The Retirement Café Podcast

I always love catching up with my good friend and fellow financial planner Pete Matthew—especially when we get to record it for The Retirement Café Podcast. You may have heard Pete on the podcast before (this is his third appearance!) or seen him on his hugely popular Meaningful Money YouTube channel. We've even swapped mics—I've joined his show twice too! We both share a mission: helping people retire with clarity, confidence, and purpose. This time, Pete's back to talk about his brand-new book The Meaningful Retirement Guide. It's packed with straightforward guidance on how to organise your finances in retirement—so you can get on with living the life you've worked hard for. In our conversation, we cover: The biggest mistake people make when planning their retirement Why Pete has no plans to stop working—ever! How one man turned volunteering into a paid role that transformed his retirement plan The shift from saving to spending (and why it's harder than it sounds) What your money is really for As always, I hope it gives you a helpful nudge toward the kind of retirement you truly want.  For those who want to go further, Pete offers a self-paced Retirement Planning Course through his Meaningful Money Academy. The course includes video lessons, downloadable tools, access to financial planning software, and a supportive online community. Use the code PODCAST for a discount. USEFUL LINKS  

Are you worried about the future of your wealth? You're not alone. Sweeping reforms to pensions, inheritance tax, business relief, and agricultural relief are coming in 2026 and 2027 — and they could have a major impact on your estate and the legacy you leave behind. In this must-listen episode of The Retirement Café Podcast, I'm joined by Lucy Obrey, Partner and Head of Private Client at Higgs LLP, to break down what these proposed changes really mean for business owners, landowners, and pension holders — in other words, most of us. You'll learn:

Dr. Daniel Crosby is a psychologist, behavioural finance expert, and New York Times bestselling author, who joins me to discuss his latest book, The Soul of Wealth.  Dr. Crosby, known for his groundbreaking insights into how psychological factors influence financial decisions, shares how his book explores the balance between monetary wealth and what he calls "soulful wealth"—the richness found in relationships, health, and personal fulfilment. With 50 short, actionable essays, The Soul of Wealth serves as a practical guide for those looking to rethink their relationship with money and align their finances with what truly matters in life. During our conversation, Daniel discusses key insights from his previous books, showing how behavioural finance helps retirees make smarter, goal-driven decisions. We explore how emotions can undermine financial success and how understanding our behaviour leads to better choices in retirement planning. From mastering delayed gratification to spending in ways that boost happiness, Daniel shares practical advice for redefining wealth beyond just pounds and pence. USEFUL LINKS Standard Deviations Website: https://www.standarddeviationspod.com/ Standard Deviations Podcast: https://www.standarddeviationspod.com/episodes  Daniel's YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/@drdanielcrosby Buy Daniel's books: The Laws of Wealth - https://amzn.to/3YqmrCW  The Behavioral Investor - https://amzn.to/3UaRgJq  The Soul of Wealth - https://amzn.to/3Ud0dSx  Connect with Daniel on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielcrosby/ ✔️ Subscribe to my Channel here ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/c/JustinKingMFP/?sub_confirmation=1 

George Kinder is a friend, mentor and widely recognised as the Father of the Financial Life Planning movement. For over 30 years, George has trained thousands of financial advisers from 30 countries in life planning, which enables them to help deliver freedom into their clients' lives. George has published seven books, and central to most is this concept of freedom. His most recent book The Three Domains of Freedom sets out to empower readers to experience profound freedoms in their own lives and bring about positive change to our civilisation as a result. In our conversation we explore the book's three core concepts, delve into the challenges of balancing mindfulness with future planning, the feeling of insignificance in a chaotic world, and the potential impact retirees can have on society. George also shares his vision for a more just and sustainable world and the practical steps he suggests for making that vision a reality. USEFUL LINKS George's website: https://www.georgekinder.com/  The Kinder Institute of Life Planning: https://www.kinderinstitute.com/  George's books: The Three Domains of Freedom: https://amzn.to/3Xu1I0H  A Golden Civilisation: https://amzn.to/47cXgGJ  Transforming Suffering into Wisdom: Mindfulness and the Art of Inner Listening: https://amzn.to/3TbKB13  Life Planning for You: https://amzn.to/4g7RNoM  The Seven Stages of Money Maturity: https://amzn.to/4cOjGzk  Lighting the Torch: https://amzn.to/4e8D7nC   CONNECT WITH ME Thanks for checking out my podcast - I'm Chartered and Certified Financial Planner Justin King and I help people to retire successfully.

I'm thrilled to have with us a guest whose work has profoundly shaped the way we think about time, productivity, and living a meaningful life. Oliver Burkeman is a renowned British journalist, author, and former columnist for The Guardian, best known for his groundbreaking book 4,000 Weeks, Time Management for Mortals. I loved this book and am honoured that Oliver joined me to share his story and research, and to introduce his latest book, Meditations for Mortals - Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make More Time for What Counts, which has sparked a global conversation about the finite nature of our lives and how we can make the most of our limited time, especially as we enter the later stages of life. We chat about how life's too short to wait for the “right” moment, especially for retirees and soon to be retirees, and Oliver urges us to live meaningfully now—not later. After all, time is finite. USEFUL LINKS Oliver's website: https://www.oliverburkeman.com/ Oliver on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliver-burkeman-51651b21a/  Oliver on X/Twitter: https://x.com/oliverburkeman  Meditations for Mortals - Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make More Time for What Counts book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/46Xa1oY  ✔️ Subscribe to my Channel here ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/c/JustinKingMFP/?sub_confirmation=1 

