Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®

Join us on this eye-opening episode of Retire Smarter as Tyler Emrick, CFA®, CFP® delves into the intriguing world of Social Security benefits. While delaying your benefit is often the obvious choice, we challenge conventional wisdom and explore scenarios where taking Social Security early can actually be a smart financial move.    Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: We’ll explore an a...

Pick your favorite financial publication. One minute, they tout a financial collapse and pending recession, and then seemingly on a dime, headlines change to - "cash yields are attractive" and "the stock market finishes at its highest level in twelve months." Making portfolio decisions through all the noise can be a challenge. What is the right investment strategy? How much should you put in stock...

Recently, famous radio show host and personal finance guru Dave Ramsey made headlines by saying he’s perfectly comfortable with an 8% withdrawal rate in retirement. Critics were quick to respond, calling his advice scary, dangerous, and just plain wrong. So, who’s right?  On this episode, hear Tyler Emrick, CFA®, CFP®, break down Ramsey’s comments and how you should be thinking about income and sp...

On this episode, we dive into real-life scenarios to gain insight into crafting a successful and early retirement plan.  Hear Tyler Emrick, CFA®, CFP®, dissect a client's journey of retiring in their late 50s. Exploring the intricacies of their tax-smart distribution plan to fund their retirement lifestyle and obtained significant tax credits to offset their pre-Medicare healthcare costs.   Here’s...

It's that time of year again … the fourth quarter. Before you get enthralled with the holiday season, it's time to look back over this year and towards the next. Have you completed all the financial goals you set this year? Reviewed your medical coverage? Executed your tax planning for the year? Set your preliminary tax strategy and retirement distribution plan for next year? If not, there is stil...

The emotions and questions seem to come from everywhere and out of nowhere as you inevitability approach retirement. Even the most prepared will ask, second guess, and then ask again: Do I have enough to retire? How do I ensure it lasts?   Leading retirement researcher Moshe Milevsky addressed this in a paper "How Long Will a Nest Egg Last." In this episode, Tyler Emrick, CFA®, CFP®, takes a diffe...

Surprise! Another robust study showed investors are still underperforming and making bad investment decisions. Morningstar released its yearly "Mind the Gap" study last month, showing investors have lost on average 1.7% yearly -- that's $17,000 on a $1,000,000 portfolio -- over the last decade. Why so and how can we stop the madness?! In this episode hear Tyler Emrick, CFA®, CFP® break down the st...

Here it comes again… F. E. A. R. This time manifest from headlines of the U.S. dollar’s demise as a reserve currency, spiraling inflation, low growth and an expressway to investment-return hell.   Listen to Kevin Kroskey, CFP®, MBA cut through the B.S. to understand what the economic risks are or are not and how they do or do not translate to your investment strategy.    Here are some of the thing...

Hear Tyler Emrick, CFA®, CFP®, peel back the onion on income targeting – a critical part of a successful retiree’s overall Tax-Smart Distribution Planning. Learn how this type of planning, coupled with careful “Asset Location” decisions, can save a lot in tax over a multitude of years, allowing you to potentially retire earlier, spend more, or give more. And be sure to pay attention to how True We...

It's often beneficial to target income for tax planning purposes while working and even more so during your retirement years when you have more control over how you generate your income. Realizing income in lower brackets while avoiding higher brackets is the essence of this strategy which can quickly get complex. In this episode, Tyler Emrick, CFA®, CFP®, reviews a recent article from Dr. James M...

In this episode, Tyler Emrick CFA®, CFP® explores the disconnect between some investors' return expectations. Learn common mistakes people make and traps they may then fall into. And be sure to pay attention to what historical performance tells us, and how, if the forecasts of the big institutional investors are reasonably accurate, these investors could be setting themselves up for severe disappo...

In this episode, Tyler Emrick CFA®, CFP® talks through the financial impacts of implementing a well-thought-out Roth conversion strategy. Hear how his clients overcame the emotional struggle of paying a large upfront tax bill to build wealth and provide better outcomes for themselves and their families.     Have questions? Need help making sure your investments and retirement plan are on track?  C...

