Your Retirement Plan's 10% Failure Rate Isn't What You Think (FQF)

This week on Five Question Friday (FQF):

Question 1: What can we learn from the retirement simulations that fail?

Question 2: Should you invest $500,000 in cash all at once or dollar cost average, and how often?

Question 3: Should you set aside 3 to 4 years of expenses in cash and fixed income as you near retirement?

Question 4: Should you keep your spending money in retirement in Vanguard's money market fund, VMFXX?

Question 5: When should you cancel term life insurance?

Resources mentioned in the video:

ProjectionLab: https://go.robberger.com/projectionlab/fqf-2026-08-28
Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund (VMFXX): https://investor.vanguard.com/investment-products/mutual-funds/profile/vmfxx
Vanguard, U.S. government obligations income by fund, 2025 (for state taxes): https://investor.vanguard.com/content/dam/retail/us/en/pdfs/taxes/usgo-012026.pdf
My conversation with Harold Evensky, the father of the bucket strategy: https://youtu.be/cjaf5MZPPNU

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0:00 Intro: this week's five questions
0:52 What can we learn from retirement simulations that fail?
6:50 Lump sum vs. dollar cost averaging
10:11 A cash anchor before you retire
14:21 Where to keep your spending money in retirement
16:45 When should you cancel term life insurance?

ABOUT ME

While still working as a trial attorney in the securities field, I started writing about personal finance and investing In 2007. In 2013 I started the Doughroller Money Podcast, which has been downloaded millions of times. I've since sold my websites, bought them back, and started a new website and this YouTube channel.

I'm also the author of Retire Before Mom and Dad--The Simple Numbers Behind a Lifetime of Financial Freedom (https://amzn.to/3by10EE)

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DISCLAIMER: I am not a financial adviser. These videos are for educational purposes only. Investing of any kind involves risk. Your investment and other financial decisions are solely your responsibility. It is imperative that you conduct your own research and seek professional advice as necessary. I am merely sharing my opinions.

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