The Retirement Playbook with Dale Tondryk

Just like the lights on your dashboard can indicate if something is wrong with your car, like low tire pressure or leaking oil), there are indicators in your financial life that might point out that you have a problem that needs to be addressed. On today’s show, we’ll explain why your net worth, view of retirement, and thoughts on nursing homes might be problematic.   Here’s some of what you’...

At this time of year, you can find football on TV almost every night of the week. So, let’s take some concepts from the game of football and apply them to our retirement planning. You might be surprised to see the correlation between football and finance, but then again, maybe not with the name of our show. Strap up and join us for a look at the lessons we can take away from the gridiron. Here’s s...

There are plenty of decisions that you’ll make in the retirement planning process that can’t be undone, so you want to make sure that you make the right call. In this episode, we’ll explain why these decisions are so important and can’t be undone.   While a few of these have slight caveats, you won’t want to miss your window of opportunity to make the choice that is right for you.   List...

Want to know the secrets to experiencing satisfaction in retirement? We’ve discovered five key situations in which your financial plan needs to lead you. If you can key in on these five points, you’ll have a high chance to achieve retirement satisfaction.   Wouldn’t it be great to retire knowing you’ll have enough to live off no matter what is going on in the government? Or knowing you have e...

Being a good advisor isn’t about winning a popularity contest or just saying the same things that everyone else in the industry says. It’s about giving the best advice that you can for each individual situation. On today’s show, we’re going to peel back the curtain to discuss some areas where a good financial advisor’s opinions might go against the grain with mainstream ideas in the industry. Inve...

You’ve most likely heard plenty of “rules” you’re supposed to follow to retire successfully. Some of these rules are stated so confidently, that you’d be crazy not to immediately accept them as fact. But we don’t mind the threat of being called crazy, so let’s dive into some of the most popular retirement “rules of thumb” to see if they truly lead us down the path of good financial guidance or run...

We are going to discuss a tough topic today, divorce. Going through a divorce at any age is difficult but doing so close to or in retirement adds additional complications. There are a lot of little nuances that go along with splitting your assets and it can be an emotional investment as well.   If you’ve been married a long time and you’ve grown a family it can be easy to be emotionally attac...

Can you get an A+ on this retirement planning pop quiz? Don’t worry too much about acing this quiz though, there’s always time to improve your grades. At what age should people start saving for retirement? Definitely not when you pay off all your debt, it’s likely you’ll have debt on and off throughout your life. The best time is when you start working, especially if your job offers a 401(k) match...

Do you like to take risks? Or would you rather play it safe and steady? When it comes to the market risk can come with great reward, but it can also be damaging if our risk tolerance is out of balance with our plan. Most people don’t realize how much risk they are taking on and have a much lower tolerance than their portfolio reflects.  When the markets are going up everyone feels good and wh...

When it comes to financial debates, there are a few that we often hear. "You should always pay the house off before retirement“ or “Individual bonds are better than bond funds“ are some common ones you may encounter. But the reality of any financial debate is that the correct answer usually depends on your situation. Paying off the house before retirement is a great goal, but if you have to compro...

We’ve gathered some updated retirement statistics from across the country. It’s time to find out if these are encouraging or disturbing findings if they’re reflective of the average client, and what you can do to improve your own retirement preparedness based on this information.   Overall, it appears women have smaller retirement savings compared to men. Dale finds this disturbing but he has...

Those days, months, and years leading up to retirement can start to fill with anxiety about what needs to get done. No one wants to make that transition without having their ducks in a row so today we’re going to tell you what you should be doing as you start approaching retirement.   If you’re able to create a checklist and start going through each of these things on your own and with your f...

With the state of the housing market and rising interest rates, a lot of retirees have questions about their house and how it fits into their overall retirement plan. For many of us, we may feel our house is our biggest asset and is a big part of the financial equation.   With the Fed raising interest rates should you pay the house off as fast as you can or keep with your minimum payment? Dal...

Much like our physical health, we often find ourselves struggling to keep up our financial health despite knowing what we should and should not do. Eating healthy and exercise is critical to taking care of our body much like saving and budgeting are crucial to our financial future.   Even though we know what steps we should be taking, it doesn’t mean we always follow through. Cutting corners...

After listening to today’s episode, you’ll never attend another baseball game with the family and look at it the same way. We’re going to show you how taking some of baseball’s most basic principles can also lead to financial success in your retirement portfolio.   If you’re a casual baseball watcher you probably want to see a home run. Similarly, you want a home run in retirement but you and...

There are some things in life that you can guess at. However, when it comes to your retirement plan there are a few major questions and factors you certainly don’t want to guess at. This is especially true if you aren’t working with an advisor. A lot of people estimate the monthly income they need, but just guessing a number won’t cover it. Do you know what major purchases you are going to go thro...

While most people probably need an advisor, some people might not need one. So who really needs an advisor and why? For the last 12 years, the market has been pretty favorable, meaning most DIY investors have been doing fairly well. However, if you are a procrastinator or simply don’t know where to start saving for retirement, having an advisor can be a great way to get some extra support and moti...

How do we plan for things we can’t predict? The stock market, healthcare, and taxes will all change in the future, but how? The stock market has been great over the past decade, yet a crash could happen at any time. Despite speculation, we can't be sure what the future holds. What about healthcare costs? You can’t predict what medical coverage will cost in the future. However, we can assume it'll...

It’s playoff season! How is football a lot like saving for retirement? Well, you want to protect your plan as you enter the retirement red zone. Similar to how a quarterback protects the ball as he gets close to the end zone. The last 5 to 10 years before you retire is considered the financial red zone. During this time, you want to lock down your plan and get really serious about planning.  ...

A record number of people are leaving their jobs. They are either retiring early, looking for new positions or taking a break from work. A lot of people don’t want to return to the office and are opting for early retirement instead. Others people are questioning their values when it comes to their work-life and are taking time off. But if you do this, what are the consequences on your retirement p...

Most people realize that it’s usually best to have an estate planning attorney helping them with their estate plan, but it’s also important for the financial advisor to be part of that conversation. On this episode, we’ll explore the role an advisor plays in the estate and legacy planning process and uncover some of the basic mistakes people often make when trying to sort all this out on their own...

Are you financially healthy? On today’s episode, we will be discussing 5 signs of financial health. So what are some good indications you are on the right track? Spending less than you make, understanding tax implications, and having an income plan are all good signs your plan is healthy and stable. If you are married, do you both know enough about the retirement plan? Do you worry about the finan...

When constructing a jigsaw puzzle you likely have some sort of strategy. Maybe you start with the frame first or sort the pieces by color. Like starting a puzzle, you don't want to jump into retirement without having a plan. Today, we are going to be discussing how having a strategy is necessary when creating a financial plan and sticking to it. Some strategies you take to create a puzzle are simi...

You may never ask something unreasonable to your advisor, but it’s important to know where that line is. Today, we want to discuss some of the unreasonable things to expect from your advisor. Sometimes people get wrapped up in their financial expectation and bringing it back down to earth is important for your financial plan. It’s one thing to have standards for your advisor and another to ask the...

We talk a lot about the Xs and Os of financial planning and retirement planning. So today, we are going to focus on what it means to live your dream retirement. Will you be traveling? Going out to eat? Golfing? Staying home? Whatever your dream is it’s great to plan out in advance for personal and financial reasons.   Read and learn more: https://retirementplaybookpodcast.com/retirement-strat...