The Get Ready For The Future Show

Social Security's 2027 COLA is 3.6%, the biggest raise in three years. But after taxes and Medicare, how much of it will retirees actually keep? The Social Security Administration says the 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment adds about $75 a month to the average retirement check, raising it from $2,087.52 to $2,162.67. The COLA is based on the change in the CPI-W inflation index from one year's third q...

Social Security's trust fund is projected to run short in late 2032. Should you claim early, or wait? We answer that and three more listener questions. Call us at 866-653-PLAN (7526) or email info@getreadyforthefuture.com to request a first appointment. On this episode: - Rhonda (Hot Springs): We're 64 and 66 and still working. Should we claim Social Security early before 2032? - Larry (Texarkana)...

Gas prices pushed September's CPI higher, and the Fed's next move is now a coin flip. Call us at 866-653-PLAN or book a time at getreadyforthefuture.com to talk through your own situation. The Consumer Price Index rose 3.7% year-over-year in September, up from 3.4% in August. Gas prices were the main driver, jumping 9.1% to a record $4.33 a gallon. Core inflation, which leaves out food and energy,...

Should you take a $2,400-a-month pension for life or a $410,000 lump sum? That's the question of the week on The Get Ready for the Future Show. Call us at 866-653-7526 (866-653-PLAN) or book a time at getreadyforthefuture.com to talk through your own situation. On this episode: - Pension or lump sum: how do you decide between $2,400 a month for life and a roughly $410,000 rollover? - Does "85% of...

The current bull market turns 4 years old next week. How long do bull markets usually last, and does a 116% gain in 4 years mean this one is running out of time? That's what Scott Inman is looking at in this week's Fastest Four!

You saved $1.2 million, paid off the house, and retired debt-free. So why does spending it feel so hard? We answer that and three more listener questions. Call us at 866-653-PLAN (866-653-7526) or email info@getreadyforthefuture.com to talk through your own situation. On this episode, Scott Inman is joined by GenWealth advisor Jason Marshall for his first time on the show. Listener questions: - Ma...

Which stock sectors have historically done best after the Fed starts raising rates, and which ones have lagged? The Fed raised rates on September 16, its first hike since July 2023, and markets now expect four more increases over the next 12 months, according to LPL Research. So how have stocks handled a rate hike cycle in the past? - The first four months are often rough, but the S&P 500 was posi...

When does waiting until 70 to claim Social Security backfire? John Shrewsbury and Janet Walker break it down. Call us at 866-653-PLAN (7526) or text 501-381-5228 to talk through your own situation. Listener questions: - Ellen (Van Buren): Does the 3–6 month emergency fund rule change once you retire? - Faith (Springdale): Does our old will still hold up after moving to a new state? - Douglas (Jone...

What does the Fed's first rate hike since 2023 mean for your savings, your debt, and your portfolio? The Federal Reserve raised the federal funds rate by 0.25% at its September meeting, the first hike since 2023, and Fed members signaled one more hike is possible before the end of 2026. Here's who feels it: - Credit cards and home equity lines of credit: borrowing costs typically rise almost immed...

Scott Inman and Teresa Arrigo are answering your questions on the Get Ready for the Future Show: - Is a continuing care community worth the cost? - How do you set up a special needs trust for a grandchild with autism? - HELOC or refinance for a home renovation — which makes sense? - Does a new grad with no dependents actually need life insurance? If any of these hit close to home, this is worth a...

AI insiders say there's a greater than 10% chance advanced AI could wipe out humanity — so why didn't the market even react? This week, AI whistleblowers went public with warnings that future AI systems carry more than a 10% chance of ending humanity. It's a heavy headline — and markets shrugged it off almost entirely, staying focused on inflation data, rate hikes, and the conflict with Iran inste...

What does it actually take to build a succession plan for the business you've spent decades building? Call us at 866-653-PLAN (or 501-653-7355) or email info@getreadyforthefuture.com to talk through your own situation. On this episode: - Listener question from Russell, a 20-year HVAC company owner: "How do I even start thinking about an exit or succession plan?" - Guest Jason Curry, author of Fini...

