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
Nick Maggiulli’s latest article in Of Dollars & Data challenges one of the core ideas that drives personal finance blogs, podcasts, and even some of our own thinking — the belief that financial independence should be the ultimate goal.
We explore the surprising downsides of chasing early retirement, the difference between financial independence and financial freedom, and why something called “Coast FIRE” might be the real goal wort...
The (f)law of averages challenges a dangerous assumption we see far too often in retirement planning: The use of average life expectancy as a reliable planning target.
The question is: If you make it to retirement - are you already above average - and if that’s true, how do we use that in our planning?
I share six key takeaways from the article:
Could heaven be an RV in a state park?
It is for Marian Barry, who became a traveling nurse after working in hospitals during the pandemic.
We share this story from a Business Insider article, pointing out that she lives on $2,972 a month in Social Security and is lovig life. "I literally live in heaven."
Key takeaways:
New research from David Blanchett, head of retirement research at PGIM, challenges one of the biggest assumptions in retirement planning: that happiness in retirement depends on maintaining a constant—or even increasing—level of spending.
⬇️ Upon entering retirement, households experience a median consumption decline of about 20%.
This drop is often viewed as a red flag in traditional financial planning models.
However, Blanchett a...
There is a lot to cover in this episode, including new legislation that could impact your retirement.
Plus, 6 More Retirement Financial Myths to Avoid, and a listener with substantial assets who wants to know how to pay for a new car.
The OBBB
The One Big Beautiful Bill became public law on July 4, 2025. Included are:
This week’s headline reads like a financial horror story — and unfortunately, it’s a true one. 😱
33-year-old Mr. Handy changed jobs and did what millions of Americans do every year: he requested a rollover of his 401(k).
Paychex, the provider managing his old employer's plan mailed him two paper checks: one for his traditional 401(k), and one for his Roth 401(k). They were intercepted in the mail, and over $114,000 vanished. Gone....
According to BankRate, 23% of Americans 60-78 have a side-hustle. Maurie Backman says in an article by Kiplinger that this would help with two key areas in retirement planning: It provides us with something fulfilling to do after our primary career and provide a little extra cash in retirement.
The benefits of a side hustle:
The Pitfalls of a side hustle...
If you've been anywhere close to a retirement podcast over the last 10-20 years, you've heard of the 4% rule. And like many people, you might have questions about it.
We're going to hear about it directly from the horse's mouth as we talk to Bill Bengen, who first articulated the 4% withdrawal rate as a rule of thumb for withdrawal rates from retirement accounts.
The 4% rule is not a rigid rule but a guideline. Its application requ...
Only 3% of Americans have saved $1 million for retirement. according to 24/7 Wall St. & AOL. I’ll break down what that means—and why your personal number might be more important than any national average.
After that, I answer a listener question where we tackle how to cover healthcare costs in early retirement—specifically for a 58-year-old retiree with a non-working spouse and three adult kids under 26 still on the family plan. We...
What do you do with RMDs you don’t actually need?
If you’re retired and over age 73 — or 75 if you were born in 1960 or later — you know the IRS requires you to start taking Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from your traditional IRAs and workplace retirement accounts.
Even if you don’t need that money for living expenses, you still have to take it - which means more taxable income, higher Medicare premiums, and a bigger chunk ...
What happens when your emergency cash runs dry—and life keeps happening?
A recent article lays out a ranked list of ten ways to access emergency cash, starting with the best options and ending with the ones you’ll want to avoid unless it’s truly a last resort:
“By the time your child turns 18, you’ve spent 95% of the time you’ll ever spend with them in your lifetime.”
This comes from research by the American Time Use Survey, highlighted by Our World in Data. And let’s be honest, when you first hear that, it stings a little. Especially as a parent. You can’t help but wonder, “Have I been a good steward of that precious time?”
But here’s the twist: this isn’t about guilt. It’s about aware...
We’re talking about rebalancing! Rebalancing is key to any retirement plan, but how often should we do it? That’s the topic of today’s retirement headlines segment, where we’re going to look at an article by by Jennifer Reed
Key discussion points:
💵 Financial Considerations
💔 Emotional Considerations
🧩 Relational Considerations
📊 A Look at the Numbers
Resource:
Article by Jennifer Reed: Is The Optimal Rebalancing Strategy To No...
What are the perceived benefits of moving to a low-tax state in retirement? Is it all it’s cracked up to be?
We’re gonna cover a Wall Street Journal article by Debbie Carlson that delivers an important dose of nuance: “Don’t let the income-tax tail wag the total-spending dog.”
I also answer a very thoughtful question from Lynn about sequence of returns risk, as well as average returns vs order of returns.
Key topics from the arti...
How do you stay calm and confident when the markets get messy? In today's Retirement Headlines we go through Cullen Roche's article from Discipline Funds - "Finding Certainty in a Sea of Uncertainty".
With tariffs, global uncertainty, and market volatility making headlines again offers nine practical steps to help you stay grounded, focused, and on track with your retirement plan.
The 9 Calming, Confidence-boosting steps the artic...
One of the biggest and often overlooked risks facing retirees is sequence-of-returns risk. The risk of experiencing investment losses early in retirement can have an impact on the sustainability of savings over the long term.
Morningstar researchers dug into this in their latest State of Retirement Income study. Their findings confirm what many retirement planners already suspect: the first five years of retirement are make-or-bre...
It’s no secret that market volatility can feel especially nerve-wracking when you’re no longer earning a paycheck.
But what if I told you that, historically, every single crash has ended the same way—with a recovery?
That's what happened after the Covid-19 market crash, the 2021 downturn, and even the Great Depression.
We're going to discuss an article titled "What We’ve Learned From 150 Years of Stock Market Crashes" by Emelia Fr...
Is your 401(k) prepared for a market crash? With market volatility on the rise, many investors are wondering how to protect their portfolios.
In this episode, I share an article from Go Banking Rates on how to safeguard your retirement savings during turbulent times. I’ll highlight key takeaways from the article, share my own insights on where I agree or disagree, and explain why certain strategies may be more effective than other...
Most people assume their tax burden lightens in retirement, but what if I told you that some taxes are actually designed to creep up on you year after year—without Congress passing a single new law? In this episode, we expose the sneaky taxes that can quietly erode your retirement income, from Social Security taxation to Medicare IRMAA surcharges. These hidden costs don’t just affect the ultra-wealthy anymore; thanks to outdated ru...
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I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
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