The On-Track Retirement Show

You've worked hard to build a legacy. But have you told your family what happens to it when you're gone? Talking to your children about money, inheritance, and death isn't easy. But avoiding the conversation could leave your loved ones facing confusion, family conflict, and costly mistakes during an already difficult time. In this episode of the On-Track Retirement Show, Jay and Pat discuss why es...

The Kids Have Moved Out. But Has Your Retirement Strategy Changed? Becoming an empty nester is a major life transition. Your children are starting their own journeys, your household expenses may be changing, and suddenly, retirement feels a whole lot closer. But here's a question worth asking: Does your investment portfolio still reflect the season of life you're in today? In this episode of the O...

Could long-term care costs derail your retirement? Nearly 70% of Americans turning 65 are projected to need some form of long-term care during their lifetime. With costs potentially exceeding $7,000 per month, the financial impact on your retirement savings—and your family—could be significant. The biggest concern? Many retirees don't have a plan to pay for it. In this episode of the On-Track Reti...

Required Minimum Distributions can seem simple: reach a certain age, take money out of your retirement accounts, and pay the taxes. But the timing of those withdrawals can create consequences you may not expect. In this episode of the On-Track Retirement Show, Pat Schmidt and Jay Curatti break down how Required Minimum Distributions — or RMDs — work, when they begin, how they’re calculated, and wh...

Would you rather pay taxes now—or pay taxes later? The answer may be more complicated than you think. In this episode of the On-Track Retirement Show, Jay and Pat break down Roth conversions: what they are, how they work, and why the timing of a conversion can make a major difference in your retirement tax strategy. They discuss how traditional retirement accounts can create future tax obligations...

How confident are you that your retirement plan will actually work? In this episode of the On-Track Retirement Show, Pat Schmidt and Jay Curatti break down the Retirement Confidence Score—a framework designed to move retirement planning beyond “I think I’ll be okay” and toward a plan built around real numbers and real strategies. They walk through five important areas that can strengthen your reti...

When should you start taking Social Security? For some retirees, claiming early may make sense. For others, delaying could create a significantly larger lifetime benefit. The challenge is that there isn't one age that's right for everyone. In this episode of the On-Track Retirement Show, Jay and Pat break down some of the most important factors to consider before turning on your Social Security be...

Having enough money for retirement is important—but where you keep that money and how it’s organized can make just as big a difference. In this episode of the On-Track Retirement Show, Pat and Jay break down the three essential “buckets” every retirement plan should consider. Each bucket has a different job, from providing stability today to protecting purchasing power and creating long-term growt...

How much cash should you really keep in retirement? Having too little available could force you to sell investments at the worst possible time. But keeping too much sitting in checking or savings could mean missing opportunities for growth and allowing inflation to slowly eat away at your purchasing power. In this episode of the On-Track Retirement Show, Pat Schmidt and Jay Curatti break down how...

For many Americans, entering retirement with a paid-off house feels like the ultimate financial milestone. No mortgage payment. No debt. More peace of mind. But what if paying off your mortgage could actually make your retirement less secure? In this episode of the On-Track Retirement Show , Jay and Pat break down the emotional appeal of paying off your home versus the financial reality of doing s...

Two retirees. Same savings. Same average returns. Completely different retirement outcomes. Why? Timing. In this episode of the On-Track Retirement Show, Pat Schmidt and Jay Curatti break down the sequence of returns trap—one of the biggest risks retirees can face when they begin taking income from their investments. Using a simple example of two retirees who each begin with $1 million and withdra...

What would happen to your retirement plan if the market dropped 30%? What if taxes rise, inflation stays elevated, or you or your spouse suddenly need long-term care? A confident retirement isn’t necessarily about reaching a magic savings number. It’s about having a plan that can handle the unexpected. In this episode of the On-Track Retirement Show, Pat Schmidt and Jay Curatti walk through seven...

For most of our lives, retirement feels like the finish line. We work, save, sacrifice, and look forward to the day when we finally have more freedom. But retirement is not the end of your story—it can be the beginning of an entirely new chapter. In this episode of the On-Track Retirement Show, Pat Schmidt and Jay Curatti explore the four stages many people experience after leaving the workforce:...

