Do you want to spend more money in retirement, while paying less taxes? Great news, you're in the right place! I'll also teach you the benefits of retiring TO something, while most retirees only solve half the equation by retiring FROM something. Tune in every Monday morning - hosted by Benjamin Brandt CFP, RICP. Join my "Every Day is Saturday" weekly newsletter for show notes, free book giveaways and other great retirement content: www.retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter
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Permission to Spend in Retirement, Ep #363
24:46
24:46
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In retirement, retirees make the big switch–drawing on savings rather than contributing to them. This is often when the trouble comes–the psychological hurdle comes when it’s time to start spending your hard-earned savings. In this episode, you’ll learn how to understand the mental barrier that comes with the big switch and learn strategies to over…
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How Do You Know It’s Time to Retire? Ep #362
20:54
20:54
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Knowing when to retire is not just an economic decision; it’s highly personal. In an era where your work is with your identity, deciding when to retire can feel monumental. So how do you know when the time is right? That’s what we’ll explore in today’s episode. In addition to discussing this retirement headline, Bret Mulvaney joins the show again t…
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Do you feel pain when spending money? Or perhaps it’s the opposite, and you spend a little too freely without much thought, pain, or remorse? In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we’ll explore an article on how to make the most out of retirement by trying to land somewhere in the middle of the spending spectrum. Whether you find yourself to …
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It’s easy to make mistakes in your investment portfolio, but as you get closer to retirement, it becomes more important than ever to make sure you are maximizing your financial health so that you can achieve your long-term goals. In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we’ll take a look at an article written by Christine Benz which highlights s…
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What would you say your retirement confidence level is? If you’re like many super-savers, it may be surprisingly low. In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we’ll explore an article from Investment News that dives into a phenomenon where wealthier Americans who are confident in their money management skills still feel shaky about retirement an…
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How to Avoid This IRS Penalty, Ep # 358
15:40
15:40
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We may think of many things when it comes to rising interest rates, but often we fail to understand how that could lead to rising IRS penalties. In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we’ll take a look at an informative article from the WSJ about how to avoid rising IRS penalties. Make sure to stick around for the listener questions segment wh…
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When was the last time you checked your beneficiaries on your retirement account? After listening to today’s episode, I guarantee you’ll be logging in to verify. In the retirement headlines segment, we’ll check out a Yahoo Finance article titled ”They Broke Up In 1989, But Now His Ex-Girlfriend Is Inheriting His $1 Million Retirement Account After …
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I Just Retired. Why Am I Unhappy? Ep #356
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23:05
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While, for some people, the transition to retirement goes perfectly smoothly, that’s not the case for everyone. Most of us are counting the days until retirement. We’re excited by all the prospects this new stage in life will bring. However, some people struggle with the change. In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we’ll look at a common iss…
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It’s no secret that I want you to spend more money in retirement. Why? Because you’ve worked for it! Retirement is about living the life that you have saved for all these years, so I’m looking for any way I can find to help you get out there and enjoy it. One way that has been gaining popularity in recent years is semi-retirement. In this episode o…
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How To Spend Your Money To Maximize Happiness, Ep # 354
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17:38
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We’ve all heard the saying, “Money can’t buy happiness.” However, research suggests that while money may not buy lasting joy, it can certainly enhance our lives if spent wisely. The key lies in how we spend our money. On this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we’ll explore a recent article on spending money to maximize your happiness. Stick aroun…
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By now, we’ve all heard of AI, but many people still have mixed feelings about this revolutionary tool. Since I’ve been using it in my life on a daily basis, I have been wanting to share how you all can use AI to help with retirement planning. When I came across this article from Business Insider, I knew I found my opportunity. Even if you’ve never…
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Social Security's 'Biggest Myth' & Jury Duty Scams, Ep # 352
25:33
25:33
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Many factors should come into play when deciding when to take your Social Security benefit but doomsday headlines shouldn’t be one of them. On this episode, you’ll hear how Social Security’s biggest myth is costing retirees a lot of money. Don’t get caught unaware! Make sure to stick around until the end to hear about a jury duty scam that even I h…
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The 4% rule is the “golden rule” of retirement planning. Everyone is familiar with it and it’s easy to work out for some quick, back-of-the-napkin math. Since it is so easy to calculate and implement, many use it as their retirement withdrawal rule. However, this approach may be overly conservative. While using a significantly higher withdrawal rat…
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Did you know that you can buy gold at your local Costco? However, just because it’s easy to buy doesn't mean it’s easy to sell. In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we’re exploring gold and its role in your retirement portfolio. To do that, we’ll take a look at a retirement headline from WSJ and i’ll share my thoughts on the latest gold rush…
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Risk Management: Spring Client Meetings, Ep #349
29:13
29:13
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Risk is what is left over after you think you’ve thought of everything. – Carl Richards Getting to financial independence is job #1, but staying financially independent comes a close second. To do so you’ll need to be aware of the risks that could empty your accounts. Being vigilant of these risks and having a plan to work through or avoid them cou…
