Wealth Wednesday with Ameriprise Advisor Will Rogers: Money and Happiness

Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2019

AUGUSTA, GA (WRDW/WAGT) -- Are you and your spouse on the same page about retirement?

Our Will Rogers with Ameriprise is here to offer you some helpful tips about planning for the future.

Dakota: We are joined again by Private Wealth Advisor Will Rogers to discuss making sure you and your spouse are on the same page about retirement.

Will, what’s the most important question to ask your spouse?

Will: Kinda simple, but the question is, “What’s your vision for retirement?” The answer should include When, Where and What (we’ll be doing).

Dakota: What are some of the issues with “When” to retire?

Will: There are many – what if one wants to work longer than the other? If the first to retire is OK doing things without the other spouse, that can be just fine, but if you are expecting the other spouse to do things with you but they are still working you’ve just created conflict.

Dakota: What about where?

Will is critical that requires true mutual understanding. I was visiting with a couple almost 30 years ago and when they came into my office they both said they wanted to retire on the water. I simply asked them to “tell me about that” and the wife said with a big smile that they would retire to the beach and enjoy time on the sand. The husband about lost it, finally interrupting by saying, “BEACH??? Water means on a lake in the mountains where it’s nice and cool.” The couple got into quite an argument and stormed out.

You should determine if you’ll stay in your same home or geographic location or move. Will it be in a different climate? Will it be in the U.S. or abroad? Make sure you and your spouse both think these things through.

Dakota: What should couples discuss about what to do, or what their plans are?

Will: One of my favorite sayings is retirement is half the money and twice the spouse. While working you’re just not accustomed to spending every moment of every day together. Once you retire, what will you do to occupy your time? It’s not that there’s a right or wrong answer, but rather that you really discuss it with your spouse ahead of time.

Dakota: Thanks so much, is there anything else couples can do to be on the same page for retirement?

Will: Take the 3 Minute Confident Retirement Check on my website

– not together, but each spouse take it separately, print out or save the results and see where your differences are – if any. Talk through the differences and come to agreement.

Dakota. Good advice - For more information, check out Will’s website at