RETIREMENT MADE EASY

I've spoken with multiple women making the same mistake with their TSP plans (a Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is the government's version of a 401k). Why? Because people are scared about the economy and inflation. People make their decisions based on emotion in times of uncertainty. So in this episode of the Retirement Made Easy Podcast, I'll share what this mistake is and why I think it's a mistake....

We've had so many great questions from listeners that I couldn't resist another episode where we take a look back at some of the best. From 401k matching to how advisors get paid, this episode of the Retirement Made Easy podcast will recap some important things you want to remember. Check it out!  You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... [1:43] Submit a question at  Retiremen...

Can you stop or suspend social security? How do inheritances impact your taxes? How do you pay for Medicare Part B if you're not on social security? In this episode of the Retirement Made Easy podcast, I revisit some of the best questions from 2022 that are still 100% relevant and timely for today. If you want answers to these questions, don't miss it! You will want to hear this episode if you are...

I see people making the same IRA mistakes over and over again because they just don't know enough about IRAs. That's why I advise anyone to work with a Certified Financial Planner (CFP)—even if it's not me. Until you can do that, do  everything  you can to avoid these 8 great IRA mistakes with your retirement portfolio. If you own an IRA—traditional or Roth—this is a can't-miss episode of the Reti...

In this special listener question edition of the Retirement Made Easy podcast, I'll cover three amazing listener questions plus a bonus question that I've  never  been asked before: Should you sue your financial advisor? Tough question! Listen to this episode to hear my answers! Remember, you can submit your questions at  RetirementMadeEasyPodcast.com ! You will want to hear this episode if you ar...

I recently had a conversation with someone who retired a year ago. Sadly, his financial advisor gave him  the   worst  advice I've heard in a long, long time. So in this episode of Retirement Made Easy, I'll share why it was such poor advice and the two things you should  never  do. I'll also answer a couple of listener questions at the end. Don't miss it! You will want to hear this episode if you...

A lot has happened in 2022. A bear market and rising inflation have people who are about to retire scared. They're worried about their retirement, and rightly so. In this episode of Retirement Made Easy, I'll talk about some important statistics from the Schroders 2022 US Retirement Survey and what they mean. I'll share the easiest thing you can do to make sure you're prepared to retire. Lastly, I...

Why are some bond investors running for the exits? Is it risky to have bonds in your portfolio? Most people associate bonds with being a "safe" play in their portfolio to balance out the "riskier" stocks. But the truth is that investing in bonds can be just as risky. So in the first part of this special episode, I'll dive into the reason WHY investing in bonds can be a risky play.  In the second h...

What does the stock market look like right now? As I'm recording this episode, the S&P 500 is down around 20% for the year. In general, it's a good gauge of the US stock market. The S&P 500 is broken down into different sectors such as healthcare, utilities, energy, consumer staples, financials, and more. The only sector that is positive—or has made money—in 2022 is the  energy sector . So far, en...

In October of every year, the Social Security Administration announces the cost of living adjustment for recipients starting that will go into effect in January the following year. So when they announce it in 2022, it will go into effect in January of 2023. Last October, they announced that the cost-of-living adjustment was 5.9%. The number they land on depends on their calculation of inflation  a...

There's an old Indian proverb that goes, "Tell me a fact, and I'll learn. Tell me a truth, and I'll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever." Story enables us to connect with concepts and make the unfamiliar, familiar. So in this episode of Retirement Made Easy, I'm going to share someone's story to illustrate huge retirement mistakes her husband made that could've been a...

What should you expect from your financial advisor? Based on the questions I'm getting—and the conversations I'm having—many of you don't know the answer to this question. And some of you have been working with the same financial advisor for 10–20 years! In this episode of the Retirement Made Easy podcast, I want to encourage you to expect more from your financial advisor: more planning, more advi...