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There are two ways you can ruin your retirement: running out of money and dying with regret. If you are listening to this podcast, chances are, you’ve been a diligent saver and probably aren’t in danger of the first one. That’s why, today, we’re exploring an article from the White Coat Investor on ways to spend more money. Don’t risk ending your da…
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It can be easy to forget your age as the birthdays roll around. However, when you’re about to turn 65 you’ll know. Medicare and all of their relevant service providers won’t let you forget. You may feel inundated with the amount of mail, emails, and even phone calls and text messages, but rather than ignoring all the excess information, it’s import…
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The Four Unique Risks in Decumulation, Ep #346
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21:00
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You’ve been accumulating your savings your entire life, but when the time comes to draw down your investments, there are new risks. In this episode, we’ll discuss four risks that come with the decumulation phase of retirement. Press play to learn how to avoid these risks in retirement. Are you looking for a new advisor? One of our listeners is look…
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More Muscles = Better Retirement, Ep #345
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16:10
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A lot of us are looking to get in shape in retirement. This is a good thing since part of living an even better retirement is looking after your health and muscle mass. Staying healthier and more active longer will ensure that you are making the most out of your retirement. In addition, maintaining a healthy muscle mass is a huge part of keeping yo…
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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…
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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…
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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 n…
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A Short History of the 60/40 Portfolio, Ep #341
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23:26
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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 …
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8 Ways to Become Poor in Retirement, Ep #340
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20:58
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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.…
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More Than Half of Americans Want to Retire Gradually, Ep #339
21:59
21:59
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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 ques…
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The Retirement Crisis That Wasn’t, Ep #338
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16:49
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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…
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Using Guardrails For The 4% Rule, Ep #337
22:33
22:33
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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 …
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The Challenges of Retiring from a High-Powered Job, Ep #336
19:34
19:34
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Is it possible to suddenly step away from a high-powered job and into a life of leisure? This may not be the best idea for your retirement if you work at the executive level. In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we’ll explore an article from Harvard Business Review that outlines several pitfalls that could come with retiring from a high-powe…
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5 Expenses Retirees Wish They Spent More Money On, Ep # 335
22:37
22:37
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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 m…
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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, …
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Tax season is here so when I found this article from Morning Star to share some tax tips for you. Your tax bill will be the largest bill you pay in retirement. If you want to reduce it, make sure to press play. Helping clients save money on taxes and avoid common investment mistakes is an important task for financial planners. If you don’t have a f…
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Some tax breaks aren’t worth the hassle of pursuing them, however, today’s example is definitely worth the hassle! If you are charitably minded you’ll want to listen to learn about the advantages of making qualified charitable distributions. Discover how to increase your standard deduction while enjoying charitable tax benefits. Stick around for th…
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We Need to Talk About Your Retirement Spending, Ep #331
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17:49
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Planning retirement spending is tough to do since there are so many unknowns. Many people tend to take a fear-based approach and rely on the 4% rule. Some even take a step further and spend less of their nest egg. Today’s Retirement Headline urges you to take a different approach. Listen in to hear what the article advises and my thoughts on the ma…
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I Don’t Want To Be Old When I Am Old, Ep # 330
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16:09
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I don’t know about you, but I want to stay active and healthy for as long as possible. That’s why when I saw this Forbes article I knew I wanted to share it with you. If you want to learn how to age gracefully and maintain your vitality, you won’t miss this episode. Then, stick around to hear my answer to the question: why do some people have a har…
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Lessons Learned from Fall Tax Meetings, Ep #329
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19:39
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As you probably know by now, Bret and I are here to help you spend more money and spend less in taxes so that you can live an even better life in retirement. This week we’re helping you do that by sharing some lessons that we learned from our clients’ fall tax meetings. If you enjoyed our Lessons in Estate Planning episodes last spring, you’ll love…
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How to Pay 0% on Capital Gains [Rebroadcast]
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Would a 0% tax rate help you live an even better retirement? In this week’s Retirement Headline, we’ll explore a WSJ article titled How You Can Grab a 0% Tax Rate. If that doesn’t pique your interest, I don’t know what will! Listen in to hear how you can learn to plan so that you can take advantage of a 0% tax rate on capital gains income. This epi…
