Retirement Education Hour

Save 10%, withdraw 4%, replace 80% of your income. Retirement advice is full of rules of thumb, but are they right for you? In this episode, Kirk and Michael examine several of the most common retirement guidelines and discuss where they may be helpful, where they may fall short, and why retirement decisions are rarely one-size-fits-all. Retirement Education Foundation is a Fiscally Sponsored Prog...

Retirement risks are not always what people expect. This episode explores why some of the biggest retirement challenges stem less from markets and more from planning, spending behavior, and financial decision-making. Kirk and Michael discuss retirement income, underspending, fear-driven choices, and why understanding how money should function in retirement can help retirees make more informed deci...

Many investors think retirement success is mainly about average return. In retirement, the timing of returns can matter just as much. In this episode, Kirk and Michael break down how losses early in retirement can have a greater impact than losses later on, why withdrawals can magnify that problem, and how income planning and asset allocation can work together to help manage this risk. Retirement...

Most investors think asset allocation means choosing a percentage of stocks and bonds based on retirement dates. In retirement, the timing of your money matters far more. This episode explains how sequence of returns risk, income timing, and portfolio structure influence retirement outcomes. Retirement Education Foundation is a Fiscally Sponsored Program of United Charitable, a registered 501(c)(3...

Roth conversions are widely discussed but often misunderstood. In this episode, we begin by defining how Roth accounts and conversions work, then examine why conversions have gained attention in recent years. We explore how required minimum distributions, survivor tax changes, and Medicare premiums influence the long-term impact of a conversion. This conversation is designed to help listeners unde...

Many people delay retirement not because they lack money, but because what they call a plan does not give them confidence to stop working. In this episode, Kirk and Paul explain why you do not need to know everything to retire, while also identifying the key questions a real retirement plan must answer. By understanding the difference between having information and having a plan, listeners can beg...

Many retirees are surprised to learn their taxes can increase after leaving the workforce. In this episode, we discuss how RMDs, Social Security taxation, and Medicare premiums affect retirement income, and why the years after retirement present important planning considerations. Educational insight to help you better understand tax exposure in retirement. - Retirement Education Foundation is a Fi...

Anxiety can quietly undermine retirement decisions. In this episode, Kirk Cassidy and Dr. Paul Metler examine how analysis paralysis and loss aversion influence spending, investing, and retirement timing, and how understanding these behaviors can support more confident financial decision-making. Retirement Education Foundation is a Fiscally Sponsored Program of United Charitable, a registered 501(...

Without a clear plan, many retirees end up passing away with about the same amount of money they had when they retired, or even more. Why? Because they have been living off pensions and Social Security, only withdrawing interest and growth as required by RMDs. In this episode, Kirk and Paul explain why that often was not the original intention. They explore how two key issues, a lack of a structur...

In this episode of the Retirement Education Hour, Kirk Cassidy and Dr. Paul Metler unpack five critical and avoidable risks that can quietly erode even the most carefully built retirement plans. These often-unaddressed risks go well beyond market performance and can affect everything from income stability to tax exposure and long-term care. Kirk and Paul walk through how an integrated strategy tha...

Only 40% of people actually choose when they retire. In this episode, Kirk Cassidy and Michael Masserant explain how layoffs and automation are driving unexpected retirements—and why that timing can be financially devastating without a plan. They unpack the concept of sensitivity risk and show how market volatility can amplify its impact. If you're still working, it's worth asking: are you...

Kirk Cassidy and Dr. Paul Metler break down the current government shutdown and why it’s more headline than threat to your retirement. They explain the real risk isn’t the shutdown itself, but how investors react to it. Learn why staying disciplined and focused on long-term planning is key to weathering short-term noise. Retirement Education Foundation is a Fiscally Sponsored Program of United Cha...

Kirk Cassidy and Michael Masserant break down what the financial service industry often gets wrong about retirement. They explore how the accumulation stage, which involves building retirement savings while working, has been overcomplicated by unnecessary products. Meanwhile, the distribution phase, which is about turning savings into income, has been dangerously oversimplified by outdated rules o...

This month, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates for the first time in 2025. Kirk Cassidy and Michael Masserant, CFP® break down what the move means for retirement planning. Later, Dr. Paul Metler joins the conversation to explore how rate changes and market headlines can shape retiree psychology and decision-making. Register for an advanced retirement education course at https://refedu.org/cour...

Kirk and Paul always say, “The plan drives everything,” but what does that really mean in practice? In this episode, they unpack the deeper truth behind that phrase, showing how it is really the math behind the plan that makes all the difference. They explain how the numbers guide every major retirement decision: where to take income from, when to convert to Roth, how to avoid tax traps, and how t...

Most retirement advice is about what not to do. This episode flips that. Kirk Cassidy and Dr. Paul Metler uncover four overlooked ways to make retirement work harder for you. From taking control of your pension decision to using pivot accounts to protect your income in down markets, you learn how retirement is not all about fear. Packed with practical strategies for anyone within 10 years of retir...

Most retirement plans focus on returns—but the real threats come from blind spots. In this episode, we break down the four major risks that can derail retirement if left unaddressed: Market risk – How early losses and withdrawals can devastate even strong portfolios. Long-term care risk – The financial and emotional impact of unexpected care needs. Spousal risk – Why taxes often go up when a spous...

In this episode of the Retirement Education Hour, Kirk and Dr. Paul dig further into the recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill, which affects retirement age individuals to a greater degree. They focus specifically to taxes and how the OBBB will impact what you have to pay to the Federal government. Register for one of our almost Master's level advanced retirement courses: https://retirementpl...

In this episode of the Retirement Education Hour, Kirk and Dr. Paul explain that most of the people consuming our content and attending our courses are men. And this is a problem. But as Gen X approaches retirement age, we know that women are going to be more engaged in the planning process. Register for one of our almost Master's level advanced retirement courses: https://retirementplanninged...

Recorded right after the One Big Beautiful Bill was signed into law, Financial Instructors Kirk and Michael explain that the only thing constant is change. Once again, we are seeing changes in the one thing that could affect you most in retirement. And that is taxes.

After a decade of record-setting gains, many 50-somethings felt untouchable—until the market’s recent whiplash erased that comfort overnight. In this episode of the Retirement Education Hour, Financial Instructors Kirk and Michael pull back the curtain on what really happened, how overconfidence crept in, and the mindset shift every near-retiree needs before the next swing hits. Register for one o...

In this episode of the Retirement Education Hour, Kirk and Dr. Paul address why it's so hard for people (especially men!) to raise their hands and say, "I need help!" Register for one of our almost Master's level advanced retirement courses: https://retirementplanningedu.org/courses/Retirement Education Foundation is a Fiscally Sponsored Program of United Charitable, a registered...

It is vital that we understand where to get true control in retirement. In this episode of the Retirement Education Hour, Financial Instructors Kirk and Michael describe the disconnect between the things that people believe are driving control versus what ACTUALLY produces the outcome we all want—Freedom. Register for one of our almost Master's level advanced retirement courses: https://retire...

In this episode of the Retirement Education Hour, Kirk and Dr. Paul explain that most of the people consuming our content and attending our courses are men. And this is a problem. But as Gen X approaches retirement age, we know that women are going to be more engaged in the planning process. Register for one of our almost Master's level advanced retirement courses: https://retirementplanninged...

After a decade of record-setting gains, many 50-somethings felt untouchable—until the market’s recent whiplash erased that comfort overnight. In this episode of the Retirement Education Hour, Financial Instructors Kirk and Michael pull back the curtain on what really happened, how overconfidence crept in, and the mindset shift every near-retiree needs before the next swing hits. Register for one o...