My Retirement Clarity with Lee Perkins

Have you ever opened the mailbox to see you have gotten a financial statement, just to toss it in the ‘shred’ pile? Most people have. In this episode, we will cover important parts of your financial statements so you understand what you are looking at amidst all of the fine print. Here’s some of what you’ll learn in this episode: How reliable are income projections on financial statements? (3:26)...

This is the time of year when everybody puts together various lists, whatever the list may be. A lot of times these lists are interesting and helpful, but others are really just marketing tactics. Last year we did an episode “22 Resolutions for 2022”. This year’s list will consist of 7 financial resolutions that apply to everyone. If you do these seven things, you should notice a difference in you...

Saving in your 401(k) can be an easy and painless way to build your retirement savings. But because it’s so easy and painless, it can also be easy to ignore for long periods of time, which often leads to mistakes. We’ll cover at least the top 5 mistakes people make in their 401(k)s. Here’s some of what you’ll learn in this episode: If you have changed jobs, listen here. (3:02) Are you rebalancing...

We all have likes and dislikes. As we get older, many of us find more and more things we tend to not be a big fan of, and it can be easy to fall into a negativity trap. With that in mind, I decided to spend some time thinking about the things I am a big fan of. In this episode, I will be sharing some of my favorite things with you, some financial, and some not. As you listen, try to make a list of...

Everyone makes poor decisions at some point in their life. Big life changes can make the chances of a mistake higher- specifically a financial mistake. Let’s explore some of the things you should be thinking about to make smart financial decisions when you encounter some of the most significant events in your life.   Here is some of what you’ll learn on this show: What to do if you find yourself i...

There is a good chance you have seen, or at least heard of, Charlie Brown. On the Thanksgiving Special, there is a moment where Charlie Brown makes a mistake but keeps repeating it as if he is expecting a different result. Unfortunately, many of us do this with our finances. Some even go as far as reaching out for help, but ultimately end up going back to their old ways. Listen to find out why and...

You have questions? Well, we have answers. We have been getting a lot of listener questions the last few weeks, and many of them are questions I get from clients all of the time. We will discuss financial scenarios from having multiple mortgages to whether or not you should pay for your children’s student loans.   Here is some of what you’ll learn on this show: Should I pay off my mortgages on my...

What is an RMD? You've probably heard the acronym but how much do you know about required minimum distributions? There tends to be a lot of confusion surrounding RMDs, so today we will go over everything you should know. The Required minimum distribution is the mandatory amount that everybody must take from their qualified accounts in the year they reach age 72. Let’s cover some of the key points...

Just like the lights on your dashboard can indicate if something is wrong with your car (like low tire pressure or leaking oil), there are indicators in your financial life that might point out that you have a problem that needs to be addressed You might have watched your parents retire in their early 60s and think that’s how it should still be for everyone.  But consider that you’ll likely live m...

We are excited to have Steve Lopez as our guest today. Steve is a journalist for the LA Times and is about to release a new book on retirement. We feel that a lot of what Steve writes about will resonate with our listeners. Steve found himself facing a fork in the road: To retire, or not to retire? This fork in the road led him to write ‘Independence Day: What I Learned About Retirement from Some...

We always talk about the money side of financial and retirement planning. But what about the mental aspect of that big life change? Today we’ll break down an article written by a Licensed Professional Counselor (Kate Schroeder) for Psychology Today, titled The Psychological Investment In Retirement .   Here is some of what you’ll learn on this show: Few people consider the consequence of walking a...

Is owning a second home, now considered the American Dream? While it may not be an option for everyone, it seems to be a common goal for more people in the last 5-7 years. In this episode, we are going to go over some of the pros and cons of purchasing a second home. Not only has Lee been asked about purchasing a second home countless times, but he and his wife recently purchased a condo as a vaca...

We’re bombarded with ads each day in all forms of media. But have you ever taken a closer look at these messages? If we unpack some of these headlines and ads a little more, we can clearly understand what emotions they’re trying to elicit. More importantly, we can figure out what companies are trying to sell us. For this episode, we perused the internet for a couple of hours and kept track of vari...

Everyone’s journey to retirement tends to look a lot different, but there are still some fundamentals that everyone needs to pay attention to before taking that leap. You don’t want to be a few years from retirement before you question whether you have covered all your bases. In today’s episode, we will talk about six important steps in the retirement planning process, plus a bonus step that is of...

You’ve most likely heard plenty of “rules” you’re supposed to follow to retire successfully. Some of these rules are stated so confidently, you’d be crazy not to immediately accept them as fact. But we don’t mind the threat of being called crazy, so let’s dive into some of the most popular retirement “rules of thumb” to see if they truly lead us down the path of good financial guidance or run a ch...

How do you feel about free money? Sounds like a no-brainer, right? Maybe not.   Most people don’t understand that free money isn’t actually free and that someone else’s money is just being spent. Let’s explore what we know about “free” money, income taxes, and some recent changes the government is implementing.   Here is some of what you’ll learn on this show: Here are the three things you should...

We’re all guilty of putting things off and waiting until it’s absolutely necessary to get them done. We see it all the time when it comes to money.   People have many reasons for procrastinating when it comes to putting a retirement plan together. Let’s explore some of those excuses and why they can be dangerous, and talk about how to overcome them.   Here is some of what you’ll learn on this show...

When to claim Social Security is a question that’s been asked as long as the program has been around. The reason why we’re still answering this question is that the strategy will vary for every individual. No matter what you decide, this crucial piece of income planning will certainly be a big part of retirement so you want to get it right. For certain people, claiming as soon as you’re eligible a...

Finding yourself between jobs can be frustrating—whether you were fired, laid off, or just had to step away of your own choosing. But it can also present some opportunities. Let’s discuss some of the challenges and opportunities that you need to consider if you’re between jobs. Here is some of what you’ll learn on this show: Why this might be a great chance to explore a career that you’ve always h...

On this episode, we’re going to get tax insights from local professional Steven Brewer, CPA, who specializes in working with business owners but is also very knowledgeable when it comes to individual tax planning. Here is some of what you’ll learn on this show: Lee’s first accounting class and why he immediately changed his major. (1:49) Where does Steven see taxes going in the future and how does...

Don’t dread this as much as you hated hearing these words as a kid, but it’s time for a pop quiz! We’re putting retirement planning preparedness under the microscope with 5 critical questions to which you need to know the answers. So sharpen those pencils and let’s see how ready you are for retirement.   Here is some of what you’ll learn on this show: Some exciting news about the future of the sho...

The bucket strategy is a commonly used plan when it comes to retirement. This allows you to allocate money for different goals and helps keep you calm when things are looking down. Lee will discuss what each bucket is for, some common investment vehicles for each of them, and how this might benefit you when putting together a plan.   Important Links: Website: myretirementclarity.com/podcast/ Call:...

The market is down right now and has a lot of people panicking about what to do with their investments. But there are potential opportunities out there if you look closely. On this episode, we give 5 potential strategies you may be able to utilize during this time. Important Links: Website: myretirementclarity.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

There are plenty of external factors that often negatively influence our chances of having a successful retirement. But often, failure comes from within. On this episode, we’ll talk about some of the common ways people get in their own way when it comes to financial planning. Important Links: Website: myretirementclarity.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

On this episode of the podcast, we chat with Joe and Suzanne Best. Before retirement, Joe worked as a federal probation officer and Suzanne worked in the public education sector. Once retirement was a reality, they decided to move into a retirement community. We will talk with them about what their experience has been like and what their lifestyle looks like now. Important Links: Website: myretire...