Medicare is confusing and complicated. Most people nearing retirement age have likely heard numerous mistruths regarding when to get it, what it does for you, and so much more. That’s why I’m busting the 10 most commonly perpetrated Medicare myths so you’ll know how to discern fact from fiction—and put your mind at ease.  You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... [0:53] Sign up for my online course: Retirement Readiness Review [1:21] Myth #1: You have to enroll in Medicare when you turn 65 [2:57] Myth #2: You’re automatically enrolled in Medicare when you turn 65 [3 ..read more

How can you protect your data and personal information from IRS scammers and criminals? Everyone is afraid of being audited by the IRS. Maybe you’re scared you may have filed your taxes incorrectly. Criminals take advantage of that fear to perpetuate their scams. But there are some simple things you can do to avoid falling victim to these scams. I’ll share 7 tips you can use to protect yourself from IRS scammers in this episode!  You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... [1:15] Sign up for the Retirement Readiness Review! [2:42] Tip #1: The IRS only reaches out throu ..read more

Do you usually get a tax refund? What do you typically do with your tax refund? Do you have it earmarked for a specific purpose? As we’re inching closer to the tax filing deadline, I thought it would be interesting to share some ways you can wisely invest your tax refund. I’ll cover 9 ideas you can consider to make good use of your money.  You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... [1:42] Why are you getting a tax refund?  [2:36] Idea #1: Save it for next year's taxes [3:03] Idea #2: Increase your savings  [4:05] Idea #3: Pay down high-interest debt [4:49] I ..read more

Do you own stock in the company that you work for in your 401K? Net unrealized appreciation could potentially save you a significant amount of money on your taxes when you start making withdrawals. I’ll share how to take advantage of the process as well as mistakes to avoid making in this episode of Retire with Ryan.  You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... [1:00] Sign up for my Retirement Readiness Review! [1:26] What is net unrealized appreciation? [3:31] How net unrealized appreciation works [5:05] How to process the distribution  [7:41] Where people run in ..read more

The Federal Reserve Met on 3/20/24 to discuss monetary policy and whether or not to raise or lower interest rates. They announced that they won’t make any changes. Most experts believe that they’ll lower interest rates in June. So should you start selling your money market funds and short-term bond funds? When should you do it? Should you move the money into something that could benefit from decreasing interest rates? In this episode, I’ll discuss why we invest in money market funds, if you should move your money out, and where you should consider shifting it.  You will want to hear this ..read more

What is Indexed Universal Life Insurance? Is it something you should consider investing in? Are the rumors you’ve heard about it true? In this episode, Andy Panko (of Tenon Financial) and I dispel 7 myths that are circulating about UILs and we cover what you need to know to make an informed decision about the insurance product.  You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... What is Indexed Universal Life Insurance? [1:46]  Myth #1: It’s a secret the wealthy don’t want you to know about [4:30]  Myth #2: The IUL cost is lower than a well-managed mutual fund [7:34 ..read more

On December 23rd, 2022, congress passed the SECURE 2.0 Act. Among the many changes, one of them had to do with 529 plans. You can now make tax-free and penalty-free rollovers from a 529 plan to a Roth IRA.  This became effective 1/1/2024. Before this, if you wanted to take a non-qualified withdrawal from a 529 plan (using the money for something outside of school expenses) the gain was subject to income tax and a 10% penalty. It’s similar to taking a withdrawal from an IRA.  If you have unused money in a 529 plan, it can be rolled over to a Roth IRA for the beneficiary of that 529 pl ..read more

What are some overlooked benefits of investing for retirement in a brokerage account? Why would you want to invest in a brokerage account in addition to a 401k or other retirement account? Shaun Jones—the President of Jones Fiduciary Wealth Management and author of “Unbrainwashed Investing”—shares 7 reasons to invest in a taxable brokerage account in this episode of Retire with Ryan. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... [1:53] A brokerage account gives you increased flexibility [7:10] You have some control over taxes with a brokerage account [9:56] One strategy for a ..read more

Are you aware of how your biases—both conscious and unconscious—impact your investment decisions? Brie Williams of State Street Global Advisors joins me in this conversation to talk not only about the impact of biases on decision-making but how to cultivate an awareness of your biases to change your behavior, ultimately leading to better decisions.  You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... [1:33] Brie’s role at State Street Global Advisors [3:33] The role of emotion in decision-making [7:00] How your mindset can influence behavior  [11:15] Common investor biase ..read more

Last year’s Super Bowl set the record as the most-watched TV event in Nielsen rating history at over 150 million viewers. It’s hypothesized that this year’s Super Bowl is going to set a record for something completely different: The most amount of money bet on a Super Bowl. Why? Because sports betting is now legal in 38 states.  So if you’re one of the 68 million Americans estimated to bet over $23.1 billion on the Super Bowl this year, how will winning impact your income taxes? Learn what you need to be mindful of—and some fun Super Bowl XLVIII facts—in this episode of Retire w ..read more