Monolith Money Show

It's coming up on construction season again on the highways - but if you are planning for retirement, there is always construction going on to make sure your plan is constructed properly to fit you and your needs. Today Jeff and Camille talk about how this is done as well as how to avoid financial potholes and other things which can cause potential damage to your finances.

There are plenty of uncertainties going into retirement - how long will your health hold up? Will the markets sustain growth of your assets? Will taxes stay where they are, and what direction will they take if they don't? These questions don't have specific answers, but a solid financial plan can help you deal with them if things take a turn you weren't counting on. Jeff and Camille talk about the...

Saving money in something like a 401K or IRA is a good thing to have for retirement. But if it is a tax deferred plan, then you need to know how to withdraw those funds so you are not paying more in taxes than you need to. Jeff and Camille discuss this and other suggestions surrounding these accounts so you can have the most benefits from using them for your retirement savings.

Today Jeff and Camille discuss the start of 2022, and some things to take a look at if retirement and planning for it are in your future. They also take a look back at low interest rates and how to plan around them for purposes of growth and income.

Today Jeff and Camille discuss what is good and what is not about certain things regarding retirement planning, using scenarios that people might try to do regarding income and other issues.

We all want a wonderful holiday season, but financially it can put a strain on anyone's budget, especially in retirement. Today Jeff and Camille discuss staying within your means for the holidays and how planning for extra expenses can keep your plan on track. They also discuss Social Security and the importance of taking your benefits at the right time to optimize them for your situation.

Inflation has been a hot topic that affects everyone. Jeff and Camille discuss the rising costs going on now and how to plan for that when retirement comes along. They also take a look at year end strategies to employ before the end of the year that could save you in taxes and set you up for better possibilities with your money in 2022.

Around two thirds of Americans do NOT have a written financial plan. But if you don't, it's never too late to begin. Today Jeff and Camille go over all the things necessary to put a written plan in place to cover all the areas needed, including income, health care, taxes, and estate planning.

The Employee Benefit Research Institute conducted a recent survey that outlined the four major factors that people who were comfortable in retirement had in common. Today Jeff and Camille go over each of these areas, including having some kind of guaranteed income such as a pension or other regular payment, as well as having no debt. They also talk about the best ways to achieve each of the points...

It's Open Enrollment time for Medicare through December 7th, and the choices are endless. And not all of them are right for any particular person. Today Jeff and Camille discuss the Medicare program, what its benefits are and how you can best find the choices that are right for you.

Women can have specific needs for retirement planning, especially if they outlive their husbands and inherit his retirement plan. Today Camille goes solo to explain the strategies and ideas women should keep in mind in case the day arrives where they become widowed and how their finances are affected, especially when it comes to taxes.

Some of the things folks worry about when it comes to retirement income include outliving their savings, a reduction in Social Security benefits, and ever rising costs of health care. Today Jeff and Camille discuss these and other topics and how best to plan to make sure they don't affect your retirement.

Interest rates have been near zero for some time in the U.S. and they are not rising any time soon. Jeff and Camille take a look at how low interest rates affect savers and ways to work around that to get growth in your retirement savings but still have a portion working for you safely.

Getting established in a career and a family, as well as building savings, implementing a plan and then living out retirement are among the stages of life building as the years go along. Today Jeff and Camille discuss each stage and what to do regarding how each relates to eventual retirement, as well as strategies involved in making each stage as successful as it can be.

There are many different tools to use in anyone's given retirement plan. But not everyone needs the same ones. Today Jeff and Camille discuss how to determine which tools and strategies can be used for a custom plan to meet a person's specific objectives for their retirement.

Getting established with a career and family are two of the early stages of life - but there is much more as you make your way towards retirement. And each stage has certain objectives for you and your savings. Jeff and Camille talk about what anyone can and should be doing from a financial standpoint to make sure their goals are being met in each stage and, ultimately, having everything in place...

Longevity is a big concern in people's financial plan for retirement - because the longer you live, the more money you need. Jeff and Camille discuss the risks associated with longevity, and how you need to plan to cover all the areas that need to be addressed.

There are four specific areas that your retirement plan needs to address. Growth, protection, income and liquidity are all necessary things your plan should contain, and Jeff and Camille look at each one and where it fits inside your plan.

The Baby Boomer generation is well into the retirement cycle, but the Gen X group behind them is now in their 50's and need to start making plans for their retirements. Jeff and Camille focus on this group and the things they need to be doing to prepare for their retirement years, such as saving more and getting second opinions on what they already have. Also Camille celebrates her wedding over th...

Most folks don't know what they need to about Social Security. It's still the cornerstone of retirement income, and there are thousands of rules regarding how and when you can take it. After looking at current financial headlines, Jeff and Camille dive into Social Security and how using a trusted financial professional can help you decide the strategy that is best for you in claiming your Social S...

There is more chatter now about inflation coming in higher percentages than in recent years, and we've already seen it in higher fuel and grocery prices in many areas. How can inflation affect your retirement? That's what Jeff and Camille talk about today, as well as some ways to address inflation in your planning so you will continue to have what you need as your retirement gets longer.

Many people are undertaking spring cleaning projects around the house right now. And doing the same with your finances is also a project that needs attention as well. Today Jeff and Camille discuss the kinds of things you should check on to be sure your retirement plan is up to date and in order so you will be ready to enjoy it when the times comes.

You're going on vacation, and you have everything planned down to the last detail. Well, retirement is almost like a vacation from the standpoint that you aren't working - BUT retirement can last 20 or 30 years or longer, rather than just a couple of weeks. And it requires plenty of planning on its own as well. Jeff and Camille talk about the importance of a written retirement plan and how to put...

It's not what you make for retirement that counts, it's what you keep. And when it comes to what you keep, it comes down to the plans and strategies you use regardless of the amount you have to work with. Jeff and Camille discuss the ways to make that money work for you so that your plan provides the income you need in the most tax efficient manner possible, as well as touching on important areas...

The area of behavioral finance is gaining traction among financial professionals. Today Jeff and Camille discuss areas where human emotional behavior can get in the way of a solid retirement plan, including such factors as overconfidence and confirmation bias. They also talk about why having a trusted financial professional can help overcome the tendency to want to make emotional decisions involvi...