Debbie talks to Richard Eisenberg, a renowned editor, veteran journalist and author who has covered careers and personal finance for 40+ years. Richard recently “unretired,” as he puts it, from his 10-year run as managing editor of Next Avenue, the comprehensive online news source for Boomer and Gen X Americans.

As a journalist, he’s made it his mission to cover money, work and purpose in a way that is useful and practical and lessens readers’ stress. Debbie wondered how he would apply this approach to his own next chapter. Not surprisingly, he has a pragmatic plan for how to put together the pieces of “what’s next” for himself.

He tells us that his unretired life will include some work – writing and editing – but as a freelance. He also wants to mentor, travel, and spend more time with his sons on the West Coast. That’s the plan so far but how it will all fit together is yet to be seen.

And that’s a little scary.

No matter.  As you’ll hear, Richard is okay with taking small steps and experimenting to find the right balance. In other words, he is practicing what he’s been preaching to readers for decades. Debbie agrees with much of what Richard says so there’s not much drama in this episode but it’s a lovely and relaxed conversation.

He and Debbie talk about the persistence of ageism in our society and the deeply entrenched “decline” narrative. And they delve into what has become a new meme: the 100-year-life and what it means from a policy and financial perspective. Richard reminds Debbie that health-span is a better concept than age span.

Mentioned in this episode or useful:

• Bio
• Next Avenue
• Twitter
• Podcast: Friends Talk Money

Richard’s new “Unretired” column for Market Watch

• I left my job at age 65 and I don’t want to retire — what’s next? by Richard Eisenberg, Marketwatch, February 16 2022 

Selection of Richard’s articles for Next Avenue

• Next Avenue’s Managing Editor Says Goodbye — But Not Farewell (Next Avenue, January 4, 2022)
• Overcoming Unconscious Age Bias: An Expert’s Advice (Next Avenue, November 23, 2021)
• Sorry, Nobody Wants Your Parents’ Stuff (Next Avenue, February 9, 2017)
• My Mom’s Lasting Legacy (Next Avenue, September 6, 2012)
• Blue Zones, Part 1: How the World’s Oldest People Make Their Money Last (Next Avenue, April 2, 2019)
• Blue Zones, Part 2: How the World’s Oldest People in Asia and Europe Make Their Money Last (Next Avenue, April 9, 2019)
• How the Oldest People in America’s Blue Zone Make Their Money Last (Next Avenue, April 16, 2019)

Books

• The Money Book of Personal Finance by Richard Eisenberg (‎Warner Books 1998)
• How to Avoid a Mid-life Financial Crisis by Richard Eisenberg (‎Penguin Books 1988)

Also mentioned:

• [B]OLDER S4-EP6: Debbie & Sam on Entering the Land of the Old: Plans & Challenges For Their Eighth Decade
• The Big Middle Podcast with Susan Flory
• The Honeymoon Phase of Retirement (Hartford Funds, December 24 2020)
• Century Lives – at Stanford Center for Longevity podcast
• Life is in the Transitions: Mastering Change at any Age by Bruce Feiler (Penguin Books 2021)
• Retirement Stepping Stones: Find Meaning, Live with Purpose, and Leave a Legacy by Tony Hixon (‎River Grove Books 2021)

Note from Debbie

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