Do you have index funds in your portfolio? Chances are you do!  Our retirement headline today describes the rise of index funds over active funds and why that’s important. Discover how index funds connect with my investment philosophy by pressing play now.  Outline of This Episode [1:22] Index funds have grown exponentially over the years [2:23] What are index funds [5:58] How index funds fit into my investment philosophy [10:04] Will my estimated Social Security benefit decrease if I retire before full retirement age? Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Networ ..read more

Recent legislation has made everyone’s favorite college savings plan a little more flexible. Funds in a 529 plan aren’t as locked up as they used to be now that your children’s unused college funds can be rolled into a retirement account. In this episode, we’ll discuss an article from the White Coat Investor which explores how the 529 can be rolled into a retirement account. We’ll discover the benefits and drawbacks of using a 529 to save for retirement. Listen in to hear whether the 529 rollover could help you in your retirement.  Outline of This Episode [2:12] Using unused 529 funds [9 ..read more

It may be easy to define success in your working career, but defining success in retirement can be more difficult. What does success look like in retirement? What will you do daily or weekly to get the most out of your retirement? In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we’ll explore a TEDx talk about the 4 phases of retirement that many (but not all) experience. Click play to hear how you can squeeze the most juice out of your retirement. Outline of This Episode [1:52] How to squeeze the most juice out of retirement [11:18] Help with spending more in retirement Resources & People Me ..read more

Due to last year's poor market returns, you’ve probably seen the headlines that the 60/40 portfolio is dead. But is that really the case?  This week’s retirement headline explores the history of this classic retirement investment strategy. After we tackle the headlines, Bret and I team up to consider the best places to move in retirement. Listen in to hear where not to move.  Outline of This Episode [1:52] A history of the 60/40 portfolio [8:09] Why I like 60/40 [15:10] Where should retirees consider moving to for a great retirement? Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement ..read more

There are many ways that could threaten your financial security in retirement. Knowing the common issues can ensure that you don’t fall into the traps.  Today’s financial headline comes from Yahoo Finance and is called 8 Ways Baby Boomers Become Poor in Retirement. Listen in to learn what they are so that you don’t drive yourself into the poorhouse.  Outline of This Episode [1:22] 8 ways to become poor in retirement [10:58] How can we determine the biases in an advisor Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network 8 Ways Baby Boomers Become Poor in Retirement Co ..read more

We all want to retire, but have you considered how you would like to transition to retirement? This week’s retirement headline article shares some interesting statistics on phased retirements: who is thinking about them, who is utilizing them, and what people think about them. Listen in to learn the findings. Then stick around for our listener question surrounding stock positions, diversification, and taxes.  Outline of This Episode [1:42] Exploring the idea of a phased retirement [7:12] Can a phased retirement allow you to have your cake and eat it too? [11:38] A book update [13:10] Wei ..read more

Once upon a time, there was a prediction that the baby boomer generation would face a retirement crisis. So how did this gloom and doom projection turn into the wealthiest generation in history? Listen in to find out. Make sure to stay tuned for the listener question: What is the best way to fund a large expense without a large tax bill? Outline of This Episode [1:37] The accuracy of predictions [7:26] What is the best way to fund a large expense without a large tax bill Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network City Journal article Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get t ..read more

You’ve heard of the 4% rule, and if you’ve listened to this podcast before, you’ve heard of Guyton’s guardrails strategy. But have you ever heard of using them together? Today’s retirement headline explores this idea.  Overall, the article highlights the importance of considering sequence-of-returns risk in retirement planning and adopting flexible strategies, such as guardrails, to ensure financial security throughout retirement. Listen in to learn more about this combination of strategies as well as my opinion on the matter. Then stick around for the listener question segment where Bret ..read more

There are two ways to mess up retirement: run out of money or die with regret. Oftentimes, people in the retirement space only focus on the running out of money part.  In an effort to help you live an even better retirement, today’s retirement headline discusses the regret part. Join me to learn five expenses that retirees wish they had spent more money on so that you can learn from their mistakes. Stick around to hear the answer to our listener question: Is there one person who can help develop a comprehensive retirement plan? Or do you need to have an investment advisor, a financial adv ..read more

If you want to spend more money in retirement you’ll want to understand how to maximize your Social Security benefits. Many people think that there is no going back once you’ve decided to collect your Social Security benefits. However, today’s retirement headline discusses two options in case you’d like a do-over.  In our listener question segment, one listener asks the best way to pass on their assets to their children. Listen in to hear the answer and scroll to the bottom of the show notes to discover more estate planning resources. Outline of This Episode [2:02] What happens if you ch ..read more