The Retire Happy Podcast

On today's podcast, John and Tom will take a step back and discuss some observations they have noticed about the U.S. economy. The guys will discuss employment numbers, supply chain problems, and what has contributed to the recent rise of inflation. Important Info: Securus Financial: https://www.gosecurus.com/ International Financial Advisory Group: https://www.internationalfinancial.com/ Call Joh...

Joe Biden’s tax proposal has made its way to the House for discussion and there have been many changes made from the original plan. John and Tom will discuss the key items that are in this proposal and who will be impacted by these possible changes. Important Info: Securus Financial: https://www.gosecurus.com/ International Financial Advisory Group: https://www.internationalfinancial.com/ Call Joh...

The podcast is officially back from summer break with some exciting new changes. Since the show's creation, Walter has co-hosted with John and helped lead the show to where it is today. But now, Walter is going to take a step back and Thomas O'Connell is going to step into the co-host position. Thomas is the President and Managing Principal of International Financial Advisory Group, Inc. Thomas ha...

Ironically, life insurance is a young man’s game. The perception among many people is that your need for life insurance dramatically decreases and perhaps becomes completely unnecessary as you age. Is that really the case? On this episode, let’s explore some ins and outs of life insurance and its various uses. Important Info: Securus Financial: https://www.gosecurus.com/ International Financial Ad...

It makes sense that the way we plan for retirement is largely influenced by what we think retirement is like or all about. So, let’s take a look at how various people across the US describe retirement and see how that might shape the retirement planning process. Important Info: Securus Financial Site:  https://www.gosecurus.com/ Call John: (858) 935-6210

Let’s talk about some of the areas of your financial life where you might be flirtin’ with disaster and don’t even know it… We'll also play a round of fact or fiction, talk a little music, and answer a listener question about going back to work or retiring in the wake of a heart attack. Important Info: Securus Financial Site:  https://www.gosecurus.com/ Call John: (858) 935-6210

It feels like we're at a bit of an economic stalemate right now. There's optimism about life getting back to normal with vaccine availability, but at the same time the market seems rudderless and bounces up and down daily. John will give us his perspective on the state of our union from a financial perspective and also provide a state of the union for Securus Financial. Important Info: Securus Fin...

If you had to be elected in order to be a financial advisor, what would be your bedrock principles you'd make part of your campaign platform? John will share his with us and we'll answer a question about having a retirement savings surplus in the mailbag portion of the program, plus much more. Important Info: Securus Financial Site:  https://www.gosecurus.com/ Call John: (858) 935-6210

The “normal” investment world already seems crowded with endless possibilities of companies and ways to invest. Yet there’s a segment of the market classified as alternative investments that many people find intriguing. Could there ever be a place for alternative investments in your portfolio? What are some of the alternative investments you should know about? We’ll seek to answer those questions...

The non-financial part of your retirement plan is also the most often overlooked area of planning. John calls it your Retirement Vision and discusses on this episode why it's so important to have a plan for your passions and lifestyle, much like you would for your investments. Important Info: Securus Financial Site:  https://www.gosecurus.com/ Call John: (858) 935-6210

Have you ever stopped to think about your journey of learning all that you have about money and finances? Did you parents shape your financial views most heavily? Is there a TV or radio expert that has influenced you most? Or have you learned everything from a book or Google? We'll ask these questions to John to see how these different elements have helped shape his views of money and retirement....

John is joined by attorney Dan Weiner to discuss approaching estate planning, as well as how to prepare for Proposition 19 as it takes place in California this February. Dan Weiner Contact Information Email dan@drw-law.com 949-409-1383 Schedule here: bit.ly/danweiner Important Info: Securus Financial Site:  https://www.gosecurus.com/ Call John: (858) 935-6210

You’ve probably never heard anyone make these statements that we’ll provide on today’s episode. And there are some great reasons why… Plus, we'll explore why China is considering raising its retirement age and discuss if the US will be next to do that move. Important Info: Securus Financial Site:  https://www.gosecurus.com/ Call John: (858) 935-6210

No industry is without its flaws, and the financial industry is no exception. Let’s explore some situations where we’ve encountered annoying or frustrating elements of the financial world. Plus, John has a special announcement to kick off our first show of 2021. Important Info: Securus Financial Site:  https://www.gosecurus.com/ Call John: (858) 935-6210

In the retail world, the old saying is that “the customer is always right.” But when it comes to financial planning, it’s probably not wise to subscribe to that idea. What’s the point of having a financial coach if your advice is better than your coach’s advice? Let’s talk about some statements you might hear from clients that might require you to push back because the customer isn’t always right....

This episode is an important one. It is dedicated to John's longtime friend, Sean, who recently passed after a battle with cancer. John will tell us a little about some of his memories of Sean and why they were so close. We also want to use this as an opportunity to address one of the retirement planning elements that often gets overlooked, estate planning. In particular, we want to address wills...

We’re talking specifically to Baby Boomers on this episode. What are the most common challenges, fears and objectives of this generation? What are some of the mistakes Boomers often make and how can they be avoided? We’ll ask and attempt to answer those questions on today’s show. Important Info: Securus Financial Site:  https://www.gosecurus.com/ Call John: (858) 935-6210

John breaks down several mortgage topics on today's show. We'll talk about the logic behind choosing 15-year mortgages vs. 30-year ones. We'll explore the benefits, but also the trade-offs, of paying your loans off early. And we'll dabble in some talk about HELOCs and more. Important Info: Securus Financial Site:  https://www.gosecurus.com/ Call John: (858) 935-6210

Many financial issues impact us all the same. But, of course, other challenges have varying impacts from person to person because our situations are all unique. Let’s take a look at some of the financial and retirement challenges that are unique to women. We'll also answer a question from Millie about which accounts you should withdraw money from first when you retire. Important Info: Securus Fina...

Today's interest rates are extraordinarily low, and there's quite a few ways you can be taking advantage of those rates to boost your portfolio, or to get yourself out of a tough financial situation. Let's talk about some of these great opportunities. Important Info: Securus Financial Site:  https://www.gosecurus.com/ Call John: (858) 935-6210

There are some financial planning blunders that are interesting to talk about but are quite rare in reality. On the other hand, there are some financial planning mistakes that happen far too often. Let’s talk about the mistakes so many people have made in the past it has made them “classic”. Important Info: Securus Financial Site:  https://www.gosecurus.com/ Call John: (858) 935-6210

Income planning. Investment management. Tax management. Healthcare. Estate planning. Those are the 5 pillars of a holistic retirement plan. On this episode, John will talk to us about why your financial plan needs to address these pillars and he'll go into detail about what kinds of actions need to take place within each step of the plan. You can also download a PDF of the pillars by clicking here...

Mark Twain gave us a lot of great quotes through the years. Some of them directly related to money, but even the ones that didn't can still guide us to some financial wisdom. We'll check out some of his best quotes on today's show and relate them to retirement planning. We also have a question about trusts as part of a financial plan and what kind of animal would John pick as a pet if there were n...

When it comes to annuities, there are many strong opinions out there regarding them. Some people swear by them, while others deem them as a bad financial product. On today's episode, John will educate us on the various features on the different types of annuities as well as talk about some of the fee structures. Important Info: Securus Financial Site:  https://www.gosecurus.com/ Call John: (858) 9...

When planning for retirement, there are some pretty big errors you can make if you're not getting the proper guidance. Let’s talk about some of the common mistakes that we see being made time and time again by retirees and pre-retirees. Important Info: Securus Financial Site:  https://www.gosecurus.com/ Call John: (858) 935-6210