RETIREMENT MADE EASY

When are the best times for Roth conversions? Should you invest in a target-date fund? Can you avoid the 10% early withdrawal penalty? These are just a few of the questions I'll tackle in this special Listener Questions edition of Retirement Made Easy!  Preparing for retirement is complicated at best. I want to make sure I'm consistently answering the questions that are top of mind for my listener...

When should you claim your Social Security benefits? What do benefits look like for teachers who contribute to Teacher Retirement Systems? What is the survivor step-up strategy? In this episode of Retirement Made Easy, we'll dive into some of the more complex areas of Social Security that people need to know about but are rarely told.  You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in......

Social Security can be difficult to understand. The rules can be difficult to decipher. Answers are nearly impossible to find. This leaves most people frustrated and confused.  In this episode, I'm going to separate the truths from the many rumors you often hear and help you build your knowledge about Social Security. My goal is for you to walk away more informed about your future. Don't miss it. ...

2024 has already been full of many in-depth conversations with current and prospective clients. There have been some common threads among most of those conversations. From those common threads, I've pulled five lessons that we can all learn and benefit from when planning for retirement. Listen to this episode of Retirement Made Easy to learn what they are! You will want to hear this episode if you...

Lately, I've been getting a lot of questions about 401K loans and whether or not they're worth it. People are asking things like, "How do you take out the loan? How does paying it back work? Should we ever consider it? What are our other options?" I'm a financial planner. My job is to give you all of the information necessary so  you can make informed decisions. Because at the end of the day, thes...

People often ask me where they should retire. Should they relocate to a new city or state? Most people assume when they retire that they need to move to make the most of their income.  But the answer isn't clear-cut. Everyone has different preferences. In this episode of Retirement Made Easy, I'll dive into some of the factors you should consider to make that decision.  I'll also cover a few areas...

"I'm 60 years old and have $1 million saved. Do I have enough to retire?"  I had a conversation with someone who had saved over $1 million and had been told he could retire. So he did retire—and  completely  regretted it. He wishes someone had told him to wait longer. Sadly, $1 million doesn't go that far anymore.  Too many people answering this question neglect to address all of the factors that...

Over the last two months, we've had close to 8 people contact us to put together a retirement plan because they're fearful of being downsized. If they got laid off, could they afford to retire? People are looking for peace of mind and a retirement plan helps cover the what-ifs in life.  Tom Hegna wrote the book, " Don't Worry, Retire Happy ." In it, he brings up some good points when it comes to r...

I've been helping people plan for their dream retirement for the last 16 years. I've nearly heard it all. I've had to tell people they can't retire yet or that they have to save far more than they planned. The people who make these mistakes derail their retirement and jeopardize their success. I detail the top 7 mistakes I see that you'll regret forever in this episode of the Retirement Made Easy...

I've recorded over 160 episodes since the Retirement Made Easy podcast launched. In this special "Greatest Hits" episode of the Retirement Made Easy podcast, I'll share snippets from the 5 most downloaded episodes. They include some of my best advice for navigating retirement preparation, so you can live out the retirement of your dreams.  Have an idea for a future episode topic? Do you have a que...

Do election years impact the stock market? If so, how? We know that election years introduce a rollercoaster of emotions for a variety of reasons. Those emotions tend to influence the stock market and the decisions individual investors make. So in this episode of Retirement Made Easy, I'll share how the market responds to election years—and what you should do about it.  You will want to hear this...

In this special episode of the Retirement Made Easy podcast, I revisit some of the most commonly asked—and popular—questions from 2023. We'll tackle everything from capital gains tax to tax mapping for my clients. As tax-filing season comes to an end, these are some important things to keep in mind. Give it a listen!  You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... [1:33] Question #...

What factors go into the social security claiming decision? How do strategies differ based on your age, health, and marital status? Where do you even start? Social security planning is often neglected—or at the very least not given the attention it deserves.  In this episode of the Retirement Made Easy podcast, I hope to start the conversation about Social Security claiming strategies. I want each...

What happens if you start collecting Social Security payments but feel like you've made a mistake or taken it too early? Did you know that you can stop or suspend the benefits? Secondly, when you start collecting Social Security there's an option for a lump-sum payment. Learn more about this little-known Social Security strategy in this episode of Retirement Made Easy! And as a bonus, I'll answer...

Most "Top 10 Mistakes You're Making in Retirement" articles are vague, mostly common sense, and of little use to their readers. And when you read these articles, you have to consider the source. A bank is never going to tell you that having debt in your retirement is a mistake because they want to sell you loans! I wanted to share mistakes that I see every single day working in my firm—mistakes th...

What are required minimum distributions (RMDs)? How will they impact you? How do we account for them? Too many financial advisors neglect to help their clients plan for RMDs. I am not one of them. I cover the basics that you need to know in this episode of Retirement Made Easy.  You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... [1:54] Carefully choose the people you take advice from [...

Let's wrap up 2023—and kick off 2024—with another round of  your questions, answered! In this episode of the Retirement Made Easy podcast, I'll answer six listener questions, covering everything from how severance pay is taxed to how the pop-up feature on pensions work. I'll also share my thoughts on what 2024 has in store. Give it a listen! You will want to hear this episode if you are interested...

What are 5 ways you can prepare for retirement? Why can actively managed funds be risky in retirement? How does a divorce impact your social security? In the last two episodes of 2023, I plan on answering some amazing listener questions, including these. Listen to this episode of Retirement Made Easy for some rapid-fire answers to  your questions.  You will want to hear this episode if you are int...

I've received numerous questions all running along the same theme:  Are we heading into a recession? What would it mean for the stock market moving forward? How will it impact your retirement? Many of you are concerned that we'll be entering a recession in 2024. In this episode of the Retirement Made Easy podcast, I'll cover what a recession is, the trends we're seeing, and what the stock market t...

Are you on the same page as your spouse when it comes to retirement planning? Do you both understand your retirement plan? Even if one of you handles the finances, both of you need to understand the ins and outs of your retirement plan. It's inherently important. How do we develop a plan that everyone understands that makes sense ? That's what I'll cover in this episode of Retirement Made Easy.  Y...

What could go wrong in retirement? What if the "what-ifs" become realities? How will it impact your 30-year retirement? We don't know what the future holds which is why it's important to think about the variables. There will be things outside your control but you  can  reduce risks by taking retirement planning seriously.  No one plans on "failing" at retirement but many people fail to plan ahead...

Social Security isn't likely intentionally misleading us but they  are  leaving out some details that every person contemplating retirement  needs to know. Social Security announced the cost of living adjustment for 2024: 3.2%. This will go into effect 1/1/2024. However, your benefit won't likely go up the full 3.2%. Why? I'll share the answer in this episode of Retirement Made Easy.  You will wan...

What is the assumed life expectancy for retirement? What accounts can you open for your grandchildren? Should everyone follow the 60/40 rule? The questions have been rolling in! So in this episode of the Retirement Made Easy podcast, I'll answer some questions and give you a starting place for a conversation with your retirement planner.  You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

Where do you want your assets to go when you're no longer here? I know it may seem morbid, but this is an important part of retirement planning that most people neglect. But the heart of the matter is your family. What do you want to leave behind? Or do you want to leave money to your favorite charities?  Doing what I do for a living, I have these tough conversations every day. It's my job to make...

In 2019, there were 61.5 million people on Medicare. By 2027, it's estimated that 75 million Americans will be on Medicare. That's just four years  from now. The #1 reason that people push off retirement is because health insurance is t oo expensive . Do you know what you'll be paying for health insurance when you retire and get on Medicare? Medicare is multi-faceted. It can be complicated to unde...