If you worry about not being able to live the lifestyle you hoped for during retirement — you’re not alone.
A 2016 study showed that 60% of Baby Boomers fear running out of money during retirement more than death.
And it’s no surprise why. Between all the moving targets of interest rates, taxes, inflation, the markets, etc. — it’s nearly impossible to predict what your net worth will be when you retire.
And then factor in that the failing Social Security system will run out of money to pay benefits by 2035 — it’s easy to see why soon-to-be retirees are uneasy.
What’s going on here?
For generations, people have been told to “save up” for retirement.
The idea is to build up a huge pile of cash during your working years — and then live off that money during your “Golden Years” while you sit back and enjoy a life of leisure.
This “Accumulation Theory” is the dream of the masses…
But the idea of building a “million dollar nest egg” makes some dangerous assumptions.
The Fatal Errors of the “Accumulation Theory”
So what could possibly be wrong about accumulating a pile of money to live off during retirement?
For starters, it assumes that inflation and taxes don’t go up and cut into your spending power.
Most experts believe this is highly unlikely. We’ve enjoyed historically low inflation and interest rates for the last decade.
At the same time, the National Debt has exploded to over $21 trillion — and climbing. See for yourself.
The ONLY way to pay that down that debt is to raise taxes in the future — or to let inflation rise (which devalues the currency and enables the government pay off its debts at a huge discount).
The most likely scenario is that both will happen.
Let’s Keep an Open Mind
But let’s assumes for a moment that neither of those concerns comes true.
Let’s say inflation and taxes remain the same today as the day you retire.
Even if you have a $1,000,000 nest egg saved up, the numbers still aren’t great if you plan on living a long and enjoyable life.
For instance, if you plan on living for 25 years, that’s a mere $40,000 per year you can use for your living expenses. Not exactly a “travel-the-world and enjoy-your-Grandkids” type of budget.
And even if you say, “wait a sec — I’ll just live off the interest…”
Remember, if you’re planning on low inflation and low taxes to remain throughout your retirement years, you’ll also get low interest rates on all your savings.
And since you won’t want to risk losing any principal, you’ll need to use a guaranteed account like a CD, savings account, or some other fixed income vehicle. The absolute best rate you can get in a low-inflation environment like today is 3-4%.
Yes, you could get a higher rate with an annuity, but you also give up control of the entire principle and will have nothing to pass on to your estate.
So either way — you end up with around $40K per year of retirement income with a million dollar nest-egg. Maybe a little more. Maybe a little less.
The biggest problem is, you won’t even know if your plan is in trouble until it’s too late.
The Hidden Danger of the Traditional Retirement “Ideal”
But even IF you have your numbers perfected down to the penny…
There’s another retirement danger lurking out there that can actually be fatal.
Many new retirees get bored after a couple of years and wind up questioning why they worked so hard and sacrificed so much to get there.
Worse yet, retirement studies have routinely shown that people who try to retire early off a pile of cash and don’t ever work again have shorter lifespans.
And this recent study from Oregon State University confirms that those who continue to work into their retirement years live longer and stay healthier.
All things considered, the old “Accumulation” model of retirement has significant flaws.
You have no idea if it’s going to actually “work out” until it’s too late to change the game plan.
And even then, you may well be scratching out a minimalistic, potentially boredom-filled retirement lacking the travel, freedom, fun, and longevity you envisioned.
Time to Rethink Retirement?
The good news is, it’s never too late to make a positive shift to a better way of defining retirement.
Here at Wealth Factory, we’ve helped people strategically engineer a brighter and wealthier future time and time again.
We show them how to have a cash-flow-first philosophy…
And then change a few little things about how they work, save, and invest…
The result is that they’re able to create a fantastic retirement for themselves with cash flow that doesn’t “run out.”
Plus, they’re able to build a legacy of financial empowerment that takes care of their family for generations.
So where do you start?
The “Outlier” Principle…
If you want to get better results than “traditional” (aka “outdated”) ideas deliver, then the best way to figure out a new path is to look at “outliers.”
