Planning Key: Plan to Live Longer Than You Expect to Live

Prudent retirement planning requires using a planning horizon longer than your life expectancy. In prior posts we have recommend using the Actuarial Longevity Illustrator and the three-step process outlined in our Advisor Perspectives article to select your household lifetime planning period(s). In this post, we will once again discuss the importance, in planning and retirement decision-making, of focusing on how long you plan to live, not on how long you expect to live. 

2026 Trustees Report Issued — Once Again, Results Are Worse Than We Predicted

The 2026 OASDI Trustees Report was released today. Last month, we estimated that Social Security’s long‑range actuarial balance as of January 1, 2026 would be –4.14% of the present value of taxable payroll over the next 75 years (down from –3.82% in 2025), corresponding to a funded status of roughly 76%. Our estimate turned out to be optimistic.

Understanding the Retirement Probability Simulator (RPS): A Complement to the Actuarial Financial Planner

We recently came across a Monte Carlo modelling tool called the Retirement Probability Simulator (RPS). It is a free tool available at DIYretiree.com that our readers may find useful in their financial planning.

In this post, we will discuss the similarities and differences between our Actuarial Financial Planner (AFP) model for retirees and near retirees and the RPS (for retirees and pre-retirees) and how they can work together.

Announcement: Microsoft Copilot Joins Our Retirement Planning Team

We are pleased to announce that Microsoft Copilot is now an integrated part of our “How Much Can I Afford to Spend in Retirement?” team. Copilot enhances our actuarial approach by providing structured reasoning, rapid scenario analysis, and clear explanations of complex financial tradeoffs.