Spending Drops in Retirement, but Satisfaction Doesn't
Release Date: 07/21/2025
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Retirement Starts Today
Inflammatory headlines are "Clickbait", and I am not immune to falling for them. "Social Security recipients set to face an $18,000 benefit cut in just seven years" is the most recent culprit in my Google feed - with an image of a Social Security check with a wrecking ball smashing straight through it. The good news is the headline is pretty far from reality for most people, and I explain why. Listen in to understand who might actually be impacted, and why most people actually won't. Source: Article by Emily Peck on Axios: "" Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit: ...
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Spending Drops in Retirement, but Satisfaction Doesn't
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New research from David Blanchett, head of retirement research at PGIM, challenges one of the biggest assumptions in retirement planning: that happiness in retirement depends on maintaining a constant—or even increasing—level of spending. ⬇️ Upon entering retirement, households experience a median consumption decline of about 20%. This drop is often viewed as a red flag in traditional financial planning models. However, Blanchett argues that this decline is not necessarily problematic, especially when you look at how financial well-being changes over time. ☎️ Then on our listener...
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info_outlineNew research from David Blanchett, head of retirement research at PGIM, challenges one of the biggest assumptions in retirement planning: that happiness in retirement depends on maintaining a constant—or even increasing—level of spending.
⬇️ Upon entering retirement, households experience a median consumption decline of about 20%.
This drop is often viewed as a red flag in traditional financial planning models.
However, Blanchett argues that this decline is not necessarily problematic, especially when you look at how financial well-being changes over time.
☎️ Then on our listener question, we hear from a 34-year-old investor who’s been all-in on stocks since taking Dave Ramsey’s advice early in their career. Now, they’re wondering how and when to start easing into a more balanced portfolio with bonds.
We’ll talk strategy, psychology, and sprinkle in some data on market highs that might surprise you.
Resource:
Article by John Manganaro from ThinkAdvisor: Spending Drops in Retirement, but Satisfaction Doesn't: Blanchett
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