Rock Retirement: A Simple Guide to Help You Take Control and Be More Optimistic About the Future

by Roger Whitney, Roger Whitney

"A guide for planning that rich season of life, based not just on money, but also on how to create meaningful relationships, memories, and legacy." --Dan Miller, author of 48 Days to the Work You Love

Rock Retirement offers inspirational advice on how to enjoy the journey to retirement to its fullest. Traditional retirement advice usually boils down to saving more, sacrificing more, and settling for less. This approach makes people dependent on systems outside their control, such as the market, economy, and investment returns. The people lose power over determining their life. What sets Rock Retirement apart is its holistic approach to helping people take back control and act intentionally towards the life they want. It addresses the fears, hopes, and dreams that people have about retirement, goes way beyond the numbers, and shows them how to balance living well today and tomorrow.

"Too many books think retirement is just about finances. Instead, retirement is about looking at life in full and working out what it is you want to do and then turning to finances to make it happen. That's exactly the focus of the practical and helpful guide." --Andrew Scott, coauthor of The 100-Year Life

"Roger Whitney lays out a plan for today's modern retiree. If you are exhausted with being fed that retirement is the end game of life, then Roger's book is a must-read!" --Darryl W. Lyons, author of 18 to 80

"If you're dreaming of a retirement free of worry, chao and confusion, Rock Retirement will give you the clarity, a solid plan and fresh inspiration to help you get where you want to go." --Jevonnah "Lady J" Ellison, author of Love Letters for Leading Ladies

Genres: Finance, Personal Finance, Nonfiction

257 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 3, 2017

Reviews

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a regular listener of Roger Whitney's podcast, Retirement Answer Man. When I heard that he had written a book I knew I had to read it! In this book, Roger shares many nuggets of great information. He tells it like it is and doesn't sugarcoat things. He make concepts interesting and easy to understand by sharing stories and making analogies. Roger's "agile" perspective on retirement is refreshing and encouraging. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to gain a new and different point of view on retirement!

[JP · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book with a different take on how to think about retirement. Will take away and use a lot of these ideas.

[Angelo DiBiasi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was looking forward to reading this book but then finalized forced myself to finish it. Same old retirement advice: "sorry you didn't save enough or the market didn't make enough money, then figure out how to be happy with what you got" - LOL

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first exposure to Roger Whitney was through his Retirement Answer Man podcast, which I recommend. When I learned about the book I figured I’d give it a try. It’s perhaps a “softer” approach to retirement than many books take, focusing a little less on hard numbers and specific strategies and more on higher level goals, having a good attitude, accepting you can’t predict and perfectly plan out something that will last as long as a typical retirement, being flexible and regularly having checkins to see how you’re doing and where you’re going, and if you have a family making sure to communicate well and plan together. All in all a solid contribution to the retirement planning landscape.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you’re just starting to look into what retirement life could be, this is a great book. However I’ve read several books on retirement and thought that would give me a different slant which it really didn’t. Yes retirement is not just about money it’s about doing something that you enjoy with your newly found freedom. There are some good resources in here and the associated online checklists and questions to ask yourself that are useful.

[Jack · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't find any actionable advice in this book. It seems very basic but at the same time fluffy with a lot of stories about things that supposedly happened to clients of his financial planning bushiness. Advisors don't have much incentive to give people information that could make them independent. I heard about this book on a podcast but found it disappointing.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Likely being 10+ years out from retirement, I've started to think and research about the longer term planning and to put together some guesstimates on how it will look on paper.

I discovered Roger Whitney's Retirement Answer Man podcast and really like it - he does a great job of talking about the many topics involved, all with the slant of creating a vision of what your retirement looks like and devising a financial plan that is focused on making that vision a success. (As opposed to shooting for a "you need X dollars - now start saving!")

This book is a very nice overview of his philosophy and the steps you want to take and think about in this process. If you are looking for deep financial number crunching and market analysis, this isn't the book you are looking for - and that is good because there are many other books out there for that.

Use this book to begin your thought process, listen to his podcast to flesh out more corners of his ideas and it will help you envision a path that you feel comfortable with - then you'll want to meet with a financial advisor to see how you can make it happen.

[Marian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is written for Babyboomers who are looking to retire in the next few years. As a millennial who read this book, I still found a lot of Roger’s advice very helpful. He gives a lot of practical tips for what he thinks is the true meaning of retirement which is the time when you can finally stop the daily grind of work and spend your time and money on your true passions. Roger’s advice for realizing your dream in your retirement is very relevant for millennials who are also looking to do the same but at a younger age than their parents’ generation. Also, aside from his financial advice the book contains a lot of practical relationship tips to prepare for retirement with your spouse. Overall, his advice is very sound since they are based on his years of experience in the financial planning industry and coaching. I highly recommend this book to not only those who are looking to retire soon but also to the younger generation who would like to prepare for their own “retirement” from making ends meet.

[Stefanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 rounded to 3. I don't disagree with the author's points, I just didn't find them particularly unique or actionable. Basically, think about what kind of life you want to live now and in retirement, avoid paint-by-numbers retirement planning approaches, oh, and here are a few worksheets to write down the things you thought up while thinking about your life. Maybe this is helpful for people younger than my 51 years who haven't really spent a lot of time on these thoughts and topics already? I haven't listened to the author's podcasts or read his blog so I didn't have any expectations when I picked up this book. The title really describes the content accurately though - "a simple guide."

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was quite entertaining. I enjoyed hearing about how people were making tough choices about what to do with a lake house or working as a consultant in retirement. None of it really applicable to working class people. Its a "oh the places you'll go" guide for dreamers. I see retirement as more of a minefield one has to carefully cross before death. I would be quite happy with a paint by numbers retirement of early bird specials and park benches.

[Rand Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

I heard Rodger's interview on the Read to Lead podcast. I had great hopes for this book. I envisioned it being right next to some key personal finance books in my library. Already applying some "pretirement" strategies, I thought this might further stoke my imagination. Sadly, it didn't. It will be good, however, for people who haven't given retirement much thought.

[RK Productions · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so excited to rock retirement!

Roger gives such wonderful insight on how to plan for the retirement shaped JUST FOR ME. I am going to enjoy making dreams into realities with all of the worksheets available!
I have listened to his podcasts and watched his YouTube channel, and loved them. This book just shows me the path to fulfilling MY dreams!

[Geoffrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy to read. This is applicable to many people, including those savvy enough to create enough cash flow to cover their expenses in their working years. Retirement is not what it used to be and people need to create a sort of hybrid experience that allows for some work and some play until you are unable or unwilling to work at all, for the sake of staying sane - if nothing else.

[Dwayne Squires · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! So much to glean and sooo many resources available to go with it. One of those books you expect to mark up and do the action steps included. His podcast is amazing, and I expect the premium access will be worth it when I have exhausted all the freebies. This will be a ‘buy for a friend’ book many times over. It will lead you dig more or seek out a financial coach to work with.

[Brian R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Provided useful info for how to approach retirement planning

Roger gave me some very useful things to consider in planning my retirement. I am looking at another 6 years to retire at 60 (fingers crossed) and this book is prompting me to really give those plans some thoughts beside thinking along the old, outdated thinking of "75% of your working income in retirement". One of the most immediate things this got me to do is, in using some of the checklists, to get the detail of my incomes and spending. As arduous and sickening as the process is it is an eye opener (and seeing the spending part is where the sickening feeling comes from) but it now allows me to see some immediate changes I can make without it really having any negative impact on my current lifestyle but should allow me to better position myself in the future as I get closer to retirement.

[Robert Kneisley family Physicians of Springfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great advice

Excellent take on true key features of retirement
Financial perspective included but addresses many other aspects of retirement that are as or more important. Made me feel good about my future

[Glen Leavens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rock Retirement: A Simple Guide to Help You Take Control and be More Optimistic About the Future was a wonderful book. I have enjoyed the podcasts and this book brought me back to my own retirement and my next moves. A good and fast read. However, it made me think. Well done.

[Fritz Gilbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for folks entering, or living in, retirement. Roger hosts The Retirement Answer Man podcast, and has helped thousands of people achieve great retirements. This book is a compilation of his best advice to live an "agile" retirement.

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Food for thought

Some of the advice here is a no brainer. However, it provides a different perspective with looking at retirement.

You won't get specific solutionns from this book, but you will get. Lot of food for thought and things to ponder.

[Rev. Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Helpful

This sound, insightful book was a delightful read. It raises all the important existential issues that contribute to a meaningful retirement. I will regularly recommend it to my colleagues.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a well written book. It was somewhat reassuring in its approach.

[Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gave me some things to think about. Showed me I am on the right track.

[Brent Keck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful in examining underlying attitudes and perspectives about retirement.

[Scott Bunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good information

Enjoyed the book. Great basic information in starting your plan for retirement. Will recommend to all my friends to read.

[Trish Sanders · Rating 3 out of 5]

focuses on conceptual thinking about retirement rather than specific planning guidelines, interesting take on the topic

[Jacob George · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-Read Frequency: Annually
- Last Read: Spring '23

Time Needed: 3hr

Phenomenal loaner book for those within 10 years of retirement