly what you are being charged can you compare the charges with what others might charge.
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#39 IS THERE INVESTMENT SKILL? IF SO, WHAT IS IT WORTH?
https://donezra.com/39-is-there-investment-skill-if-so-what-is-it-worth/
Blurb: If we make enough choices, some will work out and some won’t. How do we distinguish luck from skill? Is there skill? What is it worth? This post looks at those questions.
Takeaway: Yes, there is investment skill, but locating it is very difficult, and typically it isn’t worth paying for.
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#40 BROADEN THE DISCUSSION FRAMEWORK
https://donezra.com/40-broaden-the-discussion-framework/
Blurb: After all the analysis, you still have to decide: active or passive. This post lays out precise reasons that tilt you in one direction or the other — or both.
Takeaway: Three reasons to depart from passive investing are: (1) It isn’t available. (2) The passive set of investments isn’t consistent with your objective. (3) You really feel you have located active skill.
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#42 YOUR FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT CHOICES: EAT WELL OR SLEEP WELL
https://donezra.com/42-your-fundamental-investment-choices-eat-well-or-sleep-well/
Blurb: We know that investments can be focused on safety or on growth. That doesn’t help us to decide where in the safety-growth spectrum to place ourselves. Another complication, right? Actually, as this post shows, the key is to consider the extent to which good and bad outcomes affect our lifestyle.
Takeaway: How much safety and how much growth should you seek? That depends on how you balance your goals of eating well and sleeping well.
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#43 YOUR RISK TOLERANCE DEPENDS ON PSYCHOLOGICAL AND FINANCIAL FACTORS
https://donezra.com/43-your-risk-tolerance-depends-on-psychological-and-financial-factors/
Blurb: Once we have made a calculation of the effect of good and bad outcomes, we need to think about how we’d react to these outcomes. That enables us to make a decision on our attitude to risk.
Takeaway: Your risk tolerance depends partly on psychological and partly on financial factors. When considering your risk tolerance, think not in terms of how you react to a fall in market prices (which is likely to be highly emotional), but to how you react to the impact it has on your spending potential (which is a much more sober set of considerations).
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#44 SOMETIMES PARTNERS HAVE DIFFERENT ATTITUDES TOWARDS RISK
https://donezra.com/44-sometimes-partners-have-different-attitudes-towards-risk/
Blurb: Sometimes partners find that they have different attitudes to risk. This post shows several examples.
Takeaway: We’re different human beings, with different views on life and what’s important and what’s risky, some more tolerant of risk and some more fearful. And it can be tough to reconcile our differences — particularly if we’ve never shared them.
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#45 CAN PARTNERS RECONCILE DIFFERENT ATTITUDES TOWARDS RISK?
https://donezra.com/45-can-partners-reconcile-different-attitudes-towards-risk/
Blurb: When partners find that they have different attitudes to risk, there are many sensible ways to proceed.
Takeaway: It’s natural for partners to have different attitudes towards risk. It may be difficult to find a single approach that leaves both reasonably comfortable. But remember that this difference is a personal issue, not an issue requiring investment expertise.
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#75 HOW RELIABLE AN INCOME STREAM CAN YOU GET FROM EQUITY DIVIDENDS?
https://donezra.com/75-how-reliable-an-income-stream-can-you-get-from-equity-dividends/
Blurb: One for the geeks among you. Equities embody growth-seeking. But many people hope that they can use equity dividends as a component of their safety-oriented investments.
Takeaway: The equity dividend stream has an important potential use as a source of investment safety.
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#84 SOMETIMES BAD THINGS HAPPEN FOR LONG PERIODS
https://donezra.com/84-sometimes-bad-things-happen-for-long-periods/
Blurb: Of course we hope for good outcomes when we invest. But we must consider the possibility that outcomes will be bad, perhaps even over long periods. That’s what risk means. Let’s take a look at history again, this time looking at bad news.
Takeaway: To try to guess how we’ll feel if the future is like a bad outcome from the past, rather than just the average outcome, we should also consider much lower investment returns than historical averages.
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# 103 HERE’S THE STATE OF THE ART REGARDING ESG
https://donezra.com/103-heres-the-state-of-the-art-regarding-esg/
Blurb: This is my take on how responsible institutional investors act, in practice
Takeaway: There are many identifiable levels at which investments can be structured
to take account of ESG issues. Measuring the impact is a subject still in its infancy.
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#115 ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT INVESTING
https://donezra.com/115-all-you-need-to-know-about-investing/
Blurb: Dr Tom Philips says it in fewer than 700 words!
Takeaway: My friend Tom Philips helps you to keep both the principles behind lifetime investing and their implementation simple.
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#118 WHAT’S THE ROLE OF FIXED INCOME IN A PORTFOLIO TODAY?
https://donezra.com/118-whats-the-role-of-fixed-income-in-a-portfolio-today/
Blurb: The same as before, even in a low-to-zero interest rate environment (except …)
Takeaway: I think of low-to-zero interest rates as a world of higher taxation. There are no magic new solutions to the problems. We’re just worse off than before. Or, in search of a higher return, the new you can also accept higher risk.
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#126 WHAT SHOULD YOU DO WITH SUDDEN EXTRA CASH?
https://donezra.com/126-what-should-you-do-with-sudden-extra-cash/
Blurb: Three approaches to this investment question
Takeaway: See which of these frameworks makes you feel most comfortable. Perhaps you think of it as a stand-alone asset. Perhaps you think of it as part of your decumulation pot. Perhaps you’re not affect by the investment income. One of those frameworks should incline you towards a solution that makes the most sense to you.
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#133 BEWARE! INVESTING IN THE STOCK MARKET IS NOT A GAME!
https://donezra.com/133-beware-investing-in-the-stock-market-is-not-a-game/
Blurb: I expand on a warning given by Warren Buffett
Takeaway: I hope the takeaway is clear: there’s a difference between investing and betting, and there’s no easy money to be made in a (genuinely) efficient market.
