Retirement Starts Today

Do you have an HSA? If so, do you simply use it to pay for your medical expenses? Or do you use it as a way to build your wealth? Today we'll look at an article from Financial Advisor Magazine that will help us identify opportunities for wealth creation. Listen in to learn how to maximize the triple benefit of the humble HSA. Outline of This Episode [1:22] A few tricks to turn the humble HSA into...

Do you combine your finances with your partner? If you do, chances are that you might be happier. In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we'll explore a WSJ article written by Julia Carpenter titled  Couples Who Combine Finances Are Happier. So Why Don't More Do It? In addition to examining the benefits of combining finances, we'll take a look at the reasons couples choose not to pool their r...

Giving advice to your parents can be a challenge both for you and for them. However, there comes a time when the roles reverse and our parents may need to hear our practical advice. If you have been wondering how to go about doing this you're not alone.  This week we'll explore a retirement headline from Francine Russo at WSJ titled  How to Give Your Parents Advice That They Will Actually Listen T...

Investing in yourself is a great way to invest in your retirement. You may know Fritz Gilbert from the Retirement Manifesto blog  or you may even have read his book,  Keys to a Successful Retirement . What you may not know is how he has invested in himself in retirement.  On this episode of Retirement Starts Today, you'll hear how Fritz has chosen to invest in his community and himself through a c...

Do you typically like to get your taxes done early? Before you rush out to submit your tax return, listen to this episode to hear why you might want to wait. In this episode, we'll explore a  CNBC article  by Kate Dore that lists the reasons you may want to wait to file your taxes in 2023. After the Retirement Headlines segment, Bret and I will discuss the differences between bonds and bond funds...

I'm so excited to bring you this interview with Gary Kadi. Gary is the author of one of the best books I read in 2022,  Raise Your Healthy Deserve Level . I call this an accidental retirement book because although it is not specifically written for retirees, many topics apply to retirement.  Gary has so much to share in this interview. We discuss how to receive good things in life, how your net wo...

Many people are concerned that rising interest rates will eventually crash the housing market. Future retirees can become overly worried about the housing market since the value of their homes plays a huge role in their retirement plans. This is why an article from Annie Lowrey at the Atlantic caught my eye. Today, we'll dive into the article,  The U.S. Needs More Housing Than Almost Anyone Can Im...

Have you ever thought about what the future might be like for your children and grandchildren? In this week's retirement headline, we'll explore a Wall Street Journal article called  What Old Age Might Be Like for Today's 30-Year-Olds .  During the listener questions segment, one listener wonders whether it is possible to have too much Roth money. Finally, stay tuned for the personal development s...

Welcome back to Retirement Starts Today Radio! Today we have an extra special episode for two reasons.  Today, you'll finally meet our newest advisor, Bret Mulvaney. He joins me today to discuss the most recent legislation regarding tax and retirement planning.  This entire episode is dedicated to reviewing the Secure Act 2.0. Listen in to learn what's changing in retirement planning and how the S...

Do you ever wish you could sneak a peek into someone else's retirement financial plan? Our retirement headline this week does just that. The article,  Some Now More Later , takes a look into Richard Connor's decision-making process as he examines how best to allocate his retirement funds and how he and his wife decided how to claim their Social Security benefits. After the retirement headlines seg...

Welcome back to a new year or Retirement Starts Today Radio! Just as you have been envisioning your retirement, I've been envisioning exciting new things for this podcast.  This year we are kicking off a couple of new additions to the show that I'm particularly excited about. After the retirement headlines, we'll have our new Lead Financial Advisor, Bret, join us as an occasional co-host for the l...

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2050 seems like a long way away, however, it is closer than we think. In this week's retirement headline, I share an article from Richard Archer at  FinanceInsights.net  which explores the future of retirement and the impact that technology has had on the past, present, and future of retirement. In the listener questions segment, I help Bruce with a question about using individual bonds vs bond fu...

Are you fed up with paying state income taxes? Before you pack your bags and move to a no income tax state you'll want to listen to this episode. Moving to a different state to save money on taxes could cost more than you think.  After listening to the retirement headline, make sure to stick around to hear Doug's question about where to save extra money for retirement–my response may surprise you....

Jim is only 3 weeks away from retiring and wants to know my top tips for someone approaching retirement. If you are on the countdown to retirement, make sure to listen to the listener's questions to hear what they are.  In the retirement headlines segment, we'll explore the benefits of using a bucket withdrawal strategy for investments. You may be surprised to hear what the actual benefit of using...

What does a good night's sleep have to do with retirement planning? Listen to this episode to find out.  Today we'll explore an article from Andrea Peterson over at the  Wall Street Journal titled, To Get a Better Night's Sleep, First Fix Your Day . After discussing how to apply her advice to retirement, we'll tackle Bill's questions. Since he has a few questions I'm trying something new and answe...

Deciding whether to delay filing for Social Security is a hefty decision. Waiting to collect Social Security until age 70 will increase your monthly benefit by 32%, but that doesn't mean much if you don't live long enough to reap the rewards of being patient.  In today's retirement headlines segment, I'll share an article written by Jeffrey Levine from Kitces.com that discusses a workaround to the...

Do you wish that there was a list of what to do and what not to do in your retirement? I recently discovered an article from MorningStar.com written by Sheryl Rowling titled  8 Financial Do's and Don'ts for the 7-Figure Retirement , and I thought it would be perfect to share with my listeners. You'll learn several tips that you should consider when planning your retirement. After we analyze the ar...

Have you been wondering how to best prepare for the end of the tax cuts coming up in 2026? One of our listeners is and they would like to know how Roth conversions should factor into planning for the end of those tax cuts. You might be surprised by my response to her question, so don't miss out on the listener questions segment today to hear my answer. If you are Medicare aged you'll want to pay a...

What a difference 18 months makes in the housing market! Many who bought their homes at the peak of the real estate boom are beginning to regret their decision. A recent article from  BuzzFeed  tells stories of remorse experienced by several homeowners who are now in over their heads.  In this episode, we'll explore the homeowners' stories, and compare expert opinions. Finally, I'll close the segm...

There's big news in the world of retirement. The news is so big that we have 2 articles from mainstream media sources to check out in this week's retirement headlines segment. If you've been wondering how inflation will affect Social Security benefits you won't want to miss out on this episode.  Stick around for the listener questions segment to hear how to transition from biweekly paychecks to mo...

Have you been wondering if the 4% rule still applies with a bear market and high inflation? Many financial pundits may have you questioning the validity of this so-called retirement rule of thumb.  In the retirement headlines segment, I share  a recent article  from  Financial Advisor Magazine  that highlights quotes from the creator of the 4% rule, William P. Bengen. After sharing the retirement...

Have you ever thought about purchasing stocks for purpose of generating dividend income? If that is part of your retirement plan, then you won't want to miss this episode. Today we're taking a look at a retirement headline from  MarketWatch  that highlights three considerations to be aware of before jumping into this strategy.  Stick around for the listener questions segment to hear the answer to...

Why don't more people maximize their Social Security benefits? As a financial advisor, I often wonder at the surprisingly low percentage of people who choose not to optimize their Social Security benefit.  Today's retirement headline dives into that question in further detail by analyzing a study with plenty of data. Listen in to learn when many people choose to take Social Security and their reas...

Envisioning what your retirement will look like can often be a challenge, so it may be helpful to hear some examples of people in similar situations. In this week's retirement headlines segment, we'll explore a WSJ article  from Veronica Dagher and Anne Tergesen that interviews 4 retirees who saved enough for a comfortable retirement. Listen in to hear how they spend their time and money.  Make su...