When you have multiple IRAs, managing them across different platforms and figuring out your RMDs for each account can be a little bit tricky. So what’s the best way to manage these accounts? Should you consider consolidating your IRAs? Today’s featured question comes from a comment left on one of our previous videos so thank you for the contributio…

Inheriting assets can be a life-changing financial boost, but it often comes with a maze of tax implications and decisions. In this episode, we will answer a question about an inheritance and lay out the tax considerations for a variety of assets to help you better understand what you might owe. Discover how to navigate the tax implications of IRAs…

Retirement planning doesn’t have to be overwhelmingly complicated. It certainly doesn’t have to be as complicated as some people make it. In this episode, we unravel the unnecessary complexities often woven into the fabric of retirement advice. We’ll debunk some myths, simplify strategies, and uncover the beauty of simplicity and straightforward re…

What should you do with an old 401k that you’re still holding onto from an previous employer? Does that answer change when the market is performing well and your account is generating strong returns? Let’s take a closer look at the rollover IRA and whether it’s something that you should be doing with your old 401k accounts. The primary reason someo…

No one has a crystal ball that will tell them what will happen with tax rates in the future and we certainly can’t predict what will happen, but the expectation for many people is that rates will only be going up from where they are right now. With that in mind, does it make sense to sell investments off ahead of those possible tax increases in ord…

The IRS first made significant changes to the stretch IRA with the introduction of the SECURE Act in 2020, and they’ve since made a few updates. Now the IRS has tweaked things even further for 2024 and we’re going to fill you in on what you need to know in this video. We’ll discuss the implications of the recent changes made by the IRS, including t…

The housing market remains strong in North Carolina and throughout much of the country, which creates an interesting option for many people moving in retirement. Should you go ahead and sell your home to take advantage of the current home values and rent until you’re ready to buy your next place? Today we’ll tackle a question that came in to us rec…

Are you in your early 50s and dreaming of retiring early? It’s a feasible goal with the right financial planning but there are milestone ages that you need to take into account. Retiring early means different things to different people. For some, it's bowing out before the traditional retirement age, while for others, it's about clocking out perman…

The idea of retirement is one that’s filled with plenty of rest and relaxation, but the reality is stress doesn’t go away. From losing the structure of a daily routine to the challenges of socializing and finding a new purpose, the pitfalls of retirement can certainly increase the stress you’re feeling. We heard from someone recently who had this c…

We’re just a few months away from another election and everyone anticipates it being another year, so what does that mean for your investments? When uncertainty starts to increase, there’s often a strong marketing push for buying gold, but is now a good time to do that? Today we’ll answer that question with a discussion on the role of gold in your …

As you approach retirement or begin that next stage of life, the financial goals shift to protecting what you’ve saved. There are different ways to accomplish that goal, but with the volatility we’ve seen from the market, does it make sense to move to cash to be safe? Here’s the question we’ll tackle in this video: I haven’t decided on a specific r…

A common situation that many couples have to face is one spouse being older than the other and worrying about how to protect them financially should something happen. What’s the best way to ensure they are taken care of after you’re gone? Is a big life insurance policy a good option? In this video, John will weigh in on this scenario and answer a q…

For most people, investing strategies change as you age because you want to protect what you’ve earned rather than chasing bigger returns. But what if you have more than you’ll need for retirement in your IRA? Is that a time when being aggressive makes sense or should you still take a more conservative approach? In this video, we’ll be answering a …

As much as any other threat, recognizing and avoiding scams has become a necessary skill for today’s retirees to develop. Technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, which makes it more and more difficult to stay on top of the latest scams. This episode will highlight the most common financial scams being used right now to help you better recog…

It’s not all that uncommon to hear from someone who was given the option of a severance package and pension buyout years ahead of when they actually planned on leaving work to retire. Is it worth taking the offer and leaving your job or does it make more sense to continue working? We received a question recently from someone in this situation: I’m …

A common area where people struggle with their finances is simply just making decisions. It’s easy to fall into the trap of overthinking, to the point where you talk yourself into circles and fail to ever make a choice. You’ve probably heard the phrase ‘paralysis by analysis’ before but it often applies to the financial industry as well. We have a …