Approaching retirement and frustrated with her job, Siobhan Daniels made a big decision: to start living life on her own terms. Rather than feeling broken, voiceless and hiding from life's challenges, she took early retirement, swapped her possessions for a motorhome, and drove off to find them. Since that day five years ago, Siobhan has published a book she called Retirement Rebel: One woman, one motorhome, one great big adventure - an honest and uplifting story of how one woman stepped off the merry-go-round of life. Through her podcast, public speaking and book Siobhan is keen to show older women they can have their adventures and age positively. USEFUL LINKS Siobhan's website: https://www.shuvonshuvoff.co.uk/ Retirement Rebel book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/467OitL Retirement Rebel podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retirement-rebel/id1727857729  The Armchair Adventure Festival 2024: https://www.armchairadventurefestival.com/  ✔️ Subscribe to my Channel here ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/c/JustinKingMFP/?sub_confirmation=1 

Today, we're diving into the perplexing topic of why more people don't buy annuities to provide a guaranteed income in retirement, and who better to have this conversation with than Billy Burrows. 
 Billy is a highly regarded financial adviser with over 30 years' experience and founder of the Retirement Planning Project which aims to make it easier for people to get information and help on all aspects of retirement planning. 

In our conversation Billy and I explore some of the reasons that deter potential annuity buyers from securing their retirement income, explain mortality drag and mortality cross subsidy, plus why buying annuities in stages can be beneficial. We also discuss the impact future government policies could have upon pensions and annuities – in light of the upcoming general election.   USEFUL LINKS Find out more about Billy: www.williamburrows.com  Billy on Twitter / X: https://x.com/BillyBurrows Billy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billy-burrows-6ab1521a/   Billy's previous episodes on the podcast: Pension freedoms: https://www.theretirementcafe.co.uk/episodes/pension-freedoms  Annuities: https://www.theretirementcafe.co.uk/episodes/william-burrows  Pension income options – annuity versus drawdown: https://www.theretirementcafe.co.uk/episodes/179-annuity-billy-burrows  ✔️ Subscribe to my Channel here ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/c/JustinKingMFP/?sub_confirmation=1  

I'm delighted to welcome back Jacqueline Berry, a regular guest celebrated for her passion for making the UK's care system easier to navigate.  Jacqueline is the founding director of My Care Consultant, a market-leader in helping people navigate the care system, and she is a fountain of knowledge in all things care related. in episode 40 she explained the fundamentals of the UK care system and returned in episode 154 to share tips on how to apply successfully for NHS Continuing Healthcare. Well, she's back with exciting news about her latest venture, My Care Hub. Imagine having a guidebook for the labyrinth that is care support in the UK, a pioneering online one-stop shop for care advice – that's what Jacqueline's developed! And it's not just for those who need care themselves; My Care Hub will be a lifeline for the unsung everyday heroes out there, the millions of unpaid carers. It's also a wondered resource for my financial planner friends listening to better support your clients. We also chat about the Carer's Leave Act of 2023 – a big win for carers everywhere. So, grab your cuppa, settle in, and let's get into my conversation with Jacqueline. USEFUL LINKS My Care Consultant Website Register to hear when My Care Hub is launched - My Care Hub (google.com) Free guide to NHS Continuing Healthcare - sign up for newsletter. Episode 40: Navigating the care system, with Jacqueline Berry Episode 154: How to apply successfully fir NHS Continuing Healthcare My Care Consultant on Facebook Jacqueline Berry on LinkedIn Jacqueline Berry on Twitter Thanks for checking out my podcast - I'm Justin King, a Chartered Financial Planner and I specialise in helping people to retire successfully. CONNECT WITH ME  ✔️ Subscribe to my YouTube Channel here ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/@TheRetirementCafe/?sub_confirmation=1

Do you believe you can heal faster just by tricking your brain? Could you lose weight with only a change of mindset? 
 Could you think yourself into being younger? 
 Can the power of your thoughts defy ageing? In short, have you ever wondered if you could improve your health by harnessing the power of your mind? When it comes to our health, too many of us feel trapped by a medical diagnosis, believing that it can only mean a static or worsening condition. Whether it is stiff knees, frayed nerves or failing eyesight, your mind can lead you to believe things will only get worse. But this week's guest has proven through decades of scientific research that with practical steps you can take control of your mindset, by using your thoughts and perspective to help improve your wellbeing. Award-winning social psychologist Professor Ellen Langer has been studying the connection between the mind and body for over 4 decades as an esteemed psychologist at Harvard. Known as the "mother of mindfulness”, she is the author of 13 books, including her most recent release Mindful Body - Thinking Our Way to Lasting Health, which will help you navigate a path to improved health and wellbeing. We also explore the concept of risk as a personal phenomenon and its impact upon how we approach retirement planning. USEFUL LINKS Buy ‘The Mindful Body' on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Ncd8QU  Professor Langer's website: https://www.ellenlanger.me/  Professor Langer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellenjlanger/  Professor Langer on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/ellenjl  Thanks for checking out my YouTube channel - I'm Chartered and Certified Financial Planner Justin King and I help people to retire successfully. CONNECT WITH ME ✔️ Subscribe to my Channel here ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/@TheRetirementCafe/?sub_confirmation=1

