Retirement Answers is a podcast built to help you succeed in retirement. The thought of retirement can be overwhelming and downright scary for many... but it doesn't have to be! The goal of this podcast is to provide thoughtful insights and strategies to give you the confidence you need to retire successfully. At the end of the day, my ultimate goal for my clients and podcast listeners is to live a fulfilling retirement. Follow along as I publish a new episode each week covering everything f ...
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6 Reasons to Spend Your Roth IRA in Retirement
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Having a Roth IRA in retirement can be very powerful. It allows you to make tax-free distributions for retirement income and gives you flexibility around your tax brackets... But I've noticed one thing. I/we as financial planners often suggest taking from your Roth IRA last for income in retirement so it has more time to compound tax-free. While th…
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Navigating Market Volatility in Retirement
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21:20
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It's not secret that sudden market declines can cause fear and anxiety in investors' minds. Recently, we've seen some volatility enter the markets and you might be wondering if you should make any changes to your portfolio. In this episode, I provide a framework and steps you can follow to navigate the emotions and uncertainties market volatility t…
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Watch Out for These 5 Investing Mistakes!
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18:46
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Book a free consultation to get started today 👉 https://www.rivertreewealth.com/get-started I've seen a common theme in almost every portfolio review I have done lately for prospective clients... I share that investing mistake and 4 others with you in this weeks episode! ——————————————————————————— Website: https://www.rivertreewealth.com LinkedIn:…
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Tax-Savvy Retirement: Asset Location Explained
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Book a free consultation to get started today 👉 https://www.rivertreewealth.com/get-started Tax planning is a huge part of building a successful retirement plan. You often hear about Roth conversions or tax-loss harvesting, but there is a simple way that EVERYONE can reduce there taxes each year... ASSET LOCATION. ——————————————————————————— Websit…
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Book a free consultation to get started today 👉 https://www.rivertreewealth.com/get-started Required Minimum Distributions (RMD) aren't the worst thing in the world, but they could force you to pay taxes you don't want to pay. In this episode, I share 5 ways to reduce your RMDs and take back control of your tax bill in retirement. —————————————————…
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Where Should I Pull Funds From First in Retirement?
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Book a free consultation to get started today 👉 https://www.rivertreewealth.com/get-started Not sure where to pull income from first in retirement? It can be a overwhelming to figure this out because of the impact your distributions have on other items in retirement such as Social Security taxes, RMDs, Medicare Premiums, and more. This week on the …
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Today, I'm sharing 7 reasons you shouldn't do Roth conversions... I hear about far too many people who are trying to do Roth conversions, but they shouldn't be doing any at all. Yes, Roth conversions are a power tax planning strategy for retirees, but it's not the best strategy for everyone. Creating a comprehensive plan that is unique to your situ…
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How Much Money Do You ACTUALLY Need To Retire?
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15:49
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Need a custom retirement plan? 👉 Get started today: https://www.rivertreewealth.com/get-started Wondering if you have enough money saved up to retire comfortably in 2024? In this video, I provide a framework you can use to evaluate how much you need to live a worry-free retirement. ——————————————————————————— Website: https://www.rivertreewealth.co…
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One of the biggest questions around Social Security is, "Will I pay income taxes on my Social Security benefits?" I answer this very question, walk through an example, and share some tips on how you can lower your Social Security taxes in the future. ——————————————————————————— Website: https://www.rivertreewealth.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin…
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In recent years, there has been a growing concern around Social Security going insolvent. There are some truths to these concerns, but there are also many misunderstandings. The biggest misunderstanding is that Social Security will be going away entirely. The confusing part is that the Social Security trust fund could be running out in the future, …
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Estate planning is often a forgotten part of a financial plan, but there are a few steps you can take to start building your estate plan. It doesn't have to complicated, so I am sharing 3 must-haves to include in your estate plan. There are more elements to think about including in your estate plan, but these should get you started. ———————————————…
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Inherited IRA Rules EXPLAINED (10-Year Rule)
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So you inherited an IRA... But now what? Do you have to take all of the money out immediately? Over your lifetime? Within 10 years? The SECURE Act was instituted in 2020, but we are still trying to understand what the rules actually are for IRA inheritors. Prior to the SECURE Act, you could stretch the Required Minimum Distributions (RMD) over your…
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There are lots of opinions and ideas around how to properly plan for and live out a successful retirement. Today, I'mis sharing 8 do's & don'ts of retirement planning that I often run into when talking with prospective clients. Topics covered: - How to invest in retirement - How you can trust your plan - Why you should be proactive instead of react…
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How Do Presidents Impact the Stock Market?
