New Retirement Radio with Dennis Prout Podcast

On today's show, we pause to remember a day that forever changed our nation – September 11, 2001. We dedicate this show to the nearly 3,000 innocent lives lost, the unwavering bravery of our first responders, the strength of our armed forces, and the countless acts of courage and compassion that rose from the ashes of tragedy that day. Today, we are honored to welcome Ms. Heather Cartwright, retir...

Dennis will start today's show with an article from Capital Group discussing why the U.S. economy could stay resilient. The argument is that the economic tailwind expected from tech companies pouring billions into AI will eventually be seen in additional bottom-line revenue increases adding to real earnings. Next, Nathan will discuss the article, "Are Tariffs the Solution to America's Debt Problem...

The information explosion continues, not only on the world political front, but also in the areas of tax and investment.  On today's show, we are joining in the rush to disseminate usable information, specific to, you guessed it, taxes and investments! This will include new statistical information about Social Security, which Heidi Cartwright will share, and how the Big Beautiful Bill will impact...

With the stock market hitting all-time highs (as measured by the Dow Jones Industrial Average), the question of "How high is too high?" must be begged. Since everyone is eager to know (including us), we've pulled out the heavy research engines to see what they might tell us. Given we are the all-knowing, all-seeing types, we're waiting with bated breath to share all of our newfound secrets. What i...

It's summertime (thank you very much!) and a little smoke, too, for those who don't have time to sit around a campfire. What a dynamic market we're in … and a dynamic world as well. While you probably hear plenty on the political front, our consultants are churning out more information for us to learn from and disseminate to you, our listeners. As we reviewed the material for the upcoming radio sh...

On today's show, we are thrilled to be joined by special guest, Lacey Edgecomb, Director of the Grand Traverse County Senior Center Network. Lacey is here to share a bit about the rich history of the Senior Center, as well as the many incredible ways the Center continues to serve and connect with our community. What began in the 1960s as a small Adult Activity Club has grown into the thriving, wel...

For those of you who missed last week's show, we gave a 5,000-foot overview of the newly signed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), a sweeping piece of legislation aligned with many of the priorities of the current Trump administration. Today, we're zooming our focus in a bit on its impact on Social Security taxation. There have been some big misunderstandings and mischaracterizations around Socia...

Over the July 4th holiday weekend, while you were grilling burgers and watching fireworks, President Trump signed his landmark, One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law after some back and forth between the House and Senate. While this budget package includes many changes, on today's show we'll be touching on a few aspects of this new legislation and some sweeping impacts on tax and spending that will...

We've all heard the famous words of American statesman Benjamin Franklin: "In this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes."  While we often tackle the topic of taxes on this show, today we're turning our attention to the other certainty – death – and why it's not as grim as it sounds when approached with intention. We're joined by Nicole Westrick from Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home for a...

Think retirement planning starts at 65? Think again! The most successful retirees start well before that magic number. On today's show, we'll dive into the nine key milestones that you'll want to keep on your radar and on your calendar. From boosting your savings with catch-up contributions to avoiding costly Medicare penalties, timing is everything. We'll also talk about CSR (Claim-Suspend-Restar...

No, not marriage – we're talking about retirement . On today's show, we're diving into the so-called "honeymoon phase" of retirement, that first year that can set the tone for those golden years you've been working and saving for. Planning, purpose and a few smart routines can make all the difference. We'll also discuss your most valuable asset (some might say) … your home. More specifically, some...

On this week's show, Heidi will review the most frequently asked questions about Social Security from Heather Schreiber's Social Security Advisor newsletter through Ed Slott.  These questions are not simple, but they are oh so very important! We remain the sleuths of all things financial, constantly ferreting out the answers to the questions you've always wanted to know but may have been too afrai...

