Retirement Ready

📞 Ready to take the next step? Connect with the Peterson Financial team here 👉 https://petersonfg.com/   Think fairy tales are just for kids? Think again. The secrets to lasting wealth may be hiding in stories you heard at bedtime. Today, Eric takes a creative approach to financial planning, drawing lessons from Aesop’s Fables to show why slow, steady, and intentional strategies still win the ra...

📞 Ready to take the next step? Connect with the Peterson Financial team here 👉 https://petersonfg.com/   Ever wondered if your financial review truly reflects who you are and what matters most to you? In this episode, Eric explores how financial reviews aren’t one-size-fits-all, they’re tailored to your unique personality and goals. From data-centric clients who thrive on numbers and details, to...

📞 Ready to take the next step? Connect with the Peterson Financial team here 👉 https://petersonfg.com/ Instilling strong habits creates a foundation for you to build on, and investing is no different. Today, Eric breaks down the habits that can turn good intentions into bad investing outcomes. He explains how emotional reactions, trend-chasing, and lack of a clear plan often derail even discipli...

📞 Ready to take the next step? Connect with the Peterson Financial team here 👉 https://petersonfg.com/   Retirement is approaching and how you get started could have a huge impact on the rest of your retirement. Today, Eric shares the do’s and don’ts of entering retirement and explains why the first year is one of the most critical times in your financial life. He breaks down the common pitfalls...

📞 Ready to take the next step? Connect with the Peterson Financial team here 👉 https://petersonfg.com/   Eric breaks down some of the most common misconceptions about retirement planning and reveals what it really takes to build lasting financial confidence. He explains how to find the right balance between growth, safety, and tax efficiency while addressing myths about investment risk, life ins...

📞 Ready to take the next step? Connect with the Peterson Financial team here 👉 https://petersonfg.com/   When it comes to retirement, every financial decision counts- but some are more complicated than others. In this episode, Eric tackles listener questions about three real-life retirement scenarios. First, he explains what happens when you want to adjust or cancel a life insurance policy with...

📞 Ready to take the next step? Connect with the Peterson Financial team here 👉 https://petersonfg.com/   Golf and retirement may seem worlds apart, but the lessons from the course fit perfectly into financial planning. In this episode, Eric shares why chasing “hole-in-one” investments can feel exciting but dangerous if it makes you think you’ve “figured it all out.” Just like golf, one great sho...

📞 Ready to take the next step? Connect with the Peterson Financial team here 👉 https://petersonfg.com/   We’ve all heard the phrase “famous last words.” These statements sound confident in the moment but don’t age well. Retirement planning has its own version of those phrases and believing them can lead to painful consequences. In this episode, Eric shares the financial phrases he’s heard far to...

📞 Ready to take the next step? Connect with the Peterson Financial team here 👉 https://petersonfg.com/   Retirement planning often looks straightforward from the outside, but as Eric explains, many decisions can be harder to make than they appear. In this episode, Eric and Marc break down some of the most common challenges retirees face, starting with the big question of when to claim Social Sec...

📞 Ready to take the next step? Connect with the Peterson Financial team here 👉 https://petersonfg.com/   The financial world is crowded with titles- advisor, broker, planner- and it isn’t always clear what those labels mean for your retirement. In this episode, Eric breaks down the critical differences between brokers and fiduciary advisors, using simple analogies to show how each approach your...

📞 Ready to take the next step? Connect with the Peterson Financial team here 👉 https://petersonfg.com/   Gen X is often called the “forgotten generation,” but when it comes to retirement planning, they may also be the most at risk. Many Xers came of age just as pensions were disappearing, making them the first generation to rely heavily on 401ks. Add in market crashes, higher levels of personal...

📞 Ready to take the next step? Connect with the Peterson Financial team here 👉 https://petersonfg.com/   Conventional wisdom often sounds reassuring: “Real estate always goes up.” “Mortgages are good debt.” “Switch investments when something isn’t working.” But is it actually wise advice? In this episode, Eric challenges some of the most common money clichés and points out where they can lead re...

