Lifestyle Blog Posts
Lifestyle is one of the six essential pillars of the written plans we help families and individuals create, called a RetireSecure Roadmap. Developing a customized lifestyle plan involves outlining how you want to spend your time to help you determine how to spend your retirement savings. Do you want to travel, purchase a second home, or dedicate more time to a hobby? The lifestyle pillar is the first step toward determining how much money you need to live the lifestyle you desire in retirement.
This blog explores how long $1 million might last in retirement under different spending scenarios, and why assumptions around lifestyle, inflation, taxes, and market volatility matter more than the headline number. A […]
A brand-new Merkle Retirement Planning magazine is here, and its first issue puts a spotlight on Adventurous Angie—an energetic retiree proving that retirement isn’t the end of the story; it’s […]
This Indiana Jones–inspired episode of Retiring Today with Loren Merkle turns a common worry—how to start planning for retirement at 55—into a guided trek through six milestones: lifestyle, income, taxes, investments, health care, and legacy. We […]
Our journey takes place inside the Cave of Questions because retirement often begins with more questions than answers and figuring out where to start can feel like navigating a dark cave. While inside, we discover that a map is a great place to […]
Retirement planning isn’t just about saving money. It’s about making sure your plan supports the life you want to live once you stop working. Asking the right questions can uncover […]
That comparison—how you “measure up” to your peers, your neighbors, or even a number you once read in an article—is normal. But it’s not always helpful without context. Retirement Planners […]
When people think about retirement, they often focus on the numbers—how much they’ve saved, when to claim Social Security, or how to manage taxes. But equally important, and often overlooked, […]
Embarking on the journey to retirement can feel as daunting as Dorothy’s trek through Oz. But just like Dorothy, who had the lion, scarecrow, and tin man to help her […]
Planning for retirement is often seen as a daunting task, filled with more questions than answers. In a special edition of “Retiring Today with Loren Merkle” we take a whimsical […]
If you’re 64 years old and dreaming of retirement, you’re not alone. Many people find themselves teetering on the edge of this new chapter, filled with excitement and anxiety. Good […]