Hello and welcome – today I have the pleasure of sharing a fascinating conversation I had with Professor Paul Dolan – who's maybe better known as the Professor of Happiness.  Paul is a behavioural scientist, advisor to the government and currently Professor of Behavioural Science at the London School of Economics and Political Science. He's published 41 peer reviewed articles and been cited more than 32,000. Paul has certainly made the science of happiness his business.  You may well have read one of his two best-selling books. The first is called ‘Happiness by Design' and his most recently released book is called ‘Happy Ever After', which is the focus of our conversation today. We chat about all things related to happiness, not least how to make your retirement years as fulfilling as possible. USEFUL LINKS Register for Paul's free course ‘Get Happier'- coming soon: https://pauldolan.co.uk/courses  Paul's website: https://pauldolan.co.uk/ Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-dolan-a018691b/ Paul on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/profpauldolan  CONNECT WITH ME ✔️ Subscribe to my Channel here ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/c/JustinKingMFP/?sub_confirmation=1 

Pre-order my new book ‘The Retirement Café Handbook – Nine Accelerators for a Successful Retirement': https://amzn.to/3Q686I8 In this week's podcast, Dr Martin Hyde is making getting old sexy. Martin is a renowned gerontologist. In our conversation we delve into what being a gerontologist actually means, and Martin debunks the misconception that studying older individuals is uninteresting or uninspiring.  Martin has collaborated with researchers from around the globe, allowing him to explore the diverse experiences of aging in different countries and among various groups of people. His work has truly become an exciting area of research, keeping him continually curious and eager to learn more about the complexities of aging. Remember, that getting old also impacts the young!  Martin highlights the importance of looking at your whole life course, so you plan for what it takes to be old and happy. I hope our conversation will open your eyes to how the perception of getting old does not match reality.   USEFUL LINKS Connect with Martin: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-hyde-5815ab42/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/HydeM1976  Reach Martin at Swansea University: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/staff/martin.hyde/  Thanks for checking out my YouTube channel - I'm Chartered and Certified Financial Planner Justin King and I help people to retire successfully. CONNECT WITH ME ✔️ Subscribe to my Channel here ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/c/JustinKingMFP/?sub_confirmation=1 

James Elliott is a psychotherapist and resilience coach. Using his 14 years in the British Army's Airborne Forces developing skills in resilience to empower people to tackle a variety of challenges, he works with people ranging from professional athletes to politicians. In our conversation James provides insight into how a loss of identity – either as a soldier or as a CEO – can be the hardest thing to deal with when retiring. A sense of identity is crucial to help you manage the next stage of your life, even better if what you enjoy doing helps benefit your community. In his book, Think Yourself Resilient: Harness Your Emotions. Build Your Confidence. Transform Your Life he breaks resilience down into different pillars, looking at confidence, identity, goals, relationships and physical health. By focusing on these elements we give ourselves the best chance to be resilient to life changes. Listen to more of his fascinating story here. USEFUL LINKS To connect with James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-elliott-8360a41b5/  https://james-elliott.mykajabi.com/  https://www.instagram.com/jameselliottofficial/?hl=en  James's book is available to purchase here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Think-Yourself-Resilient-Emotions-Confidence/dp/1804190535/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=  CONNECT WITH ME Thanks for checking out my YouTube channel - I'm Chartered and Certified Financial Planner Justin King and I help people to retire successfully.

Reading is a huge passion of mine as I am really interested in the insight of others. I love to learn about people's stories and their lives.  I'm driven to read due to a fascination of people's journeys. In this episode I am sharing with you my must reads for this summer, in my view these books are interesting, insightful and provide much food for thought – I hope you will agree! I have also suggested some YouTube videos & podcasts, both are a valuable resource to me and provide access to some great minds and points for discussion. So lay back on your sun lounger and enjoy working your way through my recommendations, and don't forget to let me know what you think.  You can email me at hello@theretirementcafe.co.uk or use the links below to connect. USEFUL LINKS How They Succeeded Life Stories of Successful Men Told by Themselves, by Orison Swett Marden (98p on Kindle) https://amzn.to/46q0t50  The Path of Least Resistance: Learning to Become the Creative Force in Your Own Life, by Robert Fritz (on Audible) - https://amzn.to/3Xu40uU  A Man for All Markets: From Las Vegas to Wall Street, How I Beat the Dealer and the Market, written by Edward O. Thorp - https://amzn.to/3CRUEzJ  Change Your Brain: Neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman | Rich Roll Podcast, on YouTube: https://youtu.be/SwQhKFMxmDY  Walter Isaacson Elon Musk Twitter Space FULL – Video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-yhuiovST4A  Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography, by Walter Isaacson - https://amzn.to/44j7V0x  Leonardo Da Vinci, by Walter Isaacson - https://amzn.to/3Ny36sJ  Practical Tax Planning For Property: Jargon-free advice for investors and developers, by Alan Pink - https://amzn.to/46qnswN The Essays of Warren Buffett: Lessons for Corporate America, by Lawrence A Cunningham, Warren Buffet - https://amzn.to/3NUiuRy  Podcast: The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett, on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-diary-of-a-ceo-with-steven-bartlett/id1291423644  CONNECT WITH ME Thanks for checking out my YouTube channel - I'm Chartered and Certified Financial Planner Justin King and I help people to retire successfully.

As a highly regarded financial adviser and an industry expert with over 30 years' experience, Billy Burrows first joined me in 2019 to chat about all things to do with annuities.    Since we last spoke the annuity landscape has changed significantly and has become harder to beat as a solution for pension income.  So, I welcome Billy back to talk about the pros and cons of buying an annuity versus entering pension drawdown to help you decide the best way to provide an income in your retirement. Billy believes that many people are unknowingly throwing income down the drain due to a lack of understanding. Intuitively people may think that drawdown is the “best thing since sliced bread”. But, in reality, and especially now that interest rates and bond yields have increased, an annuity is actually a very hard act to beat! Listen here to find out why this is the case! USEFUL LINKS Find out more about Billy: www.williamburrows.com Billy's previous episodes on the podcast: Pension freedoms: https://www.theretirementcafe.co.uk/episodes/pension-freedoms Annuities: https://www.theretirementcafe.co.uk/episodes/william-burrows CONNECT WITH ME Thanks for checking out my YouTube channel - I'm Chartered and Certified Financial Planner Justin King and I help people to retire successfully.

