Retirement Starts Today

Do you feel pain when spending money? Or perhaps it's the opposite, and you spend a little too freely without much thought, pain, or remorse? In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we'll explore an article on how to make the most out of retirement by trying to land somewhere in the middle of the spending spectrum. Whether you find yourself to be a "tightwad" or a "spendthrift" you'll find thi...

It's easy to make mistakes in your investment portfolio, but as you get closer to retirement, it becomes more important than ever to make sure you are maximizing your financial health so that you can achieve your long-term goals.  In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we'll take a look at an article written by Christine Benz which highlights several common errors that investors make. Listen...

What would you say your retirement confidence level is? If you're like many super-savers, it may be surprisingly low.  In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we'll explore an article from Investment News that dives into a phenomenon where wealthier Americans who are confident in their money management skills still feel shaky about retirement and transferring their wealth to their heirs. Liste...

We may think of many things when it comes to rising interest rates, but often we fail to understand how that could lead to rising IRS penalties.  In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we'll take a look at an informative article from the WSJ about how to avoid rising IRS penalties.  Make sure to stick around for the listener questions segment where I answer Jeff's question on how to bridge th...

When was the last time you checked your beneficiaries on your retirement account? After listening to today's episode, I guarantee you'll be logging in to verify. In the retirement headlines segment, we'll check out a Yahoo Finance article titled "They Broke Up In 1989, But Now His Ex-Girlfriend Is Inheriting His $1 Million Retirement Account After Nearly 40 Years." How's that headline for clickbai...

While, for some people, the transition to retirement goes perfectly smoothly, that's not the case for everyone.  Most of us are counting the days until retirement. We're excited by all the prospects this new stage in life will bring. However, some people struggle with the change. In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we'll look at a common issue with retirement from a psychological perspecti...

It's no secret that I want you to spend more money in retirement. Why? Because you've worked for it!  Retirement is about living the life that you have saved for all these years, so I'm looking for any way I can find to help you get out there and enjoy it.  One way that has been gaining popularity in recent years is semi-retirement. In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we'll look at an arti...

We've all heard the saying, "Money can't buy happiness." However, research suggests that while money may not buy lasting joy, it can certainly enhance our lives if spent wisely. The key lies in how we spend our money. On this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we'll explore a recent article on spending money to maximize your happiness.  Stick around for the latest book update and sign up for the...

By now, we've all heard of AI, but many people still have mixed feelings about this revolutionary tool. Since I've been using it in my life on a daily basis, I have been wanting to share how you all can use AI to help with retirement planning.  When I came across this article from Business Insider , I knew I found my opportunity. Even if you've never used AI before, you'll want to listen in to hea...

Many factors should come into play when deciding when to take your Social Security benefit but doomsday headlines shouldn't be one of them. On this episode, you'll hear how Social Security's biggest myth is costing retirees a lot of money.  Don't get caught unaware! Make sure to stick around until the end to hear about a jury duty scam that even I had never heard of.  Outline of This Episode [1:42...

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 4% rule may be too cautious...

Did you know that you can buy gold at your local Costco? However, just because it's easy to buy doesn't mean it's easy to sell.  In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we're exploring gold and its role in your retirement portfolio. To do that, we'll take a look at a retirement headline from WSJ and i'll share my thoughts on the latest gold rush. Make sure to stick around until the end for Kev...

Risk is what is left over after you think you've thought of everything. – Carl Richards Getting to financial independence is job #1, but staying financially independent comes a close second.  To do so you'll need to be aware of the risks that could empty your accounts. Being vigilant of these risks and having a plan to work through or avoid them could save you hundreds of thousands of dollars. Lis...

There are two ways you can ruin your retirement: running out of money and dying with regret.  If you are listening to this podcast, chances are, you've been a diligent saver and probably aren't in danger of the first one.  That's why, today, we're exploring an article from the White Coat Investor on ways to spend more money.  Don't risk ending your days with regret. Listen in to find out how you c...

It can be easy to forget your age as the birthdays roll around. However, when you're about to turn 65 you'll know. Medicare and all of their relevant service providers won't let you forget.  You may feel inundated with the amount of mail, emails, and even phone calls and text messages, but rather than ignoring all the excess information, it's important to dig in and learn so tha you can make the b...

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...

A lot of us are looking to get in shape in retirement. This is a good thing since part of living an even better retirement is looking after your health and muscle mass. Staying healthier and more active longer will ensure that you are making the most out of your retirement. In addition, maintaining a healthy muscle mass is a huge part of keeping your health as you age. In this episode, we'll explo...

Do you have index funds in your portfolio? Chances are you do!  Our retirement headline today describes the rise of index funds over active funds and why that's important. Discover how index funds connect with my investment philosophy by pressing play now.  Outline of This Episode [1:22] Index funds have grown exponentially over the years [2:23] What are index funds [5:58] How index funds fit into...

Recent legislation has made everyone's favorite college savings plan a little more flexible. Funds in a 529 plan aren't as locked up as they used to be now that your children's unused college funds can be rolled into a retirement account. In this episode, we'll discuss an article from the White Coat Investor which explores how the 529 can be rolled into a retirement account. We'll discover the ben...

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. Click play to hear how you can...

Due to last year's poor market returns, you've probably seen the headlines that the 60/40 portfolio is dead. But is that really the case?  This week's retirement headline explores the history of this classic retirement investment strategy. After we tackle the headlines, Bret and I team up to consider the best places to move in retirement. Listen in to hear where not to move.  Outline of This Episo...

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.  Outline of This Episode [1:22] 8 ways to becom...

We all want to retire, but have you considered how you would like to transition to retirement? This week's retirement headline article shares some interesting statistics on phased retirements: who is thinking about them, who is utilizing them, and what people think about them. Listen in to learn the findings. Then stick around for our listener question surrounding stock positions, diversification,...

Once upon a time, there was a prediction that the baby boomer generation would face a retirement crisis. So how did this gloom and doom projection turn into the wealthiest generation in history? Listen in to find out. Make sure to stay tuned for the listener question: What is the best way to fund a large expense without a large tax bill? Outline of This Episode [1:37] The accuracy of predictions [...

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 as guardrails, to ensure financi...