Stay Wealthy Retirement Podcast

7 Pitfalls to Avoid If You Want to Stay Retired May 15, 2025

Show notes

You've finally made it to retirement!

But what if some of the choices you're making right now are quietly pulling you back to work?

Every year, countless retirees are forced back into the workplace.

Not because they were reckless, but because they followed advice that sounded smart and safe.

In this episode, I'm sharing 7 of the most common retirement pitfalls that can derail even the best-laid plans.

I'm also sharing our Total Retirement System™—a comprehensive framework to ensure you retire once and never look back.

If you're approaching retirement (or already there) and want to avoid mistakes that force people back to work, this episode is for you.

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2025 TAX CHEATSHEET

Subscribe to the Stay Wealthy Retirement Newsletter!

As a thank you, you'll receive my recently updated 2025 Tax Cheatsheet (PDF).

You'll also receive weekly retirement and investing tips from yours truly.

👉 Click here to subscribe and grab your cheatsheet.

***

EPISODE RESOURCES:

How to Spend More, Stress Less, and Retire Sooner May 01, 2025

Show notes

"I'll just work a few more years."

It's the retirement safety net millions of Americans often count on.

In large part because the financial industry has convinced everyone that retiring later is the most sensible backup plan if your savings fall short.

But what if this common advice is actually setting you up for one of the most costly mistakes of your life?

In this episode, I'm sharing why the real danger may not be running out of money in retirement, but rather working too long.

I'm also sharing why choosing the right withdrawal strategy may help you retire sooner AND give you more confidence to spend in retirement.

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2025 TAX CHEATSHEET

Subscribe to the Stay Wealthy Retirement Newsletter!

As a thank you, you'll receive my recently updated 2025 Tax Cheatsheet (PDF).

You'll also receive weekly retirement and investing tips from yours truly.

👉 Click here to subscribe and grab your cheatsheet.

***

EPISODE RESOURCES:

How Tariffs Actually Work (And Why They're Shaking the Market) Apr 10, 2025

Show notes

Today I'm diving into the tariff-induced market mania that has been dominating every news headline.

Specifically, I'm joined by Cullen Roche, monetary economics expert and founder of Discipline Funds, to discuss three important things:

► How tariffs actually work and why economists across the political spectrum overwhelmingly agree they are bad

► What the recent tariff proposal means for the economy (and American consumers)

► What yesterday's "90-day pause" means for the markets going forward

We also discuss how retirement investors should approach their portfolios during this period of economic uncertainty + what changes are prudent to make.

***

2025 TAX CHEATSHEET

Subscribe to the Stay Wealthy Retirement Newsletter!

As a thank you, you'll receive my recently updated 2025 Tax Cheatsheet (PDF).

You'll also receive weekly retirement and investing tips from yours truly.

👉 Click here to subscribe and grab your cheatsheet.

***

EPISODE RESOURCES:

ESG Investing: The Hidden Costs, Real Impact, and How to Avoid the Hype Mar 20, 2025

Show notes

ESG investing is exploding in popularity—but it's also a giant, confusing mess.

Over $35 trillion in global assets now follow ESG guidelines. 🤯

But despite the rapid growth, most retirement investors still don't fully understand ESG investing...

...or how to spot legitimate ESG strategies from clever marketing hype.

To help break through the confusion, Liz Simmie joins me to discuss:

➤ What ESG investing is and how it differs from Socially Responsible Investing (SRI)

➤ How retirement savers should evaluate ESG funds, particularly in terms of cost and performance

➤ The #1 data point Liz screens for when evaluating an ESG investment

We also explore how investors can cut through ESG marketing hype to find genuinely responsible investment solutions.

***

2025 TAX CHEATSHEET

Subscribe to the Stay Wealthy Retirement Newsletter!

As a thank you, you'll receive my recently updated 2025 Tax Cheatsheet (PDF).

You'll also receive weekly retirement and investing tips from yours truly.

👉 Click here to subscribe and grab your cheatsheet.

***

EPISODE RESOURCES:

✏️ View the Episode Show Notes

3 Ways to Boost Retirement Income Mar 06, 2025

Show notes

Morningstar recently published its annual "State of Retirement Income" research report.

This year's report finds the highest 30-year safe withdrawal rate for retirees is... 3.7% 🤯

In this episode, you'll learn:

► How researchers arrive at different recommended withdrawal rates

► Why popular withdrawal strategies are (likely) too conservative

► 3 proven strategies for boosting retirement income

And since there is no one-size-fits-all, you'll also learn the pros and cons of each retirement income strategy discussed!

