Retire Sooner Method : The 5 Secrets Behind America's Happiest (and Unhappiest) Retirees

In The Retire Sooner Method, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Wes Moss shows how retiring sooner isn’t about extreme saving or getting lucky in the market—it’s about following the framework used by America’s happiest retirees.

The happiest retirees know the five money and lifestyle secrets—now you can, too.Most Americans think retirement is a distant finish line—or worse, something to fear. But what if you could shave four to five years off your route and achievea 96 percent chance of retirement happiness once you arrive?In The Retire Sooner Method, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Wes Moss shows how retiring sooner isn’t about extreme saving or getting lucky in the market—it’s about following the framework used by America’s happiest retirees. Based on his 2025 “Money and Happiness in America” study, Moss reveals the five behaviors that consistently separate happy retirees from unhappy ones:• hit realistic financialgreen zones that reduce money anxiety• replace work with meaningful core pursuits• build strong social connections that fuel long-term happiness• create a clear financial and life plan• harness sleep as a surprisingly powerful advantageBy combining financial clarity with purpose, connection, and health, The Retire Sooner Method reframes retirement as something to design, not dread. The real journey begins once you’ve reached your destination. It’s not about having the most money. It’s about having enough—and the freedom to do what you love.