This is an information-packed episode! Kurt is a Partner at Lester Aldridge solicitors based in their Bournemouth office and heads up the Tax, Trusts, Wills and Probate team. Kurt was my first ever podcast guest at the Retirement Café back in 2018 and this is his third appearance. Today we are exploring tax and estate planning and how you can plan ahead in your retirement. In our conversation we chat about the challenge presented by delays at various Government departments and the steps you can take: -Registering Lasting Powrs of Attorney with the Office of the Public Guardian -Applications to the Court of Protection -Managing with delays to Probate  -Dealing with HMRC.  We also explore Inheritance Tax Planning, the difference between owning your property in joint tenancy or as tenants in common, and how to protect yourself from unscrupulous estate planning companies. You'll even hear how to create a ‘Dying Tidily' log! USEFUL LINKS Get in contact with Kurt: https://www.lesteraldridge.com/our-people/kurt-lee-partner/  Kurt's previous episodes on the podcast: 002 Avoiding Inheritance Tax traps: https://www.theretirementcafe.co.uk/episodes/kurt-lee 018 Make sure your estate qualifies for the Residence Nil Rate Band: https://www.theretirementcafe.co.uk/episodes/residence-nil-rate-band  Search the Land Registry: https://landregistry.uk/title-documents  CONNECT WITH ME Thanks for checking out my YouTube channel - I'm Chartered and Certified Financial Planner Justin King and I help people to retire successfully.

Chatting to me today is Dr Ben Hicks, Research Fellow at Brighton and Sussex Medical School. I first met Ben 5 years ago and invited him to be on the panel of one of our first Retirement Café events. Back then he was working hard to change the perception that dementia is no longer a death sentence in his role as psychologist and researcher with Bournemouth University Dementia Institute. Although dementia is one of the most common and serious conditions society faces today with more than 800,000 people affected in the UK, Ben believes that with the right research technology and care, dementia sufferers can live well with the disease for many years. As Co-ordinator of the DETERMIND research programme, Ben explains how the project looks at why care for dementia patients is unequal and the impact this has upon people's health, level of comfort and happiness. Ben also shares some of his research findings and what this could mean for the future of care. USEFUL LINKS Find out about the DETERMIND study: https://determind.org.uk/ Take part in the DETERMIND study: https://determind.org.uk/take-part/ Listen to Ben's first podcast: 005 The Big D – Why Dementia is not a death sentence: 005 The Big D – Why Dementia is not a death sentence Email us for a copy of Ben's latest research findings.   ✔️ Subscribe to my Channel here https://www.youtube.com/c/JustinKingMFP/?sub_confirmation=1

The FCA has issued a warning about the mismanagement of Asset Protection Trust Schemes. They're concerned about the number of firms mis selling trusts on behalf of Trustees who don't understand what they're invested in or what benefits the trusts actually provide.   Asset Protection Trusts are trusts into which you typically transfer assets, often including your home, during your lifetime. Some people fall victim to unscrupulous or unqualified advisers who suggest these trusts provide specific protection from Inheritance Tax or are a good place to shelter your assets from any liability for paying care fees.   In this podcast episode, learn about the common traps people fall into when setting up Asset Protection Trusts, the genuine benefits they offer and reasons to consider one, and how to check whether your trust is suitable for you.   USEFUL LINKS FCA's ScamSmart website: https://www.fca.org.uk/scamsmart Society of Estate & Trust Practitioners: https://www.step.org/directory/members   ✔️ Subscribe to my Channel here  https://www.youtube.com/c/JustinKingMFP/?sub_confirmation=1  

Laura Black successfully climbed the corporate ladder to become a successful attorney. When retirement hit, her descent down that same ladder was marked by loss and marginalization. She no longer possessed the CEO status she placed so much of her worth in, her children fled the nest for lives of their own, and she had to cope with the decline and eventual deaths of her parents. Plus, well, aging, which is hard in itself. In a nutshell, Laura discovered that as a mature woman, mother and wife, it can be harder to find true happiness after leaving a long-term career.  Laura's first book, Big Butts, Fat Thighs, and Other Secrets to Success, empowered women to accept and use their vulnerabilities in forming critical business relationships. Laura's latest book, Climbing down the ladder, a journey to a different kind of happy investigates how woman can keep their identify after losing their business card.

In this episode Kathy & Justin chat about the important changes to the lifetime allowance announced in the Chancellor's budget in March. It's fair to say that the extent of the changes has taken the financial advice sector by surprise. It was widely anticipated that the lifetime allowance would be increased, but not fully abolished. We aim to clear up any confusion about what this latest change to pensions legislation means for you, by reminding you first of the annual allowance rules and when the Tapered Annual Allowance and Money Purchase Annual Allowance take effect. The contribution limits for these two allowances have increased from £4,000 to £10,000, so it's important to understand if you're affected. We also go into detail about the impact of scrapping the Lifetime Allowance Tax Charge, the change to tax-free cash levels (also known as the Pension Commencement Lump Sum), the anticipated scrapping of the Lifetime Allowance itself, and what this means if you have fixed protection in place. We don't have all the answers as yet, so this episode covers what we know to date.