***

2025 TAX CHEATSHEET

Subscribe to the Stay Wealthy Retirement Newsletter!

As a thank you, you'll receive my recently updated 2025 Tax Cheatsheet (PDF).

You'll also receive weekly retirement and investing tips from yours truly.

👉 Click here to subscribe and grab your cheatsheet.

***

EPISODE RESOURCES:

📘 Subscribe to "The Go-Go" Retirement Newsletter

The Biggest Retirement Investment Risk: How to Protect Your Portfolio Feb 13, 2025

Show notes

Today I'm discussing the biggest retirement investment risk.

As Morgan Housel put it, "It's the hardest risk for people to understand...

...and it's the only one that really matters."

In this episode, you'll learn:

► What the three sides of risk are

► Why tail risk is all that matters

► How to mitigate this risk in your retirement plan

You'll also learn why most investors should (probably) stay away from investment products promising you lots of upside with limited downside.

***

2025 TAX CHEATSHEET

Subscribe to the Stay Wealthy Retirement Newsletter!

As a thank you, you'll receive my recently updated 2025 Tax Cheatsheet (PDF).

You'll also receive weekly retirement and investing tips from yours truly.

👉 Click here to subscribe and grab your cheatsheet.

***

EPISODE RESOURCES:

👉 Learn more about our process and grab one of the remaining slots.

3 Ways to Reduce Medicare IRMAA (Now and in the Future!) Jan 30, 2025

Show notes

Worried about Medicare IRMAA eating into your retirement savings?

Whether you're 10+ years away from Medicare or already enrolled, this episode will help you navigate this pesky surcharge and protect your retirement savings.

Key topics covered:

► Updated 2025 IRMAA brackets

► Answers to common planning questions

► 3 strategies to minimize (or avoid) IRMAA

You'll also learn how to project future IRMAA brackets for better planning.

If you want a clear roadmap for making informed decisions about your future healthcare costs, you'll enjoy today's episode.

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RETIREMENT & TAX PLANNING:

Looking to hire a financial planner with retirement & tax planning expertise?

My team and I only have a few more openings for Discovery Meetings with new clients.

If you're seeking professional help, we would love to have a conversation!

***

EPISODE RESOURCES:

👉 Learn more about our process and grab one of the remaining slots.

2025 Market Outlook: Planning for Uncertainty Jan 16, 2025

Show notes

Markets tend to operate in cycles—yesterday's winners often become tomorrow's losers (and vice versa).

The most unloved asset classes can quietly become the best performers, while the most popular ones frequently disappoint.

Yet, many investors fall into the trap of assuming recent trends will continue indefinitely.

But markets don't work that way.

No asset class outperforms or underperforms forever.

To help you avoid falling into this trap (and make more informed portfolio decisions), I'm sharing key takeaways from Vanguard's 2025 Market & Economic Report in this episode.

I'm also sharing 5 actions retirement savers can take right now to prepare for success over the next decade and beyond.

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Looking to hire a financial planner with retirement & tax planning expertise?

My team and I only have a few more openings for Discovery Meetings with new clients.

If you're seeking professional help, we would love to have a conversation!

***

EPISODE RESOURCES:

👉 Learn more about our process and grab one of the 25 meeting slots.

How to Evaluate Financial Advisors: A Step-by-Step Guide Jan 09, 2025

Show notes

Looking to hire a financial planner with retirement & tax planning expertise?

My team and I have availability for 25 Discovery Meetings over the next 8 weeks.

If you're seeking professional retirement planning help, we would love to have a conversation!

We intentionally limit the number of new clients we take on each year.

This ensures we can provide each family with highly customized investment, retirement, and tax planning services.

Once these 25 meetings are scheduled, we will not have availability to meet with new clients until later this year.

Schedule your Discovery Meeting.

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Today I'm sharing the essential steps for evaluating and selecting the right financial advisor for your unique situation.

Specifically, I cover 5 important things:

► How to identify and document your financial challenges, needs, and goals before starting your search

► Critical questions to ask yourself about the type of professional you want

► Guidance for conducting background checks

► Non-obvious questions to ask potential advisors

► The importance of a well-defined evaluation process (and why you shouldn't rush your decision)

You'll learn how to navigate through the sea of 300,000+ financial advisors to find the right one for you.

Whether you want a short-term or long-term engagement, this episode provides actionable steps to help you make the right choice.

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EPISODE RESOURCES: