Retirement Answers

Trying to figure out how much income you will need in retirement can be challenging to figure out... There are rules of thumb such as 80% of your current, pre-retirement income or just take 4% of your savings each year for income. But the hard part about rules of thumb is that they are not unique to your or your needs. Some need far less than their pre-retirement income and others need the same am...

Discover the missing ingredient to a successful retirement in this episode of Retirement Answers with Jacob Duke. Learn why this ingredient is crucial to your retirement plan and how it can impact your decision-making process. Jacob discusses the pitfalls of trying to be exactly right and the importance of being less wrong tomorrow. He also explores the benefits of building flexibility into your p...

In this episode of Retirement Answers, Jacob answers the common question, "should I take social security early and invest it?" Jacob talks through the following: - Benefits and risks of this strategy - An example - Big takeaway 00:00 Intro 00:40 Listener Review 01:10 Benefits and Risks 12:02 Example 14:32 The Importance of Considering Your Unique Plan 15:10 Big Takeaway 18:12 Final Thoughts If you...

In this episode, Jacob discusses the decision many retirees have to make: prioritizing health insurance subsidies or Roth conversions? He highlights considerations such as the person's tax-deferred balance, age, and whether they are charitably inclined. Jacob explains how the Affordable Care Act can lower premiums for those under a certain income level, and spells out the potential tax savings inv...

"When should I retire?" can be one of the hardest questions to answer. There isn't a perfect answer nor a one-size-fits-all. There are plenty of rules of thumb you could go by, but taking an individualized approach to this decision based on your circumstances might be the most important part. In this episode, I share 6 thoughts or ideas to consider when trying to determine the best time to retire....

Have you ever heard someone say they weren't enjoying their retirement? Or maybe they were bored or felt lost? Unfortunately, I hear retirees say this more often than I would like. Because of this, I wanted to share some common regrets I hear from those who are in retirement so that you can avoid those regrets yourself. If you enjoy the podcast, I'd love it if you could give a rating and review on...

Social Security can get confusing very quickly. You have FRAs & PIAs, and Spousal benefits, Survivor benefits, Disability, and your own benefits. And the crazy part is that each of these "types" of Social Security benefits have different rules and nuances. In this episode, I am sharing everything you need to know about Survivor Benefits. We will answer the following questions: Who gets a survi...

I've had this concept in my mind lately and wanted to share it with you. It's not groundbreaking or innovative. It's a simple concept that I have labeled "Last 5, First 5". It's the idea that this 10 year window (the last 5 years of your career and the first 5 years of your retirement), is the most important to get right in your retirement journey. If you don't get things right in the Last 5, Firs...

Investing can be hard, but it doesn't have to be... What if I said simple is better, and you don't need a crazy strategy to be a successful investor? We all have our own biases & opinions about what to invest in, but we also have friends, family, neighbors, & advisors telling us what we should do. So, how we do know what the best solution is? Well, I'm sharing 3 principles that I use as a...

Does retirement scare you or give you anxiety? Do you feel like there is too much to know? Well, you're not alone. Almost everyone I talk to who is trying to retire feels a sense of analysis paralysis. They know there are many considerations to thinking about when putting together their retirement plan, but are just unsure how to put it all together. In comes the One-Page Plan... This is a documen...

2024 is right around the corner and there are important changes that you need to know about! In this episode, we are covering: IRA contribution limit increases 401k contribution limit increases IRA deductibility rules Roth eligibility rules And I have a FREE cheat sheet for you! This is a resource you can use throughout 2024 to make sure you are on track. Email me for a copy of this FREE resource....

I've had a few questions about charitable giving lately, so in today's episode, I am talking about Donor Advised Funds. We will discuss: What they are How they work Why you would use one When you would use one I walk you through two examples of how this charitable giving strategy will help save you taxes and be able to give more the church or charities you love! ***Help me make the show better in...