They’re the best and the brightest, the most famous and the most successful. Malcolm Gladwell popularized this concept in his book by the same name, where he asks the simple question:
What makes high-achievers different?
Before we get into how to unlock more wealth than you might have imagined for you and your family for generations to come, let’s tackle something arguably more important:
How can you enjoy life into your later years with health, happiness, and purpose?
Japanese “Centenarians” Hold a Key…
There’s an island in Japan called Okinawa known for its inhabitants’ unusually long lives and health.
Researchers have been curious about the secret for decades.
So much so that the Okinawa Centenarian Study was kicked off in 1975, and has studied more than 900 ‘centenarians’ to date. These are people who live past 100 years old.
The kicker is that these centenarians are not old, withered invalids in wheelchairs.
Dr. Suzuki, the Principal Investigator of the study, found an unusual number of these Okinawan centenarians to be in extraordinarily healthy shape.
They were lean, youthful-looking, energetic, and had remarkably low rates of heart disease and cancer – even stomach cancer, which affected many people on the mainland of Japan.
The Secret To Living Past 100 and Staying Healthy…
In Okinawa, the mild weather, healthy diet, and low level of stress are certainly factors to people’s longevity.
But another key is the island’s active and celebrated population of non-retiring, purpose-driven residents.
In fact, Dan Buettner released a book titled Blue Zones: Lessons on Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest, in which he studied areas in the world home to the longest living residents (including Okinawa).
What he discovered was that in Okinawa, people actually don’t have a word for “retirement.”
The concept of stopping your life’s work and transitioning to relaxation and enjoyment simply doesn’t exist.
Instead, they believe in “ikigai,” or having a ‘purpose in life.’
That’s the real reason why you’ll find 103-year-old people still practicing karate every day.
Make It Count
This idea of purpose and legacy is a critical part of our philosophy here at Wealth Factory.
In fact, ‘Curriculum for Wealth,’ our signature program helping entrepreneurs and business owners reach Economic Independence fast, has an entire section dedicated to helping you “Make it Count” so you can:
- Shift your focus from “money only,” to “money and,” which has the power to completely change your family’s future and financial destiny.
- Redefine retirement and live a wealthy like so that you can create a big, bright future that you’re excited about and that translates to enjoyment along the way.
- Change the scorecard and track success factors in your life beyond money, to help yourself stay on track and make the most of your time and energy.
- Discover your “Soul Purpose” so that you’re building a life you love and growing your wealth at the same time.
- Apply the Rockefeller Method so you can enjoy your wealth now while creating a lasting family legacy that’s purpose-driven and value-oriented.
Use The Rockefeller Method To Build Wealth and Leave a “Living Legacy”
Just like the people of Okinawa are the premier example of “outliers” when it comes to longevity and quality of life, the Rockefellers are the single best outlier when it comes to preserving and growing wealth through generations.
At the time of his death, John D. Rockefeller in 1937 had $1.5 billion ($243 billion in today’s dollars).
Now, several generations later, they’ve given more than $530 million to charity and still provide $50 million annually to charitable causes. In the meantime, their fortune is still standing strong and growing while delivering Economic Independence to the heirs and empowering them to pursue their dreams.
Applying the Rockefeller Method in your life and business will help you:
- Create a “family office” with the right financial team. You want everybody working on the same page, communicating with one another with a depth of expertise and a specific focus.
- Transfer money AND values onto the next generation, so that you creating a living legacy.
- Ensure that you pass on wealth to future generations, without any “trust fund babies.”
Your Next Steps
If you want to build your family legacy using the same financial strategies that grew the Rockefeller fortune from $1.5 billion to more than $10 billion through 6 generations …
You can get a FREE copy of Garrett’s book, What Would The Rockefellers Do? while supplies last.
Check out how to claim your free book for more details.
Build the life you love,
The Builders at Wealth Factory
P.S. What if you NEVER retired from doing what you love, like the people of Okinawa?
How could you shift your actions each day to align more with your strengths, values, and purpose?
Have fun imagining a bright future, and remember… it’s never too late to make the shift.