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12:23
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It's an election year! We will be choosing the next President of the United States later this Fall and times like this often raise a lot of questions in investors' minds. "Will the stock market go down is this person is elected?" "Should I get out entirely to avoid any turbulence?" "Which political party has the best track record when it comes to s…
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As a retirement planner, I get to see the good and the bad of every retirement plan. All the good decisions and the mistakes that come up. In an effort to help you avoid some common mistakes I see, I put together a list of 8 mistakes to avoid. These are mistakes around investing, income planning, withdrawal strategies, and mindset mistakes. I hope …
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I have some big news to share with you... I have launched my own wealth management firm, Rivertree Wealth! I'm excited to continue serving my clients and begin working with new clients in the future. To learn more about Rivertree and how we can help you, please visit www.rivertreewealth.com. Also, I wanted to share our system, the Rivertree System,…
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Alright... Let's talk about financial advisor fees. Understanding how a financial advisor gets paid can be hard because there are numerous ways an advisor can receive compensation. In this episode of Retirement Answers, Jacob breaks down the main things you need to know about advisory fees in an objective, unbiased way. Topics covered: - Commission…
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Roth IRAs are powerful retirement accounts. You get to pay your tax now, let your investments grow tax-sheltered, and take from the account in retirement TAX-FREE! (The tax-free part depends on whether or not you meet the age 59.5 and 5 year requirements) Having a Roth IRA in retirement will help you lower your tax bill in your retirement years and…
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Maybe you have heard of retirement "gap years" or maybe it's a new concept to you, but how to plan for your retirement gap years is a common question for retirees. The value of these years is that they are likely going to be the lowest tax years for the rest of your life. This means you could have an opportunity to take advantage of those lower tax…
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How Much Income Will I Need in Retirement?
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Trying to figure out how much income you will need in retirement can be challenging to figure out... There are rules of thumb such as 80% of your current, pre-retirement income or just take 4% of your savings each year for income. But the hard part about rules of thumb is that they are not unique to your or your needs. Some need far less than their…
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The Secret Ingredient to a Successful Retirement
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19:35
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Discover the missing ingredient to a successful retirement in this episode of Retirement Answers with Jacob Duke. Learn why this ingredient is crucial to your retirement plan and how it can impact your decision-making process. Jacob discusses the pitfalls of trying to be exactly right and the importance of being less wrong tomorrow. He also explore…
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Should I Take Social Security & Invest It?
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20:13
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In this episode of Retirement Answers, Jacob answers the common question, "should I take social security early and invest it?" Jacob talks through the following: - Benefits and risks of this strategy - An example - Big takeaway 00:00 Intro 00:40 Listener Review 01:10 Benefits and Risks 12:02 Example 14:32 The Importance of Considering Your Unique P…
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Should I Prioritize Roth Conversions or Health Insurance Subsidies?