Are you hoping to retire in 2024? Curious if you are on the right track or if you have everything done to make retirement a reality? In this episode, I am sharing 5 steps you can take to make sure you are ready to retire in 2024. If you aren't retiring in 2024, don't go anywhere! You can start using these 5 tips right now to be even more prepared for your future retirement! ***Help me make the sho...

I always talk about different retirement strategies and things to think about, but I think it's important to zoom out and look at the big picture. It is easy to get overwhelmed when thinking about all the things that must be considered when evaluating your retirement. I received a question from a listener recently asking what the most important parts of a retirement plan are. So, I wanted to share...

The end of 2023 is upon us... Crazy! But this is the time of year to make sure you have completed any tax planning that needs to be done. This includes things like: Roth conversions Tax-loss harvesting Tax-gain harvesting Retirement plan contributions Charitable giving Tune in to this week's episode to gain new insights on the importance of these year-end tax strategies! ***Help me make the show b...

As a financial advisor, I see a lot of investing mistakes... And to be honest, I've made a lot of these mistakes myself. I've that getting the investment results you want is far more about limiting your mistakes than hitting home runs. So, I wanted to share common investing mistakes that you should look out for and give you a playbook to avoid them. ***Help me make the show better in 2024. Fill ou...

Roth conversions are a powerful tax savings tool for many retirees. There are many reasons to do Roth conversions: Pay less tax now compared to the future Minimize future RMDs Avoid future IRMAA surcharges Help avoid the Widow's Tax Trap Leave tax-free assets to heirs But mistakes can be made when doing these conversions. In this episode, Jacob shares 6 common Roth conversion mistakes to watch out...

Social Security is one of the pillars of retirement income. But it can be very confusing when you think about PIAs, FRAs, and spousal benefits. In this episode, I break down everything you need to know about Social Security Spousal Benefits and how they work. A big misconception I often hear is that "You get 50% of your spouses benefits." I share why this is a misunderstanding and how spousal bene...

Retirement can be a scary thought. Do I have enough to retire? When should I take Social Security? What if I run of money before I die? How much can I spend? These are big questions that can create anxiety as you approach retirement. So, in this episode, I share 7 common retirement fears and how you can overcome them. This isn't a comprehensive list of fears that come up in retirement, but they ar...

The 2024 Social Security COLA has been announced! I am sharing the following: What the 2024 COLA is Who gets the COLA How does it compare to COLAs historically Why WHEN you begin receiving your Social Security benefits continues to impact you moving forward 2 reasons why your COLA won't be as high as you think ***Help me make the show better in 2024. Fill out this quick survey! Want help with your...

Retirement can be challenging... When should I take Social Security? How aggressively should I be investing? How can I manage my taxes? Where is my income going to come from? These are the challenges that typically come up when planning for retirement. But as a financial planner who does retirement planning every day, I have found that one of the hardest parts of retirement is the mental side. Mos...

The Health Savings Account (HSA) is the only account you can contribute to that receives triple-tax advantages. Tax-deductible contributions Tax-deferred growth Tax-free distributions (for qualified medical expenses) And having a funded HSA in retirement comes with it's advantages: Use for more frequent healthcare costs Bridge gap until Medicare age Helps pay for long-term care Can be used for any...

Deciding when to take your Social Security benefits is a common question for most retirees. This decision can cause stress because there is never a perfect answer. If you knew how long you were going to live, it would make this really easy, but that just isn't reality. So, making the most educated decision based on your specific situation is all you can do. In this episode of Retirement Answers, I...

What are you going to do next time the market enters a recession? Are you prepared? Do you have a plan? Most investors are reactive to turbulence in the market. They act out of emotion and fear, which is human nature, but if they had a plan in place BEFORE the market volatility came, they wouldn't have to panic. Listen in as I share why you have to: Have a plan before the market volatility begins...

Tax planning in retirement is a crucial piece in a successful retirement plan. We often think about Roth conversions and tax-loss harvesting as the primary ways to lower your tax bill in your retirement years. But many forget about an opportunity right in front of them... Tax-gain harvesting! This is when you can use the long-term capital gains tax rates to your advantage by intentionally realizin...