Is the bond market signaling a crisis, or just repricing to a new normal? The national debt just crossed $40 trillion, the 30-year Treasury yield hit 5.33% (its highest since 2007), and the deficit is running north of $2 trillion. The internet called it a crisis. But in the middle of it, the Treasury sold $183 billion of coupon debt across three auctions -- and buyers showed up. No auction tail, n...

This week: is the 4% rule still safe, getting ready for Medicare, forced Roth catch-up contributions, and where a $300 raise should go. Call us at 866-653-PLAN (866-653-7526) or email info@getreadyforthefuture.com to talk through your own situation. On this episode: - Karen (66, just retired): Our advisor always talked about the 4% rule — how much can we actually safely pull from our accounts each...

Every September since 1950, the S&P 500 has averaged a negative return. Here's why — and what history says to do about it. Call us at 866-653-PLAN or book a time at getreadyforthefuture.com to talk through your own portfolio. September is the only month with a negative average return across the last 5, 10, and 20 years, and since 1950 (-0.6%). LPL Research calls this seasonality — a mix of tax-rel...

Losing a spouse changes everything — including one of the most important, and least forgiving, financial decisions you'll ever make. This week on The Get Ready for the Future Show, we help a recent widow figure out how survivor Social Security benefits actually work, and why the "wait until 70" advice you've heard doesn't apply the same way here. Plus three more questions from listeners: Turning 7...

The U.S. national debt just hit $40 trillion — here's what that means for your money. Call us at 866-643-PLAN or book a time at getreadyforthefuture.com to talk through your own situation. The debt crossed $40 trillion on August 18, 2026 — up from $30 trillion just four and a half years earlier, and $20 trillion less than nine years ago. LPL data shows the government hasn't run a budget surplus in...

What happens if the person who's always handled the money suddenly can't anymore? This week on The Get Ready for the Future Show, we tackle a question a lot of couples are afraid to ask out loud: what if I have to take over? Plus three more questions from listeners: • How much cash should you actually keep once you're living off your portfolio in retirement? • A $50,000 bonus: should it go to your...

Stocks have been on a historic 4-year run, but that could be about to change. Since 1990, the S&P 500 has dropped an average of 5.1% between August 18 and October 11 in every midterm election year, with the Nasdaq down nearly 7% and the Russell 2000 down almost 8% over that same stretch. Here's the good news: 12 months after the last 18 mid-term elections, the S&P 500 has been positive every singl...

Miss one required withdrawal on an inherited IRA and the IRS can now hit you with a 25% penalty on top of the tax you already owe. On this episode: • The 10-year inherited IRA rule, finalized for 2025 — and exactly when annual withdrawals are required vs. optional • Why a Roth conversion can quietly double your Medicare premium two years later (IRMAA explained) • The life insurance gap costing 1 i...

The S&P 500 just hit a record high of 7,758 — up 13% this year. So is it too expensive to buy now? Here's what 37 years of data actually says happens after the market hits a new high, why Warren Buffett has never cared about the S&P's record, and the one dot-com era example that shows why abandoning your plan over a headline can cost you more than the "expensive" market ever would. In this episode...

Waiting until RMDs force your hand could cost you a tax bracket you'll never see again. 💰 On this episode of The Get Ready for the Future Show, the GenWealth team tackles these four listener questions: • Should you do Roth conversions before RMDs kick in — even in a "low" bracket? • Why the first 5 years of retirement matter more than your average return • Is 60% of your net worth in one company...

Retirees fear running out of money more than they fear death. That's not an exaggeration — it's what's driving a massive gap between what retirees have saved and what they're actually willing to spend. A married 65-year-old couple withdraws just 2.1% of their retirement savings a year. A single retiree: 1.9%. Meanwhile, 71% of workers say they'd be reluctant to touch their savings at all in retire...

When should you and your spouse claim Social Security — and could getting it wrong cost you six figures over your lifetime? In this episode of The Get Ready for the Future Show, we answer two listener questions: 🔹 A couple heading into retirement can't agree on when each of them should start claiming Social Security — and why coordinating as a household (not two separate filings) can be worth wel...

For two years, AI stocks meant one thing: who's spending the most to build it. That's changing. Wall Street's asking a new question — who can actually turn AI into revenue? Alec breaks down the shift from AI infrastructure to AI monetization, and why it matters for the next phase of this market theme.