OpenTube

Die with Zero: why retirees across the world are turning to this radical plan

Fidelity UK

110,491 views

Should you leave money behind in retirement or make the most of every pound you've saved?
In this episode, Ed and Marianna explore the growing "Die with Zero" concept. They look at why many retirees are keen to spend their money with purpose.
Watch now to see how you can balance enjoying life today with staying secure later.
You can read Marianna's article here:
https://www.fidelity.co.uk/markets-in...

Make sure you like, share and subscribe to our channel for more insights. Share your thoughts on the Die with Zero philosophy in the comments section below.

Capital at risk. This is not a personal recommendation.
----
0:00 - Introduction
1:15 - What does "Die with Zero" mean?
3:15 - How investments can support retirement spending
5:17 - The impact of spending more early in retirement
6:43 - The biggest challenge of "Die with Zero"
8:09 - Marianna's personal approach
9:16 - Managing longer life expectancy
10:49 - How much income do you need?
12:35 - Using housing wealth in retirement
14:04 - Maintaining income in later life
15:39 - Pros and cons of the "Die with Zero" approach
----
Follow us on social media:
Facebook: Facebook: FidelityInternationalUK
LinkedIn: LinkedIn: fidelity-international

Visit our site: https://www.fidelity.co.uk?utm_term=p...
Get more insights: https://www.fidelity.co.uk/markets-in...
Get updates to your inbox: https://page.ei.fidelity.co.uk/manage...
#FidelityUK #PersonalInvesting

20 Comments

@alanj9978 1 month ago

I don't have kids and don't owe anyone anything. Die with Zero is a perfect plan.

@Scatup 1 month ago

I've been retired for 14 years, worked part time for 12 years before that. Never been rich but always been able to afford everything, now at 69 I can't think of anything I want to spend my money on. Oh! A ticket to the past would worth every penny.

@Freeatlast66 1 month ago

I stopped working last year at the age of 58 after earning a six-figure salary for years. I got tired of working my ass off and seeing people younger than me drop dead. Enjoy your life and spend the money you saved doing the things you enjoy.

@pataleno 1 month ago (edited)

I’m 57 and had planned working till 62. With IHT pension changes I’m retiring 5 years early to spend my pension. It’s does not make financial sense for me to work anymore as I’m not married. My strategy is to die with zero.

@RS-cp5wc 1 month ago

One of the driving forces is resentment for giving the state your money to see what they do with it.

@christopherdavies8839 1 month ago (edited)

"No one ever sits in their final years wishing they’d saved more and lived less, especially knowing how quickly health and circumstances can change."

@WealthArchitectureUK 1 month ago

The bit I find interesting about “die with zero” isn't really the zero. It's deciding what each part of your wealth is actually there to do. Some money is there to enjoy while you're fit and healthy, some might be for the kids, and some is effectively insurance against living longer or needing care. Once you look at it that way, the question becomes less “how much can I spend?” and more “which pot is meant to pay for what?” That feels like a much more useful way to think about retirement.

@Vincent-ow9lj 1 month ago

When you have dementia in old age you don't even realise you have investments 😂

@aficio698 1 month ago

Exactly my approach having just retired.
Actively taking value out of my estate - driven in no small part by this relentless increase in taxes and rises to come.
I will not allow this administration to take money from my estate on death.
Consideration being given to “equity release”.
No point being the richest person in the cemetery.

@Thx-c8f 1 month ago

I plan on dying with a pound less than the inheritance tax threshold so the government gets nothing

@Buddytheb 1 month ago

Retired 18 months ago. I’m clearly focused on enjoying what I worked hard for whilst able to do it. Spend 9 weeks abroad and booked up Japan and china for next year.Now labour target hard working people by including pensions in your estate why die with large pension for them to take 40 percent of what you don’t spend. If you don’t intend to spend it then no point having it.

@Sharpy7562 1 month ago

Sold home in my fifties when assets in it . Travelled dozens countries and got daughter an education now she has own home and business . Husband died 67 cancer glad did bucket list . Gave up work retired early rented beachfront lifestyle daily best decisions ever

@TheNakedTruthbyAnnie 1 month ago (edited)

Im 55 and i need to just sell my house, down size and start spending my money. I mean i went to the garden centre today and had to keep reminding myself im not broke buy yourself a meal and drink while waiting for my dog to be groomed. Im always counting pennies. Ive been like that since my divorce! I was poor as a child and i 5hink its PTSD. Meanwhile my networh is in top 25% of my country. So I can relate to the savers stress. I feel anxiety to see numbers go down.

@robertvickers911 1 month ago

My favourite saying is that, if you don’t travel first class your heirs will!

@Pickle_Rick-m4o 1 month ago

I plan to gamble it all away over a super fun period, keeping just enough back for my final trip to Switzerland....

@AlisonMGee 13 days ago (edited)

I retired three years ago at 55 on an NHS nurse's pension after working full-time for 37 years. I've already given my daughters their inheritance from my lump sum so that they can use it for mortgage deposits. I'm now spending all my disposable income on travelling and in a few years I'll probably sell my flat to my daughter and move into a camper van. Dementia runs in my family, so by the time I may need a care home, I intend to own very little, so that my assets can't be taken to pay for my care.

@jameshlee7311 3 weeks ago (edited)

I retired mid 2011 age 60. My late wife and I sold up and travelled for the next five years. We settled down again into a rented retirement facility, I became a widower 2023 and since then, apart from setting aside my monthly commitments I’ve spent every penny each month. My monthly net income is around £2,500, outgoings currently £650. I have no immediate family and live my life to the full, it’s almost similar to being a single chap back in the 1960’s 😊

@DavidParkinson-e5q 1 month ago

For Ed and other youngsters, I've recently gone through some detailed retirement planning. I'd been obsessed on "number goes up" for years (decades even) and can see why people can struggle to pivot to a decumulation mindset. I'd got into a mindset that I would never have "enough" after the GFC and low interest rates (<=> poor annuity rates). I found it very helpful to write down a list of things I really wanted to do, thus reframing "decumulation" as "making memories".

@selwynleacock6601 2 weeks ago

I agree, spend and enjoy life, at this stage of life you have to make the most of it. Am 66, retired at 64, anything happens to me, my sons will get the house.

@davewhite7182 1 month ago

Nothing new here. The book “Die Broke” by Mark Levine, Stephen Pollan from 1997 covers all these ideas. It had some great suggestions, especially about giving your money away whilst you’re alive and enjoy watching the impact, be it to your children or charity. The ideas have clearly stood the test of time as you are talking about them today!