Why Great Savers Struggle to Spend (5 Steps to Fix It)

Research shows that retirees following traditional withdrawal rules rarely come close to depleting their portfolios.

In fact, many end up leaving behind balances that are surprisingly large.

Which raises an important question: why is it so hard to spend the money you spent decades saving?

Today, I'm revisiting my conversation with Brian Portnoy, Ph.D., CFA to explore the psychology behind the fear of spending and what retirees can do to move through it.

Longtime listeners will also recognize Brian as the source of a quote I've shared many times on the show, and in this episode, he finally shares the story behind it.

In this episode, we discuss:

→ Why retirees with healthy, well-funded plans still struggle to spend

→ The flawed logic behind "If I just had $X, I'd finally feel comfortable"

→ 5 steps to overcome the fear of spending, whether retirement is five years away or already here

→ What "funded contentment" means, and why it may be the real difference between being rich and being wealthy

Because the goal of retirement planning isn't to die with the biggest possible balance... it's to use your money to support a life that feels meaningful to you.

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