Ready, Set, Retire!

The so-called “4% Rule” for annual retirement withdrawals has been around since the mid-1990s.  But Morningstar’s Christine Benz believes that number has been misunderstood.  With inflation rearing its ugly head, Benz now feels the safe withdrawal rate should be 3.3%.  Should retirees who are taking out more panic?  How do you help them come up with the ideal number?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Lee Roth front man of Van Halen is hanging it up.  David Lee Roth made the announcement recently in a phone call to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.  It comes just short of one year after bandmate Eddie Van Halen died of cancer. Roth says he’ll play his final five shows in Vegas beginning New Year’s Eve.  Obviously, an event like this can trigger thoughts of retirement.  Steve talks about clients who have had similar situations and how he has helped  handle the quick entry into retirement.  Kiplinger’s surveyed hundreds of retirees and near-retirees to ask them about their biggest financial fears.  What's yours? Hear how Steve can help you overcome these fears with comprehensive financial planning.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I read a story in Market Watch about a guy who worked at a bank for 38 years.  He helped people with their investments.  His wife is even a financial advisor.  Yet the name of the article is “I failed at retirement:  how to avoid my mistakes.”  Steve talks about what he says to people who say they can't afford working with Financial Advisor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

House Democrats have unveiled their wish list for higher taxes.  Among other things, they want to raise the top income tax rate to 39.6% and the top corporate tax rate to 26.5%.  But investment manager David Rubenstein tells CNBC these numbers are not set in stone, ho, how do we play this?  Is it even possible to prepare for higher taxes when we still don’t know yet what form those higher taxes will take?   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you have more than 600 dollars in your checking account?  If that’s a yes, the IRS wants permission to monitor it.  The IRS says by knowing how much is going in and out of your account each year, they can spot whether an individual is hiding income they may not be reporting.  This still must be approved by Congress, but it’s another extreme example of how far Government will go to get more tax money.  Steve explains how his tax strategies can help keep Uncle Sam's hand out of your wallet! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re all human, meaning we all forget things.  We forget someone’s name … we forget our email password … we forget old 401(k) accounts.  Wait … what?  Do people really forget about something as big as a retirement account?  You bet they do.  In fact, Market Watch says there are currently 24 million “forgotten” 401(k) accounts!  And collectively, those accounts hold 1-point-3 trillion dollars in assets!  I’m guessing that’s not good? Hear Steve explain the best way to carry previous accounts with you and how to protect and grow these accounts!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We hear a lot about the advantages of doing a Roth conversion.  But personal finance author Liz Weston warns that “later in life” conversions can sometimes cause problems.  How do we know when a Roth does – or doesn’t – make sense for us? Then, most of us are hoping that we’ll be able to maintain the same standard of living in retirement that we enjoy now.  But Jack Otter, an associate publisher for Barron’s, tells Fox Business that a lot of people aren’t doing what they need to do to make that happen. Hear Steve explain the important of generating income as opposed to just periodically withdrawing money from their retirement account. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are lots of potential tax changes on the horizon … with President Biden saying he want to raise taxes on “the wealthy.”  But as IRA expert Ed Slott tells Morningstar, these types of changes could end up affecting all of us. Hear Steve explain how to get in front of these possible changes and surviving inflation in retirement! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new survey says one in six Americans already have.  Another 14 percent started last month [October] and 28 percent say they’ll begin this month [November].  But how many have started their end-of-year financial checklist?  Hear how Steve can help you tie up this year with a bow and prepare for a better 2022 with your finances and taxes! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steve recently sat down to chat with Grace about upcoming HUGE tax changes.   The current tax brackets that are in place now will more than likely stay in place until 2025  - good news right? Well, not so much.  Listen and find out why and more importantly, how Steve can help you build a better tax efficient plan where the IRS doesn't outsmart you! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The #1 fear of planning for retirement is running out of money. We are all living longer which is good news but how can we possibly come up with a realistic retirement plan when we don’t know how many years to plan for?    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg interviewed the head of the Fitch credit rating agency about all the money our federal government has been spending.  And he warns that the bill will eventually come due in the form of spending cuts and higher taxes.  What does that mean for our retirement prospects? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hear why Steve says inflation should be called "man-flation" and what you can do to protect yourself from the negative impact of inflation.  Then, TAXES! Steve explains his buckets of money approach money that gives YOU tax control. Plus, what are some tax free options you should consider ? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s a good problem to have, but it’s still a problem:  Research shows that many retirees are spending a lot less than they could be.  Michael Finke, a professor at The American College of Financial Services, tells Yahoo Finance that people seem to be afraid to spend down their nest egg! Hear Steve explain how at times he has to give his clients a "license to spend." Steve also explains how having lifetime income can help eliminate the fear of running out of money and outspending your retirement savings! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiplinger warns that those of us approaching retirement are facing a “perfect storm”:  Low interest rates and high inflation … the combination of which will force us to take on more market risk than we’re comfortable taking.  How do we navigate that perfect storm? Hear Steve discuss his bucket approach and how he can help you not run out of money! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’ve been married for any length of time, you know that disagreements come with the territory.  But some disagreements are more serious than others.  Wall Street Journal’s Anne Tergesen says that’s especially true when it comes to deciding how much risk to take with the family nest egg. Steve explains how his bucket approach allows for open communication with couples and how he makes sure that everyone is happy and content with the customized plan he puts together for them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to Investopedia, if inflation is running at 3% it will eat up 50% of your savings and buying power in just 24 years. We are seeing hyper inflation now more than ever with little signs of slowing down, so what can you do NOW to protect your money if you are currently in or near retirement?  Hear Steve discuss his overall approach to helping you protect and grow your money - you don't have to be afraid of the inflation monster!   Then, Steve explains how his tools and strategies can help create income that you can't outlive when the paycheck stops! When should you take your Social Security? Is there a chance SS could disappear? Listen Now!   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the best things about retiring is that you’ll spend less on things like clothing and commuting.  But The Motley Fool says retirees are often surprised to find that some of their expenses actually increase.  Steve discusses some expenses many retiree's forget and how his bucket approach can help you plan for these expenses and most importantly, not run out of money! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you had to guess – right now – how long do you think you’re going to live?  According to the annual “Retirement Readiness Survey,” the average American expects to live to the age of 84.  But actuaries say about a third of today’s 65-year-olds are going to live longer than that … to 90, or beyond!  The point is that none of us know for sure how long we’re going to live, but it could be a lot longer than we think.  So, how do we account for that unknown variable in our retirement planning?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steve had the opportunity to sit and chat with NBA legend John Starks! Hear John's talk about being a "grinder" in the game and MORE! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.