When your spouse asks, “How’s our money, honey?” you immediately think, “It was doing fine.” And a little voice knowingly asks, “Want to get away?”

When markets are down, questions like, “Hi, Bob, how’s our money doing?” are asked. Phones ring. Pencils get sharpened. And the reading and studying begin.

Too late.

Because in my regular conversations with you, some months are up, and some months are down. I don’t look at where the markets are to decide when to pick up the phone. Investing is not a short-term endeavor, and it is nearly impossible to explain to a spouse, especially one who hasn’t been part of the planning process.

That’s why it needs to be a team effort.

Because when you’re both retired, you’re making no money from a job. It’s like you’re back to the future, not knowing what it feels like to work for a wage.

The difference now is that you can’t exactly live footloose and fancy free because you have something to lose: money. You’re working with more money and more savings than you ever had, and you want to keep it that way. Sure, you can work part-time as a Walmart greeter, but you’d better have a good attitude. You’d better be able to smile like nothing’s wrong.

Which is why I’m afraid to say, the tough conversations between spouses are going to be more regular. It’s why you both need to be on the same page to avoid making decisions that may hurt you just because you want to feel better.

It’s why you want to be with a fiduciary like Your Survival Guy who can make unemotional decisions for highly emotional subjects.

Action Line: In times like these, you want the calmness and peace of mind you deserve. You spent a lifetime saving to get where you are, and quite frankly, you don’t want to deal with it anymore. I do. Email me at ejsmith@yoursurvivalguy.com.

Originally posted on Your Survival Guy.