Don't Get Cute with Your Retirement Investments

What this episode covers

💬 Show NotesIn this episode of the Retirement Answer Man, Roger Whitney sits down with Peter Lazaroff, Chief Investment Officer at Plancorp, for a thoughtful conversation on the power of simplicity in retirement planning. Together, they unpack the common traps of overcomplicating investments and the cognitive biases that often lead us astray. Peter also offers valuable insights into private equity and other complex investment strategies—highlighting when they might help, and when they might hurt. Don’t miss this episode if you're looking to build a retirement plan rooted in clarity, confidence, and peace of mind.OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN(00:00) Today Roger chats with Peter Lazaroff about bringing simplicity to retirement planning strategies.(02:44) We tend to overcomplicate everything when it comes to retirement planning.(04:09) Complexity makes us think something is better or more sophisticated.(05:35) “Anything one needs to market heavily is either an inferior product or an evil one.”- Nassim TalebROCKIN’ RETIREMENT IN THE WILD(06:22) Todd shares reflections on why he travels in retirement.INTERVIEW WITH PETER LAZAROFF(10:16) Think of your assets that you need to rock retirement in their own bucket, if you have excess- put it in its own bucket.(11:05) Complex investments are just active managers in a different wrapper.(11:45) Peter Lazaroff joins Roger to discuss retirement investing and private equity.(12:25) Peter discusses his books and announces that he has a new one coming out in 2026.(15:00) The core intent of retirement planning is to have core confidence that you can live the life you want now, but also when you're ninety.(15:51) Ultimately the goal in retirement planning is elegant simplicity. (20:00) Peter reflects on the business of investing.(23:02) Investing creates an illusion of control.(26:38) Peter discusses the benefit of simplicity and how it helps living heirs when it is time to settle an estate.(28:33) Roger chats about an executive order paving the way for private equity to become part of 401ks.(30:08) Peter talks about the steps of the probabilistic decision framework.(35:48) From 2020 to present, private equity has not added return over public equity.(38:30) If the yield is high and you can’t find the risk, it doesn’t mean it's not there.(42:08) Private investments are not inherently good or bad, but they are not necessary and can add complications.(42:50) Peter shares an example of complexity that he would be more welcome to.(47:25) If you don’t believe in traditional active management- you should be out on private investments.SMART SPRINT(48:00) In the next seven days, choose one area—retirement planning, investments, or any aspect of life you want to improve. Before adding anything new, ask: What can I remove or simplify first?REFERENCESPlancorp- Your Financial Life AdvocatePeterLazaroff.com: Free BookBOOKSScarcity Brain- Michael EasterAntifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder- Nassim Nicholas TalebMaking Money Simple: The Complete Guide to Getting Your Financial House in Order and Keeping It That Way Forever- Peter LazaroffFOLLOW US ON SOCIALS!Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on Instagram

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

No similar episodes found.

Similar Podcasts

LIGHTS, CAMERA, SMILE! Creatives Club Media Lights, Camera, Smile, is a podcast for anyone with a dream to share something with the world, out of the overflow of themselves - be it their mind, their heart, their personalities, and much more. Each of us are alive in this moment in time, with an innate ability to have ideas and create various things to benefit both ourselves and the people around us for a reason, and here, you will find the encouragement, the inspiration, and the motivation to do just that. Hosted by Cicily, founder of Creatives Club, she dives into various topics surrounding creativity and business. Exploring entrepreneurship for creatives in a corporate reality, sharing tips and tricks in a media centered company, answering questions regarding what a creative actually is are just a few of the things discussed on this podcast. Be encouraged to create for yourself as Cicily gets vulnerable by pivoting the camera to herself for the first time.To submit questions for Cicily to answer, or have her address certain t Solving for Change MOBIA Technology Innovations Solving for Change welcomes business and technology leaders to share stories of bold business transformation within complex organizations. In an era when technology and markets are changing around businesses, the key to staying competitive is to evolve in response to those changes. MOBIA’s Mike Reeves and Marc LeBlanc investigate business transformation, deconstructing the challenges, ambitions, and market disruptions that drive companies to embark on transformation journeys, and exploring their unique approaches to achieving meaningful outcomes. What sparks leaders to pursue business transformation? How do they overcome the challenges along the way? What are the keys to creating enduring change? Through in-depth conversations with business and technology leaders, Mike and Marc answer these questions and explore how businesses evolve by pulling four key transformation levers: people, process, technology, and culture. Accidental Accountant Regan Williams Hi, I'm Regan! I'm a CPA of 30+ years helping "accidental accountants" navigate tax & accounting issues with confidence! Here, we find solutions to common challenges bookkeepers, accountants and CPAs face. Don't see an answer to your question? Then ask! I'm here to help people like you. One Man Went To Row PepperDawesMedia Follow the journey, from training to finish line, of a man from Derby, UK who is going from having only ever rowed on a machine to rowing 3000 miles solo across the Atlantic...just after his 70th birthday!

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Retirement Answer Man?

This episode is 49 minutes long.

When was this Retirement Answer Man episode published?

This episode was published on September 10, 2025.

What is this episode about?

💬 Show NotesIn this episode of the Retirement Answer Man, Roger Whitney sits down with Peter Lazaroff, Chief Investment Officer at Plancorp, for a thoughtful conversation on the power of simplicity in retirement planning. Together, they unpack the...

Can I download this Retirement Answer Man episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.