RBS 244: How One Retiree Used the Bucket Strategy to Generate $241,098 in Extra Wealth

Resources in EpisodeMorningstar: https://go.robberger.com/morningstar/...Fidelity Article: https://www.fidelity.com/viewpoints/r...Kitces Article: https://www.kitces.com/blog/retiremen...Spend Safely in Retirement Article: https://robberger.com/spend-safely-in...Fidelity HSA App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fidelit...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

This week in Five Question Friday (FQF): mega IPOs, sequence of returns risk, RMDs from a bonds-only IRA, Roth conversions after 59 1/2, and VT versus VTI plus VXUS.Question 1: Will the giant IPOs coming in 2026 drain money from the market and depress stock prices?Question 2: Is 20% to 30% in bonds enough protection against sequence of returns risk?Question 3: If you move your IRA entirely into bonds, will RMDs force you to sell bonds when they're down?Question 4: If you're over 59 1/2, why not make every IRA withdrawal a Roth conversion?Question 5: Is "VT and chill" costing you 0.7% a year compared to holding VTI and VXUS separately?Resources mentioned in the video:SpaceX IPO pricing: https://www.npr.org/2026/06/11/nx-s1-...S&P 500 buyback data: https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/cor...Money market fund assets: https://www.ici.org/research/stats/mmfBengen's original 1994 paper: https://www.financialplanningassociat...Kitces/Pfau rising equity glidepath: https://www.kitces.com/blog/should-eq...IRS RMD FAQs: https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/...IRS Publication 590-B (Roth and IRA distribution rules): https://www.irs.gov/publications/p590bRMDs come out before conversions: https://irahelp.com/new-rule-all-ira-...The two Roth 5-year rules: https://www.kitces.com/blog/understan...The VT vs VTI/VXUS articles in question: https://princetonasset.com/2026/05/25...Elm Wealth on VT vs VTI/VXUS: https://elmwealth.com/vt-vs-vti-vxus/Bernstein on the rebalancing bonus: https://www.efficientfrontier.com/ef/...Foreign tax credit basics: https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Forei...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's video we discuss if we should try to find investments that consistently beat the S&P 500.Resources From Video   • You Can’t Win With Money While Your Life I...  https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/res...https://www.morningstar.com/funds/xna...https://www.morningstar.com/funds/xna...https://www.morningstar.com/etfs/arcx...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover these questions: 1. Is the market inevitably going to crash, and how to mitigate2. When to take SS and investing the early payments3. Should we even bother tracking portfolio performance?4. How to calculate how much money you need to retire comfortably5. Why retirees still need an emergency fundResources From VideoOpen Social Security: https://opensocialsecurity.com/FI Calc: https://ficalc.app/Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-fqfEmpower: https://go.robberger.com/empower/yt-fqfSnowball Analytics: https://go.robberger.com/snowball-ana...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) episode, we cover these questions: 1. Four golden rules for avoiding financial scams2. Finding and canceling forgotten subscriptions3. Sharing passwords and 2FA with your spouse4. Finding trustworthy help managing finances in old age5. Are debt consolidation services legitimate?Resources From VideoFTC Avoiding and Reporting Scams: https://consumer.ftc.gov/scamsReportFraud.ftc.gov — If you encounter a scam, report it here to help law enforcement stop scammers.IdentityTheft.gov — If you think a scammer has your personal information, this site walks you through recovery steps.Rocket Money: https://go.robberger.com/rocket-money...Monarch Money: https://go.robberger.com/monarch-rob5... (Use code ROB50 for 50% off the first year's subscription)1Password Families: https://go.robberger.com/1password/yt-AADMM Find a DMM Directory: https://secure.aadmm.com/Nolo's Guide to Daily Money Managers: https://www.nolo.com/legal-encycloped...NFCC Agency Finder: https://www.nfcc.org/agency-finderConsumer Financial Protection Bureau - Credit Counseling Guide: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-c...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's episode, we discuss the following:1. ChatGPT for Finances2. A free version3. Whether this is the end of budgeting appsResources From VideoChatGPT Prompt: Create a beautiful dashboard that shows me my spending by category, a pie chart that I can click on to show which transactions make up that category, and identify any suspicious transactions and also any recurring expenses. Really make the dashboard really pretty.Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover these questions: 1. How many years of "safe funds" should you hold beyond guaranteed income?2. Reducing portfolio risk in retirement when returns aren't needed3. Budgeting app that syncs the Sam's Club Mastercard4. Does the 4% rule account for pre-tax vs. after-tax assets?5. Should you only sell stocks when the market is at record highs?Resources From VideoBudgeting Apps: https://robberger.com/best-budgeting-...Monarch Money: https://go.robberger.com/monarch-rob5... (Promo code: ROB50)https://www.wallstreetcourier.com/spo...https://www.morningstar.com/economy/w...https://www.monarch.com/connection-st...https://robberger.com/research/asset-...https://www.kitces.com/blog/the-impac...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's video, we answer the following question: Can the bucket strategy help you generate income and grow your wealth in retirement, even as you're spending money to live on?Retirement Manifesto ArticlesFirst Article: https://www.theretirementmanifesto.co...Second Article: https://www.theretirementmanifesto.co...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover these questions: 1. Floor & Enjoy Retirement Strategy2. Target Date Funds3. Paying Taxes on Roth Conversions4. Vanguard’s New BondBuilder ETFs5. Boldin vs. EmpowerResources From VideoEmpower: https://go.robberger.com/empower/yt-fqfBoldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-fqfhttps://longevity.stanford.edu/wp-con...https://robberger.com/spend-safely-in...https://fundresearch.fidelity.com/mut...https://fundresearch.fidelity.com/mut...https://advisors.vanguard.com/tax-cen...https://investor.vanguard.com/investo...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In this Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover these questions: 1. How to teach your significant other to manage the investments? (The Spouse Financial Survival Kit)   1. Start with a One-Pager      a. Accounts      b. Key Professionals      c. Withdrawal Order      d. Financial Overview Doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1W...   2. Financial Love Letterhttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1q...  3. Review the documents once a year2. When to Take RMDs?    1. Timing doesn’t change amount (the amount is based on balance at end of last year)    2. RMDs must come before Roth conversions        a. https://obliviousinvestor.com/rmd-tim...   3. Take QCDs first if you plan to have them count toward RMDs   4. If needed for spending, take as needed (monthly or quarterly)   5. If not, wait until later in the year3. How can I see the stocks owned by a target date retirement fund?    Morningstar Investor: https://go.robberger.com/morningstar/4. How do you keep track of HSA expenses?https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...5. Why haven’t I done a Roth conversion yet?Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...