In this first episode of 2026, host Carol Dewey explores the "quiet tension" many successful retirees and pre-retirees feel despite having a solid net worth. She moves the conversation beyond simple math problems and market performance to address why many feel unsettled even when they have "enough." Carol challenges the traditional view of retirement as a single event, reframing it as a complex transition that requires coordinated navigation rather than siloed advice.

Listeners are invited to move from a state of "drifting" to one of "responding," ensuring their wealth is fully aligned with their lifestyle, values, and legacy.

1. Retirement is a Transition, Not an Event. Retirement is often viewed as a date on the calendar or a single financial transaction, but it is actually a major life transition where identity, routines, and income sources shift. Navigating this transition successfully requires awareness and the ability to adjust when conditions change.
2. The Danger of Fragmentation: Success often leads to complexity, resulting in "siloed advice," where different experts (CPAs, attorneys, and advisors) handle individual pieces of a financial life. Without a coordinated perspective responsible for the whole picture, high-net-worth individuals often carry hidden risks they cannot see.
3. Net Worth vs. Usable Wealth: A high net worth does not automatically equate to financial peace. True "abundant retirement" comes from understanding how wealth is coordinated, how taxes impact decisions over a lifetime, and ensuring money is working for your life rather than the other way around.
4. Confidence Over Certainty: While many seek certainty, it is often an illusion due to changing markets, health, and tax laws. True peace of mind comes from confidence—knowing you have considered multiple outcomes and understand your trade-offs so you can respond to change rather than react to it.
5. Moving from Success to Significance: For those who have already achieved financial success, the next step is finding clarity and alignment. This involves preparing the family, not just the portfolio, and ensuring that wealth supports a deeper sense of purpose and identity after a career or business transition.

1. The "Enough" Gap: Discussion on why having millions can still lead to fear when a plan is not coordinated or defined.
2. Real-World Lessons: Carol shares a story of a successful business owner who had a great team but lacked a coordinated tax and succession strategy.
3. 2026 Roadmap: A preview of upcoming topics including invisible risks, tax traps, and planning for purpose beyond documents.

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In this final episode of the year, Carol Dewey guides listeners through a powerful year-end reflection designed to help them close 2025 with clarity and enter 2026 with purpose and alignment. Rather than traditional resolutions, Carol offers three intentional questions that help retirees and pre-retirees evaluate their progress, release what’s no longer serving them, and set meaningful priorities for the new year.

Listeners are encouraged to pause, reflect, and reconnect with the deeper purpose behind their financial strategies—ensuring their wealth supports a life of peace, fulfillment, and abundance.

Reflection begins with gratitude. Before planning ahead, acknowledge victories—big or small. Celebrating progress strengthens emotional clarity and supports better financial decisions.

Letting go creates space for opportunities. This includes outdated financial strategies, draining commitments, unhelpful habits, or scarcity-based beliefs that no longer fit your goals.

Priorities provide direction. Whether financial (tax-efficient income, estate planning, risk alignment) or personal (health, connection, meaning), intentional priorities create alignment between your resources and your life.

You cannot control markets, headlines, or volatility—but you can control your structure, your plan, and your mindset. Clarity creates calm.

This is the moment to review your retirement income strategy, confirm that investments still match your comfort level, revisit tax planning, and recommit to a mindset of stewardship and purpose.

• Celebration of another year of Navigating Abundant Retirement and the community it has built.
• Announcement of the new alternating schedule: the podcast will now air every other Thursday.
• Exciting news: The Owner’s Playbook, a new companion podcast for business owners preparing their endgame, launches this December.
• Finish Strong 2025_ Three Quest…

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This episode is intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered personalized financial advice. Consult a qualified advisor for guidance specific to your situation.

In this Thanksgiving-themed episode of Navigating an Abundant Retirement, host Carol Dewey explores the deeper meaning of abundance—one that goes beyond account balances and market performance. Carol introduces the concept of the Gratitude Portfolio: the collection of invisible yet invaluable assets that create peace, joy, and purpose in retirement.

Listeners learn why gratitude is not just an emotion but a mindset that shapes financial clarity, confidence, and decision-making. Carol walks through the four key “asset classes” of the gratitude portfolio—relationships, health, time, and purpose—and offers a practical exercise called the Gratitude Audit to help retirees reflect on the wealth they already possess.

Gratitude increases awareness and emotional wealth, even when finances don’t change.

• Relationships – the people who support, love, and grow with you.
• Health – appreciating what your body can still do.
• Time – the most limited currency with the highest value.
• Purpose – the meaning and contribution that create legacy.

Listing both financial and gratitude assets helps reveal what truly matters—and what drives fulfillment.

Express gratitude, share generously, and ensure your financial plan reflects what you value most.

You can’t be anxious and grateful at the same time—gratitude anchors you through uncertainty.

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• Free Download: 8 Key Drivers of Company Value
• Book Your Complimentary Lifestyle & Legacy Assessment
• Website: https://www.perpetualwealthfinancial.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/perpetualwealth/