In this second half of Julie’s retirement journey, she shares what life looks like after leaving a decades-long career behind—and why the reality has been even better than she expected.

From joining a fitness community and reconnecting with old friends to riding her new e-bike and spending summer evenings at the pool, Julie is discovering the freedom to enjoy the things she never had enough time for while working. She’s also found that retirement has given her more time to support her aging mother and make thoughtful decisions about her care.

Julie and Matt Meline discuss the emotional side of retirement, including the fear of relying on investments instead of a paycheck, how financial planning helped her feel more confident, and why she quickly realized she didn’t need her backup plan to return to work.

Julie also shares practical advice for women approaching retirement, including exploring different retirement ages, using free SHIP resources to understand Medicare and Social Security, and carefully comparing health insurance options. Plus, she explains how she’s using AI for everyday tasks, from gardening plans and shopping lists to writing thoughtful notes.

The big takeaway? Retirement isn’t just about having enough money to stop working. It’s about having the confidence, time, and support to build a life you’re excited to live.

Episode Topics Covered

• Finding community, friendships, and new hobbies in retirement
• How retirement can create more time to care for aging parents
• Moving from a regular paycheck to drawing income from investments
• Why it’s worth exploring retirement at different ages
• Using SHIP resources to navigate Medicare and Social Security
• Comparing health insurance plans and understanding the details that matter
• Practical ways to use AI in everyday life

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I sincerely appreciate your support. Thank you for being a part of our podcast journey. If you haven't already, please subscribe to stay updated with the latest episodes. Your subscription means the world to me!

Want to dive deeper into the 59½ Rebellion? Check out our 59½ Rebellion playlist on YouTube for more conversations, insights, and practical guidance on making the most of the years leading up to retirement.

I’d love to hear from you; here are some ways to connect:

Web: https://www.prairiefirewealth.com/

Email: info@pfwplanning.com

Get a copy of my book: Empty Nest, Full Pockets: How to Emotionally and Financially Prepare for Your Family’s Future at https://amzn.to/3PovUWM

In this episode of Empty Nest Full Pockets, Matt Meline sits down with Julie to hear the story of her transition from a decades-long career in real estate to retirement.

After working since she was a teenager and spending her career in real estate—including roles in IT, marketing, recruiting, brokerage leadership, and consulting—Julie reached a point where she began asking a question many people approaching retirement eventually face: Can I really retire?

Julie shares what it was like to prepare for retirement while balancing work and caring for an aging parent, how she educated herself about Social Security and insurance, and the moment Matt confirmed that she was financially ready to make the transition.

But retirement wasn't simply about leaving work. For Julie, it became an opportunity to build a new life. She talks about why she didn't experience the sense of loss or lack of purpose that some retirees describe, how she approached building new friendships and community, and why she sees retirement as a commencement—a chance to start something new.

Julie also reflects on lessons she learned about money throughout her life, including the importance of being more engaged with your finances and investments rather than simply working hard and saving.

This conversation offers a personal look at what retirement can actually feel like—from the uncertainty of asking “Can I do this?” to the excitement of realizing that you can.

Episode Topics Covered

• Julie's Decades-Long Career in Real Estate
• The Journey From Working to Consulting to Retirement
• Caring for an Aging Parent While Working
• Preparing Financially Before Retirement
• Understanding Social Security and Insurance
• The Emotional Moment of Realizing You Can Retire
• Why Sometimes We Need Someone to Tell Us It's Okay to Retire
• Learning From Friends Who Retired Before You
• Lessons Julie Learned About Money Growing Up
• The Importance of Being More Engaged With Your Finances
• Learning From Your Parents' Approach to Money
• Knowing When It's Time to Make a Change
• Balancing Work, Family, and Personal Responsibilities
• What Julie Did—and Didn't—Miss About Working
• Finding Community After Retirement
• Building New Friendships in Retirement
• Seeing Retirement as a Commencement, Not an Ending
• Creating a New Life After Your Career
• The Personal Side of Making the Decision to Retire

—

I sincerely appreciate your support. Thank you for being a part of our podcast journey. If you haven't already, please subscribe to stay updated with the latest episodes. Your subscription means the world to me!

Want to dive deeper into the 59½ Rebellion? Check out our 59½ Rebellion playlist on YouTube for more conversations, insights, and practical guidance on making the most of the years leading up to retirement.

I’d love to hear from you; here are some ways to connect:

Web: https://www.prairiefirewealth.com/

Email: info@pfwplanning.com

Get a copy of my book: Empty Nest, Full Pockets: How to Emotionally and Financially Prepare for Your Family’s Future at https://amzn.to/3PovUWM

In this episode of Empty Nest Full Pockets, Matt Meline and Will Schroeder tackle one of the most important questions you'll face once the paychecks stop coming: Where should your retirement income actually come from?

Your retirement savings may be spread across 401(k)s, IRAs, Roth accounts, taxable investments, cash, real estate, and other assets. But deciding which account to draw from first isn't simply a matter of picking the largest balance. Taxes, Medicare premiums, required minimum distributions, capital gains, and your future goals all play a role.

Matt explains how a tax-aware “waterfall” approach can help determine where retirement income should come from and why the right strategy will look different for every household. He and Will discuss Roth withdrawals and conversions, taxable investments, required minimum distributions, charitable giving, estate planning, and how your income today can even affect future Medicare costs.

They also answer an important question for anyone approaching retirement: How much safe money should you have set aside if the stock market misbehaves?

With retirement potentially lasting decades, having a financial runway for the first few years can help prevent a market downturn from forcing major changes to your retirement plans. Matt and Will discuss the role of cash, short-term investments, and retirement guardrails in creating that flexibility.

The goal isn't simply to avoid investment risk. It's to build a retirement income strategy that accounts for taxes, markets, and the unexpected—so you can spend your retirement years with more confidence and less stress.

Episode Topics Covered

• Where Retirement Income Should Come From
• Creating a Tax-Aware Retirement Withdrawal Strategy
• Why Taxes Should Be Considered Before Choosing Which Account to Draw From
• Building a Retirement “Tax Waterfall”
• Using Taxable Investments, Retirement Accounts, and Roth Assets
• Roth Conversions and Retirement Income Planning
• Required Minimum Distributions
• How Retirement Income Can Affect Medicare Premiums
• Capital Gains and When to Sell Investments
• Charitable Giving and Retirement Taxes
• Estate Planning and Tax Considerations
• Why Every Retirement Income Strategy Is Different
• How Much Safe Money You May Need Before Retirement
• Preparing for a Market Downturn Early in Retirement
• Creating a Three-to-Five-Year Financial Runway
• The Role of Cash and Short-Term Investments
• Building Retirement Guardrails
• Protecting the Early Years of Retirement
• Why Retirement Planning Goes Beyond Investments

—

I sincerely appreciate your support. Thank you for being a part of our podcast journey. If you haven't already, please subscribe to stay updated with the latest episodes. Your subscription means the world to me!

Want to dive deeper into the 59½ Rebellion? Check out our 59½ Rebellion playlist on YouTube for more conversations, insights, and practical guidance on making the most of the years leading up to retirement.

I’d love to hear from you; here are some ways to connect:

Web: https://www.prairiefirewealth.com/

Email: info@pfwplanning.com

Get a copy of my book: Empty Nest, Full Pockets: How to Emotionally and Financially Prepare for Your Family’s Future at https://amzn.to/3PovUWM