Retirement Starts Today

Click here to work with us! Employee benefits are one of the most overlooked aspects of financial planning. We often check a few boxes during open enrollment and move on—but are we truly maximizing what's available to us?  This week, we sit down with Joe Saul-Sehy, host of Stacking Benjamins, to uncover the hidden value in workplace benefits. From disability insurance pitfalls to term vs. whole li...

Click here to work with us! What if you could turn those green numbers in your investment account into retirement income while paying as little in taxes as possible? That's exactly what we're covering today with Peter Lazaroff, Chief Investment Officer at PlanCorp. We're tackling the challenge many of us face: managing deferred gains in our portfolios and figuring out the smartest ways to reduce t...

Click here to work with us! Can you be fired after announcing your retirement? It's a question that raises eyebrows and stirs concern for anyone nearing the end of their career. A recent article highlights the legal and financial implications of being terminated after sharing retirement plans, and it's a scenario more common than you might think. Employers often operate under at-will employment la...

Click here  to work with us! Are you spending too little in retirement, worried you might outlive your savings? Many retirees struggle to strike the right balance, often holding back on enjoying the wealth they've worked a lifetime to build. I'll show you how to overcome those fears and spend with confidence while still planning for the future. What about real estate? Whether you're thinking about...

What does it mean to live a life of purpose? I talk with Jordan Grumet, aka Doc G, host of the  Earn & Invest  podcast, about how his work as a hospice doctor shaped his understanding of purpose and regret. His new book, "The Purpose Code," offers insights on how to live with intention and meaning. We talk about the difference between "Big P" and "Little P" purpose and why focusing on grand goals...

Originally aired February 2024: There are two ways to mess up retirement: run out of money or die with regret. Oftentimes, people in the retirement space only focus on the running out of money part. In an effort to help you live an even better retirement, today's retirement headline discusses the regret part. Join me to learn five expenses that retirees wish they had spent more money on so that yo...

Originally aired March 2024: There are many ways that could threaten your financial security in retirement. Knowing the common issues can ensure that you don't fall into the traps. Today's financial headline comes from Yahoo Finance and is called 8 Ways Baby Boomers Become Poor in Retirement . Listen in to learn what they are so that you don't drive yourself into the poorhouse. For more informatio...

Originally aired April 2024: It may be easy to define success in your working career, but defining success in retirement can be more difficult. What does success look like in retirement? What will you do daily or weekly to get the most out of your retirement? In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we'll explore a TEDx talk about the 4 phases of retirement that many (but not all) experience. C...

Originally aired February 2024: You've heard of the 4% rule, and if you've listened to this podcast before, you've heard of Guyton's guardrails strategy. But have you ever heard of using them together? Today's retirement headline explores this idea. Overall, the article highlights the importance of considering sequence-of-returns risk in retirement planning and adopting flexible strategies, such a...

Originally aired June 2024: The 4% rule is the "golden rule" of retirement planning. Everyone is familiar with it and it's easy to work out for some quick, back-of-the-napkin math. Since it is so easy to calculate and implement, many use it as their retirement withdrawal rule. However, this approach may be overly conservative. While using a significantly higher withdrawal rate may go too far, the...

You've been accumulating your savings your entire life, but when the time comes to draw down your investments, there are new risks. In this episode, we'll discuss four risks that come with the decumulation phase of retirement.  Press play to learn how to avoid these risks in retirement.  Are you looking for a new advisor? One of our listeners is looking for a checklist to help him hire a retiremen...

Ready to learn how to make a lasting and meaningful legacy for your loved ones? I had an in-depth conversation with Myra Salzer from the Wealth Conservancy. Myra brings a unique perspective as a financial advisor who specializes in helping clients navigate life after inheriting significant wealth. We explore not just the financial implications but the deeply personal challenges that can come with...

