#208 - Happy Spouse, Happy Retirement

Let’s talk marriage! On this episode of Retirement Answer Man, I want to spark a discussion on how to have a happy marriage so that you don’t spend your retirement years alone. People with happy marriages live longer and are healthier than single retirees. Divorce in the retirement years can completely destroy your finances and even your social life. So having a healthy marriage comes with a lot of benefits. Listen to this episode to discover how to help your marriage thrive so that you can make the most of your retirement and your life. The hidden benefits of a healthy marriage Retirement can be an inflection point in a marriage because you are really There with that other person. One of the most common times that divorce happens is when couples hit retirement. But did you know that people with great marriages live longer, have fewer rates of heart disease, stroke, and advanced cancer at diagnosis? Married retirees are generally happier and don’t suffer the same rates of depression as their single counterparts. It turns out that having a healthy marriage leads to a healthy life overall. Listen to this episode of Retirement Answer Man to hear all of the health benefits that having a great relationship can bring you. Are you familiar with the law of familiarity? The law of familiarity states that when you become too familiar with someone you dismiss all their greatness and instead focus on their small annoyances. Because we're so familiar with our spouses over a long-term relationship we take for granted their good stuff. That is the natural battle to fight in the flow of relationships. When was the last time that you noticed something special about your spouse? This episode of Retirement Answer Man can help you learn not to take your spouse for granted, so listen in! What can you do to create a better relationship? Having a great marriage is good for your health, your mental health, and even your finances. So, how can you make the best of your relationship? One way is to learn to have fun together and share some common interests. If you are having trouble in your marriage give pause and appreciate your spouse and all of their good traits. Do you want some great tips to help your marriage not just survive but thrive? If so, you'll want to hear some more of these great ideas to bring back that spark and enjoy each other again. My listeners ask the best questions Once again my listeners have asked some excellent questions. I take some time in the Practical Planning segment to answer two great questions. The first is a very important question about the role of bonds in asset allocation. Here’s the question -- Nobody talks about what kind of bonds you should invest in. They just tell you to invest in bonds. Does it matter what type of bonds you should invest in? Another listener asks about low cost investing and using robo-accounts to manage your asset allocation. Listen to the Practical Planning segment to hear the answers to these interesting listener questions.   OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN [1:22] What are the danger zones for marriages HOT TOPIC SEGMENT [4:39] How do you make your marriage thrive? [6:40] What is the law of familiarity? [9:25] Intentionally of make a better relationship PRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT [14:01] What type of bonds should you invest in? [28:33] What is my opinion on robo accounts? [32:03] I have some general comments on investing THE HAPPY LAB SEGMENT [38:52] What does your spouse want to receive from you? TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT [40:36] Think about what your spouse needs from you Resources Mentioned In This Episode BOOK - Rock Retirement  by Roger Whitney Ask Roger a question Work with Roger 3-video Series: 5 Minute Retirement Makeover Roger’s Retirement Learning Center The Retirement Answer Man Facebook Page