I want to help my clients make the best possible decisions about their financial future, so over the years I've done a lot of research into how to make smart decisions. I'd like to share some of the insight I've gathered in this podcast. The topic of decision making is vast, so I'm going to focus on one specific set of tools which I feel are incredibly powerful – that's Mental Models. I first came across Mental Models from Warren Buffet and Charlie Munger of Berkshire Hathaway fame. I share a story of Charlie using one of the models I share in this episode as far back as 1943, that of Inversion. The pair are renowned for using Mental Models to inform their decisions about which companies to invest in. Mental Models are powerful tools that can help us make better decisions and navigate complex situations, as they provide a framework for understanding the world around us. In this episode Kathy and I share three models: Inversion, Backcasting and Compounding, and how you can apply them to the decisions you make everyday.

Robin Wigglesworth is editor of FT Alphaville, the Financial Times' financial blog, where he focuses on the biggest trends reshaping markets, investing and finance across the world. Robin is also the author of a book called ‘Trillions – How a Band of Wall Street Renegades Invented The Index Fund and changed Finance Forever'. It's been described as the definitive book on the past, present and future of passive investing. Trillions is a riveting read for anyone interested in the story of index funds, which is a topic I've discussed with several guests on the podcast over the years. Robin describes the index funds as one of the most disruptive inventions in the history of investing and he joined me on the podcast to explain why, with humorous anecdotes and stories, including Warren Buffet's famous bet against any active manager to beat the index over a 10 year period. We also chat about a concept known as index hugging or closet indexing, different types of index funds available, where Robin shares the story of value stocks, and how building a judicious portfolio can help make for a successful investment experience. Oh, and Robin shares the secret of FT Alphaville's success (it's free!).

Have you ever wondered how to go about tackling the tricky subject of getting older with loved ones who are doing just that?  How to start those taboo conversations about whether dad should hang up his driving gloves, or what happens when an elderly friend or relative become incapable of living alone?  Then this episode is for you. My guest, geriatrician Dr Lucy Pollock's speciality and passion is the care of older people, and she has written a wonderful book – The Book About Getting Older.  A book which gives its readers the power to have these difficult conversations. We explore the important topics of movement, frailty, the ethics of getting older and how to ensure people retain their sense of personal power as they age. Part of that is recognising that older people are really repositories of history that we can all learn a huge amount from. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Lucy.

How, in today's world, where staying in touch with friends and family is easier than ever, are there STILL over 3 million chronically lonely people in the UK?  In my latest podcast I speak to Robin Hewings, Programme Director of The Campaign to End Loneliness.  He sheds some light on why it is a serious and growing issue and what is being done to help re-connect individuals and communities. You know, you could help lift someone out of loneliness with a simple wave or a quick hello, a more important gesture than you might think.  If you, or someone you know is impacted by loneliness then listen to discover the things you can do to help.

Cameron Passmore has been a leading advocate for evidence-based, systemic investing for over 20 years. He is Executive Chairman and Portfolio Manager at Canadian wealth management firm, PWL Capital and co-host of The Rational Reminder Podcast. Cameron's hugely successful podcast has featured some incredible guests from the world of investing and behavioural finance and aims to help make listeners better, more rational investors. His guests include investing research gurus Professor Ken French and Nobel Prize winning Eugene Fama. I loved my conversation with Cameron. Unsurprisingly, we focused on the power of the stock markets, the timeless wisdom of investing in the great companies of the world, and how the  ‘wisdom of crowds' applies to investing behaviour. Cameron shares his definition of evidence-based, systemic investing and some fascinating stories and insights from his many conversations with experts in this field. He also points us towards episodes of his podcast that offer real depth of insight into what makes for a successful investment strategy for your retirement.

If you've followed the podcast for some time, you'll know that I've spoken with a couple of people from retirement villages about what they offer residents and why people should consider moving in. This week we will hear what it's like from the inside.   I am really pleased to share with you a conversation I had with clients of mine, Nick & Jane Crowhurst.  In 2022, Nick and Jane moved from their home in Highcliffe to live in a retirement village in Hampshire. Nick is now 73 & Jane 62. They made the move quite early in their retirement because they wanted to move somewhere future proof that also allowed them to have a nice lifestyle with a ready-made community.  After looking at a few options, they found Bishopstoke Park in Eastleigh.  In our conversation we talk about the many advantages living in a retirement village has for them including new friendships, and more activities available than they have the time to do, as well as the buying process and ongoing costs.  They share the good and the bad, warts and all, of life in a retirement community.

This week's interview is with three guests from the retirement home specialists, Inspired Villages. Lawrence Cramer is the People and Culture Director and was involved recently in setting up an initiative called Pensioner Personal Trainers with none other than the UK's most famous ski jumper, Eddie the Eagle. Eddie is famed for his can-do spirit in the face of hopeless adversity, so was the perfect person to front the initiative aimed at inspiring residents to keep moving and keep fit. A recent study showed the importance of mature personal trainers, as 37% of Brits are more likely to frequent the gym if there are trainers and customers of a similar age group. With nearly 39% agreeing that their communities don't have enough wellbeing and fitness facilities for the older generation (aged 65+), Eddie the Eagle came to the rescue to challenge this narrative and led a fitness session at Ledian Gardens, Inspired Village's scheme in Kent along with fellow PPTs Lynne Thompson (75), and Instepp's Julie Ford (68). Julie and Lynne join our conversation and explain how older personal trainers can help make exercise more accessible for us as we get older.

