Retire Without Regret: What the Latest Research Gets Right (and What Most People Miss)
Retire Without Regret: What the Latest Research Gets Right (and What Most People Miss)
If you’re thinking about retirement—or already in it—chances are you’ve asked yourself some version of this question:
“Am I doing this right?”
Recently, I was featured in Investopedia’s 2025 Guide to Retiring Without Regret, which brought together insights from financial planners across the country. The goal? Help people avoid the most common retirement pitfalls—financial and otherwise.
Here’s my take on what they got right, what most people still overlook, and how we help clients at Compound Advisory retire with confidence.
The 4 A’s of a Regret-Free Retirement
The article outlines a behavioral framework that I fully support: Alignment, Awareness, Agency, and Adaptability. It’s simple—but powerful.
Alignment means making sure your money and your time are working toward the life you actually want—not someone else’s version of “retirement.”
Awareness means knowing the numbers and the emotions behind them. What lights you up? What does your lifestyle actually cost?
Agency is about small, intentional steps. Whether it’s winding down work or exploring new passions, you don’t need to leap—you need to move.
Adaptability is what separates the stressed from the confident. Market changes. Health issues. Family dynamics. The best plans are built to bend, not break.
This mirrors how we plan at Compound. Retirement isn’t just about not running out of money—it’s about living well and staying in control.
Why I Rarely Recommend “Fully Retiring” Overnight
One thing I’ve seen over and over again: people who ease into retirement tend to be happier and better prepared—financially and emotionally.
A phased retirement might include:
This gives you time to transition your identity, test your cash flow, and figure out what really matters without flipping your life upside down overnight.
The Financial Piece Most People Miss
Here’s the stat that should make you pause: Over 60% of Americans over 50 worry they won’t have enough money to retire.
That’s not just a math problem. It’s a planning problem.
At Compound Advisory, we help clients:
Stress test their retirement plan using different market and inflation scenarios
Build 12–36 months of cash, cash like and income to avoid selling in a downturn
Use our proprietary dynamic withdrawal strategies—not just the outdated 4% rule
You don’t need a magic number. You need a smart, adaptable strategy.
Relationships Matter Too
Retirement isn’t just about your portfolio. It’s about your life. Your partner. Your routine. Your identity.
In the article, I shared this:
“Retirement shouldn’t just be a money move—it should be a mindset shift. If you’re just checking the boxes, you’ll miss what matters most.”
This is something I believe deeply. The best financial plan in the world is useless if you hate your day-to-day life. That’s why our process always includes personal goals, emotional readiness, and quality-of-life planning—not just numbers on a spreadsheet.
My Simple 4-Step Framework
Here’s how we help clients retire with clarity and confidence:
1. Clarify
Define what you want retirement to look like—and what it will cost.
2. Test
Try it before you fully commit. Part-time work, travel, new routines.
3. Plan
Build a strategy with taxes, income, risk, and flexibility in mind.
4. Refine
Revisit regularly as your life evolves. Retirement is not static.
Final Thought
You don’t need to be perfect. You just need a plan that reflects you.
If you’re 5–10 years out from retirement, or already in it and wondering, “Did I do this right?”—that’s exactly what we help with.
Start with a no-pressure, no-pitch retirement assessment. I’ll help you identify what’s working, what’s missing, and what we can do to close the gap.
And if you want to see the full article where I was featured, here’s the link again:
The 2025 Guide to Retiring Without Regret
Keep Compounding,
Heath Harris
Founder, Compound Advisory
