TaylorMade Retirement with Taylor Demars, CFP®

👉 Find out if your portfolio is ready for retirement: https://www.demarsfinancial.com/start-here?utm_source=Youtube&utm_medium=Videolink&utm_campaign=46175 👉 Get free access to the same professional retirement planning software we use with our clients: https://www.demarsfinancial.com/right-express Two retirees. Same $2M portfolio. Same market crash in year one. Completely different retir...

Find out if you're working longer than you need to: https://www.demarsfinancial.com/start-here?utm_source=Youtube&utm_medium=Videolink&utm_campaign=46150 Get free access to the same professional retirement planning software we use with our clients: https://www.demarsfinancial.com/right-express Age 62 isn't just when Social Security becomes available. It's the first point whe...

Becoming a grandparent often brings a new question: how can you help create opportunities for the next generation? In this episode, Taylor explores several ways grandparents can support their grandchildren financially while maintaining flexibility and control. He discusses how different strategies can align with different goals, whether you're thinking about education, retirement, or creating...

Find out if you're working longer than you need to: https://www.demarsfinancial.com/start-here?utm_source=Youtube&utm_medium=Videolink&utm_campaign=46150 Get free access to the same professional retirement planning software we use with our clients: https://www.demarsfinancial.com/right-express You've saved $2.5 million for retirement. By every measure, you should feel ready. So w...

Over the past year, one retirement video on YouTube pulled in 3.7 million views. The title: "Sell These 5 Things Before You Retire." We thought it was worth a conversation — not to tear it apart, but to react honestly. Do we agree? How often do we actually see this play out with real clients? Let's get into it. Here’s what we discuss in today’s show: 🏡 Why downsizing is often more...

Download the free Retire Once Guide: https://www.demarsfinancial.com/retire-once-guide The 5 yeses in this episode help you decide if you're ready to retire. The next 5—available only in the guide- help you protect that decision once you're there. Most people think the retirement question is, "Can I retire?" But after working with hundreds of retirees, Taylor thinks the better...

SpaceX. OpenAI. These and other names have been dominating the headlines. The IPO market is heating up, and clients are asking questions. Today we're keeping it simple. What do retirees and pre-retirees need to understand about IPOs before they get caught up in the excitement? Here’s what we discuss in today’s show: 🚀 What an IPO is and why companies like SpaceX generate so much investor exc...

Find out if you're working longer than you need to: https://www.demarsfinancial.com/start-here?utm_source=Youtube&utm_medium=Videolink&utm_campaign=46150 Get free access to the same professional retirement planning software we use with our clients: https://www.demarsfinancial.com/right-express You've saved $2.5 million for retirement. By every measure, you should feel ready. So w...

Find out if you're working longer than you need to: https://www.demarsfinancial.com/start-here?utm_source=Youtube&utm_medium=Videolink&utm_campaign=46147 Get free access to the same professional retirement planning software we use with our clients: https://www.demarsfinancial.com/right-express Can you retire at 58? Most 58-year-olds who keep working "just one more year" aren...

Find out if you're working longer than you need to: https://www.demarsfinancial.com/start-here?utm_source=Youtube&utm_medium=Videolink&utm_campaign=46139 If you've done everything right — saved, invested, stayed in when markets crashed, built the kind of number that's supposed to make retirement feel obvious — and you still can't pull the trigger, your problem probably...

A listener question came in with a deceptively simple retirement question: Should you start Social Security right away if you don’t actually need the income yet? Taylor explains why the answer involves much more than math, touching on PTO, retirement lifestyle, flexibility, and long-term planning decisions. Before you claim a single dollar, make sure you’re not walking into a Social Security timin...

Taylor has seen retirees with $5 million feel broke and retirees with $1.5 million feel free. The difference isn't their portfolio — it's five planning pitfalls that smart savers make over and over. In this episode, he walks through the 5 retirement pitfalls he sees every week as a Certified Financial Planner working with pre-retirees. If you're within 5 years of retirement and sitt...

