Former CNBC Anchor Tyler Mathisen Talks Re-Firement, Not Retirement

6 minute read time.

You’re going to have lots of moments in your life where you’re going to say, ‘I’ve never seen anything like this before,’ and those moments are both frightening as hell, and actually opportunities.

If you’re a CNBC fan, you know Tyler Mathisen. The veteran financial journalist and former host of Power Lunch stepped back from the anchor desk at the end of 2024 and into what his spouse calls “re-firement.” Yes, you read that right: it’s retirement, with a different spin. A chance to reload, re-energize and launch into a purposeful next chapter.

For Mathisen, that means doing what he loves – moderating panels, giving keynote speeches, and joining the board of his alma mater’s alumni association. “There are periods of high activity and then periods of open space, which is what I want, because I want to be able to be spontaneous,” he says. “But you don’t want to get bored, so I’m trying to navigate that fine line.”

Recently, Mathisen joined Your Money Map to talk about what he’s learned since leaving broadcast journalism, what he sees in the economy halfway through 2025 and how we all can navigate the uncertainty, especially as we plan for retirement.

“BEING OUT OF THE ‘SCRUM’ HAS MADE ME A BETTER OBSERVER”

While Mathisen doesn’t miss being on television every day, he does miss the adrenaline of a buzzing newsroom, especially during major, breaking stories. Over the years, he has covered the big ones: the bursting of the dot-com bubble in 2000, the 9/11 terror attacks, the Great Recession, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

He admits it’s hard not to be in the thick of it now, when things are “happening and happening fast.” But stepping back has brought a surprising benefit – clarity. “The distance of not being in the scrum lets you step back and realize that what we’re in the midst of economically…it’s something that you’re just going to have to wait to find out what the ultimate outcome is going to be,” Mathisen shares. “It’s not going to be resolved in a matter of days or weeks or an afternoon of trading in the stock market.”

A VETERAN JOURNALIST REFLECTS: WHERE ARE WE NOW…AND WHERE ARE WE HEADING?

If today’s news cycle feels overwhelming, Mathisen gets it. From tariffs to taxes to new legislation, the headlines are relentless. Still, he encourages a big-picture view, along with some patience, especially when it comes to the impact of tariffs. “The President was elected to do a job…in many cases, he’s doing what he said he was going to do. It may turn out to be a bigger event or a bigger consequence than we thought,” he shares. “It may turn out to be of lesser consequence than a lot of today’s pundits think, or it may be kind of somewhere in between, which is where I think it probably will end up.”

And as for the fate of the “big beautiful bill?” He’s in watch-and-wait mode when it comes to that, too. “I think you have to sit back and see what happens here,” says Mathisen. “It’s got to go through the Senate. The Senate’s not going to pass the same bill as the House did. And we’ll see what gets cut and how much debt is added to what is already a ridiculous amount of debt.”

IN OR NEAR RETIREMENT? DON’T PANIC.

Mathisen knows that “wait and see” isn’t always easy, especially if you’re in or close to retirement. He counts himself among that group and says the most important move you can make is to stay calm. “It’s that old John Bogle saying, ‘Don’t just do something, stand there,’” he shares. “Warren Buffett is proof of it; trading less and buying and holding more is smarter in the long run.”

Still, a shifting market calls for some strategy. For those in retirement or nearing it, Mathisen suggests easing away from high-growth, high-volatility investments, but not completely abandoning them. “You should not, even if you’re in your early retirement years, as I am, walk away completely from growth or equity,” he says. “Hopefully you’re going to be here another 20 or 25 years…and that’s where your capital is going to keep pace—or outpace—inflation.”

Another tool worth considering? Annuities. “They are certainly an option because they have the beauty of guaranteed income, which is important, and that’s why they’re as popular as they are,” Mathisen adds.

SEE: THESE TOOLS CAN HELP YOU FIGURE OUT WHY GUARANTEED INCOME FROM AN ANNUITY MAY BE RIGHT FOR YOU.

YOUNGER GENERATIONS: HOLD ON TIGHT

For younger investors, especially those new to market volatility, these times can feel extra unsettling. But Mathisen sees the turbulence as an opportunity.“You’re going to have lots of moments in your life where you’re going to say, ‘I’ve never seen anything like this before,’ and those moments are both frightening as hell, and actually opportunities.”

One way to lean into those opportunities? Dollar-cost averaging. “Put a fixed amount of money away every pay period into an account,” he says. Even if your portfolio dips in the short term, keep going. “Historically, the turnarounds of market losses are faster than they’ve ever been—yes, you may lose money faster, but you make it back faster too,” Mathisen adds. “The history, and I think the expectation, is that come what may, the United States will remain a premier destination for global capital.”

A HAPPY RETIREMENT STARTS WITH A PLAN

One of the biggest challenges retirees face? Loss of structure and identity. That’s why Mathisen made a plan before stepping down from CNBC. He attended an in-depth workshop on life after retirement and built a freelance portfolio to help him stay engaged and do the things he loves, on his own terms.

SEE: HOW ARE YOU PLANNING YOUR NEXT CHAPTER? YOUR GUIDE TO WHAT’S NEXT.

“I think all people kind of crave that structure of having a place to go,” he shares. Now, in his “re-firement,” he’s found just that – structure, purpose, and the freedom to choose what comes next.

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