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#136 I’M FEATURED ON THE RATIONAL REMINDER PODCAST
https://donezra.com/136-im-featured-on-the-rational-reminder-podcast/
Blurb: The podcast was released on Thursday
Takeaway: [None]
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#144 ANNUITIES, LONGEVITY RISK AND INVESTMENT RISK
https://donezra.com/144-annuities-longevity-risk-and-investment-risk/
Blurb: A framework for thinking about some financial implications of long life
Takeaway: If by male age 75 or female age 80 we’re in at least average health, don’t have enough to lock in our needs and wants until the end of the longevity table, and are uncomfortable being 100% in equities (and most of us would be, at that age), we should be even more uncomfortable if we haven’t hedged the long end of our longevity distribution, with at least a deferred annuity.
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#146 FIRST TRAVEL IN NINETEEN MONTHS!
https://donezra.com/146-first-travel-in-nineteen-months/
Blurb: Some reflections – plus what I learned about responsible investing
Takeaway:
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#5 WHAT DOES LIFE EXPECTANCY MEAN?
https://donezra.com/what-does-life-expectancy-mean/
Blurb: Why do so many people misunderstand life expectancy? Is it the arithmetic or the concept? Let’s take a look. (Spoiler alert: the arithmetic is simple.)
Takeaway: Life expectancy is not only uncertain, it’s also typically underestimated, particularly for a couple.
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#12 HOW LONG SHOULD YOU PLAN TO MAKE YOUR MONEY LAST?
https://donezra.com/12-how-long-should-you-plan-to-make-your-money-last/
Blurb: Since you don’t know how long you’ll live, what is a sensible planning horizon for the length of your retirement?
Takeaway: Use a life expectancy table (such as the one here) that shows you what proportion of people or couples similar to you survive for what length of time.
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#52 ONE PARTICULAR LONGEVITY TABLE
https://donezra.com/52-one-particular-longevity-table/
Blurb: There’s a particularly useful table available online. Here I’ll show you how to use it.
Takeaway: Now you understand and know how to find the 50%, 25% and 10% longevity estimates for you and your partner.
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#53 WHAT IF YOU HAVE A BETTER ESTIMATE OF YOUR OWN LONGEVITY?
https://donezra.com/53-what-if-you-have-a-better-estimate-of-your-own-longevity/
Blurb: If you have an independent way of getting your own longevity estimate, you can adapt that online Actuaries table to fit your own circumstances.
Takeaway: All you need to do is find the age at which your independent longevity estimate matches one in the table. Then continue with the table as if you are an American of that age.
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#76 HEALTHY LIFE EXPECTANCY
https://donezra.com/76-healthy-life-expectancy/
Blurb: It isn’t just how long we might live that’s of interest. It also matters a lot how healthy our future years are. We’ll see in this post that health is a tough thing to measure.
Takeaway: In most countries, the average person can expect to spend something up to 80% of our expected future lifespan after age 60 in reasonably good health.
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#129 AN UNUSUAL BUT VERY USEFUL FORM OF LIFETIME INCOME
https://donezra.com/129-an-unusual-but-very-useful-form-of-lifetime-income/
Blurb: In Australia, QSuper launches a modern version of a tontine
Takeaway: A new lifetime income product pools longevity risk while offering growth-oriented investing. I hope more will follow, around the world.
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#138 CANADA NOW HAS A LONGEVITY POOL!
https://donezra.com/138-canada-now-has-a-longevity-pool/
Blurb: Here’s why and for whom it could be particularly useful
Takeaway: Products of this sort are very useful to help get around the financial risk caused by longevity uncertainty, and I hope to see them proliferate.
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#143 “U.S. LIFE EXPECTANCY PLUNGED IN 2020”: NEW YORK TIMES HEADLINE
https://donezra.com/143-us-life-expectancy-plunged-in-2020-new-york-times-headline/
Blurb: No, it didn’t
Takeaway: Three reasons why the odds are greatly in favor of our readers outliving those ages
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#144 ANNUITIES, LONGEVITY RISK AND INVESTMENT RISK
https://donezra.com/144-annuities-longevity-risk-and-investment-risk/
Blurb: A framework for thinking about some financial implications of long life
Takeaway: If by male age 75 or female age 80 we’re in at least average health, don’t have enough to lock in our needs and wants until the end of the longevity table, and are uncomfortable being 100% in equities (and most of us would be, at that age), we should be even more uncomfortable if we haven’t hedged the long end of our longevity distribution, with at least a deferred annuity.
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#10 HOW MUCH INCOME DO YOU NEED, TO SUPPORT YOUR CURRENT LIFESTYLE?
https://donezra.com/10-how-much-income-do-you-need-to-support-your-current-lifestyle/
Blurb: Sometimes we think that making a budget is a long, complicated process. But for the purpose of setting a financial target, it doesn’t have to be. It’s surprising how simple it can be, while still being useful.
Takeaway: Having even a single aggregate number as a spending target is very useful. You can change it and refine it over time, but without it there’s no financial goal to measure progress towards.
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#17 A FIRST EXPLORATION OF SAVING
https://donezra.com/17-a-first-exploration-of-saving/
Blurb: In Post #1 we saw that we need to set aside money while we’re working if we want to draw on it later so that we don’t have to work forever. This post picks up on that idea, and explores how much we need to save, as well as what our choices are if we don’t save as much as we need to. Make sure you also read Post #18, which will make you feel much better!
Takeaway: We need to save because otherwise we won’t have enough money to last the rest of our lives. Our retirement ambitions are typically such that we need not only to save, but also to take investment risk in the hope of adding to our savings.