There Is No Alternative or TINA has been used throughout history and is mostly strongly associated with the UK's Marget Thatcher. The phrase is used to signify Thatcher's claim that "the market economy is the best, right and only system that works, and that debate about this is over." More recently, TINA was popularly used to describe the stock market in light of low interest rates and correspondi...

In this episode, hear Tyler Emrick, CFA®, CFP®, talk through what it means to be wealthy and how your own perception of personal wealth can be a powerful force that leads you astray or opens your eyes to better outcomes and, ultimately, a happier retirement.     Have questions? Need help making sure your investments and retirement plan are on track?  Click to schedule a free 15-minute call with on...

Is the U.S. economy heading toward a recession? This question is seemingly perennial but has undoubtedly been a hot topic in the last year. Listen as Tyler Emrick, CFP®, CFA® talks you through what the data shows on how investment markets have performed in past recessions and whether being able to time recessions is likely to help your portfolio.   Have questions? Need help making sure your invest...

We've all heard about Social Security's funding troubles. Is this why some decide to start benefits early? If Social Security were reduced, can it make sense to defer claiming? Hear Tyler Emrick, CFA, CFP, discuss a recent Wall Street Journal article on these topics as well as other recent proposals from Congress and academics that may impact the system. You paid in. Let's learn how you can get yo...

Losing a spouse is difficult. Losing a spouse that handles your household finances is devastating. Hear Tyler Emrick, CFA®, CFP®, discuss what you need to know to ensure your household is in good financial shape after you pass and how True Wealth Design helps families when they need it the most – after a loss of a loved one.    Here are some of what we discuss in this episode: Experience working w...

A solid retirement plan starts with making reasonable assumptions on myriad items -- your retirement lifestyle and its associated spending and what you can reasonably expect from your investments to just name a few. Poor assumptions will get you off on the wrong foot and may force you to make severe and undesirable lifestyle reductions to get back on track.   Hear Tyer Emrick, CFA®, CFP® discuss c...

There has been a lot of misinformation regarding and uncertainty caused by the recent bank failures. You may have concerns about whether your money is at risk whether at a bank or at custodians such as Charles Schwab, Fidelity, Pershing, or TD Ameritrade.    Hear Kevin Kroskey, CFP®, MBA give a summary of what happened at Silicon Valley Bank and explain why your bank account should be thought of a...

Getting to the point where you finally decide to retire is one thing, but trying to ride off into the sunset can be an exceptionally tall task. Hear Tyler Emrick, CFA®, CFP®, talk through his five must-do items to help you feel confident about cutting the paycheck cord.      Here are the five things we'll discuss on this episode: Have a non-financial retirement plan. (3:27) Visualize and project....

Coming off a year with unprecedented interest rate hikes, everywhere you turn there is an advertisement for yields on CDs or other types of savings accounts. Clients are asking whether they should consider using these products, and if so, to what extent.    Hear Tyler Emrick, CFA®, CFP® discuss pros, cons, and alternative solutions and, more importantly, how you should think about the role cash ha...

Unemployment numbers are near historic lows, but for some white-collar professionals, that does not tell the whole story.  Many are rightfully concerned their job is at risk, potentially harming a retirement plan that would otherwise be on track.    Listen as Tyler Emrick, CFA®, CFP®, talks through what industries are getting hit the hardest and what you can do now to help protect your retirement...

2022 was a tough year for stock and bond market returns. How are retirees adapting to the falling market? What decisions are they making now to set themselves up for success in the future?    Listen as Tyler Emrick, CFP, CFA, shares his clients' stories to uncover their questions and how they plan to navigate the challenges posed by the current market and economic landscape.     Here's some of wha...

The much anticipated Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act 2.0 recently passed Congress as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023. While no single change made in this act will have the same level of effect on your retirement planning as some changes made in the original SECURE Act, passed in December 2019, there are far more provisions in this act that may...

Whether you are trying to understand better how Social Security works or looking to optimize your filing strategy, this episode is for you.    Hear Tyler discuss some of the less talked about factors impacting your Social Security claiming strategy. Listen as he talks through his clients' most common questions and concerns. All to help you better understand and maximize your benefits.    Here's so...