#253 - Are You Using the Wrong Age to Plan Retirement?

What age are you using to plan retirement? When we think of age we usually think of the number of years that we have lived and not the physical state of our bodies. But maybe we should rethink the way we use age to plan retirement. I recently attended a fascinating seminar about the science of aging that has me rethinking age and retirement. During the Practical Planning segment, I discuss the merits of telomere testing while in the Hot Topic segment we talk about the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon. Listen to this episode to discover whether you are using the right age to plan retirement.

Is your glass half full or half empty?

The Baader Meinhof phenomenon is what we call our tendency to see things with uncommon frequency after we start thinking about something. Internet advertising has begun to take advantage of this and now repeatedly shows us all the things we have been thinking of buying. I liken this to our tendency to see the glass half full or half empty. You will find what you look for. People that are always looking for negative things to happen end up finding negativity. How are you viewing your retirement plans? Are you hoping to just scrape by and survive retirement or are you preparing to rock retirement?

Are you ready to rock retirement?

What are you doing to prepare yourself for retirement? Are you setting yourself up to simply survive retirement or are you ready to rock retirement? The Rock Retirement Club is now open for enrollment for a short time only. Head over to the website to take a peek. We have events and tours of the clubhouse that you can take before the enrollment period ends on January 3. The 60 founding members are all ready to welcome you and spread their knowledge. Joining the Rock Retirement Club is a fantastic way to gain insight and really connect with others on the same journey. Check out the Rock Retirement Club now before the enrollment period ends.

What is biological age?

The entire system of retirement is based on thinking about chronological age. We use chronological age to tell us when to take social security and our chronological age decides when we can withdraw from our Roth IRA without penalties. But what if you are physically much younger than the years that you have lived? Would that affect your decision on when to collect social security? If you knew that your body was that of a 55-year-old when you are 65 would you delay in taking social security? Your biological age may be different than your chronological age. Listen to this episode to hear more about the difference between the two.

How can knowing your biological age help you plan retirement?

There may be a better way to measure age. Scientists have developed a new test that measures the length of your telomeres which can help determine the biological age of your body. This could be very useful in your retirement planning. Living a long life would be a blessing, but it is one that you need to be prepared for. The older you become the more money you will need. If there is a probability of living a long life then you may want to use your human capital for a longer period than you thought. Are you curious about your biological age? Do you think knowing your biological age would change your views on pretirement?

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN HOT TOPIC SEGMENT

• [2:58] What is the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon?
• [5:53] Are you preparing to survive retirement or rock retirement?

PRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT

• [10:15] What is biological age?
• [11:45] Is chronological age the best way to make retirement decisions?
• [13:22] A better way to test longevity
• [17:54] How long should you use your human capital for?

THE HAPPY LAB SEGMENT

• [20:25] Finding out my biological age will make me happy

TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT

• [21:28] Find the word that will be the guiding light for you for the next year

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Teloyears.com

Rock Retirement Club

Roger’s YouTube Channel - Roger That

BOOK - Rock Retirement  by Roger Whitney

Ask Roger a question

Work with Roger

3-video Series: 5 Minute Retirement Makeover

Roger’s Retirement Learning Center

The Retirement Answer Man Facebook Page