Today, I’m sharing 5 of my favorite investing & economic charts from the past month.

These charts cover topics such as:

• Longevity
• Retirement Spending
• Asset Allocation Withdrawal Rates...and More!

Looking at the headlines through the lens of longer-term data can make it easier to stay thoughtful and avoid reactive decisions.

I hope the charts below help provide that perspective.

***

Before we dive in, did you catch this week's podcast? 👇

Favorite Charts (June 2026)

#1 - The Longer You Live...The Longer You Live

One of the hardest retirement planning variables to estimate is also one of the most important: how long you’ll live. And in my experience, many people underestimate it.

For married couples, the better planning number is often joint life expectancy (the age the second spouse may reach).

For a healthy 65-year-old couple, there is a 74% chance that one spouse will live to age 90, and a 44% chance that one spouse will live to age 95.

Your personal life expectancy may be even longer. Population averages don’t fully account for factors like income, health habits, access to healthcare, and career history; all of which can increase the odds of living longer.

That’s why longevity is not just an interesting statistic. It influences how much you can spend, how much growth your portfolio may need, when to claim Social Security, and how to plan for inflation and future healthcare costs.

Planning for a long life does not mean assuming the worst. It means building a retirement plan durable enough to support you if things go better than expected.

#2 - Three Phases of Retirement Spending

Retirement spending rarely moves in a straight line. Instead, it often follows three broad phases: the go-go years, the slow-go years, and the no-go years.

As retirees age, spending tends to decline, often because travel slows, mobility becomes more limited, or the desire for expensive experiences fades. But averages only tell part of the story.

There are two important planning takeaways.

First, higher spending in the early years of retirement is normal. In many cases, it should be encouraged.

Those are often the years when retirees have the best health, the most energy, and the strongest desire to travel, pursue hobbies, and enjoy the wealth they worked so hard to build.

So, rather than treating higher early retirement spending as a problem, we plan for it.

Second, housing remains the largest expense for most retirees, often accounting for roughly 40% of the retirement budget.

That is one reason paying off a mortgage can become increasingly attractive as retirement approaches.

It may not always be the mathematically optimal move, but removing a large fixed expense can create something many retirees value just as much: flexibility.

#3 - Retirement Spending Is Lumpy

Retirement spending may look predictable in the averages, but real life is rarely that smooth.

In fact, one study found that 63% of retirees experienced annual spending changes of more than 20% during their first few years of retirement.

Even after those early years, more than half continued to see similar levels of spending volatility.

The reminder is simple: retirement expenses do not move in a straight line.

Some years bring higher travel costs, home repairs, family support, healthcare expenses, or one-time purchases. Other years are quieter and less expensive.

That’s why emergency savings remain important throughout retirement, not just during your working years.

Having cash set aside can help absorb the unexpected without forcing unnecessary portfolio withdrawals, selling investments at the wrong time, or disrupting the broader retirement income plan.

#4 - Higher Volatility, Better Long-Term Results?

Retirees are often told to reduce stock exposure as they get older.

That can be reasonable, but over a retirement that may last 30+ years, becoming too conservative can create its own risk: not having enough long-term growth.

Historically, portfolios with meaningful stock exposure have often been better positioned to support long retirements.

Despite higher short-term volatility, stocks have helped reduce the risk of running out of money and, in some cases, supported higher withdrawal rates over time.

Of course, retirees cannot ignore market risk. Sequence of returns risk is real, especially early in retirement. A major market decline can cause lasting damage if you are forced to sell long-term investments while they are down.

That is why we create a cash war chest to cover 1-3 years of known living expenses.

The goal is not to avoid volatility altogether. It's to protect your short-term needs while giving your long-term assets the time and space they need to grow.

#5 - A Strategy to Spend More in Retirement

Many retirees worry about spending too much too soon, and that concern is understandable.

After decades of saving, drawing down your portfolio can feel uncomfortable. But the fear of overspending can sometimes go too far.

For example, it can prevent retirees from using their money on travel, family, convenience, and experiences that may improve quality of life, especially in the early years of retirement when health and energy are strongest.

That's why the chart below is so important. It shows that retirees with more guaranteed income often feel more comfortable spending.

When basic expenses are covered by reliable income sources, it can become easier to use portfolio assets for the things that make retirement more enjoyable.

This may seem at odds with the earlier point about maintaining enough stock exposure for long-term growth, but the two ideas work together.

A well-built retirement income plan should protect near-term needs, preserve long-term growth, and create the confidence to actually enjoy the money you worked so hard to save.

For retirees who are especially hesitant to spend, or who need more reliable income than Social Security and pensions provide, there may be strategies worth considering to create a stronger income floor.

Bottom Line

If there is a common thread across these charts, it’s that retirement is rarely as neat as the averages suggest.

You may live longer than expected, spend more in the early years, face uneven expenses from one year to the next, and still need enough growth to support a retirement that could last 30 years or more.

That is why a good retirement plan cannot be built around one assumption, one withdrawal rate, or one portfolio decision.

It needs to be flexible enough to handle surprises, durable enough to last, and practical enough to help you enjoy the money you worked so hard to save.

📚 What I've Been Reading

• Trust Distributions: Timing, Tax, and Practical Considerations (The Tax Advisor)​
• Active Management’s Persistent Failure (Larry Swedroe)​
• Broken Rules of Thumb (Novel Investor)​
• Why ATMs Didn’t Kill Bank Teller Jobs, But the iPhone Did (David Oks)​
• The 5 Elements Of Meaningful Work In The AI Era (Great Place To Work)​

Thank you for reading!

Please reply to this email with comments, questions, and/or feedback.

Stay wealthy,

Taylor Schulte, CFP®