Delay Period Funding Strategy: EDU #2620
The Retirement and IRA Show
Jim Saulnier, CFP® & Chris Stein, CFP®
4.3 • 729 Ratings
🗓️ 20 May 2026
⏱️ 80 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Chris’s Summary:
Jim and I discuss a listener’s strategy for funding the delay period in this dialog show. A 59-year-old chemical engineer shares his plan to transition from 100% equities by purchasing TIPS only when his portfolio reaches new market highs. We cover his Social Security claiming strategy, concerns about CPI-based inflation adjustments relative to Minimum Dignity Floor
expenses, and the potential role of a QLAC for late-in-life secure income.
Jim’s “Pithy” Summary:
Chris and I dig into a listener’s email in this dialog show, examining the retirement strategy of a self-described Vanguardian and chemical engineer who is three years out from retirement. His approach is built around what he calls “pedal to the metal” accumulation – 100% equities for his working years – and now he is figuring out how to transition his assets to a decumulation model. The centerpiece of his plan is a TIPS ladder covering his eight-year delay period, funded by selling from his all-stock portfolio only when it reaches a new market high. Most of his rungs are already purchased, and the approach has worked – the market has been kind. But Chris and I both flag the same concern: it works until it doesn’t. If markets go sideways or drop and stay there, he could find himself heading straight into sequence of returns risk without the rungs he needs, still waiting on new highs that may not come.
Beyond those mechanics, we get into some of the things he may be underweighting. The five expense categories that anchor his retirement spending — food, utilities, transportation, housing, and health care — tend to rise faster than headline CPI, which is what TIPS are tied to. His year-over-year projections are clean and consistent, but real-world spending in those categories is variable, not a steady march. We also touch on his Social Security claiming plan and his note that he still needs to fine-tune his Fun Number once that funding is complete.
The episode wraps with his mention of QLACs for late-in-life secure income – something Chris and I agree can make sense, and buying sooner rather than later may give more income dollar for dollar given how deferral and mortality credits compound inside these contracts.
The post Delay Period Funding Strategy: EDU #2620 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The retirement and IRA show represents the words and views of the show hosts exclusively and should not be construed as investment legal or tax advice. All information is believed to be from reliable sources. However, we make no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. All economic and performance information is historical in nature and is not indicative of any future results. Any indices mentioned on the show are unmanaged and cannot be invested indirectly. Diversityiversification and asset allocation strategies do not assure profit or protect against loss. |
| 0:23.7 | Never make any investment or financial decisions based on information offered on this show |
| 0:26.8 | without first consulting your financial legal or tax advisor. |
| 0:29.6 | Financial planning services offered through Jim Solnier and Associates LLC, a registered investment advisor. |
| 0:47.0 | This is the retirement and IRA show coming to you from beautiful Northern Colorado. |
| 0:52.6 | Join us as certified financial planner Jim Sonier, as well as Colorado State University Finance instructor and certified financial planner Chris Stein teach you about IRAs, |
| 0:58.0 | borrow-in-case, annuities, social security, pension plans, and estate planning in a fun and enjoyable show. |
| 1:05.0 | Whether you are listening live in Colorado or streaming from their website or iTunes podcast, |
| 1:10.0 | Jim and Chris want you to know that they're |
| 1:12.5 | available to help you plan for your retirement. Just visit their website at Jimhelps.com. |
| 1:18.3 | That's Jim H-E-L-P-S.com and click the Meet the Team button on the homepage. Now here's Jim and Chris |
| 1:26.0 | with today's show. |
| 1:32.1 | Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Retirement and IRA show EDU edition for this week. We've got, |
| 1:36.4 | I guess what we usually call it, a dialogue show going on. |
| 1:42.7 | For those of you who haven't heard us do one of these EDU shows. |
| 1:46.5 | The dialogue shows are where we take feedback from a listener or listeners about how they are |
| 1:54.7 | approaching their own retirement, maybe implementing some of what we talk about on the show and kind of put their own spin on it. |
| 2:05.2 | We actively invite people to send in their own thoughts in this way because kind of a group |
| 2:12.4 | sourcing or crowd sourcing of retirement, we find that people who are listeners can learn from other listeners, not just from us, |
| 2:21.1 | not just from Jim and I talking about the way we view things. |
| 2:25.3 | So Jim's bringing to us an email from a listener here that was said in not too long ago, I guess. I think it was the end of 2025. |
| 2:38.4 | But he has some thoughts about how he's approaching things and let a little bit of the cat out |
... |
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