Retirement Answer Man

Latest Episodes:

What Is the Ideal Mix Between Before and After Tax Retirement Accounts? Sep 20, 2023

Show notes

Is there an ideal mix of before and after-tax retirement accounts? If so, what is it? In this episode, we’ll find out. We’ll also explore a number of other questions that have been eating away at listeners like you.

Check out this episode to listen to these listener questions and stick around until the end to hear Kevin Lyle’s relief at no longer having to keep up with the Joneses. OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN LISTENER QUESTIONS

[2:05] What is the ideal mix between before and after-tax retirement accounts?
[6:46] What to do about a fee-heavy investment account
[11:00] Finding a financial planner
[12:09] The impact on energy levels
[13:58] Saving for kids’ education
[18:17] How to open a Roth with a high-income

BRING IT ON

[21:05] Keeping up with the Joneses

TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT

[26:08] Check the way you compare yourself to others

Resources Mentioned In This Episode
Andy Panko’s advisor referral list
Garrett Planning Network
NAPFA
BOOK - Outlive by Peter Attia
Rock Retirement Club
Roger’s YouTube Channel - Roger That
BOOK - Rock Retirement by Roger Whitney
Roger’s Retirement Learning Center

What Should I Consider When Transferring Investment Accounts? Sep 13, 2023

Show notes

What are you doing to make friends in retirement? Mark Ross and I explore this challenge in our Bring It On segment. Listen in to hear how I made a new friend this week and stick around to hear the listener questions and what you could be doing to improve your social life. OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN LISTENER QUESTIONS

[2:36] What should Ronnie consider when transferring investment accounts?
[14:30] Clarifying the 401K catch-up provision for high-income earners
[20:12] Clarifying the 5-year rule with each conversion
[22:44] Capital gains strategies for downsizing your primary residence
[26:35] Will claiming a personal SS benefit early affect a spousal benefit?

BRING IT ON WITH MARK ROSS

[30:40] How do we make new friends in retirement?

TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT

[37:57] Take stock of your social network to see how you could improve

Resources Mentioned In This Episode
The Roth series 494, 495, 496, 497, 499
BOOK - A Simple Path to Wealth by J.L. Collins
Rock Retirement Club
Roger’s YouTube Channel - Roger That
BOOK - Rock Retirement by Roger Whitney
Roger’s Retirement Learning Center

Should I Borrow Against My Investments to Buy a House? Sep 06, 2023

Show notes

Did you know that there is another way to borrow money to purchase a home that is not a mortgage? Larry is thinking about using a securities-based line of credit against his after-tax investment account to borrow to buy a house. Discover my opinion on this optimization question on this episode of Retirement Answer Man.

Listen in to also hear my August reads and learn about the importance of protein to keep strong as you age. Press play now. OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN BOOKS I READ IN AUGUST

[2:58] The Wager
[6:02] American Prometheus
[7:12] Outlive
[9:09] The Courage to Be Disliked
[10:06] The Big Short

LISTENER QUESTIONS

[11:14] Should Larry use an after-tax investment account to borrow to buy a house?
[21:33] Jennifer wants to hear more about pretirement
[26:25] How to get the Roth clock ticking when you don’t qualify for a Roth
[28:18] On discussing faith in the RRC
[29:20] The costs of alcohol
[30:12] Richard’s thank you on 500 episodes
[31:34] Do the same (golden) rules apply to Roth 401Ks as Roth IRAs

BRING IT ON WITH DR. BOBBY DUBOIS

[35:30] Building energy using protein powder
[41:00] How much protein people really need
[44:02] Negatives of too much protein
[48:12] Do people get enough protein?
[50:06] More on protein supplements
[57:55] How to ensure you are getting enough protein

TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT

[59:01] Keep a captain’s log

Resources Mentioned In This Episode
BOOK - American Prometheus by Kai Bird
BOOK - Outlive by Peter Attia
BOOK - The Wager by David Grann
BOOK - The Courage to be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi
BOOK - The Big Short by Michael Lewis
Episode 502 - Should I Realign My 401K Now That I'm Retired? (with Kevin Lyles)
Episode 500 - 500 Episodes and Still Rocking
A few episodes in which we discuss retirement - 183, 214, 244, 324, 430
Rock Retirement Club
Roger’s YouTube Channel - Roger That
BOOK - Rock Retirement by Roger Whitney
Roger’s Retirement Learning Center

Should I Realign My 401K Now That I’m Retired? Aug 30, 2023

Show notes

To really rock retirement you have to have the right mindset. On this episode of Retirement Answer Man, Kevin Lyles and I noodle on the power of wonder. You’ll learn why it is important to have a sense of wonder and learn three tips for digging into your own sense of wonder.

