The Best of Refining Retirement

Dana and Brad discuss building a personal retirement plan as well as life insurance. Takeaways: - It is a good idea to speak with a retirement planner to make sure that your plan for retirement is feasible and optimized to your individual needs. - Life insurance has multiple uses other than paying out in the case of someone passing away, such as being able to take out loans or even use it as colla...

Dana and Brad discuss being prepared for the crossover from employment to retirement. Takeaways: - It is important to have an idea of when you want to retire so you can help build your Sustainable Retirement Plan as accurately as possible. - If you retire early, it is possible to get heavily subsidized healthcare - Download our FREE helpful resource, “Will Your Money Last as Long as You Do? *"Secu...

Dana and Brad discuss the status of new retirees in a volatile market as well as how a reverse mortgage can be used. Takeaways: - 2.6 million more Americans than average retired in the last year due to pandemic related reasons - It’s never too late to plan for your retirement, even if you are already retired - Depending on your situation, reverse mortgages can be a tool to achieve your desired ret...

Dana and Brad discuss different levels of risk for investments and the importance of your credit score. Takeaways: - Treasury Bonds are backed by the government instead of being insured by the FDIC - Auto and Home Owner’s Insurance Companies take into account your credit score when calculating your insurance Download our FREE helpful resource, “What to Do In A Down Market”

Dana and Brad discuss home modifications to accommodate your retirement as well as how to protect yourself from a bank crash. Takeaways: - If you plan to stay in place when you retire, get an estimate early to know how much it may cost to retrofit your home to accommodate you in the future - Be careful how much money you keep at one bank. The FDIC only insures up to $250,000.00 in the case of a cr...

Dana and Brad discuss interest rates as well as how gender may affect your retirement plan. Takeaways: - Before taking a loan to make a big purchase, evaluate if it currently fits with your income plan due to high interest rates. - There have been bipartisan discussions to raise the Full Retirement Age to 70. Download our FREE helpful resource, “10 Tips to Help Empower Women Investors”

Dana and Brad discuss retirement income sources as well as circumstances that may affect them. Takeaways: - Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) is an important number to understand because if it is over $34,000 and you are married up to 50% of Social Security can be taxed. - 401k, IRA, Social Security, Capital Gains, Life Insurance, Pensions, and Annuities are all different income sources that c...

Dana and Brad discuss the sentiments of the Federal Reserve on inflation. Takeaways: - If you have any questions or doubts about your current retirement savings reach out to an advisor and get a second opinion. - As interest rates go up, the value of bonds goes down. - Download our FREE helpful resource, “Retiring in Uncertain Times”

Dana and Brad discuss what you should know before deciding to retire. Takeaways: - A Sustainable Retirement Plan can help you know if your savings should be enough to last the entirety of your retirement. - It is projected that in 2035, Social Security will be paying only 78 cents on the dollar. - Download our FREE helpful resource, “Will Your Money Last as Long as You Do?”

Dana and Brad discuss the current state of the market and the importance of diversification. Takeaways: - Diversification is one of the best ways to fight the effects of a down market - A Strategic Roth Conversion can help you avoid paying more in taxes at a later time Download our FREE helpful resource, “What to Do in A Down Market”

Dana and Brad discuss a few different forms of elder fraud as well as some of the ins and outs of Social Security. Takeaways: - Be aware that scams targeting the elderly are becoming more advanced. In 2022, $3.1 Billion was reported in losses. That is an 84 percent increase in losses from 2021. * - You may be subject to penalties if you are taking Social Security and are still making money from wo...

Dana and Brad discuss creating a Sustainable Retirement Plan and the potential effects of a recession. Takeaways: - It is important to have a Sustainable Retirement Plan in place to help you react to major life changes. - A good rule of thumb is to have at least 6 months of your expenditures in a cash account to be prepared for the start of retirement. Download our FREE helpful resource, “What to...

Summary: Dana and Brad discuss the effects of inflation and different ways to draw social security. Takeaways: - Inflation never stops changing so it is important to understand how to implement it into your retirement plan. - There are over 80 ways to withdraw social security if you are married. - Download our FREE helpful resource, “Will Your Money Last as Long as You Do?

Dana and Brad discuss Strategic Roth Conversions and tax liability reduction strategies. Takeaways: -A Strategic Roth Conversion can transfer money from a tax deferred account to a tax-free account to help you avoid paying more in taxes at a later date -It’s never too late to create a Retirement Plan. People don’t plan to fail; they fail to plan "A ROTH Conversion is a taxable event that may not b...

Summary: Dana and Brad discuss how inflation can affect your retirement plan Takeaways: -Everyone’s situation is different and that is why it’s a good idea to create a sustainable retirement plan because there is no magic number to reach to be able to retire. -Diversification can help your portfolio fight inflation. -Download our FREE helpful resource, “

Dana and Brad discuss tips to overcome debt in retirement as well as the effects of companies pivoting away from providing pensions. Takeaways: - A Sustainable Retirement Plan can help you build a Debt Reduction Strategy to pay down debt in retirement. -Studying interest rates can be a useful tool when deciding to take a Lump Sum or Monthly Payments from a pension. -Download our FREE helpful resou...

Dana and Brad discuss IRA and Social Security payments. Takeaways: -You are required to start taking Required Minimum Distributions from your IRA accounts at 72 and missing these can lead to penalties. More information can be found at (https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/retirement-plan-and-ira-required-minimum-distributions-faqs) -If you take Social Security benefits before your Full Retirement...

Dana and Brad discuss how to avoid being overwhelmed by taxes as well as how meeting with a retirement planner can benefit you. Takeaways: -You can pay taxes quarterly to help mitigate the loss of funds whenever taxes are due. -A retirement planner can help paint a greater picture of what your position in retirement may look like. -Download our FREE helpful resource, “Are You Paying Too Much in Ta...

Whether it’s the threat of conflicts overseas, uncertainty about government policies, or the outbreak of a global pandemic, there could always be another storm brewing on the horizon. We can’t prevent these financial storms from popping up, but we can put strategies in place to navigate around them.

Whether it’s the threat of conflicts overseas, uncertainty about government policies, or the outbreak of a global pandemic, there could always be another storm brewing on the horizon. We can’t prevent these financial storms from popping up, but we can put strategies in place to navigate around them.