Secure Your Retirement

How is the economy going to change now that we’re in the fourth quarter of 2021? Is it still going to be like the last 3 quarters or not? How will it impact our economy in 2022 and the coming few years? There has been a lot of uncertainty in how things are happening, which is leading to market volatility. In this episode of the Secure Your Retirement podcast, we have Andrew Opdyke, a Certified Fin...

Have you ever been concerned about identity theft or being a fraud victim? In today’s cyberworld, identity theft and fraud have become more sophisticated than ever before.  It is important that you stay aware and protected to avoid being on the receiving end of these cybercrimes.  In this episode of the Secure Your Retirement podcast, we share a checklist that we created about how to pro...

Did you know that there are ways you can save on your taxes as a small business? Big Fortune 500 companies do it all the time, and they make more money than you. There are different ways you can save money on taxes and protect your small business and assets, which include being smart with your pension. Working with a tax attorney is also another advantageous way to protect yourself under the attor...

What are some mistakes that you want to avoid when choosing an advisor? When choosing an advisor, there are some mistakes that could cause risks and you need to avoid them before they do so.  There are different types of advisors you should avoid working with and some things you should pay close attention to before committing with an advisor.   In this episode of the Secure Your Ret...

Do you have questions about retirement planning that you want to be answered over a glass of wine? In this episode Secure Your Retirement, we have our monthly wine down episode where we answer a few questions surrounding retirement planning as we enjoy some 19 crimes cabernet sauvignon wine. We cover questions on mortgages, the best asset mixes, whether to sell stocks and how to avoid getting hack...

Are you worried about the idea of a layoff happening to you? Whether you’re close to retirement or know someone at risk of getting laid off, this guide is for you. Covid has made layoffs quite common with everyone but especially with people who are almost at the retirement age. Layoffs can be very stressful but with the right information, you can navigate your way through them.  In this episo...

Do you have plans to set up a special needs trust for your child or a loved one?  A special needs trust is a special type of trust set up to still take care of a person with healthcare needs without disqualifying them from other benefits. This trust which is sometimes referred to as a supplemental needs trust is set up by a third party to supplement for other governmental benefits.  In t...

Have you asked questions about payment to that financial advisor you’re considering hiring? When it comes to hiring a new financial advisor, it is important to ask and understand how they’re getting paid. Whether they’re getting paid through commission or fees, they should disclose that information with ease. It’s always good to know the type of fees you’re getting into. In this episode of the Sec...

Have you heard of the pickleball sport? It’s a sport that you might find interesting if you’re getting close to or are already in retirement.  Pickleball with its low entry cost and easy accessibility into the community is the perfect sport for your retirement plan. The sport has many social and health benefits, which include weight loss, and is increasingly becoming popular with people of al...

You may not be going through the situation of losing a spouse, but it is always wise to stay prepared.  We understand how the situation can be and that is why we have prepared this episode as a resource for you when that time arrives.  In this episode of the Secure Your Retirement podcast, we talk about the different things you should think about when your spouse passes away. We cover to...

Have you considered real estate as one of the ways to build wealth as part of your retirement plan? Real estate can be a huge return on investment when you take the time to understand the market and learn from other investors’ mistakes. Research is showing that the current unique state of the economy is proving to be a very conducive time to invest in real estate due to low-interest rates.  I...

What misconceptions do you hold about retirement planning? To have an active retirement plan, you need to have the right financial advisor to manage your investment.  It is important to settle down with an advisor you’re comfortable with, and that aligns with your philosophy. To debunk these misconceptions, you have to do your research and ask the right questions, so they don’t cost you in th...

Do you have a question relating to retirement planning that you’d like answered in a fun way? In this episode on the Secure Your Retirement Podcast, we have our monthly wine down episode where we answer some of your commonly asked questions about retirement planning in a fun way. We cover questions on social security, 401Ks, power of attorney, and the tax efficiency for a non-IRA account. Listen i...

Have you been thinking of how to start saving for your child’s or grandchild’s college education? How about setting up a 529 Plan? A 529 Plan allows you to invest in your child’s or grandchild’s college education before they even get to that stage. This type of investment has many benefits, including being tax-free during the growth period. In this episode of the Secure Your Retirement podcast, we...

Are you ready to start living your tapas life after retirement? Life is diverse and interesting, and it doesn’t stop being so after you retire.  There are many different elements in life that you can engage in and continue enjoying after you retire. When planning for your retirement, a tapas life should be a big part of it if you want your life to be meaningful in your later decades. &nb...

What are some of the rip-offs you should keep an eye for when choosing an advisor to manage your retirement plan?  When looking for a suitable financial advisor for you, you should ask as many questions as you can to understand certain concerning situations.  In this episode of the Secure Your Retirement podcast, we talk about 4 retirement investment and planning rip-offs you should alwa...

Potential tax changes are coming, and it is important you understand what is proposed and how it might affect you.  It is advisable that you get in touch with your financial advisor to help you understand how to navigate the proposed tax changes if they were to happen today. To have a peaceful and secure retirement planning process, you have to familiarize yourself with what is expected of yo...

We have a new book available - Secure Your Retirement book! Why did we write a book and what is it about?  This book is a resource to help people thinking about retirement or planning for retirement to understand what they should consider. Some of the chapters include having active money management, lifetime income, tax reductions, and much more. In this episode of the Secure Your Retirement...

What questions do you have about social security? It is important to keep in mind that professionals at social security are instructed not to give you any form of advice.  There are many factors to be considered when applying for social security for your retirement whether you want to do it before or after 70 years. These factors include age, sources of income, spousal benefits, and much more...

Have you ever asked yourself what would happen to your money if something happened to your advisor? This is a common and very legitimate question to ask. It is important to keep in mind that nothing’s going to happen to your money, whether you’re working with independent advisors like us or a larger institution. Your money is housed by a custodian and will still be there if something does happen t...

Have you thought of how your retirement is going to look like? Aging greatfully means having a plan for the financial, spiritual, personal, and entire details of your life after retirement. When planning for an exciting, creative, and peaceful retirement, you also need to have an end-of-life plan. Planning for your end of life gives you peace and it also inspires your brand-new beginning. In this...

How does tax affect your non-IRA brokerage accounts? What if we told you that there’s a clean and better way for you to get tax deferral on your capital gains? A strategy that works at a low cost and that gets rid of the annoying short-term capital gain problem. This strategy is by use of the variable annuity, which even though we have stated has more negatives than positives, in this case, is hig...

The pandemic has significantly slowed down and things are changing. What questions relating to your retirement planning do you have? In this episode Secure Your Retirement, we tackle some questions on the changes that might occur in the future during our Wine Down. We cover questions on potential tax changes, Roth conversion, planning for a market correction, and inflation. Listen in to understand...

Now that you have decided to change your advisor, how then do you move to the next one? Moving from one advisor to another is a simple paperwork process that only takes days to be completed.   You can move from one advisor to another within the same custodian, or you can move from both an advisor and a custodian at the same time.   In this episode of the Secure Your Retirement...

The 1 st quarter of the year saw tremendous economic growth, but will the 2 nd quarter continue the trend? The economy has broadened in the past few months due to downtown representation and employment acceleration factors. But we still have higher demand than supply, inflation costs, and interest rates concerns. In this episode of the Secure Your Retirement podcast, we have Andrew Opdyke, a Certi...