Mr. Stillman's Opus

Once you’re on a fixed income in retirement, it can be difficult to open the checkbook to pay for major expenses. Emotion and logic both play into the decision, and many spouses can feel apprehensive about spending large sums of money without a paycheck still coming in. So how do you determine if you can afford that home renovation you’ve always wanted and what’s the best way to convince your part...

There’s a lot of anxiety out ​there ​right ​now ​about ​the ​market ​and ​the ​current ​economy ​that ​we're ​experiencing. ​People are concerned about the uncertainty surrounding Social Security, DOGE, tariffs, and more. So ​I ​wanted ​to ​get ​on ​here ​and ​try to ​dispel some of the ​myths, ​talk ​about ​what's ​actually ​happening, ​and ​then ​drill ​down ​specifically ​to ​what ​you ​should...

What’s the average age that people retire? While that question can give you an idea of what most Americans do, it’s best to understand why people choose the specific ages they do. This video will explain the key ages that influence retirement decisions to help you identify the factors that might affect your timeline. We’ll tell you why the milestone ages begin at 59.5 and what ages are most import...

What happens when you get remarried and want to create a new will and estate plan with your new spouse? Do you have to change all of your previous beneficiaries or will the new will override those existing designations? That’s the question we’re answering in this week's show.    Here’s what we discuss in this episode: 0:00 – Intro 0:51 – Beneficiaries override the will 2:32 – Estate planning chall...

With Halloween on the horizon, we’re rolling out a themed edition of the show today by tackling some of the trick or treat decisions of the financial planning world. We’re going to present John with four different products that have risen in popularity recently and find out whether he would characterize them as tricks or treats.   Here’s what we discuss in this episode: 0:00 – Intro 1:20 – Home eq...

Getting laid off or forced into retirement earlier than expected can be a big blow emotionally and financially, but it’s a life event that many people will have to navigate. If you find yourself in this position of no longer having a job before you were prepared to retire, should you go find another job or can you find a way to retire without it? Today we’re answering a question we received recent...

Social Security timing is one of the most crucial decisions you’ll make in your retirement planning journey. Should you wait until 70 to claim your benefits, or is it better to start earlier? Today we’re going to answer a question from someone who planned to wait until 70 for Social Security so they didn’t leave money on the table, but now that they’re approaching age 68, they’re having second tho...

As we age, one of the most pressing questions we face is how to manage long-term care expenses. What coverage will you need and what’s the best way to pay for that coverage? Today we answer a question about purchasing LTC insurance and whether it’s worth doing while you’re in your 50s. John will discuss whether it is a necessary investment for those nearing retirement age and examine alternative o...

It can be challenging for a lot of folks to think about legacy planning because it takes a lot of forward thinking. Not everyone wants to plan that far ahead, but for some, it’s incredibly important to leave their loved ones with an inheritance.   Today we are answering a question from someone who wants to leave money for their children and grandchildren but also wants to ensure that they’re not p...

Instilling good financial habits in children starts at a young age, but that doesn’t mean that every lesson will stick in adulthood. Once your kids start working and earning significant money for the first time, it’s pretty common to put spending ahead of saving. As parents, we want to help them establish good financial habits but what’s the best approach to do that? In this video, John will addre...

With college costs continuing to rise, some grandparents wonder if there’s anything they can do to help ease the burden of college expenses for their grandchildren. Today we’ll explore the best strategies for those who want to support their grandchildren’s college education without compromising their own financial stability.   The 529 plan gets most of the attention when it comes to college saving...

It’s not uncommon for children to stay on their parent’s payroll in some capacity when they’re adults, but that could end up impacting the parent’s ability to retire. At what point do you move your kids off of the payroll and what’s the best way to handle that conversation? In this episode, we’re going to address this situation and talk about how it ends up happening for parents. John sheds light...

When you have multiple IRAs, managing them across different platforms and figuring out your RMDs for each account can be a little bit tricky. So what’s the best way to manage these accounts? Should you consider consolidating your IRAs? Today’s featured question comes from a comment left on one of our previous videos so thank you for the contribution. Here is the question John will answer: We have...

Inheriting assets can be a life-changing financial boost, but it often comes with a maze of tax implications and decisions. In this episode, we will answer a question about an inheritance and lay out the tax considerations for a variety of assets to help you better understand what you might owe.   Discover how to navigate the tax implications of IRAs, annuities, bank accounts, real estate, and sto...

Retirement planning doesn’t have to be overwhelmingly complicated. It certainly doesn’t have to be as complicated as some people make it. In this episode, we unravel the unnecessary complexities often woven into the fabric of retirement advice. We’ll debunk some myths, simplify strategies, and uncover the beauty of simplicity and straightforward retirement planning. If you’re looking for more simp...

What should you do with an old 401k that you’re still holding onto from an previous employer? Does that answer change when the market is performing well and your account is generating strong returns?  Let’s take a closer look at the rollover IRA and whether it’s something that you should be doing with your old 401k accounts. The primary reason someone uses a rollover is to gain more flexibility an...

No one has a crystal ball that will tell them what will happen with tax rates in the future and we certainly can’t predict what will happen, but the expectation for many people is that rates will only be going up from where they are right now. With that in mind, does it make sense to sell investments off ahead of those possible tax increases in order to take advantage of the lower rates? We’ve bee...

The IRS first made significant changes to the stretch IRA with the introduction of the SECURE Act in 2020, and they’ve since made a few updates. Now the IRS has tweaked things even further for 2024 and we’re going to fill you in on what you need to know in this video.   We’ll discuss the implications of the recent changes made by the IRS, including the new rules for inherited IRAs and the importan...

The housing market remains strong in North Carolina and throughout much of the country, which creates an interesting option for many people moving in retirement. Should you go ahead and sell your home to take advantage of the current home values and rent until you’re ready to buy your next place? Today we’ll tackle a question that came in to us recently and asked about this same scenario: The hous...

Are you in your early 50s and dreaming of retiring early? It’s a feasible goal with the right financial planning but there are milestone ages that you need to take into account. Retiring early means different things to different people. For some, it's bowing out before the traditional retirement age, while for others, it's about clocking out permanently while still in their fifties. But regardless...

The idea of retirement is one that’s filled with plenty of rest and relaxation, but the reality is stress doesn’t go away. From losing the structure of a daily routine to the challenges of socializing and finding a new purpose, the pitfalls of retirement can certainly increase the stress you’re feeling.    We heard from someone recently who had this concern about their upcoming transition so we wa...

We’re just a few months away from another election and everyone anticipates it being another year, so what does that mean for your investments? When uncertainty starts to increase, there’s often a strong marketing push for buying gold, but is now a good time to do that? Today we’ll answer that question with a discussion on the role of gold in your portfolio as we prepare for election year madness....

As you approach retirement or begin that next stage of life, the financial goals shift to protecting what you’ve saved. There are different ways to accomplish that goal, but with the volatility we’ve seen from the market, does it make sense to move to cash to be safe? Here’s the question we’ll tackle in this video: I haven’t decided on a specific retirement date yet, but hopefully it will be somet...

A common situation that many couples have to face is one spouse being older than the other and worrying about how to protect them financially should something happen. What’s the best way to ensure they are taken care of after you’re gone? Is a big life insurance policy a good option? In this video, John will weigh in on this scenario and answer a question that we recently received: I’m not plannin...

For most people, investing strategies change as you age because you want to protect what you’ve earned rather than chasing bigger returns. But what if you have more than you’ll need for retirement in your IRA? Is that a time when being aggressive makes sense or should you still take a more conservative approach? In this video, we’ll be answering a question we recently received with this scenario:...