--- title: Mark Zaifman|Money Matters Blog | retirement planning (3) description: retirement planning | Articles on Investing, Retirement Planning, Cash Flow Planning and Tax Planning (3) --- [![Spiritus Financial Logo](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Spiritusfinancial-2016/Image/Spiritus_Financial_logo.png?width=238&name=Spiritus_Financial_logo.png "Spiritus Financial Logo")](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/) [707-534-9478](tel:707-534-9478) ![spiritus-financial-water-ripples-banner.png](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Spiritusfinancial-2016/Image/spiritus-financial-water-ripples-banner.png?width=933&name=spiritus-financial-water-ripples-banner.png "spiritus-financial-water-ripples-banner.png") # MONEY matters Mark Zaifman's thoughts on money, global economic trends and politics ##### [Think You Can Outsmart the Stock Market When You Retire?](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/think-you-can-outsmart-the-stock-market-when-you-retire) ** [Mark Zaifman](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/author/mark-zaifman)   |   ** Wed, Nov 30, 2016 @ 03:15 PM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/hubfs/gamble.jpg) ](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/think-you-can-outsmart-the-stock-market-when-you-retire) Last week, a good friend asked me if I would look over the retirement plan his financial planner had just completed. Let’s call my friend, Steve. And for the record, if I may digress, I’ve discovered the hard way that maintaining and keeping long-term friendships intact when your occupation is financial advisor, means making sure your friends understand why recommending they work with an independent advisor who is not their friend, yet puts their best interests first. Sounds easy, yes? Not so much. On to Steve’s story...   [Read More   **](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/think-you-can-outsmart-the-stock-market-when-you-retire) ** [retirement planning](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/retirement-planning), [financial adviser](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/financial-adviser) ##### [How To Avoid Common Mistakes When Preparing For Retirement](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/how-to-avoid-common-mistakes-when-preparing-for-retirement) ** [Mark Zaifman](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/author/mark-zaifman)   |   ** Tue, Oct 18, 2016 @ 08:59 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/hubfs/crowd.jpg) ](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/how-to-avoid-common-mistakes-when-preparing-for-retirement) According to [Pew Research](http://www.pewresearch.org/daily-number/baby-boomers-retire/), **every day** for the next 14 years, 10,000 baby boomers will reach age 65. Think about that for a second, that’s a lot of people. And whether they plan to retire at age 65 or in a few years, preparing for retirement is now front and center in their lives. [Read More   **](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/how-to-avoid-common-mistakes-when-preparing-for-retirement) ** [retirement planning](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/retirement-planning) ##### [How Boomers Are Redefining Retirement Success](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/how-boomers-are-redefining-retirement-success) ** [Mark Zaifman](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/author/mark-zaifman)   |   ** Fri, Sep 09, 2016 @ 10:34 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![IMG_6313.jpg](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/hubfs/IMG_6313.jpg) ](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/how-boomers-are-redefining-retirement-success)   The way boomers define ‘retirement success’ is changing rapidly. The old model of ‘success’ - where your goal is to accumulate as much money as you possibly can by the time you reach the finish line, regardless of the stress and impact on your physical, emotional and spiritual health, well, that model is no longer sustainable. [Read More   **](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/how-boomers-are-redefining-retirement-success) ** [retirement planning](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/retirement-planning), [comprehensive financial planning](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/comprehensive-financial-planning), [relationship with money](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/relationship-with-money) ##### [Broken Dreams- A Retirement Plan Turned Upside Down](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/broken-dreams-a-retirement-plan-turned-upside-down) ** [Mark Zaifman](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/author/mark-zaifman)   |   ** Tue, Aug 02, 2016 @ 10:18 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![heart.jpg](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/hubfs/heart.jpg) ](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/broken-dreams-a-retirement-plan-turned-upside-down) This is a true story of a couple that planned on launching into retirement with high hopes, only to find their dreams dashed. It’s a story of betrayal, self-sabotage, unconditional love and the amazing gift of forgiveness and redemption. [Read More   **](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/broken-dreams-a-retirement-plan-turned-upside-down) ** [retirement planning](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/retirement-planning) ##### [On The Road to Retirement Planning](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/on-the-road-to-retirement-planning) ** [Mark Zaifman](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/author/mark-zaifman)   |   ** Wed, May 04, 2016 @ 09:30 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/hubfs/path.jpg) ](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/on-the-road-to-retirement-planning) **On The Road to Retirement... **“If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.” The refrain "**If you don't know where you**'**re going**, **any road will** **take you there**" was essentially a paraphrase of an exchange between Alice and the Cheshire Cat in Chapter 6 of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland: *"Would **you** tell me, please, which way I ought to g**o from here?"*   [Read More   **](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/on-the-road-to-retirement-planning) ** [investing](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/investing), [retirement planning](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/retirement-planning) ##### [Do I Need to Adjust My Retirement Income Strategy in 2016?](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/do-i-need-to-adjust-my-retirement-income-strategy-in-2016) ** [Mark Zaifman](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/author/mark-zaifman)   |   ** Wed, Dec 30, 2015 @ 08:52 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/hubfs/2015_calendar.png) ](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/do-i-need-to-adjust-my-retirement-income-strategy-in-2016)   It’s been a so-so year for investors in 2015. Lots of volatility throughout the year with little upside performance to show for it. I believe the title of this recent article says it best: **[The Year Nothing Worked: Stocks, Bonds, Cash Go Nowhere](http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-12-28/the-year-nothing-worked-stocks-bonds-cash-go-nowhere-in-2015)** With the recent enhancements high frequency traders have