What do retirees wish they had done differently? Surprisingly, many of the most common retirement regrets have little to do with investment returns. Instead, they center on time, family, health, purpose, preparation, and having the confidence to truly enjoy retirement. In this episode of the On-Track Retirement Show, Jay and Pat discuss five of the biggest regrets they hear from retirees:• Waiting...

In football, games are often won or lost in the red zone. The field gets tighter, the pressure increases, and every decision matters. Retirement has a red zone, too: the five years leading up to retirement and the first five years after you retire. During this critical window, financial mistakes can become magnified—and you may not have decades to recover from them. In this episode of the On-Track...

Retirement can feel overwhelming when every headline is talking about market volatility, inflation, interest rates, and economic uncertainty. If you're asking yourself, " Can I really afford to retire right now? " you're not alone. In this episode of the On-Track Retirement Show , Pat Schmidt and Jay Curatti explain why successful retirement isn't about predicting what the markets will do next—it'...

What if the biggest threat to your retirement isn't a market crash—but inflation? While inflation rarely makes headlines every day, it quietly chips away at your purchasing power year after year. In this episode of the On-Track Retirement Show , Pat and Jay explain why inflation is one of the most underestimated risks retirees face and how it can impact your income, healthcare costs, taxes, and ov...

You've spent decades building your career, raising a family, and preparing financially for retirement—but have you prepared emotionally? In this episode of the On-Track Retirement Show, Pat Schmidt and Jay Curatti explore one of the biggest challenges retirees face: the Retirement Identity Crisis. While many people carefully plan their finances, few take time to consider what life will actually lo...

In this episode of the On-Track Retirement Show, Pat Schmidt and Jay Curatti tackle one of the biggest retirement blind spots most people ignore: long-term care and rising healthcare costs. From Medicare misconceptions to the true cost of assisted living, memory care, and home healthcare, this conversation shines a light on the risks that can derail even the strongest retirement plan. You’ll learn...

Have you spent decades building your retirement savings… only to discover your IRA could become one of your biggest tax liabilities? In this episode of the On-Track Retirement Show, Pat Schmidt and Jay Curatti break down the hidden tax dangers many retirees never see coming — including required minimum distributions (RMDs), the “widow’s penalty,” and how inherited IRAs can create massive tax burde...

Are you worried about turning your retirement savings into reliable income that lasts? You’re not alone. In this episode of the On-Track Retirement Show, Pat Schmidt and Jay Curatti break down one of the biggest fears retirees face: running out of money in retirement. From understanding your monthly income needs to maximizing Social Security, pensions, and retirement income strategies, this conver...

Are annuities a smart retirement strategy… or one of the biggest mistakes you can make with your money? In this episode of the On-Track Retirement Show, Pat Schmidt and Jay Caratti break down one of the most misunderstood and debated topics in retirement planning: annuities. From the “good, bad, and ugly” of annuities to the differences between fixed, variable, immediate, and fixed index annuities...

What if retirement lasts 30 years… or more? In this episode of the On-Track Retirement Show, Jay and Pat tackle one of the biggest risks retirees face — living longer than expected. While many people plan for retirement, far too few truly plan for longevity, rising healthcare costs, inflation, long-term care, and the hidden impact of investment fees over time. If you retire at 65 and live to 95, t...

What if you could retire with $1 million… and still run out of money? In this episode of the On-Track Retirement Show, Jay Curatti and Pat Schmidt break down one of the biggest retirement mistakes people never see coming — believing that having a large nest egg automatically guarantees financial security. The truth? Retirement isn’t just about how much money you have. It’s about having a plan for...

Most people think retirement planning starts at 65… But what if the most important financial decisions actually happen before you ever get there? In this episode of the On-Track Retirement Show, we break down why age 60 might be the most financially dangerous window of your life— and how the 5 years leading up to retirement can determine whether you experience confidence… or uncertainty for decade...