In this episode, we step away from our usual financial discussions to share personal stories from our military service. Why? To give listeners a glimpse of who we are beyond our roles as financial advisors—so we opened up about how our time in the service shaped our lives.  Bret shares his experience working in logistics and on the flight line in the Air Force, while I discuss my years as a combat...

Investing in health can lead to a more vibrant, enjoyable retirement. In this episode, I share the personal health investments I've made, like sleep tracking and working with a health coach, each designed to enhance well-being and longevity. Prioritizing health alongside wealth allows us to fully embrace retirement. I detail four key health tools, each with its own costs and benefits. From the Who...

Are you feeling rattled by Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs)? We're here to help. Today we get deep into managing RMDs as we explore an article by Pam Krueger from Kiplinger's. I outline the complexities of RMDs, share strategies to minimize tax impacts, and talk about how to craft a "perfect RMD" strategy. Plus, I'll dig into why so many retirement podcasters, myself included, have no plans t...

Are you sure you're making the right call when deciding between Roth and traditional retirement accounts? A recent article on the Michael Kitsis blog started a debate into why, during your peak earning years, contributing to traditional pre-tax accounts might actually make more sense—even if tax rates rise in the future.  I'm going to break down why high-income earners can often benefit more from...

What could happen to our taxes if the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) expires in 2025? This week, we explore a Wall Street Journal article analyzing the TCJA's potential expiration and its varied impacts across the U.S. from coast to coast.  These tax cuts, enacted under President Trump, included reductions across multiple income brackets, increased standard deductions, and expanded child tax cr...

Are you actually prepared for how upcoming tax law changes could impact your retirement? I analyze insights featured on the Nerd's Eye View blog, focusing on key tax strategies for retirees. With the potential 2025 sunset of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act approaching, potential changes in marginal tax rates, personal exemptions, and deductions could significantly affect tax planning, especially for hig...

Are index funds really the "sure thing" in investing, or do our emotions get in the way? To help answer that question, we're going to talk about a Wall Street Journal article by Jason Zweig, which demonstrates the simplicity and challenges that come with investing in index funds. While these funds are designed to replicate the market at a low cost, actual investor behavior is what can lead to unde...

How can we better prepare for a successful retirement? We're exploring the lessons from a recent article by Christine Benz of Morningstar, where she reflects on her six-week sabbatical and how "mini-retirements" can help us test the waters before we fully retire.  We talk about how the luxury of unscheduled time, balancing purpose, and the importance of finding joy in small moments can shape our i...

Are you actually prepared to navigate the complexities of retirement? We're exploring Fritz Gilbert's Six Lessons From Six Years of Retirement , shared from his blog  The Retirement Manifesto .  One by one, we'll walk through these lessons, keeping in mind that retirement is an evolving journey, not a static experience. For those who still need to optimize their post-work life, these lessons will...

Retirement is not just a transition from work to leisure. It's a continuous journey of self-discovery. We explore the story of Tom, who reflects on the emotional and financial challenges he faced after leaving a successful career. From adjusting to a fixed income to finding new ways to matter outside of his career, Tom's experiences give us valuable lessons for those nearing retirement. In light o...

You know inflation is something to consider in retirement, but how much should you worry about it?  On this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we'll explore an article from Of Dollar and Data that dives into the nitty gritty of inflation by analyzing three hypothetical retirement scenarios.  Learn how to plan for any eventuality so that you can better prepare for rising costs as you age.  Outline...

In retirement, retirees make the big switch–drawing on savings rather than contributing to them. This is often when the trouble comes–the psychological hurdle comes when it's time to start spending your hard-earned savings.  In this episode, you'll learn how to understand the mental barrier that comes with the big switch and learn strategies to overcome it. Listen to learn how to use your retireme...

Knowing when to retire is not just an economic decision; it's highly personal. In an era where your work is with your identity, deciding when to retire can feel monumental. So how do you know when the time is right? That's what we'll explore in today's episode. In addition to discussing this retirement headline, Bret Mulvaney joins the show again to help me answer our listener question. Press play...