We also have plenty of listener questions to answer. Press play to hear the answers to questions from listeners like you. OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN BRING IT ON WITH KEVIN LYLES

[3:44] The power of wonder
[7:22] Kevin’s tips for experiencing wonder

LISTENER QUESTIONS

[12:47] Should Liz reallocate her 401K?
[23:28] Should Barry be concerned about his asset allocation?
[34:45] A rule of 55 issue
[36:30] Getting conflicting answers from the Social Security Administration
[40:29] On dealing with FOMO and building healthy cash reserves
[43:59] How to get into retirement planning as a career

TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT

[48:40] Find some wonder in the world

Resources Mentioned In This Episode
RMA Certification
MaximizeMySocialSecurity.com
Episode 493 - How Can I Reverse Taking Social Security?
The Huberman Lab Podcast
BOOK - The Power of Wonder by Monica Parker
Get inspired by the Free Range Fun Hogs blog
Rock Retirement Club
Roger’s YouTube Channel - Roger That
BOOK - Rock Retirement by Roger Whitney
Roger’s Retirement Learning Center

Historical vs. Projected Returns? Aug 24, 2023

Show notes

Should you use historical or projected returns in your retirement model? One of our listeners asks this question in a very eloquent way.

On this episode of Retirement Answer Man, I’ll spend some time on this question and share my thoughts on which type of model you should use. You’ll also hear the answers to several other listener questions before Kevin Lyles and I discuss tips for having successful conversations with your spouse in retirement. OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN LISTENER QUESTIONS

[1:30] Should we use historical or projected returns?
[20:11] What is the intent?
[23:00] What I sound like at 75% speed
[24:05] How to rank spending priorities
[28:24] Insurance options before Medicare
[32:14] On estimating longevity in a retirement plan

BRING IT ON WITH KEVIN LYLES

[35:48] Conversations to have with your spouse in retirement
[38:11] Tips for successful conversations
[40:42] Questions to ask each other

TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT

[50:32] Review your capital market assumptions

Resources Mentioned In This Episode
Viking Cruises
Rock Retirement Club
Roger’s YouTube Channel - Roger That
BOOK - Rock Retirement by Roger Whitney
Roger’s Retirement Learning Center

500 Episodes and Still Rocking Aug 16, 2023

Show notes

Thank you for hanging in with me for 500 episodes! Today’s episode will veer a bit from the norm as I pause to reflect on our journey and commemorate it with this milestone episode. Listen in to hear my reflections and thoughts from listeners about observations and the meaning of these past 500 episodes. OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN PRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT

[2:33] What I’m proud of from this podcast
[6:21] Observations on what it takes to rock retirement

LISTENER COMMENTS ON 500 EPISODES

[13:24] Jeanie has gained confidence in her retirement
[16:11] Eric appreciates the word iterate
[17:28] Mary Ellen appreciated the shows on the RV lifestyle
[19:38] One listener appreciated the Wings for Widows link
[20:53] The pretirement has helped expand John’s vision of retirement
[23:48] Elaine appreciates one of my comments
[24:11] Kevin’s thoughts

BRING IT ON WITH MARK ROSS

[25:06] How to navigate retirement without passions

TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT

[30:00] Find something to celebrate today

Resources Mentioned In This Episode
Wings for Widows
Episode 479 - Widowed In Retirement: Creating A New You
Episode 442 - Can I Count On Average Returns And Inflation For Retirement? (the interview with Amy Bloom)
The RV Series Episode 263, Episode 264, Episode 265, Episode 266
BOOK - Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg
BOOK - The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday
Rock Retirement Club
Roger’s YouTube Channel - Roger That
BOOK - Rock Retirement by Roger Whitney
Roger’s Retirement Learning Center

#499 - Should I Do a Roth Conversion? Aug 09, 2023

Show notes

Do you think the Roth conversion question is an essential part of retirement planning? If you do, you haven’t been paying attention to my podcasts!

In this episode of the Retirement Answer Man show, we’ll work through how you can build a framework for deciding whether you should do Roth conversions. If you listened to the Roth conversion series you can’t miss this episode. OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN PRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT

[2:30] Books I read last month
[5:12] Framework for building a Roth conversion
[15:42] Considerations for making a Roth conversions
[22:07] How to decide

LISTENER QUESTIONS

[27:21] Jeffrey appreciated the how of Roth conversions
[28:05] A comment on the pro rata rule
[29:15] On funding the years between retirement and pension
[35:06] On HSA funding strategies in the final year of work

BRING IT ON

[38:41] On shifting your mindset
[42:00] What thread are you carrying on?

TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT

[42:35] Schedule a time to go through an OODA loop to decide on your Roth opportunity

Resources Mentioned In This Episode
BOOK - Seveneves by Neal Stephenson
BOOK - Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
BOOK - Reamde by Neal Stephenson
BOOK - All Quiet on the Western Front by Eric Maria Remarque
BOOK - Dead Fall by Brad Thor
Episode 495 - The Rules for Roth Contributions
Rock Retirement Club
Roger’s YouTube Channel - Roger That
BOOK - Rock Retirement by Roger Whitney
Roger’s Retirement Learning Center

The Impact of Alcohol on Rocking Retirement Aug 02, 2023

Show notes

Are you much of a drinker? Studies show that 60% of Americans are, and an even greater percentage of college-educated Americans are. In this episode, Dr. Bobby Dubois and I reflect on the effects of alcohol on retirement. We’ll get into everything: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Don’t worry, we’re still exploring Roths this week by answering your questions. All of our listener questions are related to Roths. If you have a question about our recent Roth series or anything retirement-related leave a voice recording or an email here. OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN LISTENER QUESTIONS

[2:51] On contributing to a Roth via 401K
[5:02] Getting pushback from advisors on converting a 401K to Roth
[14:10] How does the 5-year rule apply to a new Roth account
[17:28] On implementing a resilient plan
[22:30] Clarification on the pro rata rule

BRING IT ON WITH DR. BOBBY DUBOIS

[24:17] Who drinks alcohol and how much
[32:41] The good and bad of drinking alcohol
[38:56] The ugly of drinking alcohol
[45:21] How does alcohol affect you?

TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT

[48:52] Experiment with your relationship with alcohol

Resources Mentioned In This Episode
Podcast - Huberman Lab
BOOK - Outlive by Peter Attia
Rock Retirement Club
Roger’s YouTube Channel - Roger That
BOOK - Rock Retirement by Roger Whitney
Roger’s Retirement Learning Center

The Rules for Roth Withdrawals Jul 26, 2023

Show notes

After listening to the past two episodes you now know how to make Roth contributions and conversions, that was the easy part.

Today we discuss the more complicated Roth rules for making withdrawals. To avoid unnecessary penalties and taxes you’ll want to make sure that you clearly understand the regulations surrounding Roth withdrawals. Listen to ensure that you don’t get caught unaware and needlessly get stuck paying avoidable taxes and fees. OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN PRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT

[1:32] Building a target to work for to build healthy habits
[6:20] The golden rule of Roth withdrawals
[8:58] The order of withdrawals
[11:08] How the five-year rule works with contributions
[16:41] How the five-year rule works with conversions
[19:33] How the five-year rule works with a Roth 401K

LISTENER QUESTIONS

[27:11] On taking money from a 401K and moving it to a Roth IRA so that someone can manage it
[31:34] How to decide whether to convert funds into a Roth IRA
[35:03] Estimating Social Security income using the detailed calculator
[36:01] Clarifying the five-year rule start date
[38:40] Deciding whether to claim Social Security early

BRING IT ON

[43:14] Intentions vs actions

TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT

[46:42] Catch yourself setting intentions

Resources Mentioned In This Episode
Dexa Scan
BOOK - Outlive by Peter Attia
Rock Retirement Club
Roger’s YouTube Channel - Roger That
BOOK - Rock Retirement by Roger Whitney
Roger’s Retirement Learning Center

The Rules for Roth Conversions Jul 19, 2023

Show notes

Many of us have missed the boat on Roth contributions, but we have another tool to get into Roths: Roth conversions.

If you have been curious about all the hype about Roths you won’t want to miss this series. This month we dive deeper into Roths. In episode 494 we discussed what Roths are, last week we dove into contributions, and this week we demystify conversions. Listen in to learn how you can use Roth conversions to upgrade your retirement. OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN PRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT

[2:44] I try to keep the main thing the main thing
[3:49] Many of us have missed the boat on Roth contributions
[7:11] How to perform a Roth conversion
[8:45] How do you pay the tax on a Roth conversion?
[14:05] The pros of paying from after-tax assets
[16:22] The downsides of paying with after-tax assets

LISTENER QUESTIONS