📞 Ready to take the next step? Connect with the Peterson Financial team here 👉 https://petersonfg.com/   Could you be wealthier than you realize once all your accounts and assets are tallied? Many pre-retirees and retirees underestimate the financial strength they’ve already built, creating unnecessary stress. In this episode, Eric shares five clear signs that you’re on stronger financial footin...

📞 Ready to take the next step? Connect with the Peterson Financial team here 👉 https://petersonfg.com/   Planning a great vacation takes time, effort, and a little bit of strategy. So why do so many people put more thought into a week-long trip than into a decades-long retirement? In this episode, Eric uses the fun (and sometimes stressful) process of vacation planning to show how you can prepar...

We all have those personality quirks: a car full of fast-food napkins, forgetting names mid-conversation, or insisting on carrying all the groceries in one trip. But what if those small, relatable habits say something deeper about how we handle money, risk, and retirement planning? In this episode, Eric brings humor and insight to the table as he explores how everyday behaviors often mirror our fi...

What do smoking sections, kids' menus, and combo meals have to do with retirement planning? More than you might think! In this episode, Eric serves up financial wisdom using a creative "retirement restaurant" metaphor.  He explains how appearances can be deceiving when it comes to diversification, why some strategies that helped you build wealth may not be the same ones that preserve it, and how o...

Should you use your emergency fund, dip into your IRA, or just finance a new car in retirement? How can someone fresh out of college start saving for the future without putting life on hold? And is $500,000 really enough to retire comfortably at 65? In this listener mailbag episode, Eric dives into three real-world questions that highlight the complexity and nuance of personal financial planning. ...

In this mailbag episode, Eric answers real questions from listeners navigating big life transitions. First up, a soon-to-be retiree wants to take the whole family to Disney World, but how do you plan a big trip like that without derailing your retirement timeline? Eric breaks down how to stress-test your retirement plan for one-time expenses and offers tips for budgeting a major vacation while kee...

DIY works great for fixing up the house or building a bookshelf, but does it hold up when you're planning your retirement? In this episode, Eric unpacks the pros and pitfalls of do-it-yourself financial planning, especially as you transition from the "saving" years to the "spending" years. It's one thing to manage your portfolio when you're working and have time to bounce back from a mistake. But...

Turning 62 isn’t just another birthday, it’s a milestone that kicks off some big retirement decisions. In this episode, Eric breaks down what reaching this age really means, from deciding when (or if) to claim Social Security to navigating income limits that could reduce your benefits. We’ll also explore how your health, family longevity, and lifestyle goals should influence that decision. Beyond...

Most of us have a junk drawer stuffed with random odds and ends we forgot about. But what about your financial junk drawer? Old insurance policies, dusty 401(k) statements, outdated wills, or savings bonds from decades ago could be sitting forgotten, and they might be costing you money or missing opportunities. In this episode, Eric opens the drawer on common financial items people stash away and...

In today’s world, information is everywhere, but not all of it is helpful. When it comes to financial planning, too much research or the wrong kind of advice can do more harm than good. In this episode, Eric tackles the overwhelming flood of financial content people consume through news articles, websites, AI tools, and so-called “money experts.” While it feels empowering to Google your way to a d...

Retirement isn’t just about financial spreadsheets, it’s about preparing your whole life for a new chapter. In this episode, Eric uses the clever framework of The Five People You Meet in Heaven to explore the five types of professionals and relationships that can shape your retirement journey. From legal guidance to physical wellness, these people can help protect what you've built and ensure you'...

When it comes to retirement, some decisions aren’t as clear-cut as they seem. Should you pay off your mortgage early? Convert to a Roth IRA? Claim Social Security at 62 or wait until 70? The math might say one thing, but your emotions, goals, and personal circumstances often pull you in another direction. In this episode, Eric tackles the “gray areas” of retirement planning, those tricky crossroad...

We all like to believe we're rational when it comes to money, but our emotions often tell a different story. In this episode, Eric unpacks key insights from Morgan Housel’s The Psychology of Money and explains how our upbringing, fears, and life experiences shape how we save and spend. From the fear of running out to the trap of always wanting more, Eric explores why logic alone isn't enough to bu...