
The Truth About Spending in Retirement and Why It’s Good News
From Motley Fool Hidden Gems Investing by The Motley Fool
July 18, 2026 · 14 min
About this episode
The episode discusses misconceptions about retirement spending and presents data on how retirees can manage their finances more effectively.
Knowing how much income you’ll need in retirement is a key variable in determining how much you need to have saved before you stop working. But what many people believe about how spending progresses over the course of retirement is wrong. Host Robert Brokamp speaks with David Blanchett, the head of retirement research at Prudential Financial and a portfolio manager for PGIM, about what the data shows about real-life retirement spending. Topics covered include: -Why retirees may not need as much inflation protection as is commonly recommended-Healthcare expenses: the retirement wildcard-Why the reality of retirement spending could result in a higher withdrawal rate-Other factors that suggest retirees could withdraw more than the “4% rule” Host: Robert Brokamp, CFP®, EAGuest: David Blanchett: Ph.D., CFP®, CFAEngineer: Bart Shannon, Kristi Waterworth Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities…
People in this episode
Host: Robert Brokamp
Guest: David Blanchett
Topics covered
- retirement spending
- inflation protection
- healthcare expenses
- withdrawal rates
- financial planning
Keywords
- retirement
- spending
- inflation
- healthcare
- withdrawal rate
- financial advice
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Prudential Financial, PGIM, The Motley Fool
More episodes of Motley Fool Hidden Gems Investing
- GE Aerospace Goes Vertical (Integration) · September 8, 2026 · 22 min
- Bloom Energy’s “Time-to-Power” Moat · September 7, 2026 · 29 min
- Purpose, People, and Core Pursuits: Key Ingredients to a Happy Retirement · September 6, 2026 · 25 min
- How Much Does It Take to Be Happy in Retirement? · September 5, 2026 · 21 min
- Tesla’s Robotaxi Non-Event & GPT-6 Is Here! · September 4, 2026 · 41 min
- Is the Data Center Investing Trend in Trouble? · September 3, 2026 · 25 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Motley Fool Hidden Gems Investing podcast page.