Strategies for a successful retirement

Money is the top relationship hot button, yet most couples never get formal training on how to plan together. It shows up in subtle ways. One partner wants certainty. The other wants growth. Cue tension.

According to the APA, the economy and money are among the most common stressors for U.S. adults. That stress does not retire when you do.

Plenty of pairs believe they communicate well. Then you ask them separately what they plan to spend in retirement or how much to keep in stocks, and the answers do not match. Fidelity’s Couples & Money study found many pairs disagree on key items like retirement savings targets and investing risk. Nearly half say they argue about money at least occasionally.

Disagreement does not mean you are doomed. It means you need a system that honors both safety and growth. Good news: there is a simple way to do it without spreadsheet wars.

One partner may prefer a bigger stock stake. The other wants guaranteed income. Both instincts are valid. The danger is letting the louder preference dominate. That can lead to an allocation you both abandon at the wrong time.

Start by naming your floor and your fun. The floor covers essential bills for at least two years of spending. The fun bucket funds travel, hobbies, and grandkid madness. Growth sits behind both, ready to refill them on a schedule you both accept. Research shows many couples disagree on risk, so using named buckets reduces the emotional charge of percentages.

Agree on a shared calendar for three core decisions: income, benefits, and taxes. Keep the language simple enough that either partner can run the plan if life throws a curveball.

That is your couple’s command center. Everything else supports it.

Social Security is a household decision. Spousal benefits can be up to half of the worker’s benefit if the spouse qualifies. Survivor benefits can reach 100 percent of the deceased spouse’s benefit at full retirement age for survivors. The details matter for remarriage, age, and work history, which is why couples should look at both files together before anyone claims.

A quick example helps. If the higher earner delays and builds a larger benefit, that higher amount can later become the surviving spouse’s benefit. For many couples, protecting the survivor is the real win, not just today’s monthly check.

Medicare costs look simple until income-related surcharges show up. The standard Part B premium for 2025 is $185 per month, and higher earners pay more based on past tax returns. That can catch couples off guard when withdrawals or capital gains push income higher. Planning your withdrawal order as a team helps keep surcharges in check.

If these moving parts feel like a lot, you are not wrong. Couples juggle different risk tolerances, two benefit timelines, and a shared tax picture. That is exactly where a neutral pro can lower the temperature and raise the quality of the plan.

Here is a simple bridge if you want friendly, vetted guidance. Money Pickle matches you with a fiduciary advisor who specializes in retirement planning. You get a free video conversation to talk through income, Social Security timing, Roth conversions, and Medicare tradeoffs. Many couples tell us the biggest benefit is clarity and confidence. Try the two-minute quiz to get matched: Take the Money Pickle quiz.

Give yourselves a repeatable rhythm. Consistency beats intensity. Make it easy to do well every year, even when markets wobble or life gets busy.

Your once-a-quarter money date
Keep it to 45 minutes. Snacks help.

Bring curiosity, not cross-examination. You are solving a shared puzzle.

You do not need identical money personalities to win together. Set guardrails you both can live with. For example, agree on a minimum cash buffer and a maximum stock allocation. Create a “cooling off” rule for big purchases. Two sleep cycles before either partner hits buy on anything above your set threshold. These small rules save a lot of Saturday mornings.

If trust has taken a hit, start with transparency. Logins, balances, and automatic downloads that both can see. Studies over the years have shown that secrecy around money, sometimes called financial infidelity, harms relationship quality. Sunlight is the point, not surveillance.

Here is a tight checklist that pairs can run through in under 15 minutes.

One more thing. If divorce or widowhood is part of your story, do not try to rebuild alone. That is another moment when a professional can accelerate clarity.

Legal note: This article provides general education, not individualized tax, legal, or investment advice.

Closing thought: You and your partner already know how to be a team. Apply that same teamwork to your money. With a shared playbook, a few guardrails, and help when you need it, retirement planning gets calmer, clearer, and a lot more you.

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Nothing in this newsletter is financial advice. Always do your own research and think for yourself.