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19:12
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In this episode, Jacob discusses the decision many retirees have to make: prioritizing health insurance subsidies or Roth conversions? He highlights considerations such as the person's tax-deferred balance, age, and whether they are charitably inclined. Jacob explains how the Affordable Care Act can lower premiums for those under a certain income l…
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"When should I retire?" can be one of the hardest questions to answer. There isn't a perfect answer nor a one-size-fits-all. There are plenty of rules of thumb you could go by, but taking an individualized approach to this decision based on your circumstances might be the most important part. In this episode, I share 6 thoughts or ideas to consider…
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5 Common Retirement Regrets (& How To Avoid Them)
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Have you ever heard someone say they weren't enjoying their retirement? Or maybe they were bored or felt lost? Unfortunately, I hear retirees say this more often than I would like. Because of this, I wanted to share some common regrets I hear from those who are in retirement so that you can avoid those regrets yourself. If you enjoy the podcast, I'…
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Social Security Survivor Benefits: A Complete Guide
24:38
24:38
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Social Security can get confusing very quickly. You have FRAs & PIAs, and Spousal benefits, Survivor benefits, Disability, and your own benefits. And the crazy part is that each of these "types" of Social Security benefits have different rules and nuances. In this episode, I am sharing everything you need to know about Survivor Benefits. We will an…
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Last 5, First 5: The Most Important Years
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18:28
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I've had this concept in my mind lately and wanted to share it with you. It's not groundbreaking or innovative. It's a simple concept that I have labeled "Last 5, First 5". It's the idea that this 10 year window (the last 5 years of your career and the first 5 years of your retirement), is the most important to get right in your retirement journey.…
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Investing can be hard, but it doesn't have to be... What if I said simple is better, and you don't need a crazy strategy to be a successful investor? We all have our own biases & opinions about what to invest in, but we also have friends, family, neighbors, & advisors telling us what we should do. So, how we do know what the best solution is? Well,…
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Does retirement scare you or give you anxiety? Do you feel like there is too much to know? Well, you're not alone. Almost everyone I talk to who is trying to retire feels a sense of analysis paralysis. They know there are many considerations to thinking about when putting together their retirement plan, but are just unsure how to put it all togethe…
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2024 is right around the corner and there are important changes that you need to know about! In this episode, we are covering: IRA contribution limit increases 401k contribution limit increases IRA deductibility rules Roth eligibility rules And I have a FREE cheat sheet for you! This is a resource you can use throughout 2024 to make sure you are on…
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Donor Advised Funds - How & When To Use Them
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20:23
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I've had a few questions about charitable giving lately, so in today's episode, I am talking about Donor Advised Funds. We will discuss: What they are How they work Why you would use one When you would use one I walk you through two examples of how this charitable giving strategy will help save you taxes and be able to give more the church or chari…
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How to Retire in 2024 - 5 Steps To Take Now
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Are you hoping to retire in 2024? Curious if you are on the right track or if you have everything done to make retirement a reality? In this episode, I am sharing 5 steps you can take to make sure you are ready to retire in 2024. If you aren't retiring in 2024, don't go anywhere! You can start using these 5 tips right now to be even more prepared f…
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The 4 Parts of a Successful Retirement Plan
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I always talk about different retirement strategies and things to think about, but I think it's important to zoom out and look at the big picture. It is easy to get overwhelmed when thinking about all the things that must be considered when evaluating your retirement. I received a question from a listener recently asking what the most important par…
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The end of 2023 is upon us... Crazy! But this is the time of year to make sure you have completed any tax planning that needs to be done. This includes things like: Roth conversions Tax-loss harvesting Tax-gain harvesting Retirement plan contributions Charitable giving Tune in to this week's episode to gain new insights on the importance of these y…
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Retirement Investing Mistakes & How To Avoid Them
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30:27
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As a financial advisor, I see a lot of investing mistakes... And to be honest, I've made a lot of these mistakes myself. I've that getting the investment results you want is far more about limiting your mistakes than hitting home runs. So, I wanted to share common investing mistakes that you should look out for and give you a playbook to avoid them…
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6 (Common) Roth Conversion Mistakes to Avoid!
