Money Matters with Ken Moraif

In this special episode of Money Matters, Ken Moraif welcomes longtime RPOA client to share his real-life retirement journey and the lessons he learned after living through the 2008 financial crisis. From sleepless nights during market downturns to finding peace of mind with a retirement strategy, Jeff offers honest insights every pre-retiree and retiree can learn from. Ken also answers an importa...

In this episode of Money Matters, Ken Moraif breaks down one of the most important retirement questions: where should your retirement income come from first? He also explains the hidden danger of sequential risk and why market losses early in retirement can have a major impact on your financial future. Plus, Ken answers key Social Security questions about Medicare enrollment, delaying benefits unt...

If your child or loved one has special needs, how you leave them money matters. In this episode, Ken and Jeremy break down special needs trusts in plain English and why a direct inheritance can accidentally create problems with certain government benefits. They also cover practical, real world considerations like who should serve as trustee, when a corporate trustee can help, and why this planning...

Most people think “inheritance” means money, property, or accounts. In this episode, Ken Moraif and Jeremy Thornton share why the most valuable legacy you can leave your children and grandchildren is something far more lasting: your values, your morals, your life lessons, and your wisdom. If you’re over 50 and retired or retiring soon, this conversation will help you think differently about legacy...

What’s the most important inheritance you can leave your kids and grandkids? Ken Moraif says it probably isn’t money, a house, or “stuff.” In this episode, Ken and Jeremy talk about the values, lessons, and life stories that actually shape future generations, plus a simple way to preserve them using the phone you already carry every day. If you’re over 50 and retired or retiring soon, check out mo...

Can you leave a child out of your will, and if so, how do you do it without creating a family war later? In this segment, Ken and Jeremy break down the practical reality behind disinheriting a child, why communication matters, and what can trigger contestation after you are gone. They also explain why some families use trusts instead of relying only on a will, and why state rules can change the st...

Getting ready for retirement is a lot easier when you use a checklist. In this episode, Ken Moraif walks through a practical retirement planning checklist that helps you organize the big decisions before you stop working, so the transition feels smoother and your plan is built around real life costs. You’ll hear why where you live can be the biggest driver of your cost of living, how to think abou...

If you own an IRA, a few simple mistakes can quietly create bigger problems later, including unnecessary taxes, penalties, and outdated beneficiary choices. In this episode, Ken Moraif and Jeremy Thornton walk through seven common IRA mistakes they see over and over and explain how to avoid them with better habits and better planning. They cover the mistakes retirees and pre-retirees make most oft...

If you are considering retiring early or you need income before age 59½, the IRS 72(t) rule (also called SEPP, Substantially Equal Periodic Payments) may allow you to take distributions from a traditional IRA without the 10% early withdrawal penalty. In this episode, Ken and Jeremy break down what an IRA is, who 72(t) can help, the three calculation methods, and the most common pitfalls that can t...

Are you accidentally sabotaging your investments? In this episode, Ken Moraif breaks down the 7 Deadly Sins of Investing and explains how common behaviors like emotion, greed, impatience, disorganization, and fear can hurt your long term financial outcomes. If you are retired, retiring soon, or planning for retirement, this is a must watch conversation about how to make smarter investment decision...

Can you leave more to one child than another without creating lifelong resentment? In this episode, Ken Moraif explains why heirs often interpret inheritance as “love units” and how unequal distributions can trigger family conflict, will contests, and years of hurt feelings. The solution is not just legal, it’s relational: communicate your plan ahead of time. Subscribe for more retirement planning...

When you invest, you are in the risk game. The question is not whether you have risk, it is whether you are managing it on purpose. In this episode of the Retirement Planners of America Podcast, Ken Moraif breaks down four practical ways to manage investment risk, especially if you are within five years of retirement or the first five years of retirement. We Talk About: Diversification: building a...

Gold is up big and the headlines are everywhere. Is gold an inflation hedge, a fear asset, or something else entirely? In this episode, Ken Moraif and Jordan Roach break down what is driving the move in gold, why central banks matter more than most people realize, and how to think about gold, silver, and crypto in a retirement focused portfolio. We cover why gold often moves on fear and geopolitic...

