My friend Mike Piper at Oblivious Investor recently published a new book Can I Retire? Managing a Retirement Portfolio Explained in 100 Pages or Less. The book is available for sale on Amazon.
As the latest addition to Mike’s “…in 100 Pages or Less” series, this book answers two questions:
- How much money will you need to retire?
- How should you manage your retirement portfolio to minimize the risk of outliving your money?
What Makes This Book Unique?
How does this book hope to be better than, for example, The Bogleheads’ Guide to Retirement Planning or Jim Otar’s Unveiling the Retirement Myth?
It doesn’t. It’s not better. It’s shorter.
Can I Retire? is written for the person who might not be able to find the time to read Otar’s entire 525-page book or the 370-page Bogleheads’ Guide.
If you’re considering reading a more in-depth guide to retirement planning, I wholeheartedly encourage you to do so. (Both of the above-mentioned books are excellent!) But if there’s a good chance that, if you were to buy one of those other books, it would sit unread on your coffee table or bookshelf, then this book is written for you.
What Topics Does the Book Address?
Some of the topics addressed in the book include:
- How to calculate how much you’ll need saved before you can retire,
- How to use annuities to minimize the risk of outliving your money,
- How to choose which accounts (Roth vs. traditional IRA vs. taxable) to withdraw from each year,
- When it makes sense to use a Roth IRA conversion to save on taxes,
- How to choose an appropriate asset allocation for your retirement portfolio, and
- How to minimize taxes by proper use of an asset location strategy.
Retiring Soon? Pick Up a Copy of Mike’s New Book:
Can I Retire? Managing a Retirement Portfolio Explained in 100 Pages or Less

Sterling Raskie, MSFS, CFP®, ChFC®
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Thanks for mentioning the book, Jim. :)
And thanks again for all of your help with it!
My pleasure, Mike – and best wishes with the book!
Got the book. Read it. Thinking of getting copies for my clients … but then they wouldn’t need me!