Retirement Starts Today Radio

In retirement, retirees make the big switch–drawing on savings rather than contributing to them. This is often when the trouble comes–the psychological hurdle comes when it’s time to start spending your hard-earned savings.  In this episode, you’ll learn how to understand the mental barrier that comes with the big switch and learn strategies to overcome it. Listen to learn how to use your retirement funds without guilt or fear of financial instability. Outline of This Episode [1:22] Will you need permission to spend in retirement? [4:06] Strategies to overcome your mental hurdle about spending [14:57] How do you handle the taxes from different types of income?  Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network Annual Listener Survey Morning Star article Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit:http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/ Follow Ben on Twitter:https://twitter.com/retiremeasap Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter Dive deeper into r

Knowing when to retire is not just an economic decision; it’s highly personal. In an era where your work is with your identity, deciding when to retire can feel monumental. So how do you know when the time is right? That’s what we’ll explore in today’s episode. In addition to discussing this retirement headline, Bret Mulvaney joins the show again to help me answer our listener question. Press play to listen. Outline of This Episode [1:06] Retirement Starts Today updates [3:48] How do you know it’s time to retire? [12:35] Does bank health matter if it is FDIC insured? Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network Vox article Dan Sullivan - The Strategic Coach Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit:http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/ Follow Ben on Twitter:https://twitter.com/retiremeasap Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter Dive deeper into retirement planning with Ben at www.RetirementIncome.University Subscribe to Retirement Sta

Do you feel pain when spending money? Or perhaps it’s the opposite, and you spend a little too freely without much thought, pain, or remorse? In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we’ll explore an article on how to make the most out of retirement by trying to land somewhere in the middle of the spending spectrum. Whether you find yourself to be a “tightwad” or a “spendthrift” you’ll find this episode to be a helpful exploration of gaining happiness from your retirement spending plan.  Outline of This Episode [1:22] The two types of money people [5:20] Pre-establish pivot points [11:45] How to deal with rising insurance premiums Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network The Wealth of Common Sense Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit:http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/ Follow Ben on Twitter:https://twitter.com/retiremeasap Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter Dive deeper into retirement planning with Ben at www.Retiremen

It’s easy to make mistakes in your investment portfolio, but as you get closer to retirement, it becomes more important than ever to make sure you are maximizing your financial health so that you can achieve your long-term goals.  In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we’ll take a look at an article written by Christine Benz which highlights several common errors that investors make. Listen in to avoid these mistakes and learn the actions you can take to rectify the problems. Outline of This Episode [1:34] Are you making these common portfolio mistakes? [9:08] Does your asset allocation reflect your portfolio goals? [12:13] Amy is worried about staying invested, what can she do? Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network MorningStar article Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit:http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/ Follow Ben on Twitter:https://twitter.com/retiremeasap Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter Dive deeper into

What would you say your retirement confidence level is? If you’re like many super-savers, it may be surprisingly low.  In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we’ll explore an article from Investment News that dives into a phenomenon where wealthier Americans who are confident in their money management skills still feel shaky about retirement and transferring their wealth to their heirs. Listen in to learn how to become more confident in your retirement plan and stick around for the listener question where we discuss just how safe annuities really are. Outline of This Episode [1:22] Why are supersavers not confident in their retirement plans?  [4:18] How to become more confident in your retirement plan [7:56] How safe are annuities? Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network BOOK - Die with Zero by Bill Perkins Investment News article Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit:http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/ Follow Ben on Twitter:https://twitter.com/retire

We may think of many things when it comes to rising interest rates, but often we fail to understand how that could lead to rising IRS penalties.  In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we’ll take a look at an informative article from the WSJ about how to avoid rising IRS penalties.  Make sure to stick around for the listener questions segment where I answer Jeff’s question on how to bridge the income gap between retirement and Social Security. Outline of This Episode [1:42] Paying quarterly tax withholding [8:24] My two tips on avoiding penalties [11:48] On bridging Jeff’s retirement income gap Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network WSJ article Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit:http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/ Follow Ben on Twitter:https://twitter.com/retiremeasap Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter Dive deeper into retirement planning with Ben at www.RetirementIncome.University Subscribe to Retirement Start

When was the last time you checked your beneficiaries on your retirement account? After listening to today’s episode, I guarantee you’ll be logging in to verify. In the retirement headlines segment, we’ll check out a Yahoo Finance article titled ”They Broke Up In 1989, But Now His Ex-Girlfriend Is Inheriting His $1 Million Retirement Account After Nearly 40 Years.” How’s that headline for clickbait? It certainly got me to click! Make sure to stick around to hear how a reverse mortgage could play a part in your retirement planning.  Outline of This Episode [1:52] How an ex-girlfriend ended up with a million-dollar retirement account [5:53] My takeaways [9:07] Using reverse mortgage in a positive way [14:45] Things to be wary of Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network Yahoo Finance article Wade Pfau BOOK - Die with Zero by Bill Perkins Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit:http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/ Follow Ben on Twitter:https://twitter.com/retirem