Graduation season is here, and we’re handing out “class superlatives” to popular retirement tools and strategies. Taylor hands out “yearbook awards” to some of the most talked-about financial tools and strategies and breaks down where common financial advice can fall short. Tune in to learn which strategies deserve a spot in your retirement yearbook, and which ones might be holding you back. Here’...

A client came to us with $4 million saved, convinced he had to work until 63. His advisor of 12 years said he was on track. But when we rebuilt his plan from the ground up, we found three assumptions that were costing him five of his healthiest retirement years. In this episode, Taylor walks through the three specific changes we made to his plan, without adding a dollar to his savings or increasin...

It’s one of the most common (and emotional) questions investors ask: If my portfolio isn’t keeping up with the market, is my advisor doing their job? On the surface, it feels like a simple comparison, but there’s usually a lot more going on beneath it. Taylor walks through how to think about performance the right way, why comparing your portfolio to “the market” can be misleading, and what actuall...

Should you take the pension lump sum or monthly payments? It's one of the most important — and most permanent — financial decisions you'll make in retirement. And most of the advice out there starts and ends with the math. Today, Taylor walks you through The Pension Clarity Test: three questions that go beyond the spreadsheet and help you make the pension decision you won't second-g...

Retirement isn’t just about stepping away from work. It’s about stepping into something meaningful. While most people focus on finances, the happiest retirees often find something deeper: purpose, connection, and a reason to get out of bed each morning. Today, Taylor explores how volunteering can transform retirement through your time, talents, and financial resources. You’ll hear real-life exampl...

Can you really retire before 62 with $3.2 million in a 401(k)? Taylor walks you through a real client case study where a couple with $3.2M chose a retirement plan that scored lower, projected less money — and gave them a better retirement than the "slam dunk" plan their previous advisor built. He'll show you why a 94% Monte Carlo score might actually be working against you, what &qu...

Most retirement conversations are about saving enough. Today we're talking about the other side of that. What happens when you've saved, you're there, and you still can't bring yourself to spend it? It's more common than people admit. And it can quietly rob you of the retirement you worked so hard to build. Here’s what we discuss in today’s show: 💰 Spending Feels Wrong: S...

Planning to relocate in retirement with $2M-$4M+ in a 401(k)? Before you list your house, listen to this. Most people don't realize that pulling money from a 401(k) for a down payment can cost $60,000-$65,000 in taxes— for a cash need that lasts 90 days. Taylor walks through the exact planning sequence he used with a real client couple to bridge their move for 95% less, and how the move itsel...

We got a great question from a listener: “How do I get my spouse more involved in our retirement planning?” It’s a common challenge, and usually not about understanding the numbers, but about interest and engagement. The goal isn’t to turn your partner into a financial expert; it’s to get aligned on what actually matters. Taylor walks through a better way to approach the conversation so both of yo...

You’ve managed your own money for years and done well. So why would you need a financial advisor now? It’s a fair question, and one more people are asking as access to tools and information continues to grow. But what once felt straightforward can quickly become more complex, with higher stakes and less room for error. Today, Taylor explores why the transition into retirement introduces a new set...

Most people with a 401k, Social Security, and pension claim them in the order that feels safest — but that sequence can quietly cost six figures in taxes you never needed to pay. Taylor breaks down the three tax traps that punish you for claiming in the wrong order, why the conventional sequence is backwards, and the phased strategy that can save you $100,000+ over your retirement — while still pr...

Social Security claims are up 16% — and most people are making this decision based on one angle. In this video, Taylor breaks down the three angles of the Social Security Triangle: quantitative, qualitative, and survivorship. It's that third angle — the one almost nobody considers — that changed everything for one of Taylor's clients. ⏱️ Timestamps: 0:00 — Why millions are rushing to cla...

Receiving an inheritance can feel like a financial blessing, but when part of it comes from an IRA or retirement account, the tax rules can quickly get complicated. In this episode, Taylor breaks down the key factors that determine how inherited accounts are taxed and what beneficiaries need to know before making withdrawals. Understanding these rules can help you make smarter decisions and avoid...