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# 18 THE 10-30-60 RULE SHOWS THE HUGE MULTIPLIER EFFECT OF INVESTING
https://donezra.com/18-the-10-30-60-rule-shows-the-huge-multiplier-effect-of-investing/
Blurb: People don’t realize what a huge impact it has when we add investment returns to our savings over a lifetime, or how important it is to keep the investment effort going after retirement. In this post we’ll look at some numbers and come up with a simple rule of thumb.
Takeaway: Over time, investment returns multiply our savings enormously. And much of that effect takes place after retirement, so continuing to focus on our investments after retirement is vital.
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#21 DAN DISCUSSES HOW FAR HE’S GOT WITH HIS RETIREMENT PLANNING
https://donezra.com/21-dan-discusses-how-far-hes-got-with-his-retirement-planning/
Blurb: I thought it might be interesting to check in with a family currently saving for retirement and also getting their next generation thinking early along those lines. You might be surprised by the source for the lesson that the father teaches.
Takeaway: Two points, really. One is that paying off a mortgage is itself a form of saving for retirement. The other is that it’s possible to find ways to save money via curtailing unnecessary everyday expenditures that we incur without thinking.
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#22 FINANCIAL STAGES IN PLANNING FOR LIFE AFTER FULL-TIME WORK
https://donezra.com/22-financial-stages-in-planning-for-life-after-full-time-work/
Blurb: Are there any guideposts as to what you should be doing and what you should be thinking about, at different stages in your financial life? Let’s look at minimum, successful and exceptional standards at five stages.
Takeaway: Think of five stages in your financial life: the first goes up to 20 years before retirement, then the period taking you to 5 years before retirement, then the 5 years taking you to retirement, then the transition into a retirement lifestyle, and finally the point at which you downsize your lifestyle well into retirement. There are different levels of preparedness that I identify for each stage.
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#23: TWO OTHER CONSIDERATIONS: BUYING A HOME, AND LIFE INSURANCE
https://donezra.com/23-two-other-considerations-buying-a-home-and-life-insurance/
Blurb: We’ve discussed retirement saving at some length. But when we’re young, we have other long-term financial goals too. Where do buying a home and insuring one’s life fit in?
Takeaway: A home, if bought at a rational price, satisfies many potential needs: a roof over your head, emotional fulfillment, retirement savings. Decreasing term insurance can inexpensively hedge the chance that an early passing away deprives your dependents of the work income you would otherwise have earned.
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#28 WHAT DOES SPENDING MONEY DO FOR YOU?
https://donezra.com/28-what-does-spending-money-do-for-you/
Blurb: In the same way that we observed that there’s more to life than money (see Post #4), so too there’s more to spending money than obtaining something that’s useful to us. Here are some emotional benefits.
Takeaway: We get three kinds of benefits when we spend money. There’s the utilitarian benefit that something is useful to us. There’s the emotional benefit that something makes us feel good. There’s the expressive benefit that our purchase says something we consider positive about ourselves to others. They’re all valid reasons for decision-making.
***
#30 GOOD ADVISORS WILL SPEAK OUR LANGUAGE
https://donezra.com/30-good-advisors-will-speak-our-language-2/
Blurb: Financial professionals often tell us that they want to speak our language, then retreat into jargon. I’ve learnt about the difference.
Takeaway: The important financial outcomes are not investment returns. Rather, they’re measured in terms of the impact on our desired lifestyle. That’s the language a good advisor will use, in talking to retired clients.
***
#32: THREE THINGS THAT COULD DERAIL YOUR PLAN
https://donezra.com/32-three-things-that-could-derail-your-plan/
Blurb: There are things that we should be aware of, that could upset our post-work lives from evolving as we hope. Here’s what we can consider, in case one of them appears in our path.
Takeaway: Be aware of three things that could derail your plans: outliving your assets; becoming very sick; and dementia. The first one will be dealt with in future posts; the second one has a cost that varies with a country’s healthcare systems; the third one suggests that you should make decisions early in your retirement and inform your adult children about them.
***
#33 DECUMULATE: FOUR WAYS TO GENERATE RETIREMENT INCOME
https://donezra.com/33-decumulate-four-ways-to-generate-sustainable-income/
Blurb: So here we are, we’ve saved and invested, and we’re ready to stop working and convert our assets from a lump sum into a flow of retirement income that can be sustained for the rest of our life. How can we do that?
Takeaway: There are four ways to generate retirement income from a lump sum: buy an annuity; draw down an amount each year that depends on your future life expectancy; calculate a sustainable drawdown until some fixed advanced age; buy longevity insurance and use the fixed period until it kicks in as the period over which you calculate a sustainable drawdown. It’s important for you to choose between them because they have very different characteristics.
***
#35 IS YOUR HOME PART OF YOUR PORTFOLIO FOR LIFE AFTER WORK?
https://donezra.com/35-is-your-home-part-of-your-portfolio-for-life-after-work/
Blurb: Wouldn’t it be great if we had enough money to create a lifetime income stream, and could live forever in the home we own? Sure! But all too often we need to use our home to help generate that income stream. This post explains four ways to do so.
Takeaway: There are four ways to use your home to generate income after you retire: sell, downsize, rent it out or take out a reverse mortgage.
***
#46 YOUR PERSONAL FUNDED RATIO
https://donezra.com/46-your-personal-funded-ratio/
Blurb: There’s a simple concept that is extremely useful. Just compare how much you’ve got with how much you need! Here’s how to apply that concept to see how far you’ve come.
Takeaway: Your personal funded ratio measures how much money you already have, and are likely to have after your future savings, relative to the amount you’ll need to support your post-retirement ambitions. Over 100% is good, under 100% suggests that you ought to think about doing something about it.
***
# 47 INHERITANCES AND BEQUESTS
https://donezra.com/47-inheritances-and-bequests/
Blurb: In practice we may add to our savings if we receive an inheritance, and we may want to leave bequests in addition to providing for life after full-time work. In this post we look at how to accommodate those aspects.