While, for some people, the transition to retirement goes perfectly smoothly, that’s not the case for everyone.  Most of us are counting the days until retirement. We’re excited by all the prospects this new stage in life will bring. However, some people struggle with the change. In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we’ll look at a common issue with retirement from a psychological perspective with this article from Psychology Today. In the listener question segment, I’ll touch on how to bridge the gap between the beginning of retirement and collecting Social Security and discuss how to invest for the short-term in retirement. It’s time to up your retirement game; press play to get started. Outline of This Episode [1:22] I just retired so why am I unhappy? [8:55] What the hapipest retirees do [11:00] How to generate income to bridge an income gap before Social Security [16:05] How to invest for the short-term in retirement Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network Psychology T

It’s no secret that I want you to spend more money in retirement. Why? Because you’ve worked for it!  Retirement is about living the life that you have saved for all these years, so I’m looking for any way I can find to help you get out there and enjoy it.  One way that has been gaining popularity in recent years is semi-retirement. In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we’ll look at an article that shows how partial retirement has been shown to lead to an increase in spending levels in retirement. Outline of This Episode [1:22] How semi-retirement has led to a surge in retirement spending [6:15] Would part-time work increase your spending confidence? [7:48] Keep contributing to a simple IRA or cease contributions and move funds to a Traditional IRA Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network ThinkAdvisor article Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit:http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/ Follow Ben on Twitter:https://twitter.com/retiremeasap Join the newsle

We’ve all heard the saying, “Money can’t buy happiness.” However, research suggests that while money may not buy lasting joy, it can certainly enhance our lives if spent wisely. The key lies in how we spend our money. On this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we’ll explore a recent article on spending money to maximize your happiness.  Stick around for the latest book update and sign up for the newsletter to learn how to preorder and stay up to date on book giveaways! Outline of This Episode [1:22] How we spend our money [5:18] Consider purchases you make [8:05] How to get more from your financial independence [10:25] Explaining inherited IRA rules Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network BOOK - The Myth of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky  BOOK - Happy Money by Ken Honda BOOK - If Money Doesn’t Make You Happy Then You Probably Aren’t Spending It Right by Daniel Gilbert  Money happiness article Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit:http://retirementstartstoday

By now, we’ve all heard of AI, but many people still have mixed feelings about this revolutionary tool. Since I’ve been using it in my life on a daily basis, I have been wanting to share how you all can use AI to help with retirement planning.  When I came across this article from Business Insider, I knew I found my opportunity. Even if you’ve never used AI before, you’ll want to listen in to hear how you can use this versatile tool to help you plan your retirement.  Outline of This Episode [1:52] How AI is changing the way we work [4:04] Comparing AI advice with a human financial advisor [6:34] How I would use AI in retirement planning [16:22] How to set up an AI prompt Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network Business Insider article Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit:http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/ Follow Ben on Twitter:https://twitter.com/retiremeasap Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter Dive deeper into retireme

Many factors should come into play when deciding when to take your Social Security benefit but doomsday headlines shouldn’t be one of them. On this episode, you’ll hear how Social Security’s biggest myth is costing retirees a lot of money.  Don’t get caught unaware! Make sure to stick around until the end to hear about a jury duty scam that even I had never heard of.  Outline of This Episode [1:42] Social Security’s biggest myth [8:35] My thoughts [11:09] Why buy bonds if they always go down in value? [18:27] The jury duty scam Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network Episode 142 - Are You a Prudent Pessimist? The Jury Duty Scam CNBC article Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit:http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/ Follow Ben on Twitter:https://twitter.com/retiremeasap Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter Dive deeper into retirement planning with Ben at www.RetirementIncome.University Subscribe to Retirement Starts Today on

The 4% rule is the “golden rule” of retirement planning. Everyone is familiar with it and it’s easy to work out for some quick, back-of-the-napkin math.  Since it is so easy to calculate and implement, many use it as their retirement withdrawal rule. However, this approach may be overly conservative. While using a significantly higher withdrawal rate may go too far, the 4% rule may be too cautious.  Listen in to hear the limitations of sticking with this overly simplistic rule of thumb. Outline of This Episode [2:02] Is the 4% rule too safe? [10:50] Does it make sense to spend more in the early years while awaiting full retirement age? Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network Think Advisor article Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit:http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/ Follow Ben on Twitter:https://twitter.com/retiremeasap Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter Dive deeper into retirement planning with Ben at www.RetirementInc

