Retiring Without a Time Plan More Dangerous Than Retiring Without Enough Money
Financial analyst David Brooks argues that retiring without a plan for how to spend the roughly 2,000 extra waking hours per year is more dangerous for marriages than retiring with insufficient funds. Speaking on his Retire SMART Podcast, Brooks highlights that an empty calendar can push late-career marriages into crisis. He cites a client couple who negotiated separate travel plans and hobbies to maintain harmony. The warning comes amid economic anxiety: the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index fell to 44.8 in May 2026, and personal savings rates dropped from 6.2% to 3.9% despite rising incomes. Brooks urges couples to create a 'time budget' covering volunteering, part-time roles, or passion projects before retirement, emphasizing that planning time use is as critical as financial planning.
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