Happy New year to you and thank you for joining me in 2023. Let's start the New Year on a high note, by dispelling some of the more common held beliefs about how awful it is getting older. I feel that many people make assumptions about ageing and what it's like to grow “old”, or how older age will affect them. The reality is that we won't know until it happens to us, but some of our assumptions are probably true. But so many of our beliefs come from socially accepted myths, and if you take the time to challenge them, you'll realise that, for the most part, they're simply not true. There's no evidence. It's all too easy to pass by the positive aspects of ageing – of which I understand there are many. In this New Year episode Kathy will help me to bust 10 common misconceptions or beliefs related to ageing and older people.

As Christmas approached, I started to think about how Christmas changes as we get older so typed ‘Christmas and ageing' into Google. I was bombarded with results about loneliness and isolation and how Christmas can exacerbate these very real problems. It's true that a lot of older people do say that their feelings of loneliness increase during the holidays, which is why campaigns from charities such as Age UK encouraging us to look out for elderly neighbours and helplines like Esther Rantzen's Silverline are so important. Whilst I appreciate that Christmas can be a very difficult time, I would like to offer a different perspective. If you're not completely looking forward to this Christmas, I hope to help you to see the silver lining in this festive cloud. Could it be that Christmas actually gets better as you get older? I think so. So here are five ways that Christmas improves with age.

Jennifer is a US lawyer specialising in estates and trusts but what makes her unique is that over the years she has become an expert in Digital Asset Planning. As an expert in this rapidly growing and increasingly complex area, Jennifer is a sought after speaker on digital assets and blockchain technology.  She spends her time advising clients on how to build digital asset planning into their estate plan. In our conversation Jennifer shares steps you can consider when reviewing your own digital assets, starting with explaining what digital assets are, as it includes everything from emails, texts, photos and videos…to cryptocurrency, Gaming tokens, YouTube royalties & social media accounts.  We also discuss what you can do today to get on the right path of digital asset planning and where to look for guidance. This is an exploding area without a one size fits all approach but I hope that listening to this podcast will get you thinking.

As the 4 year anniversary of the podcast's launch was approaching I got to thinking about what I've learnt from the dozens of wonderful guests I've had the pleasure to chat with, and decided to collate a summary of what - to me - seem to be the things that make for a successful retirement. Looking back over the conversations I've had there are some clear themes that come up time and again, which I summarise in this episode. I also reference specific episodes where these themes are discussed the most. The themes can be split into three groups: purpose, planning and looking after yourself and I talk through them in what feels like a chronological order. They are: Redefining retirement, Having a purpose, It's never too late, The brain and understanding how it ages, Taking control of your health and well-being, The Big D, Planning for a 30-year retirement, Investing, and Navigating the care system & the end of life.

Ben is a neuroscientist, psychology lecturer, speaker and author specialising in how the brain works. In fact, he's spent 20 years researching the brain and has a special interest is how the brain changes during the perimenopause and menopause stages of life. Until fairly recently, the menopause has not been discussed widely, but that's certainly changing, thanks to some high-profile celebrities like Davina McCall campaigning for better education and access to HRT. So my conversation with Ben feels quite timely. Ben explains how – contrary to popular belief - the menopause is a neurological process and how the hormonal changes have a tangible effect on a woman's brain. He also explains why some of the common symptoms occur, the latest thinking on HRT, and why the timing of the menopause seems to be a design fault for women.

Laura Page is an artist, photographer, photojournalist and socially engaged practitioner. That means she uses art and photography as a way to help people to express themselves, have their own voice and share their views within their community. Liverpudlian Laura's focus is on society and politics, aiming to produce work that leads to positive social change. She has a particular interest in the older age group and has recently completed an important project called ‘Hidden Depths', funded by winning the Rebecca Vassie Memorial Award. Hidden Depths involved Laura photographing and gathering the stories of 31 over-80-year-olds, to show the rich lives many older people live. She wanted to challenge the ageist stereotypes we see too often. Laura saw first-hand how these 80 and 90 year olds were living a third or fourth new lease of life. Hidden Depths led to further film projects and Laura's beautiful, inspiring photos being used in projects such as the Stop Ageing campaign.

This week we return to our series on the 9 Accelerators for a Successful Retirement for the final time – to discuss the really important topic of Staying on Track. Scroll down to find links to all previous episodes in this series. I spend a lot of time with clients helping them work out what they want their retirement to look like, building a financial plan to support that life, then structuring their assets to be as tax efficient as possible. I also work with them to create a legacy plan, combat IHT, plan how to fund care that might be needed in later life, and implement an investment strategy that will give them the best chance of success. But what then? To some degree, the most important work starts - helping my clients stay on track for a successful retirement. The plan is in place, but goals move, circumstances change, markets rise and fall (sometimes abruptly), and all the assumptions in our financial plan may have shifted. So Staying on Track means reviewing and updating the plans to reflect what's new. It also means helping clients to be disciplined and stick with their investment strategy, in spite of the market noise and what's going on around them.

Hello and welcome to this week's episode, where I am excited to be joined by Dr Ben Webb. Ben is a neuroscientist, psychology lecturer, speaker and author specialising in how the brain works. Ben has spent 20 years researching how the brain works – so he knows his stuff - and now shares this knowledge via his podcast and courses to help us deepen our understanding of how the brain ages. His aim is to allow us to take control of our own brain health. And there's an amazing amount within our control. In our conversation Ben shares the 6 pillars of a healthy brain in detail, including some interesting statistics about how the food we eat can reduce our mental decline by up to 30%. It's similar when it comes to the impact exercise can have, as well as how we manage stress, the critical role of good sleep and how to build up cognitive reserves. I've chatted with many guests about what we can do physically to stay healthy into later life, but much less about what we can do to keep our brains healthy. This is a really rich conversation with so much insight.