Too many people spend their time worrying about what they can't control. But you have to focus on what you can control and disregard the rest. We are where we are today because of the decisions and choices we've made in the past. As you look ahead at your future retirement, you'll be where you are because of the decisions you make now.  There are things you can't control like the economy, who's in...

We've made it to 100 episodes! So in this special edition of the Retirement Made Easy podcast, I'll answer five questions from the first quarter of 2022. These questions cover a wide variety of topics that are all important to know, from paying off your mortgage to following the "4% rule." Make sure you give it a listen! You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... [0:22] Make su...

There are two types of people that fail miserably at retirement. One person is the type that loved their job because it gave them a sense of purpose. The other type is the spender—they struggle to stick to a budget and want an extravagant retirement. What should these two people do to have a successful retirement? Learn more in this episode of the Retirement Made Easy Podcast.  You will want to he...

These are 5 things that you might forget about that can make a HUGE impact on your retirement. These five issues are things that you need to consider when you create a retirement plan—or they could derail your retirement. Listen to this episode of the Retirement Made Easy podcast to find out what they are (and what you can do about it). You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in.....

In this special retirement replay, we listen to one of the most popular episodes: " The Retirement Story Everyone NEEDS to Hear. " Why is it so popular? I outline some things you need to know when you're planning for retirement. Things like the life expectancy of the average 62-year-old, what we can learn from history about inflation, the optimal time to start withdrawing from social security—and...

Did you know that some months are better than others when it comes to retiring? What month YOU should retire depends on numerous factors, like what you do for a living, health insurance, your retirement portfolio, and even  the weather.  We'll cover it all in this episode of the Retirement Made Easy podcast.  You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... [0:26] The top 5 episodes...

What can you do to help you achieve your goal of retiring at age 70? When you write goals down, you increase your odds of completing them by 10x. So the first thing you can do to increase your odds of retiring at 70 is to write down: "My goal is to retire at age 70." Now, you need to write down other things you can do to maximize your chances of reaching your goal.  You might write down, "I will d...

Yes, you read the title right—there  are  some questions that I can't answer. In this episode of the Retirement Made Easy podcast, I dissect questions submitted by Jerry, Dean, and Jean. All three asked great questions that I just can't answer. So in this episode, I'll explain why I can't answer them, the information I would need to give an informed answer, and things each listener needs to questi...

Roth conversions are a useful tool that you should consider taking advantage of as you approach retirement. If you have a Roth IRA, it would grow tax-free for life. When you take withdrawals in retirement, they will be tax-free. With a traditional IRA, you pay taxes whenever you take withdrawals. So if you take a $5,000 withdrawal, you have to pay Federal and State income taxes. But  when  should...

This episode of the Retirement Made Easy podcast is a mix of the old and the new. I revisit some listener questions that are currently relevant as well as answer a NEW question that's debunking a once-popular social security disbursement method. What is it? You'll have to give this episode a listen to learn more.  < < < < < < < < < < < < < < >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> You will want to hear this episode if yo...

Mcdonald's has over 38,000 restaurants across the world. They've closed all of their locations in Russia, which equates to about 2% of McDonald's restaurants. Other companies—such as Apple—are following suit. How will those companies' actions impact your portfolio? Before sanctions, Russia's stock market represented about 2% of the Emerging Market Index (MSCI). With the sanctions, the MSCI is kick...

Years ago, a gal I'm going to call "Robin" came to us and asked about our pre-retirement assessment. She wanted to retire at the end of the year and wanted to make sure she was on track. She brought us 401k, IRA, social security, and pension statements. She was curious how much she had to live on in retirement. We could NEVER have predicted what happened next. Listen to this episode of Retirement...

What is long-term care insurance? Do you  need  long-term care insurance? How much does it cost? When should you buy it? Is it a good deal— or is it a ripoff ? Long-term care insurance is a necessity for some and completely unnecessary for others. You want to make informed decisions about your future. That's why I'm going to share how it works and what it covers in this episode of The Retirement M...