We’re doing something a little different this week. Amy Arnott and Dan Lefkovitz are flipping the microphone around and interviewing the anchor host of this podcast, Christine Benz, about her new her book, How to Retire: 20 Lessons for a Happy, Successful, and Wealthy Retirement. Christine is director of personal finance and retirement planning for Morningstar. She has been with the company since 1993, where she’s served as director of the fund research team, editor of Morningstar Mutual Funds, and cofounder of this podcast in 2019. She has written several books about investing. Christine is a proud graduate of the University of Illinois.

Background

How to Retire

How to Retire: 20 Lessons for a Happy, Successful, and Wealthy Retirement by Christine Benz

The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel

Nonfinancial Aspects of Retirement

Michael Finke

Jordan Grumet

Laura Carstensen

Annuities, Retirement Portfolio Planning, and Social Security

Wade Pfau

Retirement Income Style Awareness

William Bernstein

Fritz Gilbert/The Retirement Manifesto

“The Ultimate Pre-Retirement Checklist,” by Fritz Gilbert, The Retirement Manifesto, March 27, 2018.

Freedom for Fido

Mary Beth Franklin

Jonathan Guyton

“Decision Rules and Maximum Initial Withdrawal Rates,” by Jonathan Guyton and William Klinger, FPA Journal.

Jamie Hopkins

The Bucket Approach

Harold Evensky

“The Bucket Approach to Building a Retirement Portfolio,” by Christine Benz, Morningstar.com, Nov. 23, 2022.

“The Bucket Approach Is Flawed—Here’s a Better Way,” by Rob Berger, Forbes.com, Aug. 2, 2020.

“Do You Need More Than 3 Buckets?” by Christine Benz and Susan Dziubinski, Morningstar.com, May 22, 2024.

Housing

Mark Miller

Healthcare, Long-Term Care, and Estate Planning

Carolyn McClanahan

Cameron Huddleston

Mom and Dad, We Need to Talk: How to Have Essential Conversations With Your Parents About Their Finances, by Cameron Huddleston, June 25, 2019.

Jennifer Rozelle

Other

“Carl Richards: ‘Let’s Focus on Being a Little Less Wrong Tomorrow,‘” The Long View podcast, Morningstar.com, May 13, 2020.

Christine Benz: How to Retire

The Long View