# 270. From Pensions to 401(k)s: Why Your Longevity Plan Might Be Broken

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/too-young-to-be-old-with-diane-gilman-the-queen-of-jeans-6427857/270-from-pensions-to-401-k-s-why-your-longevity-plan-might-be-broken
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/too-young-to-be-old-with-diane-gilman-the-queen-of-jeans-6427857/270-from-pensions-to-401-k-s-why-your-longevity-plan-might-be-broken.md
Podcast: [Too Young To Be Old with Diane Gilman, The Queen of Jeans](https://stenobird.com/podcast/too-young-to-be-old-with-diane-gilman-the-queen-of-jeans-6427857)
Published: 2026-03-03T10:30:30+00:00
Episode link: https://dianegilman.com/
Audio file: https://audio3.redcircle.com/episodes/dfaf0ea2-cf8f-4c28-921f-f60cac5afd0a/stream.mp3
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Duration seconds: 1464

## Resource

In this episode of Too Young To Be Old, Diane Gilman sits down with financial planner Shari Rash to ask the question nobody wants to think about but everyone needs to answer: if you actually live to 90 or 100… how are you going to pay for it? They break down what longevity really means for your bank account, especially if you’re a single woman, widowed, or simply the one who’s going to be solely responsible for your money at some point in life. Diane and Shari unpack how retirement has completely changed: traditional pensions are disappearing, 401(k)s and similar plans put the responsibility on you, and many people in their 20s and 30s skipped saving because they “needed the money now.” They talk about what to do if you’re starting at 40, 50, or even 60 with very little saved, why even small automatic contributions matter, and how employer matches and pre‑tax benefits quietly work in your favor. They also dive into women‑specific money issues that almost never get talked about: Why so many widows feel totally lost when their spouse handled everything How often women assume a partner is “better with money” and then get blindsided The lingering taboo around women talking about money, asking questions, or admitting they don’t understand the jargon How male‑dominated financial culture (CNBC, stock talk, “beating the market”) doesn’t match how most women actually think about money—what it does for their real life Shari puts annuities and retirement income in plain English: what it really means to put in a lump sum, why “guaranteed income” can be helpful but limited, and why an annuity should be one piece of a bigger plan, not the whole solution. Diane shares her own story of being great at making money but terrible at saving, going through “smoke and mirrors” advisors, and…

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