Future-proof your retirement with habits of thriving retirees, early retirement planning tips, and simple retirement investing strategies to help you feel confident about the decades ahead. In this episode, I break down 9 practical habits I myself do and see over and over again in retirees who are not just “getting by,” but actually thriving—financially, emotionally, and health-wise.

We’ll talk about how to spend intentionally instead of fearfully, why a 2–4 year “sleep at night” cash buffer can keep you calm during market downturns, and how to treat your health like a core investment, not an afterthought. We’ll also cover purpose, simplicity, and risk management—so your retirement isn’t wiped out by one bad market, one bad policy change, or one bad life event.

What you’ll learn:
• How to future-proof your retirement with flexible spending “guardrails”
• Why thriving retirees protect their sleep-at-night money
• The key health habits that support a long, active retirement
• How to retire to something, not just from your job
• Why you don’t need a complex portfolio—just a simple, understandable system
• Overlooked risks (insurance, documents, fraud) that can derail retirement
• How to set up regular financial check-ins without obsessing over the market

If you’re planning to retire early—or you’re already retired and want a calmer, more confident path forward—this episode will help you put simple habits in place so you can enjoy your money and your life.

Lazy retirement investing made simple: early retirement, index funds (VTI, VOO, VUG, VIG, VYM), withdrawal rate guardrails, 2–4 year cash liquidity runway, Roth conversions, MAGI/ACA & IRMAA tax strategy.

Ready for a “do less, retire better” portfolio? In this episode, I walk through my lazy retirement investing plan—built for early retirees and anyone who wants a low-maintenance, rules-based retirement approach that’s diversified, tax-smart, and actually livable. We’ll set up a 3-category index portfolio, place assets for taxes, build a 2–4 year cash runway for bear markets, and use flexible withdrawal guardrails so you can sleep at night and still enjoy life.

What you’ll learn:

• The “lazy” portfolio (Foundational, Growth, Income) and why boring wins long-term
• Examples to research: VTI/VOO (core), VUG (growth), VIG/VYM (dividends)
• How to set your mix and rebalance (±5% bands / annual check-in)
• Smart tax placement: ETFs in taxable, bonds/REITs in tax-advantaged, avoid surprise cap gains from index mutual funds in taxable
• Building a 2–4 year liquidity runway (cash, CDs, short-duration TIPS)
• Choosing a starting withdrawal rate (e.g., ~3% for longer retirements) + ±20% guardrails
• Practical withdrawal order (taxable → traditional → Roth)
• Roth conversions: when they can make sense and how to manage MAGI for ACA subsidies pre-65 and IRMAA after 65
• The annual tune-up: rebalance, refill runway, run a tax/MAGI check, adjust withdrawals, and basic account hygiene

Free resources mentioned in this episode:

🔗Click here for my free checklist 12 Must – Do Steps to Retire Sooner and Smarter.

🔗 Click here for the free MAGI Calculator Template (Microsoft Excel download). Use it to estimate your MAGI for ACA plans.

🎧Listen to these episode titles I mentioned in this podcast:

- My Lazy Retirement Investing Plan (Season 3, Episode 1)

- ACA MAGI: How to Calculate & Manage It for Big Savings! (Season 2, Episode 14)

💼 My Favorite Retirement Planning Tool! If you’re serious about planning for retirement, you’ve got to check out Boldin. It’s a powerful tool that helps you map out your financial future—whether you’re a DIY planner or just want to stress-test your retirement strategy.

👉 Try Boldin here: https://go.boldin.com/earlyretirementroadmap

Disclosure: This is an affiliate link, which means I earn a small commission if you decide to go on the paid plan after a free 2-week trial, or you can remain on the free plan, but I highly recommend the paid plan to use all its robust features! I personally use it for my retirement planning and love it! This link doesn’t cost you anything extra and helps to support the content I create. Thank you!

❤️ Depending on the platform you're listening on, please Like, Subscribe, Follow & Share, and leave a positive review if you found this episode helpful!

📺 When you're not on the go, check out my Early Retirement Roadmap YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@EarlyRetirementRoadmap?sub_confirmation=1

🌐 Visit my website for all my media, including my blog or to contact me about sponsorship or other business opportunities: https://mikeupland.com/

☕ Support: [Buy me a coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/mikeupland.com)

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only and reflects my personal experience and research. It is not financial, tax, legal, or investment advice. Always consult with qualified professionals before making major retirement or financial decisions. I am not responsible for any loss or damages resulting from reliance on this information.