Takeaway: Inheritances are likely to play an important part in every generation’s retirement funding. But they come from other people’s desires, so it’s difficult, if not unwise, to take them into account explicitly in planning for your retirement. Bequests, on the other hand, arise from your own desires, and there are ways of accommodating them in your financial planning.
***
#48 HOW TO USE THE PERSONAL FUNDED RATIO CALCULATOR
https://donezra.com/48-how-to-use-the-personal-funded-ratio-calculator/
Blurb: In this post I explain how to use the Personal Funded Ratio calculator that’s on the website: the principles it’s based on, the questions it can answer, the information you need to provide, where and how I’ve imposed limitations on its flexibility – that sort of thing.
Takeaway: You should now be ready to use the calculator to help you find out what point you’ve reached, as far as retirement finances are concerned.
***
#49 AN EXAMPLE OF THE USE OF THE PERSONAL FUNDED RATIO CALCULATOR
https://donezra.com/49-an-example-of-the-use-of-the-personal-funded-ratio-calculator/
Blurb: It’s time to assemble the facts required for a funded ratio calculation. If you’ve never done it before, gathering the information is not always easy. Here’s how one couple did their best, even though it was far from perfect.
Takeaway: Even without precision, using the calculator represents a psychological step forward, indicating areas that need further investigation. Having a framework is a big first step.
***
#50 VARIATIONS ON A THEME
https://donezra.com/50-variations-on-a-theme/
Blurb: Our exemplary couple decide that they want to play with the numbers, a little bit.
Takeaway: Using all the possible calculators allows you to see which changes have a big impact and which ones a small impact, as well as which changes might be feasible and which really aren’t possible to implement.
***
#51 WEALTH ZONES: ESSENTIALS, LIFESTYLE, BEQUEST, ENDOWED
https://donezra.com/51-wealth-zones-essentials-lifestyle-bequest-endowed/
Blurb: So now, through the personal funded ratio calculation, you have an idea of where you are, relative to your target. What if you’re above your target? Or below? How does that affect your lifestyle options?
Takeaway: It’s useful to find out which “wealth zone” you’re in, because your practical choices vary a lot from one zone to another. So the earlier you know, the longer you have to think about your choices.
***
#66 RISK: THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD
https://donezra.com/66-risk-the-rubber-meets-the-road/
Blurb: I’ve talked a lot about risk, particularly the impact of uncertainty in investment returns, all the way through. Here I’ll gather together a lot of those thoughts, give them names, and set them out in a way that gives you a framework for the sequence in which you can make risk decisions.
Takeaway: In practice you can estimate, reasonably objectively, how much risk you need to take in pursuit of a goal, and whether you have the financial capacity to withstand the consequences if things turn out badly. But you also need to think about how you’ll feel if things turn out badly, and remind yourself whether, in the past, your feelings were a good predictor of how you actually behaved when bad things happened.
***
#67 HAPPINESS COMES FROM CERTAINTY ABOUT NOT OUTLIVING YOUR ASSETS
https://donezra.com/67-happiness-comes-from-certainty-about-not-outliving-your-assets/
Blurb: What’s the relationship between happiness and money? When we understand that, we can understand what retirees say scares them the most.
Takeaway: The biggest fear retirees have is outliving their income. And it’s a fear that’s virtually hard-wired into us. The safer your income and the higher the likelihood it’ll outlive you (rather than the other way around), the happier you’ll be.
***
#68 SAFETY AND GROWTH AS INVESTMENT GOALS
https://donezra.com/68-safety-and-growth-as-investment-goals/
Blurb: Here’s a clarification of the goals of investment safety and growth.
Takeaway: If we understand safety and growth as being at opposite ends of a spectrum, we can decide where on that spectrum to place ourself.
***
#69 WITH TWO EXTREME PHILOSOPHIES, EITHER/OR IS A BAD WAY TO FRAME THE CHOICE
https://donezra.com/69-with-two-extreme-philosophies-either-or-is-a-bad-way-to-frame-the-choice/
Blurb: This post expands on the notion of philosophies that embrace only the safety or only the growth end of the spectrum along which goals are placed.
Takeaway: Beware of finding yourself in a situation in which your financial professional only uses insurance instruments or only focuses on investments.
***
#70 THREE GOALS, THREE INSTRUMENTS
https://donezra.com/70-three-goals-three-instruments/
Blurb: This post looks at the main kinds of financial goals we have for retirement, and why each goal needs its own financial instrument.
Takeaway: Typically you’ll have three goals: investment safety, investment growth and some form of protection against the financial impact of a long life. This suggests the use of three different instruments, one for each goal.
***
#71 A LIQUIDITY RESERVOIR CREATES FLEXIBILITY
https://donezra.com/71-a-liquidity-reservoir-creates-flexibility/
Blurb: If it’s possible, it helps a lot to have some money set aside for emergencies. In fact, as we’ll see in this post, a bit of cash also helps enormously to smooth out the impact of investment fluctuations.
Takeaway: A pool of cash can fulfill many purposes, from being a source of emergency funds to being a way to insulate your lifestyle spending plans to some extent from the inevitable fluctuations in the value of your pension pot.
***
#73 WHEN THE TIME COMES TO MAKE DECISIONS
https://donezra.com/73-when-the-time-comes-to-make-decisions/
Blurb: This tale by a master story-teller is scary. It reminds us that we should think about potential disruptive things before they’re upon us. This post also explains why we prefer to postpone tough decisions.
Takeaway: If you push crucial decisions into the future, you may well find it very difficult to face them when the time comes.