Many of your kind comments regarding last week's show were very well received.  Thank you! We always appreciate your input, and your questions regarding the SECURE Act and its impact on distributions for beneficiary IRAs were fantastic. On this week's show, stats on the economy and what experts are saying about market valuations will be front and center. Also, Heidi will discuss an incapacity/emer...

On today's show, we're diving into two hot-button issues that can impact your retirement security.  First up: inherited IRAs. We'll unravel the complex and evolving rules around Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) for inherited IRAs under the SECURE Act – essential knowledge as key IRS regulations are set to expire while others are set to begin. We'll also break down what the SECURE Act means to...

Just when you thought your retirement planning was safe and secure …  we attended an Ed Slott tax conference and hear about the latest tax planning issues and opportunities related to retirement accounts. All of this is a great reminder of the growing complexity, and the growing assets within these plans, that can make mistakes or opportunities that much more valuable for us (and you) to be aware...

Significant fluctuations in the stock market, along with increasing discussions about a potential recession, can certainly unnerve most investors.  Some, however, view this as an opportunity, while others resort to panicked decisions that create even more unnecessary pain. Clearly, it is important for all of us retirement account savers to identify potential opportunities and avoid mistakes. On to...

Today's show will feature special guest Bob Simpson, the star of the local Social Security scene who kept his shirt on and was still famous. The fact that we were able to lure him out of his recent retirement to come on and speak to us about Social Security is a gift in and of itself, which we think you'll love! We'll review all the goings on with Social Security. Then, we'll catch you up on the r...

Trying to ascertain the direction of the current economy and the stock market is not an easily ascertainable thing.  And, yes, I've purposely used "ascertain" twice in the previous sentence to help make the point that even the experts are puzzled by the conflagration of stats that are coming out. Sometimes, history can help us. Other times, numbers are pointing to the fact that the S&P 500 is now...

There are so many confusing areas related to estate planning … like the importance of creating a power of attorney before a will.  Plus, there's the fact that NO ONE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT IT! On today's show, we have Cortney Danbrook, a local estate planning attorney, to talk about the real issues related to aging, including the critical, ground-related issues of planning your estate and its interre...

Just when you thought it was safe to go outside (it is spring after all), the neighbor's dog barks extra loudly and startles you … right? Similarly, most of the time, the stock market seems to make us climb a wall of worry. Even though the market appears to have mostly recovered from its recent correction, indeed many analysts proclaim we may still have to pay for fiddling with Chinese tariffs. To...

As the "celebration" of April 15th nears, the importance of tax planning remains critical.   What celebration, you ask? The celebration that they're done, of course. On today's show, we'll discuss the seven components of winning at taxes, especially after you've retired. The bottom line is that the savings you can take advantage of can be significant and leave you with a lot more after-tax dollars...

Wow, what a week it's been! The Dow Jones and S&P 500 are down about 10 percent, which is causing significant fear among investors.  Some are even questioning the current administration's policy on tariffs and their effect on the stock market. On today's show, we'll discuss what tariffs do, their purpose, and their advantages as well as drawbacks. We'll also discuss how previous stock markets have...

On today's show, we'll cover two very important – yet very different – topics. First, there are five retirement account moves you can still make for 2024. Yes, it's amazing what you might still decide to do given the law and your own financial situation, especially if you'd like to save on taxes as well as some extra dollars. You might be a bit surprised, so be sure to listen in to see if there's...

Well, we've known for almost four months Trump was going to be the next U.S. president. What we couldn't have guessed, however, was the effect on spending his new administration was going to have. From higher tariff potential to massive cost-cutting, the changes have been so fast and furious that politicians, especially Democrats, are said to not be sure how or where to respond. On today's show, w...

Castagni, Simbulami, Arancini. These foreign words are here to prove a point … for most people, they may not make any sense. And sometimes what we discuss on our show may not make sense to some listeners. But just because it doesn't make sense, we should try not to discount what it might mean. On today's show, we'll discuss five common rollover mistakes that can be very costly, and the importance...