Are you working longer than you need to because of a retirement planning mistake? One of the biggest misconceptions is assuming you will spend the same amount every year in retirement. The reality is different, and understanding it could change when you retire. Experts call it the retirement smile. In your “go-go years” (65–75), spending is highest. Travel, hobbies, and experiences often run $60,000 to $65,000 a year for the average household. In the “slow-go years” (76–85), spending usually...
Struggling to get your spouse involved in retirement planning? You are not alone. Many financially-minded partners lose their spouse’s attention by jumping straight into 401(k) allocations or tax strategies. The result is glazed eyes and little engagement. This approach works differently. Start with powerful, open-ended questions that spark curiosity and connection. Ask things like “What does your perfect retirement day look like?” or “If we had to spend $150,000 this year, how would you want...
What happens when growth changes a company? We’ve all seen it—your favorite restaurant expands and suddenly the quality slips. The connection feels lost. But does growing always mean losing what made you special? At Root, we think about growth differently. We use “anti-goals” to define what we never want to become, with checks in place so expansion never overshadows client experience or team wellbeing. That’s why we recently lowered our minimum investment from $2M to $1M. It wasn’t a quick de...
Think you know how much people save for retirement? The median American over 65 has just $100,000 saved, yet the average household spends $57,000 a year in retirement, with $20,000 going to housing alone. The math doesn’t work. At Root Financial, most clients retire with $2–3M and plan to spend $100K–$200K annually. That’s not about bragging. It’s a reminder that if you’re here, you’re likely already thinking beyond the basics. Rules like “save 10%” or “withdraw 3%” don’t fit everyone. The di...
Early retirement is about more than money Science shows there are compelling reasons to retire sooner than most people think. The UK’s Whitehall 2 study found that retiring at 60 lowers the risk of chronic disease by 32 percent compared to working longer. Harvard research reveals that close relationships, not wealth or titles, are the strongest predictor of long-term health and happiness. Early retirement creates the “time freedom” to invest in those connections. I share with clients the thre...
What if the “financially optimal” choice doesn’t actually lead to your best life? This conversation explores the balance between optimizing money and optimizing happiness. We break down the Five Types of Wealth—financial, time, social, mental, and physical—and show why sometimes the decision that looks inefficient on paper may actually be the smartest for your overall wellbeing. From real-life examples like paying for time-saving conveniences or investing in health, to reflections on why pe...
Some choose to grind a few more years in a high-paying job they dislike, aiming for an early, full stop at retirement. Others step into more fulfilling work that pays less, but adds purpose to their days—and often still results in more wealth than expected. Take John and Jennifer. Both start at age 50 with $1M saved and $150K salaries. John works five more years at a job he doesn’t enjoy, retiring at 55 with $1.62M. Jennifer switches to work she loves at $100K for 10 years, retiring at 60 wit...
Estate planning isn’t fun to think about, but skipping it can cost loved ones time, stress, and money. In this week's episode, Ari breaks down the essentials so you can take action with confidence. Learn the key differences between wills and trusts, which states make trusts especially valuable, and why even residents of “will-friendly” states might still need one. Explore the “dead box” strategy, an annual practice that keeps important info like passwords and funeral wishes accessible if some...
Money conversations fall short when only one spouse is at the table. It’s easy to treat financial planning like another household task to divide and conquer, but unlike errands, your financial plan is the blueprint for your shared future. What we’ve seen time and again is that the person sleeping next to you often holds the key to your blind spots. They know what stresses you out, what brings you joy, and what dreams you’ve stopped saying out loud. That’s why the best financial plans aren’t j...
Estate planning doesn’t have to be complicated. This episode breaks down the essentials: wills, trusts, and what actually matters, so you can protect your assets and give your loved ones peace of mind. Wills determine where assets go after death. Trusts do that and more. They can manage assets during your lifetime and help avoid probate, offering more flexibility and control. In states like Texas, Arizona, and Florida, probate tends to be fast and affordable, so a will might be enough. But in...
