Retire Smart: Go with the Flow in The Canoe and the Current with Patrick Negado

In this episode of Get Your Fill: Financial Independenceand Long Life, host Christine McCarron interviews Patrick Nagato, founder of Canoe and Current Wealth Strategies and author of The Canoe and the Current. Patrick explains the critical mindset shift required for a successful retirement: after decades of aggressively saving and growing assets, retirees must transition from accumulation to strategic spending and income maximization to sustain 30–40+ years of purposeful living. Many people “wing it,” chasing endless travel only to face boredom, loss of purpose, or unexpected life changes like caregiving. He strongly advocates creating a Retirement Vision Statement—a clear, shared plan with your spouse that outlines priorities, purpose, and pleasures—so families align expectations, avoid overspending, and build a meaningful post-work life instead of defaulting to daytime TV or isolation.

Patrick introduces his core philosophy through the book’smetaphor: the canoe represents a solid foundation of guaranteed income (funded primarily by Social Security, pensions if available, or properly structured income annuities and bond ladders) to cover essential expenses like housing, food, and insurance—creating calm even in rough markets. The current is the growth-oriented, time-segmentedinvestment portfolio (short-, mid-, and long-term buckets) that fuels lifestyle, joy, vacations, gifting, and reinvestment when markets perform well. By separating essentials from discretionary “pleasure” spending, retirees avoid panic-selling during downturns, stop chasing unrealistic returns, and harvest gains opportunistically—leading to greater confidence, financial security, and freedom.

The conversation highlights real client stories, the dangersof predatory or one-product financial advice (especially annuities sold incorrectly), and the value of working with a trusted advisor who educates rather than pushes. Patrick shares how even modest savings (as low as $250,000 with a paid-off mortgage) can support comfortable retirement when properly structured, and stresses that the biggest risk isn’t running out of money—it’s running out of purpose. Listeners are encouraged to read The Canoe and the Current (available on Amazon and canoeandcurrent.com) to evaluate strategies, articulate their vision, and design a retirement that’s fulfilling,not just financially viable.

Frequently searched keywords: retirement mindset shift, guaranteed retirement income, income annuities, retirement vision statement, The Canoe and the Current book, retirement planning strategy, flooring strategy retirement, bucket strategy investing, purposeful retirement, avoiding retirement boredom, Social Security optimization, safe retirement withdrawal, financial advisor trust, post-retirement purpose.

Watch the video: https://youtu.be/cI_EFgSOhXs

Connect with Patrick:

canoeandcurrent.com

candcwealthstrategies.com;

[e-mail]