Kickin' with The Rickens: Redefining Retirement

What would you do differently with your money if you could start over at 25? Gerry Ricken explores financial habits that can shape the decades ahead, from contributing to a 401(k) and considering Roth options to building an emergency fund, budgeting, and avoiding costly credit card debt. He also discusses why thoughtful spending matters at every age and why retirement is about more than money, inc...

What could quietly derail even a carefully built retirement plan? Heidi Ricken Provost and Gerry Ricken explore some of retirement’s biggest potential speed bumps, including long-term care, Social Security timing, pension survivor benefits, taxes, and unexpected spending. They also tackle common retirement misconceptions in “Kick It or Keep It,” covering Medicare, stocks, and why...

What happens when election-year emotions start influencing your retirement decisions? Heidi Ricken Provost explains why politics and short-term market fears shouldn't dictate a long-term financial strategy. She discusses aligning investments with your true risk tolerance, preparing for market corrections and other unexpected challenges, and taking emotion out of financial decisions. Plus, Heidi sh...

Heidi Ricken Provost and Gerry Ricken examine the risks that can hide inside bonds and annuities, why financial strength and tax treatment matter, and how retirement decisions should fit your individual plan. They also explore when it may make sense to retire, preparing emotionally for life after work, managing taxes and income, and whether conventional wisdom about mortgages, legacy planning, and...

When should a financial habit get kicked to the curb, and when is it worth keeping? Gerry Ricken tackles the “Kick It or Keep It” challenge, covering financial support for adult children, holding onto longtime investments, and letting a retirement strategy sit unchanged for years. He explains why personal circumstances, diversification, risk tolerance, taxes, and changing income needs...

What retirement decisions could become harder to change once the calendar flips? Gerry Ricken examines year-end planning considerations, including traditional versus Roth contributions, retirement spending needs, required minimum distributions, charitable giving, and tax planning. He also discusses why starting the planning conversation before retirement can help clarify income, investments, healt...

Choosing a retirement advisor can feel a lot like picking apples: what looks good at first glance may deserve a closer look. Heidi Ricken Provost and Gerry Ricken discuss what to consider when choosing someone to help guide your retirement, from understanding risk tolerance and income needs to taxes, healthcare, estate planning, and investment management. They explain why retirement planning can r...

The year-end tax clock is ticking, but taxes are only one piece of the retirement puzzle. Heidi Ricken Provost and Gerry Ricken discuss Roth conversions, tax-loss and tax-gain harvesting, Medicare and long-term care planning, and why a million-dollar portfolio alone doesn’t determine retirement readiness. They also tackle Social Security timing, old 401(k)s, vacation homes, cash reserves, an...

What if the biggest retirement question isn’t whether you have enough money, but whether you have enough time to keep waiting? Heidi Ricken Provost shares how her upcoming charity hike and a recent retirement-planning conversation brought that question into focus. She discusses early retirement, bridging the gap to Medicare, taxes, income planning, and balancing the desire to leave a legacy...

Is your retirement plan ready for the decisions that can change everything? Heidi Ricken Provost explores how choosing the right home, managing mortgage debt, preparing for market risk, and building a long-term tax strategy can shape retirement. She also tackles Roth conversions, Social Security timing, annuities, and why focusing only on today’s tax bill can miss the bigger picture. Plus, H...

What really happens at a retirement seminar, and is it anything like the stereotypes? Heidi Ricken Provost pulls back the curtain on Ricken Financial’s educational events, explaining how attendees can learn about income, taxes, Social Security, risk, and retirement planning in a relaxed, community-focused environment. Heidi shares what makes these workshops different, why education comes fir...

What if some of the most common retirement moves are actually costly mistakes? Retirement planner Heidi Ricken Provost and licensed insurance professional  Gerry Ricken play a round of “Kick It or Keep It,” tackling real-world decisions involving Social Security, AI-generated financial advice, CDs, Roth conversions, mortgage payoffs, helping adult children financially, and more. T...

