The Math: How Much Do You Really Need?

Roughly half of Americans in their early sixties have retirement accounts that wouldn’t buy a modest house. You’re at the kitchen table, bills spread out, asking: “Is this enough? Or am I way off?” In this episode, we’ll unpack why that question is simpler—and stranger—than it seems.

A 55-year-old with $200,000 and a 30-year runway might *already* be on track, while a 40-year-old with $400,000 and big lifestyle expectations could be behind. The twist is that “enough” isn’t a single dollar amount; it’s a moving target built from a few key numbers that belong to you, not to some generic rule of thumb.

In this episode, we’ll zoom in on those numbers: what you actually spend in a year, how hard your money can realistically work after inflation, and how long it might need to last. Instead of treating your retirement number like a mysterious verdict handed down by a calculator, we’ll treat it like a recipe: adjust one ingredient—spending, returns, or timeline—and the whole dish changes.