***
#78 GLIDE FROM YOUTH INTO LIFE TWO (WALK 20)
https://donezra.com/78-glide-from-youth-into-life-two-walk-20/
Blurb: This is for those who are still accumulating assets, and haven’t yet transitioned into Life Two. Through the story of how the global financial crisis and market crash of 2008 affected different members of a family in different ways, this Walk draws lessons for how the goals of growth and safety typically change as we age.
Takeaway: When should we take investment risk? Mostly when we’re young and have little financial capital at stake, less so when we mature and have much more financial capital at stake. So the shape of our risk-taking during our years of saving should follow a sort of glide path, from higher risk to lower risk.
***
#81 TARGET DATE FUNDS AND HOW TO IMPROVE THEM
https://donezra.com/81-target-date-funds-and-how-to-improve-them/
Blurb: A glide path that is based on assumptions about the average saver is a great start as a default option. That doesn’t mean it can’t be improved. This post describes ways in which it can be customized to better fit each saver’s characteristics.
Takeaway: A typical glide path can be improved by customizing it to the investor’s circumstances and goals, recalibrating it periodically, and focusing on inexpensive investments.
***
#83 “SEQUENCE OF RETURNS” RISK IN DECUMULATION
https://donezra.com/83-sequence-of-returns-risk-in-decumulation/
Blurb: The “glide path” in accumulation applies only when you’re saving money, not when you’re making withdrawals. Here’s an important decumulation angle.
Takeaway: In decumulation, an invested pension pot carries risks. One is sequence-of-returns risk. Regardless of the average long-term investment return, it’s bad news, in decumulation, if low or negative returns occur early.
***
#85 A CASE STUDY ON THE INVESTMENT GLIDE PATH IN DECUMULATION
https://donezra.com/85-a-case-study-on-the-investment-glide-path-in-decumulation/
Blurb: Experts make assumptions about our attitude to financial risk in our retirement years. Here’s a case study that suggests that psychology plays a considerable role, regardless of finances.
Takeaway: In this case study, a couple prefers a falling glide path, for purely psychological reasons. They’re willing to take their highest risk in the early retirement years (provided they have a ladder that enables them to climb to safety over the short term), and rely on safe investments as their lifestyles settle down and they become older.
***
# 107 HOW MUCH FINANCIAL CERTAINTY DO YOU WANT?
https://donezra.com/107-how-much-financial-certainty-do-you-want/
Blurb: How to proceed, depending on what you want
Takeaway: There are degrees of certainty you can seek, as regards lifetime income and short-term asset preservation.
***
#110 LOW INTEREST RATES ARE A TAX ON SAVERS
https://donezra.com/110-low-interest-rates-are-a-tax-on-savers/
Blurb: Central bankers cannot find a way to help borrowers without hurting savers.
Takeaway: [None]
***
#114 BEING NORMAL BEATS BEING A THEORETICAL ECONOMIC PERSON
https://donezra.com/114-being-normal-beats-being-a-theoretical-economic-person/
Blurb: What economists consider an optimal portfolio combination is better split into two separate pieces.
Takeaway: Having separate safety and growth components in your retirement portfolio is simpler, more flexible and superior to the concept of a combined do-it-all portfolio.
***
#117 EMERGENCY SAVINGS ARE THE NATURAL STARTING LINE FOR RETIREMENT SAVING
https://donezra.com/117-emergency-savings-are-the-natural-starting-line-for-retirement-saving/
Blurb: And most people never get there.
Takeaway: An emergency fund helps you to survive; retirement savings then help you to thrive.
***
#119 INFLATION FOR RETIREES
https://donezra.com/119-inflation-for-retirees/
Blurb: Is it much the same as for workers?
Takeaway: Inflation is much the same for all – possibly slightly higher for retirees than for workers, but there’s nothing you can do about it and it’s not worth worrying about.
***
#120 WE’VE EXPERIENCED HUGE INFLATION
https://donezra.com/120-weve-experienced-huge-inflation/
Blurb: But the traditional measures ignore it.
Takeaway: We’ve had huge inflation, but in asset prices, not in consumer goods and services.
***
#121 INFLATION PROTECTION DURING LIFE TWO
https://donezra.com/121-inflation-protection-during-life-two/
Blurb: How spending changes in retirement, and the resulting need for inflation protection
Takeaway: (1) The typical pattern of activity in Life Two goes from go-go to slow-go at some stage. No-go is less likely, about one chance in three. (2) Dr Blanchett suggests building in 1% less than inflation, as you project your annual increase in spending. (3) In many countries you already have a base income automatically linked to full inflation. (4) If so, the rest of your spending requires less than full inflation protection. (5) Action steps could involve some purchase of a guaranteed lifetime income (whether or not linked to inflation), or simply self-insuring your longevity risk, in which case you might also consider the purchase of inflation-index-linked government bonds.
***
#127 DECUMULATION: THE STATE OF THE ART TODAY
https://donezra.com/127-decumulation-the-state-of-the-art-today/
Blurb: Five aspects of generating income for life
Takeaway: Tough issues, not yet settled in any generally accepted form.
***
#129 AN UNUSUAL BUT VERY USEFUL FORM OF LIFETIME INCOME
https://donezra.com/129-an-unusual-but-very-useful-form-of-lifetime-income/
Blurb: In Australia, QSuper launches a modern version of a tontine
Takeaway: A new lifetime income product pools longevity risk while offering growth-oriented investing. I hope more will follow, around the world.