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20:03
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Roth conversions are a powerful tax savings tool for many retirees. There are many reasons to do Roth conversions: Pay less tax now compared to the future Minimize future RMDs Avoid future IRMAA surcharges Help avoid the Widow's Tax Trap Leave tax-free assets to heirs But mistakes can be made when doing these conversions. In this episode, Jacob sha…
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The Complete Guide to Social Security Spousal Benefits
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20:32
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Social Security is one of the pillars of retirement income. But it can be very confusing when you think about PIAs, FRAs, and spousal benefits. In this episode, I break down everything you need to know about Social Security Spousal Benefits and how they work. A big misconception I often hear is that "You get 50% of your spouses benefits." I share w…
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7 Common Retirement Fears (& How To Overcome Them)
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26:54
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Retirement can be a scary thought. Do I have enough to retire? When should I take Social Security? What if I run of money before I die? How much can I spend? These are big questions that can create anxiety as you approach retirement. So, in this episode, I share 7 common retirement fears and how you can overcome them. This isn't a comprehensive lis…
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The 2024 Social Security COLA has been announced! I am sharing the following: What the 2024 COLA is Who gets the COLA How does it compare to COLAs historically Why WHEN you begin receiving your Social Security benefits continues to impact you moving forward 2 reasons why your COLA won't be as high as you think ***Help me make the show better in 202…
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Retirement can be challenging... When should I take Social Security? How aggressively should I be investing? How can I manage my taxes? Where is my income going to come from? These are the challenges that typically come up when planning for retirement. But as a financial planner who does retirement planning every day, I have found that one of the h…
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The Health Savings Account (HSA) is the only account you can contribute to that receives triple-tax advantages. Tax-deductible contributions Tax-deferred growth Tax-free distributions (for qualified medical expenses) And having a funded HSA in retirement comes with it's advantages: Use for more frequent healthcare costs Bridge gap until Medicare ag…
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When Should I Take Social Security? 6 Things to Consider
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24:58
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Deciding when to take your Social Security benefits is a common question for most retirees. This decision can cause stress because there is never a perfect answer. If you knew how long you were going to live, it would make this really easy, but that just isn't reality. So, making the most educated decision based on your specific situation is all yo…
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What are you going to do next time the market enters a recession? Are you prepared? Do you have a plan? Most investors are reactive to turbulence in the market. They act out of emotion and fear, which is human nature, but if they had a plan in place BEFORE the market volatility came, they wouldn't have to panic. Listen in as I share why you have to…
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Tax planning in retirement is a crucial piece in a successful retirement plan. We often think about Roth conversions and tax-loss harvesting as the primary ways to lower your tax bill in your retirement years. But many forget about an opportunity right in front of them... Tax-gain harvesting! This is when you can use the long-term capital gains tax…
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Do you have an old 401k from a previous employer? Or maybe even a few straggling out there? I'm a fan of keeping things organized and simple, so rolling over those old 401ks into an IRA to consolidate your money could is typically a good idea. The hard part is knowing how to actually do the rollover correctly. It can be scary because it is your lif…
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The Ultimate Retirement Checklist: 6 Things To Include in Your Plan
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28:22
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What is a retirement plan... actually? Is it a Monte Carlo simulation? Tax projections? Investment allocations? A retirement plan, in my opinion, is non of those things individually. But when they are put together correctly, they each help produce a comprehensive plan. So, this week I week I wanted to share what I think a comprehensive retirement p…
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Backdoor Roth IRA: What it is + How it works
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15:44
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When you want to save Roth money for retirement, but your income is too high... what do you do? Do a Backdoor Roth IRA contribution! Listen in where Jacob shares what a backdoor Roth contribution is, when you should do this (and when you SHOULDN'T), and how to do this correctly. Want help with your retirement plan?👇🏼 ☎️ Book a call with me: https:/…
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We all know that Roth conversions can be a powerful tax savings strategy for retirees, but how do you actually pay the taxes when doing a conversion? Listen in to this week's episode to learn about the 2 ways to pay your conversion taxes: Withhold the taxes Pay the taxes with cash Also, I share a few things to look out for and which of these two op…
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Roth conversions are often a useful tax savings strategy for retirees, but the hardest part is deciding WHEN to actually do them. In this episode of Retirement Answers, Jacob walks you through what he calls the "Roth Conversion Sweet Spot". The "Sweet Spot" consists of a few things: Low Income Large Tax-Deferred Accounts Retired Not taking Social S…
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Watch Out for This BIG Retirement Tax Trap
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15:12
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We all know that we need a plan for taxes in retirement... But what if there is a big tax bill waiting for surviving spouses? Yes, surviving spouses often have larger tax bills as a single tax filer compared to when they were filing jointly. This is what I call the Widow's Tax Trap. Do you have large IRA or 401k balances? Are you married? Well, you…
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