Did you know that you can buy gold at your local Costco? However, just because it’s easy to buy doesn't mean it’s easy to sell.  In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we’re exploring gold and its role in your retirement portfolio. To do that, we’ll take a look at a retirement headline from WSJ and i’ll share my thoughts on the latest gold rush. Make sure to stick around until the end for Kevin’s question about the key difference between accumulation and decumulation. Outline of This Episode [1:12] Gold and groceries [5:08] My thoughts on buying gold [11:03] Accumulation vs. decumulation Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network WSJ article Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit:http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/ Follow Ben on Twitter:https://twitter.com/retiremeasap Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter Dive deeper into retirement planning with Ben at www.RetirementIncome.University Subscribe to Retirement Starts Today

Risk is what is left over after you think you’ve thought of everything. – Carl Richards Getting to financial independence is job #1, but staying financially independent comes a close second.  To do so you’ll need to be aware of the risks that could empty your accounts. Being vigilant of these risks and having a plan to work through or avoid them could save you hundreds of thousands of dollars. Listen in to hear how you can save your financial independence. Outline of This Episode [1:22] 3 big risks to look out for in retirement [5:01] Long-term care [13:55] Getting scared out of the market [20:12] Getting scammed Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit:http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/ Follow Ben on Twitter:https://twitter.com/retiremeasap Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter Dive deeper into retirement planning with Ben at www.RetirementIncome.University Subscribe to Retirement Start

There are two ways you can ruin your retirement: running out of money and dying with regret.  If you are listening to this podcast, chances are, you’ve been a diligent saver and probably aren’t in danger of the first one.  That’s why, today, we’re exploring an article from the White Coat Investor on ways to spend more money.  Don’t risk ending your days with regret. Listen in to find out how you can enjoy all that you have worked for. Outline of This Episode [1:22] Two ways to ruin retirement [5:13] Strategies for spending more money [12:47] How to spend your HSA Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network BOOK - Die with Zero by Bill Perkins 8 Ways to Spend More Money Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit:http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/ Follow Ben on Twitter:https://twitter.com/retiremeasap Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter Dive deeper into retirement planning with Ben at www.RetirementIncome.University Subscribe to Re

It can be easy to forget your age as the birthdays roll around. However, when you’re about to turn 65 you’ll know. Medicare and all of their relevant service providers won’t let you forget.  You may feel inundated with the amount of mail, emails, and even phone calls and text messages, but rather than ignoring all the excess information, it’s important to dig in and learn so tha you can make the best decision for your healthcare.  To help you avoid potentially expensive and health-altering mistakes, today we’ll review 5 of the biggest Medicare mistakes you can make by reviewing an article by Rick Fine from The Sensible Financial Planning blog. Outline of This Episode [1:36] The 5 biggest Medicare mistakes [14:05] A rule of 55 question Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network Sensible Financial Planning blog Medicare Basics: What to Expect as You Approach Age 65 with Danielle Roberts Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit:http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/

You’ve been accumulating your savings your entire life, but when the time comes to draw down your investments, there are new risks. In this episode, we’ll discuss four risks that come with the decumulation phase of retirement.  Press play to learn how to avoid these risks in retirement.  Are you looking for a new advisor? One of our listeners is looking for a checklist to help him hire a retirement advisor. While answering that question I went ahead and made my advisor checklist available to all of you to download here. Outline of This Episode [1:47] Understand effective strategies for the decumulation phase [11:20] Do I have a checklist to use to hire a retirement advisor?  Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network Questions to ask a retirement advisor Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit:http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/ Follow Ben on Twitter:https://twitter.com/retiremeasap Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter Dive deepe

A lot of us are looking to get in shape in retirement. This is a good thing since part of living an even better retirement is looking after your health and muscle mass. Staying healthier and more active longer will ensure that you are making the most out of your retirement. In addition, maintaining a healthy muscle mass is a huge part of keeping your health as you age. In this episode, we’ll explore a Scientific American article on keeping your muscles strong as you age. Make sure to listen in to discover some tools that I use to track my health and wellness as I enter the second half of my life. Outline of This Episode [1:12] Keeping up your muscles [5:23] What I’m doing to stay healthy [10:01] How can two opposite approaches achieve the same goal? Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network Scientific American article Dexa Scan InBody Scan My Fitness Pal Whoop Band Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit:http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/ Follow Ben on Twitte

Do you have index funds in your portfolio? Chances are you do!  Our retirement headline today describes the rise of index funds over active funds and why that’s important. Discover how index funds connect with my investment philosophy by pressing play now.  Outline of This Episode [1:22] Index funds have grown exponentially over the years [2:23] What are index funds [5:58] How index funds fit into my investment philosophy [10:04] Will my estimated Social Security benefit decrease if I retire before full retirement age? Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network Morning Star article Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit:http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/ Follow Ben on Twitter:https://twitter.com/retiremeasap Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter Dive deeper into retirement planning with Ben at www.RetirementIncome.University Subscribe to Retirement Starts Today on Apple Podcasts,Stitcher,TuneIn,Podbean,Player FM,iHeart, orSpo