The Volatile Vet

Nine myths. Nine ways a solid retirement plan quietly falls apart. From the "savings number" that doesn't save you, to the diversification that isn't, to the tax strategy that's really just procrastination — we're calling them out. All of them. This is 9 Retirement Myths That Can Turn the Golden Years Blue.

More yield. Better Social Security timing. Higher returns. Retirees try all of it in the quest for maximum income. Some of it works. Some of it backfires. And almost none of it compares to the one strategy that can increase what you actually keep by 30, 40, even 50 percent — without taking a single dollar of additional risk.

Think of the Retirement Red Zone as the 8 to 10 year window surrounding retirement — about 4 to 5 years before, and 4 to 5 years after. What happens during this period often has a bigger impact on your financial future than the following 20 years. Sequence of returns, withdrawal timing, and tax decisions all matter more than ever. Get the Red Zone right, and retirement can feel a whole lot more se...

On this week's episode, we take you through 7 "must haves" to ensure your estate plan does what it's designed to do.

Habits can create an environment to attract, grow, and preserve wealth. The opposite is also true - the wrong habits can repel, prohibit, and destroy wealth. On this week's episode, we explore 13 positive habits to empower your wealth.

When it comes to retirement income planning, the traditional Wall Street Advice - which based on a growth approach - often falls short. There are 8 truths or principles that don't work in Wall Street's favor when you retire and need your hard-earned savings to live on. So, Wall Street is not excited to share them. We will. Herein, we tackle the 4% rule, growth vs income approaches, the &...

More important than your asset allocation is your asset location. There are only 3 columns (categories) of financial vehicles: Taxable Tax-deferred Tax-free Before deciding what your allocation should be, you must decide where you want your assets to live. There is a perfect balance for each saver. In this episode, we dive into the advantages and disadvantages of each column, the proper uses of th...

Roth conversions aren’t about avoiding taxes — they’re about deciding when, how, and at what rate you’ll pay them. Too many people focus on the micro view: “How much tax will this cost me this year?” A better question is, “How will this decision impact my entire retirement?” Strategic conversions can create decades of tax-free income, reduce or eliminate required minimum distributions, lower Medic...

In this episode of the Volatile Vet, Jesse Abshire breaks down the 2026 retirement rule changes, why tax-deferred money can quietly become a trap, and how written financial planning, Roth strategies, and income layering can dramatically improve retirement security and legacy outcomes.

By now, many have heard of the Silver Tsunami—the wave of baby boomers who currently or will shortly need some form of long-term care. This is a reality to the vast majority of retirees—now or in the future—will face. Unfortunately, most have not planned for it—either overlooking it or not being informed on the best choices for their situation. Make no mistake: long-term care planning is part of y...

When creating a retirement strategy, remember the acronym P.L.A.N. Predictability - value predictability over potential Low-correlation - strive include strategies and asset classes that do not require the market to perform in order for you to succeed Alignment - ensure that each component of you strategy reinforces and compliments the others rather than (unknowingly) creating friction Net-income...

Why does 90% of wealth disappear by the 3rd generation? What causes 70% of wealth transfer from one generation to the next to fail? For those that create multi-generational wealth and maintain family harmony, what principles and practices fo they adhere to? The answer is a shocking as it is simple. In this episode, we discuss what research and high net-worth advisors all observe amongst the wealth...

How can you create retirement income plans that are more resilient through good and tough times? In this episode, we share 5 core principles designed to help with just that. Also, a deep dive discussion on using a fixed income annuity as a potential bond replacement in the ubiquitous 60/40 stock/bond model portfolio. The results are startling and enlightening. Finally, we cap off this episode with...

The Great Wealth Transfer is underway, and most families aren’t prepared for the tax traps, emotional pitfalls, and financial risks that come with it. In this episode of Volatile Vet Radio, Jesse breaks down why 70% of inherited wealth disappears by the second generation, and the simple, strategic steps families can take to protect their legacy. Learn how to avoid passing taxes to your kids, how R...

Major updates and impacts are happening in the retirement landscape. Social Security cost of living adjustments, Medicare premium increases, IRMAA surcharge increases, and new taxes. How are you affected, and how you best navigate the landmines? We also explore how create a guaranteed tax-free foundation of income throughout retirement that avoid social security taxation and IRMAA surcharges on Me...

With Halloween around the corner, it's a good time to watch out for spooky retirement mistakes we see everyday. Tune in and see how many of these common missteps might be in your path.

What creates wealth, and what prohibits or even destroys wealth? It is surprising to many that the answers have less to do with rate of return and how much money you make. Rather, focus, perspective, and habit are often the differences between having and maintaining wealth and not. In this episode, we explore the 7 keys to wise financial stewardship.

How can we best protect our retirement from the ravaging effects of inflation? Excusing tax liabilities from our income sources could be one of the best ways to stay ahead of inflationary forces while also increasing our strategy's net Income Production Ability (IPA) and securing potentially 10 years' worth of "inflation-adjustments" all at once.

In today's episode, we dive into common questions: When should I claim my social security? What does the recent Fed rate cut mean for me? How can I lock in higher rates on my savings for for many years to come? How much and when should I convert to a Roth or IUL? What does the new senior bonus deduction mean for me?

When doing tax planning throughout retirement, we are conditioned to look at the "micro view" of immediate benefit. Rather, that "macro view" is where the real savings and benefits come in. Such things as pre-tax retirement vehicles are often a culprit, granting short-term gain in exchange for long-term pain. In this episode, we explore all the ins and outs of each and how to a...

Most people have more potential in their financial picture than they might realize. Poorly positioned assets, traditional approaches, and incorrect information keep that potential bottled up. In this episode, we’ll explore how to identify and unleash your financial picture’s hidden potential.

Tax-efficient retirement strategies can be an important part of your retirement, but what about ensuring you cannot outlive your money? What if life throws you curve balls and Murphy's law takes over? This week's episode demonstrates how to create 5 streams of tax-free income and "portfolio insurance" to protect against the unforeseen.

Behavioral Finance highly influences the outcomes in our retirement and life. Understanding the "why" and "how" of wealth creation and preservation are just as important as the math behind it all. On this episode, we dive into how to get your retirement to "behave" the way you want it to.

This week on the Volatile Vet, we dive into 7 critical Social Security updates, 7 unique claiming strategies, and a case study demonstrating how to potentially get your social security tax-free, get more enjoyment from retirement, and leave an impactful legacy.

The index strategies within certain Life Insurance Retirement Plans (LIRPs) can provide significant risk-adjusted tax-free returns. In this episode, we'll explore how these "engines" work, how they can help mitigate risk, and aid in the health of a retirement portfolio. Also, we will dive into comparing a typical 60/40 portfolio to a guaranteed lifetime income "private pension&...