Now, as you know, in my day job I help people retire successfully, so a major part of the work that I do is helping people to have a successful retirement experience. To that end I have spent many hours researching and developing an investment philosophy that I believe gives my clients the best chance of achieving their financial goals. A few individuals and companies have had a significant influence on my thinking over the years and few more so, perhaps, than Jack Bogle and the investment giant Vanguard. So I am delighted to have had the opportunity to chat recently with the author of a new book about the history of Jack Bogle, Eric Balchunas. Eric is an author and a Senior ETF Analyst and Funds Product Specialist with Bloomberg, the global leader in business and financial data, news and insight. In our conversation he explains what his role involves and why he became so fascinated with Jack Bogle. We chat about Eric's latest book ‘ The Bogle Effect', and why Bogle's radical idea to turn Vanguard into an investment company for the people, by the people has had such a wide-reaching impact not only upon the investor community, but upon other completely unrelated industries.

Duncan is an author, speaker and self-confessed Morris dancer. Having spent more than 20 years of his life over-doing it, he now spends his time helping people push over-indulgence out of their lives. In our conversation Duncan confesses how strictly speaking he's drunk more than his fair share of wine and eaten more than his fair share of cake. He shares his formula for overcoming indulgence and how he has created a programme to help others do the same. We also chat about his new book, ‘Get Over Indulgence: Take control, find your stress-free life', which is a humorous, yet equally serious, depiction of his daily battles with junk food and alcohol, and how he found a way through.

Renowned public health pioneer, Professor Sir Muir Gray, returned to the podcast to discuss his latest book - Increase your Brainability and reduce your risk of dementia. The evidence is mounting and momentum is building behind the idea that we have a significant amount of control over our risk factors for developing dementia, from protecting our brain tissue to keeping the blood flowing, and Sir Muir shares the latest research with me. He believes the prevention revolution is finally happening and explains how his new educational programme will be rolled out via the NHS encouraging people to ask for new trainers instead of chocolates on those milestone 60th, 70th or 80th birthdays. There are a host more golden nuggets about his Optimal Ageing and Living Better Longer initiatives contained in this episode, so I hope you feel inspired and enjoy my conversation with Professor Sir Muir Gray.

David Adams is a filmmaker (https://davidadamsfilms.com.au/) and photojournalist with a string of incredible documentaries under his belt. He specialises in expeditions to remote regions. He has a passion for archaeology, anthropology and history, which has taken him to exotic locations worldwide including Iran, Siberia, the Pacific Rim, Northern and Central Africa in search of indigenous peoples and their disappearing cultures. David even served as a war correspondent in Afghanistan and Georgia for a period. Alongside travel industry expert David Mannix, David founded Arcadia Expeditions to create truly immersive and authentic travel experiences. In our conversation David shares his passion for adventure and investigating the world around us, he explains Arcadia Expeditions' mission and the types of trips they organise, and why he believes meaningful and purposeful travel experiences can act as a catalyst for a more fulfilling life. So if you are seeking more adventure in your life, I'm sure you'll enjoy my conversation with David Adams.

Sign up for my weekly newsletter and receive a FREE copy of My Care Consultant's comprehensive guide to NHS Continuing Healthcare. Click here to register. This is Jacqueline's second time on the podcast – she appeared in episode 40 back in the summer of 2019. She is the founding director of My Care Consultant, a market-leader in helping people navigate the care system, and she is a fountain of knowledge in all things care related. I was delighted when Jaqueline agreed to come back and talk to me about NHS Continuing Healthcare. It's a complex and often controversial topic because it's a benefit that seems to be so hard to secure. Currently only around 53,000 people in England are receiving NHS Continuing Healthcare funding, which perhaps reinforces its reputation as one of the most difficult benefits to claim successfully. Well Jacqueline hopes to help change that. In our conversation she explains exactly what NHS Continuing Healthcare is and what the eligibility criteria are. She explains how to apply, what you can expect from the application process and, crucially, how to prepare to have the best chance of success. We also chat about some of the challenges you are likely to face during the application process and how to overcome them.

This week we return to our series on the 9 Accelerators for a Successful Retirement – this is the 8th out of 9 episodes and we're talking about legacy planning. Scroll down to find links to all previous episodes in this series. The terms estate planning and legacy planning are often used interchangeably, and there is some cross-over. In my view, the aim of estate planning is to reduce the burden on your loved ones at the end of your life and after you're gone. So that ensures making sure your will, expression of wish, powers of attorney and any trusts are up to date. This should allow you to die organised. (Listen to my episode on estate planning here). Legacy planning, however, is about leaving behind a legacy that makes a difference where it matters most to you. In this episode Kathy and I chat about what to consider when deciding what you want your legacy to be, including charitable giving, passing on values and beliefs, and why we shouldn't wait until death to define our legacy.

Anthony Delauney is a Certified Financial Planner based in the USA and author of three financial education books, based on the ides of ‘Owning the Dash'. He was inspired to create the concept by his late cousin. In his work Anthony applies the concept of a fitness master to the art of family financial planning. He believes we need to develop a mindset necessary to own the dash between our start and end dates in life - to take control of our futures. And getting a grip of our finances is an important part of the philosophy. So Anthony helps families to make sense of and manage their money. He tackles the topic of retirement planning in his book ‘The No-Regrets Retirement Roadmap' and how to teach children important money lessons to children with his ‘Dash and Nikki' and ‘Lily and May' children's books.