Choosing health coverage in the years before Medicare can be confusing—and costly. Ken Moraif and licensed health-insurance pro Lynn Timm break down practical options: when COBRA makes sense, when an ACA (Affordable Care Act) Marketplace plan may be a better fit, and how to think about timing and transitions. Like & subscribe for weekly retirement insights. RPOA Advisors, Inc. (d/b/a Retiremen...

Medicare can be confusing when phone calls, mailers, and pop-up offers ramp up. In this episode, Ken Moraif and Medicare specialist Lynn Timm explain practical ways to protect yourself: how unsolicited plan “switch” calls happen, why beneficiary forms and provider networks matter, how Part D changes can affect prescriptions, and why your safest move is working with a trusted, licensed professional...

Geopolitics is back on the front page—Venezuela sanctions shifts, unrest in Iran, and fresh supply/demand puzzles for global oil. In this episode, Jordan, and Jeremy unpack what rising or falling crude could mean for U.S. gas prices, market leadership, and long-term retirement planning. We cover sequencing risk, diversification, and why disciplined rules matter more than headlines. If you’re retir...

Medicaid headlines can be confusing—and costly. In this episode, Ken talks with benefits expert Lynn Timm about how fraud can slip into large public programs and what states are doing to strengthen oversight. We also discuss practical steps families can use to keep paperwork current and avoid unintended gaps in coverage and in future episodes we'll give you tips to avoid being a victim of Med...

Is the streaming landscape on the verge of a mega-merger? In this episode, Ken Moraif (with Jeremy and Jordan) breaks down the Netflix/Warner Bros/Paramount bidding battle, why lawmakers are pushing antitrust scrutiny, and how consolidation could reshape streaming, movie theaters, and broad market exposure. We also talk about concentration risk inside major indexes and why diversification still ma...

Buy-and-hold has a place—but retirement brings new risks like sequence-of-returns, required withdrawals, and tax considerations. In this conversation, Ken and the team break down how market downturns can affect lifetime income, why diversification alone may not limit losses, and where a rules-based “sell discipline” can fit into a retirement plan. We cover: • Sequence-of-returns risk and why early...

How much market risk do you actually need to reach your retirement goals? In this episode, Ken and Jeremy walk through the trade-off between return and volatility, how mix (e.g., 60/40 vs. 30/70) changes portfolio behavior, why diversification helps—but isn’t a cure-all—and why the “most important decade” (five years before and five years after retirement) deserves extra care. Ready to talk throug...

Will your savings reliably support you through your retirement years? In this episode of the Retirement Planners of America podcast, Ken Moraif and co-host Jeremy Thornton walk through their Retirement Cash Flow Plan framework — a practical way to think about income, withdrawals, taxes, inflation, and bear markets when you’re in (or approaching) retirement. Using a real-world style example, they d...

Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) can impact taxes, Medicare premiums, and cash-flow in retirement. In this episode, Ken Moraif and Jeremy Thornton explain when RMDs start (age rules), how the penalties work, and practical ways retirees plan ahead—like tax-bracket management, Roth conversions, qualified charitable distributions (QCDs), spousal planning, and timing tactics that help you stay or...

Inflation eats into purchasing power—especially once pay raises stop. In this episode, Ken and Jeremy cover practical, level-headed ways retirees can plan for inflation without hype: from choosing where to keep cash, to timing Social Security, budgeting with intention, and setting the right mix of stocks versus safer assets. We keep it simple, educational, and actionable so you can feel more confi...

Retirement has a “red zone”: the 5 years before and the 5 years after you retire. Decisions in this window can shape the rest of your financial life. In this episode, Ken Moraif and CIO Jordan Roach discuss why this decade matters, how major market drawdowns have impacted real families, and practical ways to think about risk, withdrawals, and planning so your savings can support your goals for the...

Many families are surprised to learn that while life insurance proceeds are generally income-tax free, they can still be included in your taxable estate if ownership and premium rules aren’t handled correctly. In this episode, Ken and Jeremy break down when a policy may be pulled into your estate and how a properly structured Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT) can help. We also cover the thre...