It’s not uncommon for someone to retire early but still not feel totally comfortable with the idea of not earning a consistent paycheck. It’s a complete shift in thinking and unless you’ve done solid planning, there might be a little doubt still lingering in your mind. So how do you know when you have enough to retire? Better yet, how do you get th…

Are you considering maxing out your 401(k) but unsure what to do next? We face this question all the time at Rosewood Wealth Management so today we want to explore if it’s wise to max out your 401(k) before investing anywhere else, and if it is, where to look if you want to save even more. It’s a good conversation to have early in the year as you m…

The future of Social Security continues to be a cause for concern if you read the headlines, but should you be concerned about the reality of the program going bankrupt? With so many retirees relying heavily on Social Security for income, there’s plenty of reason to take notice and ask the question. In this episode, we’ll help you better understand…

Today we’re going to answer a question that a lot of people are asking when it comes to retirement planning and that’s when should you do a 401k rollover? You’ve probably heard that it’s usually best to move money out of an old 401k account, but does the timing matter? In this episode, we’ll talk about the qualifying events that need to occur in or…

We’re finishing up our estate planning series with Tim Nordgren, an attorney at SchellBray in Chapel Hill, with a discussion today on what could go wrong if we don’t have the main planning documents in place. Then we’ll wrap up with some of his estate planning horror stories that he’s seen through the years. As you heard in our previous episodes wi…

We’re back once again with Tim Nordgren, an attorney at SchellBray in Chapel Hill, to talk more about estate planning. Today we want to address one of the most common questions that comes up during our planning meetings and that’s whether or not someone needs a trust. It seems like many people have been conditioned to think they need a trust, but t…

Today we’re joined by Tim Nordgren, an attorney at SchellBray in Chapel Hill who focuses on trusts and estates. We send people to Tim all the time and appreciate the work he does, which is why we wanted to have him explain estate documents a little further for us. He’ll walk us through the documents needed for when doing testamentary planning or pl…

The role of life insurance in retirement is something many people ask about. Do you still need to keep your policy now that your children are on their own and you’ve built a nice nest egg? While that’s true, life insurance might still be able to play a valuable role in your financial plan and we’ll tell you why in this episode. John will run throug…

We’re in the middle of one of the largest wealth transfers in our country’s history as Baby Boomers pass on their estate to loved ones, and some of that money is coming in the form of an IRA. Rules regarding inherited IRAs have changed in the past few years so we want to bring you up to speed on what’s new. Plus, we'll walk you through some of the …

In this episode, we’ll explore many of the expenses in your life that might drastically change (one way or another) in retirement. We’ll break those expenses down further to see which ones are the top priorities and analyze some of the other factors that impact your cash flow in retirement. Here are some of the things you’ll learn in this episode: …

When you think about a family’s assets in retirement, few are more important than the home. Not only is it typically the most expensive thing a person owns, but it also carries a lot of emotional attachment with it. Once you reach retirement, you’re likely going to have a few things to consider with your home, and people often go in one of four dif…

Our three-part series on marriage and money wraps up today with a look at the financial decisions that often happen during the divorce process. This is going to be a highly emotional and difficult process for those involved, which makes the financial aspect of this process even more challenging. We’ll walk you through a few of the items that will n…

Money plays a significant role in the health of a relationship and life events like marriage and remarriage require us to have honest conversations about finances when we take these steps in life. In this episode, we’re going to spend time discussing the items that need attention when you get remarried. There are some common themes and consideratio…

Some of life’s biggest events come with important financial decisions and marriage might be at the top of the list. Many of the arguments in a relationship start because of disagreements about money, which is why it’s so important to have a conversation about money and managing finances before your wedding day. In this episode, John will provide so…

Have you ever wondered why you handle money the way you do? It turns out your financial behaviors can be traced back to your formative memories. Key events throughout our lives shape the way we view money. In this episode, we explore how historic market crashes have left a lasting impact on our relationship with money. We’ll also contrast them with…

Have you ever wondered if the Social Security system will run out of money before you retire? Or if claiming benefits as soon as you're eligible is the best decision for your financial future? In this episode, we'll be debunking common myths about Social Security and answering the questions you've been curious about. Social Security will be one of …

Are you preparing for retirement but feeling confident that you have covered all the expenses? Well, think again… It turns out that many retirees overlook some crucial expenses that can leave them financially vulnerable. In this episode, we explore the retirement expenses that most people tend to forget, including skyrocketing medical bills, unexpe…

