This episode is part two and the conclusion of our series on the five major retirement shifts happening right now—and how they’re affecting LGBTQ+ individuals and couples as we head into 2026.

In part one, we talked about where you live, healthcare costs, and longevity. Today, we wrap things up by diving into two topics that often cause the most confusion—and the most mistakes: Social Security and purpose in retirement.

We’ll take an honest look at:

• What Social Security was really designed to do (and what it wasn’t)
• Why relying on Social Security alone is risky
• How claiming decisions differ for single LGBTQ+ people versus couples
• Why purpose matters just as much as money in retirement
• And the biggest planning mistakes I see people making right now

Retirement isn’t just about dollars and cents. It’s about confidence, clarity, and building a life you actually want to wake up to. This episode brings it all together.

Schedule your free financial consultation at TakePrideInRetirement.com or call 855-246-9211.

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Request your free RSSA Roadmap for Social Security optimization
Watch full episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@TakePrideinRetirementShow
Follow on BlueSky, Threads, Facebook, Instagram — just search Take Pride in Retirement

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Take Pride in Retirement is proud to be named one of the top Pride podcasts on the internet by FeedSpot. For more, go to https://blog.feedspot.com/pride_podcasts

About Take Pride in Retirement:
Take Pride in Retirement is a podcast dedicated to retirement planning solutions for the LGBTQ community. Host Matt McClure, a licensed fiduciary financial advisor, shares strategies to protect your hard-earned money while pursuing market-like growth.

Matt holds the RSSA® credential as a Registered Social Security Analyst®, helping clients optimize their Social Security filing strategies to potentially increase lifetime income. He’s also a Certified Annuity Specialist® (CAS®), a designation earned through a 135+ hour graduate-level program in fixed-rate and variable annuities from the Institute of Business & Finance.

Based in Georgia with his husband and two dogs, Matt spent over a decade in New York City, working with The Wall Street Journal Radio Network, NY1, and WCBS Newsradio 880. A career highlight includes reporting from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

• (00:00:00) - Take Pride in Retirement
• (00:00:58) - Take Pride in Retirement
• (00:02:29) - Take Pride In Retirement
• (00:04:05) - Social Security: LGBTQ+ Plans for Retirement
• (00:12:38) - LGBTQ Retirement: What You Need to Know
• (00:16:30) - Biggest Retirement Mistakes to Avoid in 2026

Welcome back to Take Pride in Retirement—the show all about helping you build a retirement you can truly take pride in.

In this episode, I’m kicking off part one of a two-part series on the five major retirement shifts happening right now as we head into 2026—and why they matter especially for LGBTQ+ individuals and couples.

Retirement planning today isn’t just about hitting a certain age or saving a certain number. The rules are changing, and for our community, there are extra layers to consider—healthcare access, caregiving, safety, acceptance, and how long our money truly needs to last.

In part one, we focus on the first three major shifts:

• Why where you live in retirement can matter more than when you retire
• The true and often underestimated cost of healthcare
• How longevity changes everything about retirement income planning

If you’ve ever wondered whether retirement is even possible for you, this episode is for you.

Schedule your free financial consultation at TakePrideInRetirement.com or call 855-246-9211.

--

Request your free RSSA Roadmap for Social Security optimization
Watch full episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@TakePrideinRetirementShow
Follow on BlueSky, Threads, Facebook, Instagram — just search Take Pride in Retirement

--

Take Pride in Retirement is proud to be named one of the top Pride podcasts on the internet by FeedSpot. For more, go to https://blog.feedspot.com/pride_podcasts

About Take Pride in Retirement:
Take Pride in Retirement is a podcast dedicated to retirement planning solutions for the LGBTQ community. Host Matt McClure, a licensed fiduciary financial advisor, shares strategies to protect your hard-earned money while pursuing market-like growth.

Matt holds the RSSA® credential as a Registered Social Security Analyst®, helping clients optimize their Social Security filing strategies to potentially increase lifetime income. He’s also a Certified Annuity Specialist® (CAS®), a designation earned through a 135+ hour graduate-level program in fixed-rate and variable annuities from the Institute of Business & Finance.

Based in Georgia with his husband and two dogs, Matt spent over a decade in New York City, working with The Wall Street Journal Radio Network, NY1, and WCBS Newsradio 880. A career highlight includes reporting from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

• (00:00:00) - Take Pride in Retirement
• (00:00:57) - Take Pride IN Retirement!
• (00:03:22) - Take Pride in Retirement: Five Critical Retirement Shift
• (00:04:26) - How to Plan for Retirement
• (00:05:42) - Location and Retirement Strategy for LGBTQ+ People
• (00:10:45) - How to Plan for Retirement (free)
• (00:12:53) - Healthcare Costs in Retirement
• (00:15:24) - Healthcare Planning for LGBTQ+ Individuals
• (00:18:36) - Longevity Planning for Retired People
• (00:23:02) - Retirement Planning in 2030
• (00:23:27) - To Take Pride in Retirement

For many LGBTQ+ retirees, retirement planning comes with additional complexity. We weren’t always taught how to evaluate investment fees, and trusted institutions haven’t always protected our community. That’s why understanding what you’re paying — and why it matters — is so important. Fees can quietly drain your retirement income, especially once you stop working and start relying on your savings.

In this episode, I break down:

• Why most people don’t actually know how much they’re paying in fees
• How layered investment fees can silently erode retirement income
• Why outdated portfolio strategies — like relying heavily on bonds — may no longer work the way they used to
• How reducing fees can increase income without taking on more risk

Then we move into one of the most important retirement planning conversations there is: income.

If you’re ready to stop guessing about retirement and start building a plan that gives you confidence, control, and peace of mind, this episode is for you.

Schedule your free financial consultation at TakePrideInRetirement.com or call 855-246-9211.

--

Request your free RSSA Roadmap for Social Security optimization
Watch full episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@TakePrideinRetirementShow
Follow on BlueSky, Threads, Facebook, Instagram — just search Take Pride in Retirement

--

Take Pride in Retirement is proud to be named one of the top Pride podcasts on the internet by FeedSpot. For more, go to https://blog.feedspot.com/pride_podcasts

About Take Pride in Retirement:
Take Pride in Retirement is a podcast dedicated to retirement planning solutions for the LGBTQ community. Host Matt McClure, a licensed fiduciary financial advisor, shares strategies to protect your hard-earned money while pursuing market-like growth.

Matt holds the RSSA® credential as a Registered Social Security Analyst®, helping clients optimize their Social Security filing strategies to potentially increase lifetime income. He’s also a Certified Annuity Specialist® (CAS®), a designation earned through a 135+ hour graduate-level program in fixed-rate and variable annuities from the Institute of Business & Finance.

Based in Georgia with his husband and two dogs, Matt spent over a decade in New York City, working with The Wall Street Journal Radio Network, NY1, and WCBS Newsradio 880. A career highlight includes reporting from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.