The Retirement Playbook with Dale Tondryk

We’re taking a quick break from the Xs and Os of retirement finances today. Instead, we’re going to talk about some other important pieces of forming your retirement lifestyle. Join us as we discuss staying busy, the significance of social connections after you’ve stopped working, and maintaining your physical and mental health throughout retirement. Whether it's engaging in new hobbies, exploring part-time work, or pursuing a pass...

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.

Here’s what we’ll talk about in this episode:

• The Social Security Administration cannot help you make the best...

Getting lost while driving in the car or hiking in the woods is kind of like getting lost in retirement planning. It can be tough to find your way without the right guidance and tools. But fear not! In today's episode, we're going to explore the most common mistakes people make in retirement planning and share some insightful advice to help you stay on track.

Here’s what we’ll talk about in this episode:

• The impact of having...

Is there really such a thing as having guaranteed income in retirement? Maybe the question is really “guaranteed by whom?” In today’s episode, we are going to talk about some common misconceptions when it comes to income streams and the importance of having predictable income in your retirement portfolio.  

Here’s what we’ll talk about in this episode:

• Is there such a thing as guaranteed income in retirement? (0:48)
• Some comm...

For some people, the idea of putting together a financial plan doesn’t sound like much fun, while the idea of building a home sounds like a lot of fun. In this episode we’ll find the similarities in building a strong financial plan and a dream home.

Here’s some of what you’ll learn on this episode:

• The financial ‘foundation’ needed to cover your basic lifestyle expenses once you retire. 2:31
• How investment ‘walls’ are essenti...

We don’t typically spend much time talking about Medicare before it’s time to utilize it, and it’s easy to get confused about the four parts of the program and what each of them do.

Knowing your options and what each part covers will help you make the best decision for Medicare when it comes time. In this episode, Dale will explain each of the four parts, some of the misconceptions around Medicare, and list some of the services tha...

It’s nearly impossible to completely separate emotion from financial decisions. As much as we try, it’s just hard to overcome those human emotions, especially when it comes to fear and money.

We took an informal poll of listeners to find out what their biggest financial fears are. On this episode, we’ll explore the most common fears and talk about how they should be addressed in a retirement plan.

Here’s some of what you’ll learn...

Another round of retirement changes are on the way after President Biden signed a spending bill in December 2022 that included the SECURE Act 2.0. Retirees and pre-retirees need to understand what this new legislation means, how it might impact you, and what planning opportunities this could open up. 

Here’s some of what you’ll learn on this episode:

• Pushing back the RMD age to 73. (0:55)
• Changes to catch-up contributions. (3...

Let’s look at some examples and explore the reasons why we have to be very careful from whom we’re taking this important financial guidance from. Even when the advice seems to be well-informed and logical, it doesn’t mean it’s going to be applicable to your plan.

Here’s some of what you’ll learn on this episode:

• Your family might have plenty of guidance, but that doesn’t mean you have to follow. (1:00)
• Your friends might not te...

People have different feelings when it comes to their desire to retire. We broke this concept down into five sections that we will explore today.

Our goal is to help you determine which category you fall into so you can be sure your financial plan aligns with your desire to retire.

Here’s some of what you’ll learn in this episode:

• Some people love what they do and don’t see themselves retiring, but should they still plan? (1:24...

Investor bias is a common phenomenon. It’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture at times, specifically when your retirement is on the line.

In this episode, we will be learning about the different biases that tend to affect investors the most. Listen to see if you fall into any of these categories and how you can shift your perspective and invest smarter.

Here’s some of what you’ll learn in this episode:

• How confirmation ...

As you approach retirement, you might catch “Sudden Decision Syndrome”. It’s important to avoid making big decisions before retirement so you don’t mess up your plan.

In this episode, we will cover some of the things you want to avoid just before or right after retirement.

Here’s some of what you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why you should take some time to process retirement before making big decisions.  (0:34)
• Don’t jump into ...

You may have heard of Roth Conversions. Roth Conversions have been increasingly popular, so we wanted to share some important things to know before you decide if it is right for you. There are a few key points to consider, like how one would affect your tax bracket for example. Listen to learn the benefits of a Roth Conversion and how one could create a tax-free income in the future.

Here’s some of what you’ll learn in this episo...

Just like the lights on your dashboard can indicate if something is wrong with your car, like low tire pressure or leaking oil), there are indicators in your financial life that might point out that you have a problem that needs to be addressed.

On today’s show, we’ll explain why your net worth, view of retirement, and thoughts on nursing homes might be problematic.

Here’s some of what you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why your g...

At this time of year, you can find football on TV almost every night of the week. So, let’s take some concepts from the game of football and apply them to our retirement planning.

You might be surprised to see the correlation between football and finance, but then again, maybe not with the name of our show. Strap up and join us for a look at the lessons we can take away from the gridiron.

Here’s some of what you’ll learn on this ep...

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. In this episode, we’ll explain why these decisions are so important and can’t be undone.

While a few of these have slight caveats, you won’t w...

Want to know the secrets to experiencing satisfaction in retirement? We’ve discovered five key situations in which your financial plan needs to lead you. If you can key in on these five points, you’ll have a high chance to achieve retirement satisfaction.

Wouldn’t it be great to retire knowing you’ll...

Being a good advisor isn’t about winning a popularity contest or just saying the same things that everyone else in the industry says. It’s about giving the best advice that you can for each individual situation.

On today’s show, we’re going to peel back the curtain to discuss some areas where a good financial advisor’s opinions might go against the grain with mainstream ideas in the industry.

Investing always involves a certain amo...

You’ve most likely heard plenty of “rules” you’re supposed to follow to retire successfully. Some of these rules are stated so confidently, that 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 down the path of good financial guidance or run a chance of leading us astray.

J...