What does soccer have to do with retirement? A lot more than you'd think. As a 5'5" former college soccer player turned financial advisor, I’ve learned it’s not about brute strength. It’s about smart decisions. That mindset guides the way I approach financial planning today. At 29, people ask why I care so much about retirement. The answer is simple: good planning gives you time. And time with the people you love is the most valuable thing there is. I've seen how a well-structured plan, from ...
The hardest part of retirement isn’t always financial, it’s psychological. For many, stepping away from work isn’t a light switch, but a dimmer that adjusts over time. This episode of Root Talks unpacks what makes the retirement decision so complex, especially for high-achieving professionals whose identity is tied to their careers. Through a real-life case study, the conversation explores how severance offers can become powerful “test drives” for retirement, offering space to reimagine life ...
Ready to feel more motivated about retiring early? These five research-backed stats reveal how early retirement can positively impact everything from health to relationships—and might be the nudge you need to take your financial independence plan more seriously. The benefits go well beyond just having more free time. While many people delay retirement out of fear or uncertainty, the data shows that stepping away from work earlier can lead to greater satisfaction, improved well-being, and more...
Too many people delay retirement just to boost their Social Security benefits, often at the cost of time, energy, and joy. But at Root, we believe retirement planning should be about more than just maximizing one metric. It should be about maximizing your life. If you're working extra years simply to avoid gaps in your earnings history or to earn a slightly higher monthly benefit, it's worth rethinking the bigger picture. In many cases, the trade-off isn't worth the lost years of freedom and ...
If you’ve ever found yourself wondering whether you really need a financial advisor, this episode is for you. James and Ari unpack the deeper reasons people seek financial guidance—and why the decision often goes far beyond dollars and cents. Much like seeing a doctor for preventative care, working with the right advisor is about protecting your future, reducing stress, and reclaiming your most precious resource: time. From saving 20+ hours a month of DIY management to gaining peace of mind, ...
We often focus on the fear of running out of money in retirement—but what if the bigger risk is running out of health before you can enjoy it? After watching The Amazing Race, I was reminded of a client story we hear all too often: years of diligent saving, only to be sidelined by health issues just before retirement begins. At Root, we’ve seen clients retire with more than enough—only to realize the extra working years came at the expense of their physical well-being. One client had $3 milli...
What if work became a choice, not a requirement? The Early Retirement Podcast is here to help you navigate the path to financial independence, so you can retire when you want and live how you want. Whether you’re nearing retirement or just starting to plan, this podcast delivers clear, actionable insights designed to simplify your biggest financial decisions. We focus on strategies that make a real impact—from tax planning moves that may unlock $100,000+ in lifetime savings, to investment and...
You’ve probably heard that maxing out your 401(k) and IRA is the smartest move you can make. But for many investors, that strategy alone may lead to a surprising challenge: becoming "qualified rich, cash poor." In other words, having plenty saved, but locked away in accounts you can’t easily access without tax consequences or penalties. That’s where the often-overlooked brokerage account comes in. Also called a taxable, individual, or joint account, the brokerage account offers unmatched flex...
Retirement doesn’t come down to a magic number, it comes down to your number. In this episode, we walk through a simple, personalized framework to help you understand when you can truly retire, based on what you want life to look like, not generic benchmarks. We cover the core question: How much do you want to spend each month? From there, we reverse-engineer your retirement target, factoring in taxes, withdrawal strategies, estate planning, and those big one-time expenses that often get miss...
Tax gain harvesting is one of the most underused but powerful strategies available to early retirees and those pursuing financial independence. In this episode, we explore how it works, who it's best suited for, and how it can help reduce long-term tax liability. Unlike tax loss harvesting, which involves selling investments at a loss to offset gains, tax gain harvesting is about intentionally realizing gains when you're in a low or zero percent tax bracket—allowing you to reset your cost bas...