***
#131 YOUR PENSION, YOUR RISK, YOUR CHOICE
https://donezra.com/131-your-pension-your-risk-your-choice/
Blurb: How to make your pension last: an age-old conundrum
Takeaway: [None]
***
#132 FOLLOW-UP ON PERSONAL PENSION CHOICES
https://donezra.com/132-follow-up-on-personal-pension-choices/
Blurb: Answering readers’ questions on the previous (FT Money) post
Takeaway: [None]
***
#134 SOMETHING NEW
https://donezra.com/134-something-new/
Blurb: I hope this is the precursor to many helpful financial simulators
Takeaway: [None]
***
#136 I’M FEATURED ON THE RATIONAL REMINDER PODCAST
https://donezra.com/136-im-featured-on-the-rational-reminder-podcast/
Blurb: The podcast was released on Thursday
Takeaway: [None]
***
#137 FINANCIAL LITERACY: I INTERVIEWED PROF. ANNAMARIA LUSARDI
https://donezra.com/137-financial-literacy-i-interviewed-prof-annamaria-lusardi/
Blurb: What it is and why it’s so important to include it as a fundamental part of our education. And a test you can take
Takeaway: [None]
***
#138 CANADA NOW HAS A LONGEVITY POOL!
https://donezra.com/138-canada-now-has-a-longevity-pool/
Blurb: Here’s why and for whom it could be particularly useful
Takeaway: Products of this sort are very useful to help get around the financial risk caused by longevity uncertainty, and I hope to see them proliferate.
***
#141 HOW TO HELP PEOPLE WITH DECUMULATION DECISIONS
https://donezra.com/141-how-to-help-people-with-decumulation-decisions/
Blurb: Australian issues under consideration apply throughout the world
Takeaway: It’s time to create default decumulation decisions.
***
#142 DIGGING DEEPER INTO DECUMULATION PLANNING
https://donezra.com/142-digging-deeper-into-decumulation-planning/
Blurb: I respond to readers’ comments and questions
Takeaway: [None]
***
#144 ANNUITIES, LONGEVITY RISK AND INVESTMENT RISK
https://donezra.com/144-annuities-longevity-risk-and-investment-risk/
Blurb: A framework for thinking about some financial implications of long life
Takeaway: If by male age 75 or female age 80 we’re in at least average health, don’t have enough to lock in our needs and wants until the end of the longevity table, and are uncomfortable being 100% in equities (and most of us would be, at that age), we should be even more uncomfortable if we haven’t hedged the long end of our longevity distribution, with at least a deferred annuity.
***
#148 MY WEBCAST WITH PIONEERING PENSIONS
https://donezra.com/148-my-webcast-with-pioneering-pensions/
Blurb: I was a guest on a webcast, expressing my views on decumulation, happiness, and non-financial issues in retirement
Takeaway: Retirement involves much more than just money, though of course financial issues are very important. Money is a means to an end, to allow you to focus on what makes you happy.
***
***
#87 THE OUTLINE OF FREEDOM, TIME, HAPPINESS
https://donezra.com/87-the-outline-of-freedom-time-happiness/
Blurb: All about the book and its detailed contents
Takeaway: Preface, Where the route takes us, and the Destinations – your overview of FTH.
***
#88 THE PROLOGUE TO FREEDOM, TIME HAPPINESS
https://donezra.com/88-the-prologue-to-freedom-time-happiness/
Blurb: Notes about the Prologue and References
Takeaway: [None]
***
#89 EXPLORE HAPPINESS AND THE PSYCHOLOGY OF LIFE TWO
https://donezra.com/89-explore-happiness-and-the-psychology-of-life-two/
Blurb: Introducing the stages in Route 1 of Freedom, Time, Happiness
Takeaway: [None]
***
#90 EXPLORE INVESTMENT (AND A LITTLE BUT IMPORTANT NOTE AT THE END)
https://donezra.com/90-explore-investment-and-a-little-but-important-note-at-the-end/
Blurb: Introducing the stages in Route 2 of Freedom, Time, Happiness
Takeaway: [None]
***
#91 THREE ITEMS: EXPLORE LONGEVITY, THE PODCASTS, AND A GIFT SUGGESTION
https://donezra.com/91-three-items-explore-longevity-the-podcasts-and-a-suggestion/
Blurb: Introducing the stages in Route 3 of Freedom, Time, Happiness, and the podcast series (and a little gift suggestion at the end)
Takeaway: [None]
***
#92 EXPLORE RETIREMENT FINANCE
https://donezra.com/92-explore-retirement-finance/
Blurb: Introducing the stages in Route 4 of Freedom, Time, Happiness
Takeaway: [None}
***
#94 ON THE TRAIL FOR ENTHUSIASTS
https://donezra.com/94-on-the-trail-for-enthusiasts/
Blurb: For those of you who want to explore some topics in Freedom, Time, Happiness (FTH) even further
Takeaway: [None]
***
***
#90 EXPLORE INVESTMENT (AND A LITTLE BUT IMPORTANT NOTE AT THE END)
https://donezra.com/90-explore-investment-and-a-little-but-important-note-at-the-end/
Blurb: [This post introduces Episode 1, The Best Time of Life, featuring Chris Battaglia and Jeremy Cooper; Episode 2, The Retirement Life Cycle, featuring Jonathan Clements; and Episode 3 Get Started, featuring David John]
Takeaway: [None]
***
#91 THREE ITEMS: EXPLORE LONGEVITY, THE PODCASTS, AND A GIFT SUGGESTION
https://donezra.com/91-three-items-explore-longevity-the-podcasts-and-a-suggestion/
Blurb: [What I said at the launch event, and an overview of the 10 episodes]
Takeaway: [None]
***
#95 VOLUNTEERING IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FOR SOCIETY
https://donezra.com/95-volunteering-is-an-opportunity-for-individuals-and-for-society/
Blurb: [This introduces Episode 4, Get Serious, featuring Fred Vettese]
Takeaway: [None]
***
#98 TWO REPORTS ON MY ACTIVITIES
https://donezra.com/98-two-reports-on-my-activities/
Blurb: [This introduces Episode 5, Get Set, featuring Ernie Zelinski]
Takeaway: [None]
***
#99 LIFE AFTER RETIREMENT DOESN’T NEED TO BE SCARY, SAYS LIFE TWO AUTHOR DON EZRA (AND A PODCAST UPLOADED)
Blurb: [This introduces Episode 6, Transition into Retirement, featuring Jon Glass]
Takeaway: [None]
***
#100 FIRST SURVIVE, THEN THRIVE
https://donezra.com/100-first-survive-then-thrive/
Blurb: [This introduces Episode 7, Life Two, featuring Moshe Milevsky]
Takeaway: [None]
***
#104 INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO RETIREMENT SECURITY CHALLENGES
https://donezra.com/104-innovative-solutions-to-retirement-security-challenges/
Blurb: A new blog post, and I’m going to feature the “Don’s personal touch” series
Takeaway: [Episode 8, featuring Ida Rademacher and Will Sandbrook]
***
#105 PODCAST: THE PERSPECTIVE AND ROLE OF THE PLAN SPONSOR
https://donezra.com/105-podcast-the-perspective-and-role-of-the-plan-sponsor/
Blurb: Takeaways from a leading plan sponsor
Takeaway: [Episode 9, featuring Cindy Deere]
***
#109 AND THAT’S A WRAP!