What happens when you realize you're no longer living with purpose? Heidi Ricken Provost and Gerry Ricken discuss finding joy in everyday moments, overcoming fear of change, and recognizing when it's time to pursue something more meaningful. From career transitions to retirement goals, they explore how purpose and fulfillment can shape the next chapter of life. Get your complimentary meeting with...

Is retiring at 65 really the smartest move, or could it cost you more than you realize? Heidi Ricken Provost and Gerry Ricken tackle a series of common retirement questions, separating what’s smart, what’s risky, and what depends on your personal situation. From Social Security timing and Roth conversions to pensions, market volatility, helping adult children, and charitable giving, th...

What if the biggest challenge in retirement isn’t saving money, but learning how to spend it? Heidi Ricken Provost and Gerry Ricken discuss why many retirees struggle to shift from accumulating wealth to using it with purpose. They explore retirement income, changing spending habits, emergency funds, travel goals, and the importance of building a plan that supports the life you want to live...

Is your retirement date based on a thoughtful strategy, or simply an age on the calendar? Heidi Ricken Provost and Gerry Ricken explain why retirement timing, Social Security, taxes, income, investments, healthcare, and legacy planning should work together around your individual purpose. They also explore “dead money,” the difference between tax preparation and tax planning, and why ev...

Would you rather retire sooner with less money or work longer with twice as much? Gerry Ricken and Heidi Ricken Provost tackle a series of retirement “would you rather” questions involving timing, purpose, experiences, inheritances, mortgages, health care, and quality of life. Their answers reveal why seemingly simple choices depend on taxes, spending needs, income sources, personal fu...

What do bathroom grab bars have to do with retirement planning? Gerry Ricken uses that unexpected comparison to explain overlooked strategies that can help retirees prepare for income needs, taxes, healthcare costs, and long-term care considerations. Gerry discusses retirement "grab bars" such as IRA rollovers, qualified charitable distributions, Roth conversions, and planning for future healthcar...

What if the most valuable retirement strategies are the ones people overlook? Gerry Ricken discusses the “grab bars” of retirement planning, from IRA rollovers and diversification opportunities to tax-efficient charitable giving strategies. The conversation explores ways retirees can think about preserving assets, managing income, and preparing for long-term financial needs. Get your c...

Would you really spend retirement doing more work, or are you planning for the freedom to enjoy it? In this episode, Heidi Ricken Provost explores why many retirees overestimate how much they’ll travel, underestimate emotional money decisions, and struggle with do-it-yourself financial management. Using relatable examples from vacation planning to flight plans, Heidi discusses what it means...

Could a few smart moves before year-end make a meaningful difference in your retirement strategy?  Heidi Ricken Provost  discusses the critical financial decisions many retirees and pre-retirees face as the calendar winds down. From required minimum distributions and Roth conversions to tax planning, Social Security timing, risk tolerance, and retirement spending, she explores the questi...

If “later” keeps moving, when will you finally make time for retirement planning? Heidi Ricken Provost and Gerry Ricken explore how busy schedules, procrastination, and arbitrary savings targets can prevent adults from building a plan around what matters most. They discuss retirement purpose, tax status, income, healthcare, long-term care, investments, and the transition from saving to...

What if one small retirement decision today could have a major impact on your future taxes and income strategy? In this episode, Heidi Ricken Provost and Gerry Ricken discuss why retirement planning is about more than investments. They explore tax-efficient withdrawal strategies, the difference between DIY investing and comprehensive planning, common retirement income mistakes, and how purpose-dri...

Preventative care isn't just for your health. It's for your finances too. Heidi Ricken Provost and Gerry Ricken discuss retirement readiness, tax planning, Roth contributions, market risk, and why proactive financial decisions today may help create more flexibility later. Along the way, they share stories about hiking, retirement planning, and building healthy financial habits before retirement ar...

What if the biggest threat to your retirement isn’t the market, but the risks you haven’t planned for? Heidi Ricken Provost and Gerry Ricken explore the idea of “preventative care” for your wealth, covering tax strategies, market risk, retirement income planning, healthcare costs, estate considerations, and preparing for life’s unexpected twists. They explain why reti...