Keen on Retirement

Folks who attended our 2023 Q3 Market Outlook Webinar heard a much more positive message about the economy than the one you might be hearing on social media and cable news. Matt Wilson, Chief Investment Officer and President at Keen Wealth, always follows the latest data towards a no-nonsense picture of where we are and where we could be heading. On today's show, we discuss why we're cautiously op...

I am not what the kids would call a "Swiftie," but I recognize talent when I see it! So how did I end up in the capacity crowd at Arrowhead Stadium last week watching Taylor Swift? On today's show, we talk about my family's experience at "The Eras Tour" and tie that incredible night into a larger discussion about what money is really for, especially in retirement.

Without careful analysis and planning, taxes can become one of the biggest expenses for retirees -- if not the biggest.  Matt Wilson, Chief Investment Officer and President of Keen Wealth Advisors, recently hosted a webinar discussing the tax issues you could face at four stages of retirement. Today's podcast episode hits on some of Matt's key points and answers important follow-up questions from...

At its meeting on June 14th, the Federal Reserve did something that it hasn't done in 15 months: it decided not to raise interest rates. This slight pause in the Fed's battle against inflation gives us an opportunity to discuss the state of our economy and the markets at the midway point of 2023.  On today's show, we take stock of the latest market data, put current inflation and interest rates in...

The connection between money and happiness has always been one of the most personal and complicated parts of the financial planning process. After all, "happiness" means something different to all of us. And those definitions can change as we progress through life, especially when we're navigating meaningful life transitions. On today's show, we dive into some new research on money and happiness....

On today's show, we discuss a topic that many of us will deal with from multiple angles: caring for elderly family members. Many baby boomers who are transitioning into retirement have also become caregivers for their parents or older relatives. At the same time, these retirees may be beginning to talk to their children or grandchildren about some estate planning basics and how they want to be car...

Matt Wilson's latest Market Update webinar touched on some important topics that you've probably seen in the headlines lately: interest rates, inflation, bank closures, the debt ceiling debate, and economic growth forecasts for the rest of the year. But if you're just getting your info on these things from social media or cable news, Matt's approach was likely a breath of fresh air. At Keen Wealth...

Why are we talking taxes on today's episode, when the 2022 tax season is already over? Because taxes are a constantly evolving part of a comprehensive financial plan. The rules around tax planning and retirement change. Your taxable income changes. And, most importantly, your life changes. Today, we discuss some of the tax items on our checklist-driven planning process at Keen Wealth that keep eve...

I know I say this every time we answer listener questions, but these are some of my favorite episodes of Keen on Retirement. I love hearing from listeners trying to think through crucial financial planning issues and be proactive about their lives. And I'm thrilled that so many folks in our audience took the time to attend our most recent webinar on Retirement Spending, reflect on the info that Ke...

Earlier this month, I attended The Barron's Advisor Independent Summit in Dallas with Keen Wealth's Chief Investment Officer and President, Matt Wilson. It's a real privilege to be invited to this annual conference where we can talk to and learn from some of the top minds in finance.  While the program had been scheduled well in advance, the recent bank collapses in California and New York became...

We received very positive feedback from folks who attended our most recent educational webinar, "Timing is Everything." And, we also received some excellent follow-up questions that we're going to address on today's episode. Our conversation ranges from transportation costs to health insurance and asset allocations. We also discuss what we mean by "timing" in retirement and how Keen Wealth's compr...

All of us Chiefs fans have incredible memories of watching Super Bowl LVII that we're going to treasure forever. But not many of us had a seat as close to the action as my guest today, Teresa Hannon. "This game was such a nail biter," Teresa told me, "and where I sat was lower level, right by where the winning field goal was made. Just seeing it go through the goal post right by where I was sittin...

It's clear from our latest batch of listener questions that the Keen on Retirement audience has been paying attention to how recent legislation is affecting retirement planning. But today's episode should also clarify just how challenging it can be for folks to find the answers they need when so many details keep changing. My team at Keen Wealth doesn't just dig into the fine print: we understand...