made, volatility looks to be the ‘new normal’. In **2014**, the Ibbotson/Morningstar asset allocation models we use when constructing portfolios projected an estimated return of 7.2% for a 60% allocation to equities and a 40% allocation to fixed income. At our firm, this would be considered a moderate risk portfolio. Now, heading into **2016**, Ibbotson is projecting a 5.27% return for that same 60/40 asset allocation. For investors with 10+ years before retirement, while not good news, it’s not the end of the world as you’ll have time to course correct if needed. [Read More   **](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/do-i-need-to-adjust-my-retirement-income-strategy-in-2016) ** [retirement planning](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/retirement-planning) ##### [Is Your Retirement 10-Years Away or Sooner?](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/is-your-retirement-is-10-years-away-or-sooner) ** [Mark Zaifman](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/author/mark-zaifman)   |   ** Fri, Oct 23, 2015 @ 01:51 PM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/hubfs/get_whats_yours.png) ](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/is-your-retirement-is-10-years-away-or-sooner) If your retirement is 10-years away or sooner, you'll want to read, [***Get What’s Yours - The Secret To Maxing Out Your Social Security ***](http://www.getwhatsyours.org/)by Laurence Kotlikoff, Philip Moeller and Paul Solomon One of the most overlooked elements of preparing for a successful retirement is deciding when to start drawing your Social Security. If you’re a married couple, the decision becomes even more complex. Up until recently, the majority of people, usually by default, either started collecting Social Security at their full retirement age, early, at age 62, or waiting if possible until age 70. Simple on the surface right, three relatively easy choices. Guess what. There are dozens of Social Security strategies that most people are unaware of. And remember, in the game of money, strategy is king. [Read More   **](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/is-your-retirement-is-10-years-away-or-sooner) ** [book recommendation](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/book-recommendation), [investing](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/investing), [retirement planning](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/retirement-planning) ##### [Women & Money & the Fear of Being a ‘Bag Lady’](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/women-money-the-fear-of-being-a-bag-lady) ** [Mark Zaifman](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/author/mark-zaifman)   |   ** Thu, Jun 04, 2015 @ 05:36 PM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/hubfs/fear.png) ](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/women-money-the-fear-of-being-a-bag-lady) [Read More   **](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/women-money-the-fear-of-being-a-bag-lady) ** [retirement planning](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/retirement-planning), [women and money](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/women-and-money) ##### [Fifty Shades of Financial Independence](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/fifty-shades-of-financial-independence) ** [Mark Zaifman](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/author/mark-zaifman)   |   ** Fri, Nov 21, 2014 @ 03:01 PM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/hs-fs/hub/65514/file-2123809282.png) ](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/fifty-shades-of-financial-independence) When you think about financial independence (FI), what comes to mind? What do you imagine your life would look like if working for money was purely optional? This is a question that many of my clients have pondered deeply and thoughtfully and continue to evaluate and review. Not needing to work for money and wondering what to do with your life once you’re FI is, as they say, a ‘gold plated’ problem we should all be fortunate enough to have. But with so many possibilities, so many shades of financial independence to explore and discover, such a new dynamic and reality to accept and embrace - the choice of how you design your life plan truly matters. And it matters just as much whether you reach FI in your 40’s, 50’s, 60’s or 70’s. Whether you earned, saved, lived within or below your means and invested well on **the road to financial independence** OR you received a windfall from real estate appreciation like many of my Bay Area clients are experiencing, especially those living in Berkeley or Silicon Valley OR you inherited your [**FI**](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/bid/118628/Keeping-the-Faith-on-the-Road-to-Financial-Independence), the road ahead remains full of exciting possibilities. So which path do you choose? What now becomes your life purpose, your dharma? **** [Read More   **](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/fifty-shades-of-financial-independence) ** [life transitions](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/life-transitions), [retirement planning](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/retirement-planning), [financial independence](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/financial-independence) ##### [The Road to Retirement - 3 Tips for Taming Your Inner Hedonist](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/bid/206368/The-Road-to-Retirement-3-Tips-for-Taming-Your-Inner-Hedonist) ** [Mark Zaifman](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/author/mark-zaifman)   |   ** Mon, May 19, 2014 @ 10:05 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/hs-fs/file-811065820-jpg/images/tesla1.jpg) ](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/bid/206368/The-Road-to-Retirement-3-Tips-for-Taming-Your-Inner-Hedonist) *he·don·ism:* [Read More   **](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/bid/206368/The-Road-to-Retirement-3-Tips-for-Taming-Your-Inner-Hedonist) ** [retirement planning](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/retirement-planning), [financial independence](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/financial-independence), [relationship with money](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/relationship-with-money) [Previous](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/retirement-planning/page/2) [All posts](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/all) [Next](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/retirement-planning/page/4) ### Subscribe to Email Updates ### Recent Posts ### Recent Topics - [retirement planning (103)](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/retirement-planning) - [investing (93)](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/investing) - [book recommendation (54)](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/book-recommendation) - [relationship with money (39)](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/relationship-with-money) - [risk management (39)](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/risk-management) - [fee-only financial planning (38)](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/fee-only-financial-planning) - [save money (38)](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/save-money) - [financial planning (36)](https://www.spiritusfinancial.com/blog/topic/financial-planning) © 2026 Spiritus Financial Planning. 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