Retirement Isn't Rocket Science
Ready to trade your 9-to-5 for your next great adventure? Do you want to spend more money in retirement, while paying less taxes? Great news, you’re in the right place!
Join Dr. Chris Mullis, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® and, yes, former rocket scientist, as he proves "Retirement Isn't Rocket Science."
With a career spent solving complex problems on Earth and in places far, far away, Dr. Chris brings a unique and approachable perspective to the retirement planning universe. He breaks down the financial jargon and simplifies the strategies you need to feel confident about your future and rock retirement!
Each episode shows that you don't need a PhD to master the greatest chapter of your life, with topics including:
-- FINANCIAL ORBIT: How to create paycheck in retirement, make smart decisions with your investment portfolio, Social Security, Medicare, tax management, estate planning and much more – all to ensure your smooth and sustainable financial trajectory.
-- MISSION CONTROL FOR YOUR HEALTH: Simple, effective advice for staying active, healthy, and energized for your exciting retirement.
-- IGNITION OF A NEW PURPOSE: Discover how to find new passions, second careers, and ways to make a meaningful impact, giving you a powerful sense of purpose in retirement.
"Retirement Isn't Rocket Science" is your mission briefing for an amazing retirement. It's time to take control of your future, launch your next adventure, and enjoy the ride.
Episodes
19 episodes
Guiding Aging Parents and Direct Indexing Demystified
In this episode Dr. Chris Mullis guides listeners through the essential steps of conducting a seamless "family flight check" with aging parents to secure their financial and physical independence without triggering family friction. He also pull...
5 Critical Checklist Items for a Flawless 2030 Retirement
If you are targeting a 2030 retirement, you are officially four years away from liftoff and it is time to stress-test your financial trajectory. In this episode, Dr. Chris Mullis maps out a comprehensive countdown checklist to transition smooth...
12 Good Years of Retirement -- That's It?
Most retirees spend decades obsessing over a thirty-year financial plan, but the biological reality is that you may only have twelve high-energy years to truly check off your bucket list. In this episode, Dr. Chris Mullis explains why your "hea...
5 Smart Withdrawal Strategies to Boost Your Retirement Income
Are you letting a rigid, decades-old math rule prevent you from enjoying the "go-go" years you worked so hard to fund? Dr. Chris reveals how to safely boost your retirement income using dynamic guardrails and a strategic "war chest" to ensure y...
Probate Isn’t the Boogeyman?
In this episode, Dr. Chris challenges the ultimate retirement "boogeyman" by explaining why probate isn't a mission failure, but a strategic tool for protecting your legacy. We’ll also clear the air regarding the headlines about the Iran confli...
Real Estate Investing -- Love It or Leave It?
Is your "passive" rental income actually a part-time job stealing the freedom you worked decades to earn? In this episode, Dr. Chris Mullis breaks down why traditional portfolios often outshine real estate and how to navigate the complex "tax g...
5 Conversations Every Couple Needs Before Retirement
Is your vision of retirement perfectly aligned with your spouse’s, or are you orbiting two completely different planets? In this episode, Dr. Chris breaks down the five critical "mission checks" every couple needs to ensure their relationship s...
Timing Social Security and Taming Scary Markets
Your Social Security isn't just a monthly check—for diligent savers, it’s a high-stakes $1.5 million asset that requires a precise flight plan to reach its highest orbit. In this episode, Dr. Chris Mullis breaks down how to navigate the "tax to...
Don’t Make These Mistakes on Your Tax Return
Are you accidentally leaving a $5,000 "tip" for the IRS because of a simple data entry error? Even if you hire a top-tier CPA, half of all retirement tax returns contain deficiencies that could be costing you a fortune in double taxation and mi...
Tuscan Sun or Fool's Gold? Navigating Global Moves and Market Hype
Ever dreamed of trading your 9-to-5 for a sun-drenched cafe in a Tuscan piazza without draining your nest egg? In this episode, Dr. Chris Mullis breaks down the "geographic arbitrage" of retiring to Italy and explains why your Social Security c...
Spend It or Lose It? The Truth About Early-Retirement Spending Habits
Most financial advisors tell you to spend a flat, steady line of income for 30 years, but why should your retirement spending look like a boring horizontal line when your life doesn’t? In this episode, Dr. Chris Mullis explains why "front-loadi...
Estimated Taxes, Marriage 2.0 and Cosmic Bumper Cars
Transitioning from a steady paycheck to retirement can feel like losing your navigation system mid-flight, especially when the IRS expects you to "pay as you go." Whether you’re facing the 7% underpayment penalty or merging your life with a new...
2026 Launch Codes: The Essential Numbers for Your Retirement Flight Plan
2026 brings big changes and big opportunities. The financial universe is shifting with bigger contribution limits, Social Security adjustments, and critical new tax rules for high earners. We break down how to use these changes as a "gravitatio...
Hidden Insurance Gaps That Threaten Your Wealth
How can a hidden gap in your homeowner's or auto insurance turn into a massive financial sinkhole that threatens your retirement nest egg? Dr. Chris Mullis, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and former rocket scientist, guides you through a robust...
Your Parents' Money: A Guide to Financial Caregiving
Is your retirement trajectory vulnerable to a family financial crisis? Join CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and former rocket scientist Dr. Chris Mullis as he provides your mission briefing on the unexpected world of financial caregiving.This ...
80% Rule for Retirement Income: Myth or Reality?
Dr. Chris Mullis, a CFP® and former rocket scientist, challenges the common 80% income replacement rule, revealing why high-savers may be overestimating their needs. Learn the 7 steps to calculate your custom cash flow, factoring in taxes, savi...
Tax Moves to Make Before 2026
The retirement planning universe is shifting! With major tax & healthcare changes, the decisions you make now could save you thousands in taxes and healthcare costs.We're breaking down the four most critical moves you must make before t...
Unexpected Risks That Could Derail Your Retirement
Don't let unexpected risks derail your well-earned retirement! In this episode, we break down the four unique and often-overlooked risks -- like sequence of returns and spiking expenses -- that make spending money in retirement fundamen...