https://donezra.com/109-and-thats-a-wrap/
Blurb: Introducing our final podcast, and some personal thoughts
Takeaway: [Episode 10, featuring Alex Mazer and Jonathan Weisstub]
***
***
#19 BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE WORLD PENSION SUMMIT
https://donezra.com/19-behind-the-scenes-at-the-world-pension-summit/
Blurb: Here’s a personal view from a global conference on pensions.
Takeaway: I just wanted to convey something of the atmosphere at a global conference, and to confirm how much I love attending and speaking at conferences, even all these years into my graduation from work. Stopping work does not mean stopping thinking!
***
#20 COLLECTIVE WAYS TO HELP EMPLOYEES IN RETIREMENT PLANNING
https://donezra.com/20-collective-ways-to-help-employees-in-retirement-planning/
Blurb: These days the retirement scene is changing, around the world. More and more, the onus is placed on individuals, rather than on pooled arrangements. But it’s possible for new forms of pooling to be made available by employers, associations and unions, and they would help employees enormously.
Takeaway: Employers, associations and unions can form or join longevity pools, to spare their members the risk caused by uncertain longevity. And they can permit retirees to benefit from the lower cost of pooled investment arrangements.
***
#25 LOOK HOW FAR WE’VE COME
https://donezra.com/25-look-how-far-weve-come/
Blurb: Here’s a convenient summary of what the first 24 posts have covered. I’m sure that not everything was of personal relevance to you, so this post is a way to see where the stuff you are interested in fits into the big picture.
Takeaway: Just a summary of the first 24 posts, organized by topic.
***
#26 NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS RELATED TO LIFE AFTER FULL-TIME WORK
https://donezra.com/26-new-years-resolutions-related-to-life-after-full-time-work/
Blurb: Some areas to consider in the context of new year’s resolutions, plus an anecdote of an unexpected benefit.
Takeaway: Depending on your personal situation and preferences, there are many areas in which you can identify a possible new year’s resolution related to life after full-time work.
***
#27 THANK YOU, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR
https://donezra.com/27-thank-you-merry-christmas-and-a-happy-new-year/
Blurb: Best wishes for 2018.
Takeaway: My gratitude!
***
#29 LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT FEW MONTHS
https://donezra.com/29-looking-forward-to-the-next-few-months/
Blurb: You’re probably still easing into the year, so this week I won’t post anything that’s meant to teach. Instead, permit me to look forward to the next few months.
Takeaway: A list of possible ideas to discuss in the future.
***
#41 A SUMMARY OF 1Q2018 POSTS
https://donezra.com/41-a-summary-of-1q2018-posts/
Blurb: As I did at the end of 2017, I’ve summarized one quarter’s posts, so that you can find a particular post conveniently identified by topic.
Takeaway: Just a summary of the posts in 1Q2018, organized by topic.
***
#54 AU REVOIR! (READ THIS FIRST, BEFORE YOU CATCH UP)
https://donezra.com/54-au-revoir-read-this-first-before-you-catch-up/
Blurb: As always, here’s a review of the ground we’ve covered in the last quarter – plus (importantly) a thought on how to catch up if you’ve fallen behind.
Takeaway: Thanks for staying with me. I’ll give you a chance to catch up, and will resume at a slower pace in September. Enjoy the next couple of months!
***
#58 A PERSONAL UPDATE AND A QUESTION FOR YOU
https://donezra.com/58-a-personal-update-and-a-question-for-you/
Blurb: What I’ve been up to, and a request.
Takeaway: [None]
***
#60 YOUR RESPONSES TO MY QUESTION
https://donezra.com/60-your-responses-to-my-question/
Blurb: Here’s what you said about retirement education.
Takeaway: [None]
***
#61 READINESS FOR LIFE AFTER FULL-TIME WORK
https://donezra.com/61-readiness-for-life-after-full-time-work/
Blurb: This is how I made the case for retirement education, at a recent conference.
Takeaway: [None]
***
#62 CONVERSATIONS AT DC WEST 2018 ABOUT EDUCATION FOR LIFE TWO
https://donezra.com/62-conversations-at-dc-west-2018-about-education-for-life-two/
Blurb: Here are the reactions I remember, following my talk that made the case for education for Life Two.
Takeaway: The need for education for Life Two seemed to resonate, particularly when people thought about themselves on life’s journey.
***
#65 HAPPY HOLIDAYS, AND ALL THE BEST FOR 2019!
https://donezra.com/65-happy-holidays-and-all-the-best-for-2019/
Blurb: [None]
Takeaway: [None]
***
#72 A LOOK BACK AT 1Q2019, AND A PREVIEW
https://donezra.com/72-a-look-back-at-1q2019-and-a-preview/
Blurb: A review of recent posts, and the preview mentions the forthcoming book.