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3 Tricks to Help Retirees Spend More [Rebroadcast]
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18:58
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If you have diligently saved throughout your career, you may be ready to retire, yet still feel uncertain about spending your savings. To truly live your best life in retirement you need to learn how to shift from a saving mindset to a spending mindset. In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we’ll help you do just that. This episode was first …
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12 Reasons to Rent in Retirement [Rebroadcast]
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22:17
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One of the greatest financial assumptions is that it’s always better to own than to rent. However, in retirement, this may not be true. Once you are financially independent it is important to realize that not every dollar you spend needs to yield a return. Join me for this episode of Retirement Starts Today to question traditional thinking and to s…
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A Few Simple Tricks Turn Humble HSAs Into Wealth Builders [Rebroadcast]
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18:08
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Do you have an HSA? If so, do you simply use it to pay for your medical expenses? Or do you use it as a way to build your wealth? Today we’ll look at an article from Financial Advisor Magazine that will help us identify opportunities for wealth creation. Listen in to learn how to maximize the triple benefit of the humble HSA. This episode was first…
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The Puzzling Gap Between How Old You Are and How Old You Think You Are [Rebroadcast]
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We are spending some extra time off from the podcast over this holiday season to spend time with family. I hope you're using this opportunity to spend some time with family as well. I've gone through my favorite episodes of 2023 to bring you some fantastic rebroadcasts. So here's one and I hope you enjoy it! The Puzzling Gap Between How Old You Are…
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Most people are worried about spending too much and running out of money in retirement. However, few people worry about spending too little. In this week’s episode of Retirement Starts Today, you’ll learn why you should spend your principal in retirement. Our retirement headline comes from Dr. Jim Dahle at the Whitecoat Investor and shows us why ma…
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Boost Your Retirement Confidence by 17% with One Simple Trick, Ep #322
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20:27
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Would you like to have more confidence in your retirement plan? In the retirement headlines segment, you’ll learn one simple way to increase your certainty about what you can accomplish in retirement. In the listener questions segment, Bret helps answer what the essential aspects of an estate plan include. If you are ready to get serious about reti…
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5 Alternatives To The 4% Retirement Withdrawal Rule, Ep #321
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21:44
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Do you wish you had more optionality when it comes to designing your retirement? In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we’ll explore an article from Forbes that poses five alternatives to the 4% rule that you may want to explore for your retirement withdrawal strategy. In our retirement headlines segment Bret and I team up to answer a questio…
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I Saved Too Much for Retirement, Ep # 320
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22:22
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What happens if you get to retirement age and realize that you saved too much? Believe it or not, this does happen and has its own set of problems. In this episode, we’ll explore those problems along with some potential solutions. Stick around until the end of the episode to hear our listener question about deciding whether to do Roth conversions o…
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Bad Timing Cost Fund Investors 17% Ep #319
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26:09
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26:09
Would you like to make $170,000? On this episode, you’ll learn what you can do to save yourself 17% in lower returns over a decade. On a million-dollar portfolio that comes to $170,000! In the Retirement Headline segment, we’ll dive into an article from Financial Advisor Magazine which explores Morningstar’s annual Mind the Gap study analyzing the …
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Ways to Use Home Equity in Retirement, Ep #318
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22:09
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Have you thought about using your home’s equity to help you fund a portion of your retirement? In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we’ll explore a Morningstar article that examines ways to use this supersized emergency fund. If you are ready to start thinking about retirement outside the box, listen to this episode to hear how you can suppl…
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Do you remember when you were a kid and were fascinated by the thought of living to be 100? It seemed like such a far-fetched idea, but now with advances in technology, nutrition, and medicine, this far-flung notion increasingly seems like a real possibility. As you may have guessed, today’s retirement headline discusses planning to live until age …
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Traveling After 65 with Danielle Roberts from Boomer Benefits, Ep #316
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28:19
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Medicare’s open enrollment is starting soon, so I’ve invited Danielle Roberts from Boomer Benefits to join me today. In this episode, we’re discussing what’s new with Medicare in 2024, the important dates to remember for open enrollment, when to reevaluate your health insurance options, and how to ensure you have health coverage when traveling abro…
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As retirement super savers, you all know that slow and steady wins the race. According to this Wall Street Journal article, that race is paying off again for many Americans. In the retirement headlines segment, we’ll take a look at this article. Then in the Listener Questions segment, Bret and I will discuss the merits of having one firm handle inv…
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The Problems with Monte Carlo Are in Your Mind, Ep #314
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Even if you aren’t familiar with Monte Carlo analyses, you’ve probably used it. Monte Carlo drives math behind the retirement planning software that you use. Monte Carlo software is truly amazing, however, the way people look at it is wrong. In this episode, you’ll hear the pros and cons of Monte Carlo analysis and how you can use a Monte Carlo cal…
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