Do you ever feel like your retirement planning goals are always moving? You're not alone. We’ve found that people often move the goalposts in their own retirement planning, often to their detriment. In this episode, we're diving deep into the psychology of retirement planning and the dangers of moving the goalposts. Keep in mind that we’re talking …

Retirement can come with a lot of tax questions and concerns. From understanding the tax implications of withdrawing from your retirement accounts to minimizing taxes on investment income, it can be overwhelming. On today’s episode, we’ll break down the top ten tax questions retirees are asking in 2023. Before you file your 2022 taxes and plan ahea…

mistakes. No matter how experienced you might be, we’re all susceptible to a moment of weakness. On this episode, John will cover some of the top rookie mistakes we see people make and share examples of how he’s seen this play out. Plus, he’ll illustrate how to avoid these missteps or how to fix them if you’re already made some in your financial li…

The SECURE Act 2.0 was pushed through Congress late last year, and even though you won’t see too many exciting headlines about the legislation, there are actually some great planning opportunities inside. We spent a little time talking about the RMD age change that will impact people in or near retirement in our last episode. Now we want to highlig…

We’re only a few years removed from the SECURE Act being passed, which brought about significant retirement planning changes. Now three years late, Congress passed SECURE Act 2.0 in late December and we have another round of changes to process and adjust to. We’ll cover these provisions over the course of multiple episodes, but today we’ll focus pr…

The end of the year (or start of a new year) probably means you’re getting a lot of financial statements in your mailbox (or inbox if you’re paperless). Ever wonder what some of those terms mean as you look at your 401(k), IRA and other account balances? Let’s spend a little time looking over a financial statement and breaking down some of the term…

Even if she wasn’t directly talking about money, Grandma said a lot of smart things that we can apply to financial planning. We might not have known it then, but looking back on wisdom that was imparted to us can teach us lessons years later. On this episode, let’s take some classic Grandma sayings and see how they relate to our financial lives. He…

Getting through retirement can be a lot like running a marathon. While we may not know that through first-hand experience, we can certainly lean on the lessons we’ve learned from family and friends who have succeeded in this endeavor. On this episode, let’s talk about some of the similarities of getting to the finish line in racing and retirement. …

Whenever we’re faced with a major life event, certain people will have an impact on us and the decisions we make. But when you work with a financial advisor who you’ve built a strong relationship with, they end up being there for all of these key events because of the financial impact they have. Let’s explore some of the things you should be thinki…

We always talk about the money side of financial and retirement planning. But what about the mental aspect of that big life change? Today we’ll break down an article written by a Licensed Professional Counselor (Kate Schroeder) for Psychology Today, titled The Psychological Investment In Retirement. You might be surprised to find out that many fina…

There are plenty of decisions that you’ll make in the retirement planning process that can’t be undone, so you want to make sure that you make the right call. On this episode, we’ll explain why these decisions are so important and can’t be undone. Here’s some of what you’ll learn on this episode: Why claiming Social Security at 62 isn’t always the …

People have many reasons for procrastinating when it comes to putting a retirement plan together. Let’s explore some of those excuses and why they can be dangerous, and talk about how to overcome them. Connect with us: https://rosewoodwealthmanagement.com/ 919-391-3446By John Stillman

You’ve most likely heard plenty of “rules” you’re supposed to follow to retire successfully. Some of these rules are stated so confidently, you’d be crazy not to immediately accept them as fact. But we don’t mind the threat of being called crazy, so let’s dive into some of the most popular retirement “rules of thumb” to see if they truly lead us do…

Tim Williams had a little sister, but for 60 years he never knew she existed.By John Stillman

Gary & Nancy Williford hadn't been living in their new home for very long before the unthinkable happened. This is their story about losing their home to a fire, the aftermath and rebuilding process, and how they've been coping ever since.By John Stillman

Jonie & Meme Neddo were a young, interracial couple in rural Tennessee at a time when interracial dating in rural Tennessee wasn't exactly encouraged. This is their story about how they parted ways in 1980 and found their way back to each other more than 25 years later.By John Stillman

Kathy Pittman lost her husband to a brain tumor when her daughters were just 6 and 4. In this episode, she shares her story--dealing with her grief, trying to make ends meet financially, and raising two girls alone.By John Stillman