Retirement is more than just numbers—it’s about creating a fulfilling life beyond work.

How can you build a financial plan that supports your goals, while also considering purpose, health, and personal fulfillment? What strategies can help you balance your portfolio and minimize risks as you prepare for retirement?

In this episode of Mitlin Money Mindset®, Larry Sprung speaks with Christine Benz, Director of Personal Finance and Retirement Planning at Morningstar. 

Christine shares her journey in the financial industry, key insights from her book How to Retire, and practical advice for building a balanced, sustainable retirement plan.

Christine discusses:

• The importance of planning beyond just finances, including visualizing your retirement Lifestyle and finding purpose
• How simplifying investment portfolios and focusing on cost-efficient funds can improve long-term financial outcomes
• The risks of holding too much company stock and strategies for maintaining diversification
• How women can strengthen their financial future, especially in light of Caregiving responsibilities and potential impacts of divorce
• Why a phased approach to retirement, rather than an abrupt stop, can lead to greater fulfillment and longevity in both career and life
• And more!

Resources:

• Mitlin Financial  
• The JOY and Productivity Journal by Lawrence Sprung 
• Download Your Free Copy of the Couple’s JOYful Money Guide

Connect with Larry Sprung: 

• LinkedIn: Larry Sprung
• Instagram: Larry Sprung
• Facebook: Larry Sprung
• X (Twitter): Larry Sprung

Connect with Christine Benz: 

• Website: Morningstar
• LinkedIn: Christine Benz
• X: @christine_benz
• How to Retire: 20 lessons for a happy, successful, and wealthy retirement by Christine Benz
• The Long View Podcast

About our Guest:

Christine Benz is director of personal finance and retirement planning for Morningstar and senior columnist for Morningstar.com. In that role, she focuses on retirement and portfolio planning for individual investors.

Benz is author of How to Retire: 20 Lessons for a Happy, Successful, and Wealthy Retirement (Harriman House, September 2024). She also wrote 30-Minute Money Solutions: A Step-by-Step Guide to Managing Your Finances (Wiley, 2010) and Morningstar® Guide to Mutual Funds: 5-Star Strategies for Success, published in 2005.

She also co-hosts a podcast for Morningstar, The Long View, which features in-depth interviews with thought leaders in Investing and personal finance. She is a frequent public speaker and is widely quoted in the media, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, CNBC, and PBS. In 2020, Barron’s named her to its inaugural list of the 100 most influential women in finance; she appeared on the 2021 list as well. In 2021, Barron’s named her as one of the 10 most influential women in wealth management.

Before assuming her current role in 2008, she served as Morningstar’s director of mutual fund analysis and was editor of Morningstar Mutual Funds and Morningstar FundInvestor.

Benz holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and Russian from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is president of the board for the John C. Bogle Center for Financial Literacy. Benz is also a member of The Alpha Group, a group of thought leaders from the wealth management industry from across the country. In her free time, she works with underprivileged women to improve their understanding of personal finance concepts.

Disclosure:

Guests on the Mitlin Money Mindset are not affiliated with CWM, LLC, and opinions expressed herein may not be representative of CWM, LLC. CWM, LLC is not responsible for the guest’s content linked on this site.

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Larry Sprung Host Mitlin

Lawrence “Larry” Sprung, CFP® is a husband, father, entrepreneur and mental health advocate.

Larry is the author of the Amazon Bestselling book “Financial Planning Made Personal” and the also host of the Mitlin Money Mindset™ a podcast that reminds you to ask yourself “What did you do today that brought you joy?®”

In 2004 he founded Mitlin Financial, Inc. naming the firm memory of Larry’s wife’s grandfather, Mitchell, and his mother, Linda. During his career, Larry has found that a lot of industry terms and concepts can seem confusing to outsiders. That’s why he works with the families he serves to break down complex financial topics into easy-to-understand concepts.

In recognition of Larry’s significant contributions to his profession, he has received quite a few awards. In 2021, Larry was named to the Investopedia 100 Top Advisors in 2021 and was even more humbled to make their Top Ten list for 2022.

Outside the office, one of Larry’s greatest passions is raising awareness for mental health. He spent over 12 years serving on the National Board of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and sits on its financial and investment committees. With his wife, Denise, he has raised more than $1.7 million for the organization through the Keith Milano Memorial Fund. The fund was created in memory of his brother-in-law.

Larry values his family tremendously and his desire to do right by his wife and two sons drives who he is in and out of the office.