Takeaway: [None]
***
#74 REFLECTIONS ON BEING (AND NO LONGER BEING) AN ACTUARY
https://donezra.com/74-reflections-on-being-and-no-longer-being-an-actuary/
Blurb: My actuarial status has changed, and it has had an emotional impact.
Takeaway: I wonder if it’s possible for a professional to elect to be formally classified as having retired.
***
#77 THE LIFE TWO BOOK HAS BEEN PUBLISHED
https://donezra.com/77-the-life-two-book-has-been-published/
Blurb: I’m excited to tell you about it … and more!
Takeaway: [None]
***
#79 A REVIEW OF 2Q2019, AND WHAT’S COMING
https://donezra.com/79-a-review-of-2q2019-and-whats-coming/
Blurb: A quick summary, plus a preview on expanding the perspective found in Life Two.
Takeaway: [None]
***
#80 VICTORY LAP RETIREMENT
https://donezra.com/80-victory-lap-retirement/
Blurb: Review of a book I enjoyed, plus a bit of news.
Takeaway: [None]
***
#82 LONDON NOTES
https://donezra.com/82-london-notes/
Blurb: A (final) bit of background on my article in the London-based FT Money publication and an accompanying podcast.
Takeaway: [None]
***
#86 WEBSITE REDESIGN!
https://donezra.com/86-website-redesign/
Blurb: Three new features, and nothing taken away.
Takeaway: [None]
***
#93 WHY I’M GRATEFUL
https://donezra.com/93-why-im-grateful/
Blurb: Quite simply, I’m very lucky
Takeaway: [None]
***
#96 WHERE NEXT?
https://donezra.com/96-where-next/
Blurb: I’m asking for your help in prioritizing topics for me to research
Takeaway: [None]
***
#97 FOUR MORE POSSIBLE PRIORITIES FOR RESEARCH
https://donezra.com/97-four-more-possible-priorities-for-research/
Blurb: Do any of these additional topics appeal to you?
Takeaway: [None]
***
#98 TWO REPORTS ON MY ACTIVITIES
https://donezra.com/98-two-reports-on-my-activities/
Blurb: It’s always interesting to find out what others get from my research!
Takeaway (for me): A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. Not everyone wants to travel the whole thousand miles.
***
#99 LIFE AFTER RETIREMENT DOESN’T NEED TO BE SCARY, SAYS LIFE TWO AUTHOR DON EZRA (AND A PODCAST UPLOADED)
Blurb: An interview for the Saskatchewan Pension Plan (and a podcast about the transition to retirement)
Takeaway: [None]
***
#100 FIRST SURVIVE, THEN THRIVE
https://donezra.com/100-first-survive-then-thrive/
Blurb: Thoughts on what we’re going through (and a podcast uploaded)
Takeaway: [None]
***
# 101 BUILD UP A BRAIN RESERVE (AND A BONUS)
https://donezra.com/101-build-up-a-brain-reserve-and-a-bonus/
Blurb: How to help your brain power last longer
Takeaway: The brain is like a muscle. Exercise it in a variety of ways to build resiliency.
***
# 102 SIX REFLECTIONS PROMPTED BY THE PANDEMIC
https://donezra.com/102-six-reflections-prompted-by-the-pandemic/
Blurb: Thoughts about the pandemic, short-term survival, short-term financial safety, equity dividends and volatility, and the wisdom of converting labor into financial assets
Takeaway: One thought unites the reflections: that it’s worth doing some forward thinking, when times are less stressed. It helps survival through tough times.
***
# 106 THE NAMES AND DATES OF DIFFERENT GENERATIONS
https://donezra.com/106-the-names-and-dates-of-different-generations/
Blurb: I’ve developed a rough rule of thumb that helps me remember who’s who.
Takeaway: Remember 18-year intervals after World War 2, and the names Boomers, X, Y and Z.
***
# 108 FIRE: WHAT, HOW, WHY – AND WHY NOT
https://donezra.com/108-fire-what-how-why-and-why-not/
Blurb: Financial independence, retire early – well, maybe not such a good idea
Takeaway: FI yes, RE no.
***
#111 WHAT’S INNOVATIVE IN PENSIONS?
https://donezra.com/111-whats-innovative-in-pensions/
Blurb: You tell me!
Takeaway: [None]
***
#123 ONCE AGAIN HAPPY HOLIDAYS, AND BEST WISHES FOR 2021
https://donezra.com/123-once-again-happy-holidays-and-best-wishes-for-2021/
Blurb: Reflections on where we are, and an index to come next time
Takeaway: [None]
***
#124 THE BULL MARKET SONG
https://donezra.com/124-the-bull-market-song/
Blurb: A dream, for your amusement
Takeaway: [None]
***
#135 MANY FORMS OF INTELLIGENCE
https://donezra.com/135-many-forms-of-intelligence/
Blurb: There’s more to your mind than just IQ
Takeaway: Different kinds of intelligence make us good at different kinds of things.
***
#140 WHERE DID THE NOTION OF PENSION CONSULTANTS COME FROM?
https://donezra.com/140-where-did-the-notion-of-pension-consultants-come-from/
Blurb: I feature in a short podcast episode on its origins and current status
Takeaway: [None]
***
#145 EARLY DAYS AT RUSSELL INVESTMENTS
https://donezra.com/145-early-days-at-russell-investments/
Blurb: The excitement of building a legend
Takeaway: [None]
***
#147 MORE ANECDOTES FROM MY TIME AT RUSSELL INVESTMENTS
https://donezra.com/147-more-anecdotes-from-my-time-at-russell-investments/
Blurb: Including working with a Nobel Prize winner
Takeaway: [None]
***
#149 THE MEANING OF LIFE (JUST KIDDING!)
https://donezra.com/149-the-meaning-of-life-just-kidding/
Blurb: A light-hearted fable
Takeaway: [None]
***