"Sean" is 60, and he wants to retire by the end of this year. His wife, "Mary," is also 60, and she wants to retire in two-to-three years. Maybe.  Sean has an IRA worth $1,000,000 and a health savings account with $5,000 in it. Mary has a 401(k) worth $800,000, an IRA worth $700,000, and company stock worth $100,000. They also have cash savings of about $600,000. They want to be able to spend $120...

When our leaders in Washington passed the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act in 2019, it marked a major change in retirement planning. In a sense, the government was codifying advice that many financial advisors -- including my team at Keen Wealth -- had been giving for years. The next generation of retirees is going to live longer, with more active lives than any b...

We're only a few days into 2023, but the stats tell us that plenty of folks are already struggling with their New Year's resolutions. In 2019, Strava, a social network for athletes, determined that 80% of people who made New Year's resolutions abandoned them by the second week of January. A 2021 CBS News poll found that 4% of individuals who make resolutions actually accomplish everything; 8% meet...

Because of the strong ties that Keen Wealth has established with metro Kansas City's thriving engineering community, we've gained real appreciation for the power of employee stock ownership plans, or ESOPs. The Harvard Business Review study shows that companies that implement this unique structure dramatically improve their performance by empowering their workers to think and act like owners. ESOP...

Thanks to the tremendous support of the Keen Wealth community, our podcast audience, and readers of our blog, I'm thrilled to announce that the 2nd Edition of Keen on Retirement: Engineering The Second Half Of Your Life has hit Amazon's best-seller list!    I think one of the reasons that folks have connected with the book is that I try to present up-to-date information on things like the SECURE A...

On our last episode, we ran through the changes to Medicare and Social Security that will affect seniors' benefits next year. Today, we're going to complete our 2023 planning picture by discussing tax brackets and contribution limits for retirement accounts. We also examine whether or not gold and real estate should factor into your financial planning given the current levels of inflation. 

The numbers are finally out! And that means, if you haven't already started, it's time to get serious about working with your advisor to update your financial plan for 2023. On today's show, we discuss the changes coming to your Social Security and Medicare benefits next year, as well as an important clarification on the rules for inheriting IRAs that could impact how you and your family members t...

"Ben" and "Shirley" are 62 years old and married. Shirley retired at the beginning of 2022. Ben is still working, earning $130,000 per year and taking home about $7,000 every month. If Ben retired right now, he'd be eligible for $24,000 per year in Social Security; Shirley could collect $20,000. Ben has a 401(k) worth $1.1 million; Shirley's 401(k) is worth $300,000. They have $45,000 in Roth IRA...

Ongoing market fluctuations have caused many of us to ask some of the same questions in 2022. Are we headed for a recession? Will inflation subside sooner than later? Should the Federal Reserve have moved earlier or has it done too much? I hope that listening to today's episode will help folks understand why there are no simple answers to any of these questions. And, perhaps more importantly, I ho...

We received very enthusiastic responses from folks who attended our recent webinar, Maximizing Social Security Benefits. As always, Matt Wilson, Keen Wealth's President and Chief Investment Officer, presented up-to-the-minute information explaining some strategies for integrating Social Security into a comprehensive financial plan.  On today's show, we're complementing that webinar by answering so...

As the calendar flips over to Fall, our checklist-driven process at Keen Wealth brings my team to some important action items to help folks prep for the year ahead. In particular, we want to make sure retirees are getting ready to review their Medicare coverage during the upcoming Open Enrollment period in November. And we're also waiting for the Social Security Administration to announce its bene...

What's in a name? On Tuesday, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) into law (and let's not confuse this IRA with the older "IRA" as in Individual Retirement Account). That's certainly less of a mouthful than, say, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act of 2019 and its proposed sequel. But will the IRA actually have an impact on inflation? Will it...