Retiring Today

In the last three months of 2020, we have seen some of the most volatile market days insect 1929. Monday, March 9th and Monday, March 16th were some of the worst trading days in history with some of the largest drops ever. While some investors are used to volatility, this type of extreme volatility is unprecedented and something many have never seen in their lifetime. Pre-Retirees and Retirees are...

2020 has proved to be a game changer. Plans are not going the way many people had hoped or ever predicted. In this episode of Retiring Today, we discuss the risks associated with retirement and how you can manage those risks within your retirement plan.

As millions of Americans wait on their stimulus payments, scammers are looking to take advantage. In this episode of Retiring Today, Julie Wagner - Compliance Officer at Merkle Retirement Planning, joins us to talk about these scams and how you can protect yourself. 

Last Monday, stocks fell sharply with the Dow suffering its worst day since the "Black Monday" market crash in 1987 and its third-worst day ever. This was even after the Federal Reserve embarked on a massive monetary stimulus campaign to curb slower economic growth amid the coronavirus outbreak. On this episode of Retiring Today, Chawn Honkomp joins Loren, Molly, and Richelle to discuss why this t...

What a week it has been for market volatility. Just Monday, the S&P 500 plummeted 7% at the open, tripping circuit breakers that briefly halted trading at the New York Stock Exchange. Plus global oil markets plunged after the implosion of an alliance between OPEC and Russia caused the worst one-day crash in crude prices in nearly 30 years. Then Thursday, a level-one circuit breaker was trigger...

The coronavirus is now rattling our global markets. The Dow John Industrial Average plummeted over 1000 points or more than 4% in one day this past week as fiscal impact of the coronavirus is spreading. The losses mark the worst week for the Dow since the financial crash of 2008. According to ABC News reporter Catherine Thorbecke, “The sharp fall comes as public head officials warn that Americans...

When planning for retirement, there's definitely a specific type of financial planning that needs to be done. When it comes to investing, accumulation investing and retirement investing are two completely different philosophies. In this episode of Retiring Today, we talk about the difference between your investing strategies during these different phases of life. 

Social Security is an important source of income for retirees in America. Nonetheless, the process of applying for and calculating benefits can be tricky and complex, based on such factors as past income and your age when you choose to elect benefits. In this episode of Retiring Today, we walk through the history of Social Security and the top point to think about when electing your benefits.&nbsp...

Pre-retirees often come to us with the same questions "What do I need to know before retirement?" or "What should I be doing before I retire?" Preparing to leave full time work and make the transition from saving to spending can be complex and have lot of moving pieces. In this episode of Retiring Today, we answer the top frequently asked questions by pre-retirees including "Do I have enough money...

In a perfect world, retirement is easy. You make your plan, you give your two weeks notice, you celebrate your last day of work and then, before you know it, you are officially retired! The reality is that retirement is a third of your life, not a fleeting moment in time and as a major life phase, there is a lot of planning involved and it doesn't all happen at one time. In this episode of Retirin...

With a longer lifespan and often less time building a nest egg, the stakes for women are higher in retirement, but these challenges don't have to sideline your planning. The ladies of Merkle Retirement Planning are taking over the mics in this episode of Retiring Today. We discuss the SECURE Act, what women need to consider when it comes to investments, health care, and how to plan to carry out le...

The beginning of a New Year is often the time the people make resolutions. Whether you are 10 years out from retirement or ready to take your 30 year vacation this year, you are not going to want to miss this episode. We will cover how to plan for inflation, what is means to diversify your accounts from a tax perspective, making sure your accounts have the right beneficiaries on them and so much m...

Since 2006, the largest piece of legislative change in retirement rules took place last week and will go into effect January 1, 2020. The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement or SECURE Act includes significant provisions aimed at increasing access to tax-advantaged accounts and preventing older Americans from outliving their assets. Lawmakers hope the new rules will do two things:...

What do you want to do when you retire? Do you want to travel the world? Do you want to live close to the grandkids? Do you finally want to get around those projects that have been pushed aside? For many, retirement can be an exciting time to discover or expand a personal passion. As the daily grind of work and other responsibilities subside, retirees may have time to explore the activities, hobbi...

There's one thing you can count on when you're dealing with Medicare - by the time you figure out the system, it will change. Those changes are coming January 1, 2020. The major of these changes will primarily impact those who are new to the government health insurance program. But this does leave pre-retirees and retirees with the question - how will this impact my retirement?  In this episo...

Bernie Madoff. Dean Mustaphalli. Elizabeth Holmes. There are plenty of reasons to distrust people these days. As with most professions, individuals in the financial field often seek to obtain various designations to demonstrate their level of knowledge. The financial industry is generally clouded by an atmosphere of distrust. While there are many honest financial...

Bitcoin, Blockchain, Cryptocurrency. These are all buzz words we have heard from friends and in the news but what really is it and how does it work? In this episode of Retiring Today, we are covering Facebook getting into the cryptocurrency game, explaining how Bitcoin works, and most importantly, answering the question is Cryptocurrency or Bitcoin right for your retirement.

Do you have a high-deductible health plan? If the answer is yes, you might be eligible for a Health Savings Account. But it is right for your retirement? In this episode of Retiring Today, we are breaking down these tax-advantaged accounts by talking about there advantages and disadvantages. In the headlines this week, we are discussing 'Project Nightingale' - the latest health care data...

According to TD Ameritrade's 2019 Retirement Pulse Survey, six in ten Americans think that $1 million will be enough for a comfortable retirement. But is that true? In this episode of Retiring Today, we breakdown the costs you should be thinking about in retirement. We'll discuss income planning, health care and long term care plus how to build a plan that will help you pay for the things you want...

Taxes can be complicated and stressful. In your working years, often the only major tax strategy to consider is maximizing contributions to your retirement plan at work, thereby decreasing your taxable income. In retirement, there are more choices about where to pull income form and when, and those decisions can have important tax consequences. Are there tax strategies you could implement before D...

With slow global growth, trade wars, and inverted yield curves, it seems everyone is talking about a possible recession. However, no one knows for sure when it will happen. In this episode of Retiring Today, we will be breaking down strategies you can use to protect your portfolio from taking a plunge during the next market correction. More to learn more about planning for your retirement? Check o...

It’s a story that happens all too often. A number you don’t know pops up on your phone. An email lands in your inbox that seems suspicious. An ad online showcases a product that seems too good to be true. Scams have become something we deal with every day. While most scams may not be as serve as others, the act of scamming pre-retirees and retirees is a massive problem in the United States. In thi...

The Federal Reserve cut interest rates for the second time in 2019, slashing the federal funds rate by a quarter point. Now President Trump is calling for zero or a negative interest rate environment. In this episode of Retiring Today, we break down what this could mean for you and your retirement.

We've all heard of a mutual fund, but how much do we REALLY know about them? Chances are you have a mutual fund or two in your investment portfolio. You own them, but do you really know much about them. In today's episode, we break down the top need to know truths about mutual funds and if they are right for you and your retirement goals.

You've been working for 30, 40, maybe 50 years and you think it might be time to retire. Now it’s time to put your hard work to work for you. This podcast is going to cover the stuff most advisors don’t – a plan- not products that will guide you to and through retirement. We understand the process is complex and there are a lot of moving parts. That's why in each episode we will break down each pi...