ClearPath Retirement Radio

This week, we have a listener Q&A episode that tackles the questions people ask most as they get closer to retirement or try to make sense of it once they're there. This ClearPath Retirement Radio covers when to really start planning, how much money you actually need, the biggest mistakes people make in the years before retirement, and a full retirement readiness checklist.  From there th...

Retirement planning looks different for women — longer time horizons, different income patterns, and decisions that often fall on their shoulders sooner than expected. Stewart Smith and Mitch Davies break down what to actually watch for. In this episode of ClearPath Retirement Radio, Stewart and Mitch talk through the factors that make retirement planning unique for women and the specific things w...

ClearPath Retirement Planning's Stewart Smith, LUTCF®, RICP®, and Mitch Davies walk through three strategies they use every week with Upstate SC families to make sure the wealth built over a lifetime doesn't get eroded by probate, unnecessary taxes, and poor timing. Estate planning and tax efficiency aren't two separate conversations. The decisions you make about trusts, Roth conver...

Eight out of 10 women will manage their household finances alone at some point — through widowhood, divorce, or simply outliving their spouse. Most aren't prepared when it happens. In Season 2 of ClearPath Retirement Radio, Stewart Smith and Mitch Davies walk through what actually changes when a spouse is suddenly gone and what couples can do right now, before anything happens, to protect the...

Retirement planning isn't about having the right advisor. It's about having a real plan — one that shows you in black and white how your money holds up against taxes, inflation, market risk, and time. Today, Stewart Smith and Mitch Davies tackle the questions that genuinely keep pre-retirees awake:  Will I have enough?  What will taxes do to my IRA?  When should I take Social Security? ...

Retirement planning involves many conversations about income, taxes, and investments. But one of the questions Stewart Smith and Mitch Davies hear most often from families across Upstate South Carolina is this: How do we figure out the senior care piece and how do we pay for it? This week, Stewart and Mitch are joined in the studio by Lynn Baird of Oasis Senior Advisors, a 30-year veteran who help...

Something a little different this week on ClearPath Retirement Radio. Stewart is traveling, so Mitch Davies takes the helm — joined by Servicing Adviser Lara Bishop and Marketing Director Kathy Farah — for a conversation that gives listeners a real look at the people and philosophy behind ClearPath's planning-first approach. If you've ever wondered what it actually feels like to work wit...

ClearPath Retirement Planning's Stewart Smith, LUTCF®, RICP®, and Mitch Davies break down the fastest-growing threat to retirement security in 2026. AI-powered scams that are so sophisticated that even financially savvy people are falling for them. In 2024, seniors lost nearly $5 billion to fraud. That number is probably much higher because most victims never report it, out of shame. And the...

7 out of 10 Americans over the age of 65 will need some form of long-term care. A multi-year stay in a skilled nursing facility could easily consume a significant portion of your retirement savings. And most people don't have a plan for any of it. If you've been putting off this conversation because it felt too expensive, too complicated, or too uncomfortable, this episode of ClearPath R...

Most people assume that having a will means their estate is taken care of. But a will does not avoid probate, and probate could cost your family thousands of dollars, months of waiting, and more stress than you'd expect.  If you've been putting off estate planning because it felt complicated or expensive, this episode of ClearPath Retirement Radio is for you. Stewart Smith, LUTCF®, RICP®...

Nearly half of Americans over 55 feel they haven't saved enough for retirement. If you've looked at your 401 (k) statement and felt that familiar knot in your stomach, this episode of Clearpath Retirement Radio is for you. Stewart Smith, LUTCF®, RICP®, and Mitch Davies walk through four real steps people in their 50s and early 60s can take right now to close the gap and still build a ret...

This week episode of ClearPath Retirement Radio covers Social Security claiming strategies for retirees and pre-retirees in Greenville and Upstate South Carolina. Retirement advisor Stewart Smith, LUTCF®, RICP®, and Mitch Davies break down the most common Social Security mistakes, including when to claim, spousal benefits, survivor income, and how Social Security taxes work in retirement. Social S...

ClearPath Retirement Planning's Stewart Smith, LUTCF®, RICP®, and Mitch Davies break down the retirement tax advantages most people in South Carolina don't know they're missing, even after they've moved here. South Carolina is strategically tax-friendly for retirees.  But those benefits don't happen automatically. The IRS isn't going to call you. And if no one has wal...

As you approach retirement or as a SC or NC retiree, have you ever said this to yourself... "I've been saving for years and the number on my statement looks good but I honestly don't know if it's actually enough to last 20 or 30 years."   "My advisor mentioned Roth conversions once and never brought it up again and I still don't know if I missed my window."...

As you approach retirement or as a retiree, have you ever said this to yourself... "I have a pile of statements in a drawer but I honestly don't know if I have a real plan." "My advisor talks about returns but nobody has ever talked to me about taxes, Social Security timing, or what happens if I need long-term care." "Looking back, I think I was sold a product instead...

With geopolitical tensions rising and markets reacting, this episode is essential listening for anyone within five years of retirement or already living off their retirement portfolio. Stewart Smith (LUTCF®, RICP®) and Mitch Davies break down exactly how the current conflict is affecting retirement portfolios, what sectors are benefiting and which are under pressure, and the structural strategies...

If you're within 5 years of retirement, this episode is essential listening. Stewart Smith (LUTCF®, RICP®) and Mitch Davies cover five critical planning areas in the Retirement Red Zone where portfolio positioning, tax strategy, healthcare, and income decisions intersect. In This Episode: Sequence of Returns Risk — Portfolio protection strategies for market downturns Tax Conversion Window — R...

Tax season is here, and if you're retired or approaching retirement, your tax situation looks very different than it did during your working years.  In this episode, Stewart Smith (LUTCF®, RICP®) and Mitch Davies (CFP®) break down the critical tax considerations for the distribution phase of retirement. Whether you're planning your first year of retirement or you've been retired for...

Hosts Stewart Smith and Mitch Davies tackle two retirement-planning topics that are often overlooked: how your investment strategy evolves when you shift from accumulation to distribution, and why a living trust might be one of the smartest moves you can make for your legacy. Drawing from decades of helping retirees and pre-retirees in the Upstate South Carolina area, they break down the three-buc...

Welcome to Episode 2 of ClearPath Retirement Radio! Hosts Stewart Smith and Mitch Davies explore the emotional side of retirement —the often-overlooked psychological transition that can feel like losing your identity, purpose, or daily structure after years of hard work.  Drawing from decades of helping retirees and pre-retirees in the Upstate South Carolina area, they share real client stories, m...

Welcome to the inaugural episode of ClearPath Retirement Radio! Hosts Stewart Smith and Mitch Davies kick off the show by breaking down the most common retirement planning mistakes they see after 24 years of working with retirees in Greenville, Columbia, and the Upstate South Carolina area. If you've worked hard to build your retirement savings but aren't sure how to turn those assets in...