How to Retire: Transition from Saving to Spending

Christine Benz, Morningstar’s director of personal finance and retirement planning, interviews financial experts about different aspects of retirement in ‘How to Retire,’ the companion podcast to her book of the same name. In this episode, Christine sits down with Washington Post personal finance columnist and author Michelle Singletary. They talk about the difficult psychological transition from saving to spending in retirement.

Transitioning from Saving to Spending in Retirement

How to Plan for Retirement When Your Spouse Doesn’t Retire at the Same Time

Are Annuities Helpful for In-Retirement Cash Needs?

Delaying Social Security in Retirement

How Couples Can Approach Different Money Mindsets in Retirement

Key Takeaways

Hi, I'm Christine Benz from Morningstar and welcome to the How to Retire podcast. It's a companion to my book, which is also called How to Retire. Each episode will provide a bite-sized lesson about how to do some aspect of retirement well.

One of my favorite personal finance journalists is author and Washington Post columnist, Michelle Singletary. Happy to say that I've gotten to know Michelle a bit through our regular conversations. In her work and presentations, she frequently discusses her thriftiness. So, I wanted to discuss with Michelle an issue that I've observed through talking to a lot of retirees, that if they've been good savers like Michelle, it's difficult to flip the switch into spending. I asked her to discuss that transition in her own household.

More from Michelle Singletary

Bio

The Color of Money

Spend Well, Live Rich

What To Do With Your Money When Crisis Hits: A Survival Guide, by Michelle Singletary

Michelle Singletary on The Long View: 'You Need Diversity'

Read more from Christine Benz.

How to Retire: Tips for Entering Retirement

3 Tricky Decisions for Every Retirement Plan

We Need to Talk About Your Retirement ‘Spending’

Social Security Planning Tips for Married Couples

How to Determine Your Expected Retirement Date

Read about topics from this episode. 

The Psychology of Retirement Income: From Saving to Spending

How Retirees Can Avoid the ‘Tax Torpedo’

Watch more from How to Retire.

How to Retire: Consider a Retirement Bucket Portfolio Strategy

How to Retire: Know What ‘Enough’ Means in Retirement

How to Retire: Understand the Role of Working Longer