Lisa Robinson, ex-Amazon executive, is the founder of Companiions - an online service that allows people to find support, assistance and company for themselves or their loved ones, helping them to stay connected.  It really is an amazing solution for those with elderly parents or family members who they feel might be a little isolated, but not yet ready for full on personal or medical care per se. What they really need is companionship, or someone to do a job or task for them that's become a little too challenging. In our conversation Lisa explains her inspiration for setting up Companiions after years working for big corporates like Amazon and Sky. We also chat about how the service works, why the pandemic acted as a rocket-booster for her business, and the kind of people who can offer companionship or may be looking for it. She tells stories of people from all sorts of backgrounds who have become companions to others, explains how their Companiions for Business service works, and how the charitable giving aspect of Companiions is growing.

Katie Waldegrave MBE is co-founder of Now Teach, an organisation aiming to encourage more experienced people into teaching. She met ex-finance journalist, Lucy Kellaway six years ago who was considering shifting career to become a teacher. Given life is getting longer and our career patterns are changing, many people no longer expect – or want to – completely retire in their sixties. In the face of a teacher recruitment crisis, Katie believes that Now Teach can be part of the solution. The charity aims to bring older people into classrooms - and keep them there long term. To the children they bring wisdom, experience of the world, perspective and careers advice. To the system they bring knowledge of other sectors, fresh ideas and status. Experienced teacher and author Katie explains how Now Teach trains and supports career changers as they take the leap of faith into teaching as a second career. We chat about what makes an ideal teacher and the challenges and benefits of becoming a teacher in later life. If you are considering a change of career, then this episode is for you. Katie is also the founder of First Story, a charity that helps young people discover what it means to have a voice, while developing the skills and confidence to thrive in education and in life through writing.

Jamie Bunce is the CEO of retirement living operator Inspired Villages, a set of later living communities across the UK that have a focus on wellbeing and independence. Jamie is passionate about how retirement communities can help retirees maintain their wellbeing as they get older. He hopes that preventative care will not only better the quality of life for the residents living in Inspired Villages, but also reduce the pressure on our NHS. Jamie strives to keep the physical, psychological, social and financial wellbeing of the residents at the forefront of everything Inspired Villages does.  In our conversation Jamie shares the importance of Inspired Villages' core value of always having time for a cup of tea, how the pandemic has brought home to people the importance of connecting with others regularly, and how Inspired Villages' communities deliver on being far more than just bricks and mortar. He also explains the rental and purchase options and the costs involved in living in one of Inspired Villages complexes. Jamie and I recorded this conversation a few months ago now and since then, Inspired Villages has gone from strength to strength. They now have 7 villages up and running, as opposed to the 6 mentioned in our conversation – with 3 more on the way. Inspired Villages is also now backed by a joint venture partnership between Legal & General and NatWest Group Pension Fund.

Julie Robinson is an award-winning fitness expert who has dedicated her career to motivating thousands of people to keep active in later life. She has done this not only by being the fitness expert for a couple of women's magazines, but over the past 12 years she has run Move it or Lose it, the company she founded to actively help older people get moving. In our conversation Julie shares the story behind her hugely successful enterprise, how it works and the scientific evidence behind the importance of maintaining our strength, balance and flexibility as we age – as Chris Tiley also endorsed on the podcast recently in his book ‘Never Too Old to Lift'. We also touch upon her most recent venture, MenoHealth – a support and fitness programme designed to empower and support women going through the menopause.

Chris Tiley is a physiotherapist based in Birmingham who has experience of working in hospitals, private practice and with elite sports people. He has a passion for strength training and its benefits for the over 60s, which came from observing his clients' experiences of pain and suffering. So, along with offering strength training advice and coaching at his physio practice, Chris has written a book called Never Too Old To Lift and has a blog of the same name. I am a fan of strength training myself and have been working with a coach for over a year now, so I really enjoyed chatting with Chris about his book and what he's learnt about the benefits of strength training as we age. If you're keen to stay strong, fit and mobile as you get older, then this episode is for you.

Will Rainey is a writer and speaker focused on helping parents teach their kids about money. He has been living in Vietnam with his young family since 2019 after making the life changing decision to quit corporate life. The move was made possible by his lifelong habit of saving and investing, which gave him an idea for a new business. Having been an investment consultant and actuary, Will now focuses his attention on helping parents and grandparents to teach their children and grandchildren about money through his business, Blue Tree Savings, and his recently published book, Grandpa's Fortune Fables. Will's website, bluetreesavings.com, has helped thousands of parents start talking to their kids about money. He chats with me about the power of stories to engage and educate young minds.

This is Suzanne's third appearance on the podcast sharing her latest entrepreneurial idea. Over the years she has carved out a career in a variety of different industries, from baby slings to time saving apps, to the TV industry. Suzanne's focus is now on challenging the narrative around ageing and she has launched a series of businesses to do just that, from the social enterprise ‘Advantages of Age' to Startup School for Seniors, which we heard about in last week's episode. Her most recent business idea is aimed, again, at the over 50s and is called Nestful. They help the over 50s to find the perfect housemate, by matching lodgers of any age with homeowners over 50. Seniors with spare rooms can use the online forum to safely find suitable houseguests to make their spare space work hard and to have company from someone with similar interests and values.

Suzanne is a serial entrepreneur who has had a diverse career which included PR for big entertainment brands, founding a TV company, creating a baby sling company and launching money saving app Frugl. I interviewed Suzanne for the podcast back in 2019 to talk about Advantages of Age, the social enterprise she founded after attempting to join the London technology start up industry and realising she was the oldest person in the room. Suzanne is back to talk about one of her latest ventures; co-founding ‘Startup School for Seniors'. The aim of her latest not-for-profit is to help the over 50s turn their business ideas into reality in just 8 weeks. In our conversation, Suzanne shares the story behind this idea, how Startup School for Seniors works and real life examples of people who have got their business ideas off the ground as a result.