RETIREMENT MADE EASY

Are you in your 50s or 60s and wondering what you need to get figured out before you retire? In this episode of the Retirement Made Easy podcast, I share 6 questions you need to ask—and answer—before considering retirement. If you can answer these 6 questions by the time you retire, you should be in great shape. Retirement should be a blessing–not a curse. So let's get your ducks in a row.  You wi...

There were many articles published in August/September that were predicting a big stock marketing crash to come in October. In October 1929 and 1987, there were huge stock market crashes. 1987 was 34 years ago—what does it have to do with this stock market?  Supposed "experts" predicted that we were supposed to get the biggest crash we've ever seen in October 2021. So where is it? More importantly...

The cost of living for 2022 will be the highest it's been in 40 years. What does that say about inflation? What is the increase of social security payments? How will it impact Medicare Part B premiums? I'll cover what these changes mean for you in this episode of the Retirement Made Easy podcast!  You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... [3:52] The social security cost of liv...

There are two crucial mistakes I see people make with their retirement. The sad part is that these mistakes are completely avoidable with proper retirement planning. What are the two retirement mistakes? How can you avoid making them? Learn more in this episode of the Retirement Made Easy podcast! You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... [4:33] Check out RetirementMadeEasyPod...

Listener questions have been pouring in these last few weeks! So in this episode of Retirement Made Easy, I'll dive into a few more questions that have rolled in. How do advisors get paid? What can you do to help your parents with estate planning to avoid probate court after their deaths? Do no-risk no-fee investments exist—and are they worth it? I answer these questions and more in this episode....

If you roll over your old 401k from a former employer, does your match apply? Can you get around the 10% early withdrawal penalty? If you retire early, should you defer your social security benefits? I answer these questions—and more—in this Q&A edition of the Retirement Made Easy podcast!  You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... [4:18] 401k rollovers, matching, and vesting...

Every generation comes up with reasons not to invest. So in this episode of the Retirement Made Easy podcast, I share a historical perspective from the eyes of Baby Boomers, people born between 1946 and 1964 (approximately 70–80 million). The oldest Baby Boomer, born in 1946, is turning 75 this year. What's happened in the economy since 1950? What has shaken the world and created fear in the minds...

Do you have enough saved to fund your retirement lifestyle and only work if you want to? A lot of people are a few years away from retiring and don't know if they're on track to retire. What can you do to expedite your journey toward retirement? According to Napoleon Hill, "What the mind can conceive and believe it can achieve." I want you to start dreaming. Learn more in this episode of Retiremen...

In this episode of the Retirement Made Easy podcast, I share two conversations I had with listeners. Both were given advice that I would consider a recipe for failure. One was given a strategy to time the market and the other was advised to chase short-term performance. Why are those two things dangerous? Listen to this episode to find out! You will want to hear this episode if you are interested...

How do I feel about Roth IRAs and 401ks/403Bs? What about the Backdoor Roth IRA? They can be an important tool in your retirement planning. But how do they work? What is the best way to optimize them? Learn more in this episode of Retirement Made Easy! You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... [2:27] Learn more about Roth IRAs/401ks/403Bs [7:51] Conversations about capping the...

In this special Retirement Made Easy Replay, we take a look back at a popular episode. I'll cover the five questions you need to ask a financial advisor to make sure they're THE right fit for you: Question #1: How long have you been doing this? Question #2: Do you have a specialty? Question #3: Are you a fiduciary? Question #4: How are you compensated? Question #5: What does working together look...

What is a fiduciary? How are financial advisors compensated? What is a fatal mistake I see people make with investing? In this episode of retirement made easy, I answer these listener questions so that you can be well-educated about your advisor—and your investments. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... [1:30] What's covered in this episode [4:45] The role of a fiduciary...

I received a phone call this week from a listener that I thought was absolutely crucial to share with my listeners. She had gone to a retirement seminar that I gave over 10 years ago. She didn't take my advice then and regrets it now. Why? Almost 11 years later, she's almost 76 and is looking for a part-time job to cover her expenses. What did I share in that seminar? Listen to this episode of the...

In this special two-part episode of Retirement Made Easy, I answer a listener's question about Medicare enrollment. I also talk about the tax proposals that legislators snuck into The American Families Plan and how they could impact you. If you're nearing retirement this is a can't-miss episode full of important details. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... [1:54] Send me...

The last big crash where the year ended down was 2008, with the market ending down 38%. Before 2008, 2000–2002 were three years where the market was down in the double-digits. If you retire at age 62 like the average person, you're expected to live another 30 years! That is 30 years where you will likely experience a market crash.  So what should you do when you experience a market crash during re...

As you're nearing retirement—or thinking about retiring early—you must think about your options for health insurance. If you're retiring early, you have three options for healthcare. If you're planning on waiting until age 65 to retire, you'll qualify for Medicare. I cover the basics of all of these options in this episode of Retirement Made Easy! You will want to hear this episode if you are inte...

Is now a good time to retire—or a bad time? If you're a Baby Boomer, you may be questioning what you should do. Many people are quite fearful of retiring given the state of the country and stock markets. So in this episode of Retirement Made Easy, let's talk about it. I'll share how you can improve your odds of a successful retirement (and the things you need to be aware of). I understand this tur...

A client asked me, "In what scenario would it make sense to claim your social security benefit early (before full retirement age)?" Full retirement is somewhere between age 66 and 67, depending on when you were born. So in this episode of Retirement Made Easy, I'll share a few scenarios in which it might make sense to take your benefits early. Listen to learn more! You will want to hear this episo...

Money is subjective, right? $1 million saved for retirement may not seem like much to one person. To someone else, it seems like a fortune. Whatever it is that you do have saved for retirement, you likely saved and invested for years. The decisions you make with what you have are crucial for your future success. You have to make the most with what you have. In some cases, that may mean retiring in...

I love when people ask questions! So in this special episode of Retirement Made Easy—and celebrating one year of the podcast—I'm answering five listener questions. If you don't have a background in financial or retirement planning, I'll happily answer any question you may have. Just head on over to RetirementMadeEasyPodcast.com and send me a message! You will want to hear this episode if you are i...

This mistake is dangerous when it comes to the investment selections that you make. To avoid this mistake, you have to focus on  why  you're investing in the first place. What is it actually for? You can't make poor decisions with your "serious" money that's devoted to providing for your retirement.  You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... [2:06] Check out the resources on m...

What is your simple ticket to finding unclaimed wealth? How can you find unclaimed money for yourself or the people that you're close with? In this episode of Retirement Made Easy, I diverge from my normal podcast structure to share a tool that can be a game-changer for your retirement. Don't miss it! You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... [3:17] Your ticket to finding uncl...

I recently spoke on the phone with someone nearing retirement who was questioning what their taxes would look like in retirement. Would they be lower? Higher? What strategies can be implemented to keep your tax bill lower? I share some of my favorite strategies in this episode of Retirement Made Easy! You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... [4:18] Social Security retirement...

Many people know I'm a Smartvestor Pro with Dave Ramsey and I'm often found on his website as a resource. I agree with so many of his financial principles that help people make good financial decisions and begin to build wealth. So in this episode of Retirement Made Easy, I'll talk about 5 lessons we can learn from Dave Ramsey. I'll also answer questions from two listener emails. Don't miss it! Yo...

What two things should you avoid purchasing in the near future? Why should you wait? In this episode of Retirement Made Easy, I talk about real estate, annuities, and CDs. Why do they all make poor purchases right now? Listen to this episode to learn more! You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... [2:58] Thing #1: Avoid buying real estate [4:48] Why home prices have skyrockete...