Money is math and math doesn’t care about your feelings. The Yield to Reason Podcast exists to help you identify when you are being too emotional and when you aren’t being emotional enough.
The Reality is stark. Nearly 51% of Americans worry about outliving their savings, and 70% of retirees wish they had started saving earlier. Furthermore, 55% of Americans worry they won't achieve financial security in retirement. These statistics highlight a pervasive unease about the future.
That snazzy tip you read on the listicle of the “Top 10 Smart Financial Moves to Make this Month” sounds great. But was it advice designed to get you further ahead or to improve the authors engagement on content?
We’re not here to give you flavor-of-the-week advice. Our content is dense, thoroughly researched, and—at times—perhaps a little unapproachable to the novice investor. For this, we make no apologies. Facts matter. So if you are ready to dive down the rabbit hole of your financial life, we applaud you for your efforts. And we promise to do our very best in assisting you on your journey.
Publisher
Brandon Roberts | Retirement Income Planning Expert
Retirement Insights: How Current Retiree Experiences Guide Successful Retirement Planning
Send a text What do retirees who are truly happy have in common — and what do those who aren't wish they'd done differently? In this episode, Brandon digs into the latest research on retirement success and retirement regrets to build a clearer picture of what actually separates retirees who are thriving from those who are struggling. The data tells a nuanced story — one that goes well beyond savings balances and rate-of-return targets. You'll get a ground-level look at the current state of re...
16 Feb 2026
Big Retirement Problems: How Investment Research is Setting you up for Failure
Send a text When research says "the market returned 10% over 80 years," what does that actually mean for your retirement? Most DIY investors make critical assumptions about expected returns that create serious retirement planning problems. This episode breaks down the troubling gap between advertised fund performance and real investor results. We examine research from Dalbar and Morningstar showing retail investors consistently underperform stated returns by 1-2% annually—which can mean missi...
9 Feb 2026
Avoiding the Un-Retirement Debacle: Preparation is Trickier than you Think
Send us a text Seven percent of American retirees are returning to work—not from boredom, but because they can't afford to stay retired. That's 550,000 more people than last year facing this harsh reality. This episode breaks down the data behind un-retirement and provides actionable strategies to build a portfolio that can withstand retirement's financial pressures. The primary culprit? Insufficient guaranteed income. Retirees with the lowest levels of guaranteed income from Social Security...
2 Feb 2026
Framework for Analyzing Closed-End Funds: Spotting Distribution Cut Risk
Send us a text Learn to protect your retirement income by identifying vulnerable closed-end funds before they slash distributions. This episode breaks down five essential metrics every DIY investor should monitor to build a more resilient income portfolio. WHY THIS MATTERS FOR YOUR RETIREMENT Distribution cuts in CEFs trigger price drops, creating double trouble: lost income AND capital losses. Understanding these warning signs helps you avoid funds at risk and select more sustainable incom...
26 Jan 2026
Does High Investment Yield Mean High Investment Risk?
Send us a text "When More Isn't Better: The Hidden Dangers of Chasing Yield" Episode Overview Does higher yield always mean better returns? In this episode, we tackle one of the most seductive—and dangerous—assumptions in income investing: that if a little yield is good, more must be better. The research tells a different story. We explore why chasing yield can become your financial undoing and provide practical frameworks to help you identify when a distribution is sustainable versus when i...
19 Jan 2026
Why No One Follows the 4% Rule
Send us a text Why the 4% Rule Failed (And What Actually Works) Episode Description: The 4% withdrawal rule has become retirement planning gospel—but here's the problem: almost nobody actually follows it. In this episode, we unpack why retirees consistently withdraw only 2% of their portfolios annually, despite decades of research validating higher withdrawal rates. More importantly, we reveal what the data shows does work: building portfolios with reliable income streams that give you permis...
12 Jan 2026
What is a Financial Advisor (and what is Not)?
Send us a text Episode Description: Before you hire someone to help with your retirement portfolio, you need to know what you're actually hiring. This episode breaks down the four main categories of financial professionals—investment advisors, financial planners, brokers, and insurance agents—and explains what each one actually does, how they get paid, and which standard of care they follow. If you're a DIY investor considering professional guidance, or if you need specific products that requ...
21 Jul 2025
There is No Such thing as the American Retirement
Send us a text Episode Description In this eye-opening episode, Brandon challenges everything you thought you knew about retirement in America. Through historical context and current data, he reveals why the concept of "American Retirement" is actually a myth – and what that means for your financial planning strategy. Key Takeaways The average American retires at age 62 – not 65, 67, or 70 as commonly suggested by financial plannersNearly 40% of retirees return to work in some capacity, with...
14 Jul 2025
The Dark Side of Income Investing - What Could Go Wrong With Your Retirement Plan
Send us a text Ready for a reality check? While income-focused investing can be a cornerstone of retirement success, it's not the bulletproof strategy many believe it to be. In this eye-opening episode, host Brandon Roberts pulls back the curtain on the hidden risks that could derail your golden years. What You'll Discover The uncomfortable truth: There's no such thing as risk-free retirement investing. But knowledge is power, and understanding these risks is your first line of defense. Real-...
7 Jul 2025
Best Strategies to Avoid Running out of Money in Retirement
Host Brandon Roberts explores strategies to conquer the fear of running out of money in retirement by advising listeners to stop selling assets.
30 Jun 2025
Should You Buy an Annuity? The Truth Behind America's Most Controversial Retirement Product
This episode explores annuities, America's controversial retirement product, and examines whether they are brilliant tools or expensive mistakes.
23 Jun 2025
Social Security, What's the REAL Best Age to Begin Receiving Income Benefits?
Host Brandon Roberts challenges the conventional wisdom of delaying Social Security benefits until age 70, offering a new perspective on retirement strategy.
16 Jun 2025
Another Man's Transition to Income-Focused Investing
Justin Snider, a former trader and veteran, shares his recent transition to income-focused investing after discovering new retirement strategies in an interview.
9 Jun 2025
Why Your Roth Conversion Probably Won't Work
Host Brandon Roberts challenges conventional retirement tax planning, revealing that Roth conversions may not yield the significant benefits many anticipate.
2 Jun 2025
Building Retirement Income with Closed-End Funds - Special Guest Steve Selengut
Investment advisor Steve Selengut reveals to host Brandon Roberts how closed-end funds can generate substantial retirement income, offering listeners a potentially transformative financial strategy in this interview.
26 May 2025
Won't Index Investing Produce more Money?
Host Brandon Roberts examines the common argument that passive S&P 500 investing yields more money, contrasting its theoretical appeal with practical retirement planning.
19 May 2025
Five High Yielding Investment Ideas to Start Building your Income-Focused Portfolio
The episode presents five high-yielding investment ideas for building an income-focused portfolio, offering practical options for creating reliable retirement income.
12 May 2025
Why Income Building is the Key to your Retirement Success
Host Brandon Roberts introduces a retirement income planning approach, explaining why building income streams is more important than solely focusing on growing a nest egg.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 33 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
54
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
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