Ready, Set, Retire!

The biggest fear of planning for retirement is running out of money, right? Steve discusses his different tools and strategies that can help you avoid running out of money. Plus, there is an amazing opportunity available for you and your income plan for a limited time!  Call Steve today for your custom income plan! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So, what’s the outlook for the stock market this year?  It depends on whom you ask.  Brent Schutte with Northwest Mutual tells CNBC he’s more optimistic, pointing at signs that pandemic inflation is starting to slip.  But even he is more cautious about the second half of the year, when the Fed is expected to raise interest rates several times.  It seems the forecast keeps going back-and-forth.  What’s the direction our investments should take?  Should we rebalance allocations more than twice-a-year?   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inflation is the highest it's been in 40 years! How is this impacting your income plan both in the working world and in retirement? Steve joins Grace to discuss the recent market volatility, the opportunity to have income for life and one special offer just for our listeners that is ONLY AVAILABLE until  April 11th!  Call Steve today 508-398-3337! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Between the time you woke up this morning and the time you go to bed tonight, another 10,000 baby boomers will have officially retired. What about you? Have you done everything you need to do to be ready? What about taxes? inflation? Securing income for life? Hear how Steve can hep you plan for a successful retirement and help you check off items on that retirement planning list !See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite the inflation that’s resulted, a new survey shows most Americans are confident about their financial future.  Seven in ten tell a new Fidelity poll that they’re basing this on the fact they were able to stick to their 2021 financial resolutions.  Almost the same percentage were planning to make new ones for 2022.  If you were to wish financial resolutions for others, what would be on that short list? We all have that one thing we keep putting off … even though we know we really need to take care of it!  And when it comes to financial planning, many of us have been putting off the same thing … getting an estate plan.  Hear Steve's advice for those putting retirement planning on the back burner! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steve talks about inflation and that it is not going away soon, Extreme volatility in the stock market lately could mean a major selloff is just around the corner.  That’s according to Morgan Creek Capital Management CEO Mark Yusko.  Hear Steve's thoughts on this and how he can help you combat both inflation and volatility in retirement.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The so-called “4% Rule” for annual retirement withdrawals has been around since the mid-1990s.  But Morningstar’s Christine Benz believes that number has been misunderstood.  With inflation rearing its ugly head, Benz now feels the safe withdrawal rate should be 3.3%.  Should retirees who are taking out more panic?  How do you help them come up with the ideal number?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Lee Roth front man of Van Halen is hanging it up.  David Lee Roth made the announcement recently in a phone call to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.  It comes just short of one year after bandmate Eddie Van Halen died of cancer. Roth says he’ll play his final five shows in Vegas beginning New Year’s Eve.  Obviously, an event like this can trigger thoughts of retirement.  Steve talks about clients who have had similar situations and how he has helped  handle the quick entry into retirement.  Kiplinger’s surveyed hundreds of retirees and near-retirees to ask them about their biggest financial fears.  What's yours? Hear how Steve can help you overcome these fears with comprehensive financial planning.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I read a story in Market Watch about a guy who worked at a bank for 38 years.  He helped people with their investments.  His wife is even a financial advisor.  Yet the name of the article is “I failed at retirement:  how to avoid my mistakes.”  Steve talks about what he says to people who say they can't afford working with Financial Advisor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

House Democrats have unveiled their wish list for higher taxes.  Among other things, they want to raise the top income tax rate to 39.6% and the top corporate tax rate to 26.5%.  But investment manager David Rubenstein tells CNBC these numbers are not set in stone, ho, how do we play this?  Is it even possible to prepare for higher taxes when we still don’t know yet what form those higher taxes will take?   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you have more than 600 dollars in your checking account?  If that’s a yes, the IRS wants permission to monitor it.  The IRS says by knowing how much is going in and out of your account each year, they can spot whether an individual is hiding income they may not be reporting.  This still must be approved by Congress, but it’s another extreme example of how far Government will go to get more tax money.  Steve explains how his tax strategies can help keep Uncle Sam's hand out of your wallet! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re all human, meaning we all forget things.  We forget someone’s name … we forget our email password … we forget old 401(k) accounts.  Wait … what?  Do people really forget about something as big as a retirement account?  You bet they do.  In fact, Market Watch says there are currently 24 million “forgotten” 401(k) accounts!  And collectively, those accounts hold 1-point-3 trillion dollars in assets!  I’m guessing that’s not good? Hear Steve explain the best way to carry previous accounts with you and how to protect and grow these accounts!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We hear a lot about the advantages of doing a Roth conversion.  But personal finance author Liz Weston warns that “later in life” conversions can sometimes cause problems.  How do we know when a Roth does – or doesn’t – make sense for us? Then, most of us are hoping that we’ll be able to maintain the same standard of living in retirement that we enjoy now.  But Jack Otter, an associate publisher for Barron’s, tells Fox Business that a lot of people aren’t doing what they need to do to make that happen. Hear Steve explain the important of generating income as opposed to just periodically withdrawing money from their retirement account. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are lots of potential tax changes on the horizon … with President Biden saying he want to raise taxes on “the wealthy.”  But as IRA expert Ed Slott tells Morningstar, these types of changes could end up affecting all of us. Hear Steve explain how to get in front of these possible changes and surviving inflation in retirement! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new survey says one in six Americans already have.  Another 14 percent started last month [October] and 28 percent say they’ll begin this month [November].  But how many have started their end-of-year financial checklist?  Hear how Steve can help you tie up this year with a bow and prepare for a better 2022 with your finances and taxes! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steve recently sat down to chat with Grace about upcoming HUGE tax changes.   The current tax brackets that are in place now will more than likely stay in place until 2025  - good news right? Well, not so much.  Listen and find out why and more importantly, how Steve can help you build a better tax efficient plan where the IRS doesn't outsmart you! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The #1 fear of planning for retirement is running out of money. We are all living longer which is good news but how can we possibly come up with a realistic retirement plan when we don’t know how many years to plan for?    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg interviewed the head of the Fitch credit rating agency about all the money our federal government has been spending.  And he warns that the bill will eventually come due in the form of spending cuts and higher taxes.  What does that mean for our retirement prospects? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hear why Steve says inflation should be called "man-flation" and what you can do to protect yourself from the negative impact of inflation.  Then, TAXES! Steve explains his buckets of money approach money that gives YOU tax control. Plus, what are some tax free options you should consider ? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s a good problem to have, but it’s still a problem:  Research shows that many retirees are spending a lot less than they could be.  Michael Finke, a professor at The American College of Financial Services, tells Yahoo Finance that people seem to be afraid to spend down their nest egg! Hear Steve explain how at times he has to give his clients a "license to spend." Steve also explains how having lifetime income can help eliminate the fear of running out of money and outspending your retirement savings! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.