With AI getting smarter by the day, financial scams are no longer just obvious emails from international princes. Today, bad actors are using personalized and sophisticated voice cloning, DocuSign spoofs, and hidden crypto links to target everyday savers and pre-retirees. In this episode of Can I Retire Now?, Nick and Becky dive into the updated landscape of modern financial fraud.

From imposter calls that mimic your family members to "smishing" text scams and long-con romance fraud, we break down how current scammers exploit technology and your emotions to steal over $120 billion a year in the U.S. alone. We also share practical, real-world strategies to protect your hard-earned wealth. Plus, Becky takes us back to 300 BC to share a wild story about the world's oldest documented instance of insurance fraud (and how it went terribly wrong).

Whether you’ve been a recipient of a recent suspicious text or just want to double down on your retirement account security, pull up a chair and join the conversation!

Key Takeaways: 

• Recognizing AI Imposters: Scammers are now using AI voice cloning and convincing
• Spotting Red Flags: Manufactured urgency is the #1 signal that a request is fraudulent; legitimate financial institutions will never demand immediate action under pressure.
• Implementing Simple Safeguards: Creating a family keyword, freezing your credit across all three bureaus, and using verbal verification before moving money provide immediate protection.
• Understanding Un-traceable Channels: Scammers heavily leverage cryptocurrency wallets and wire transfers specifically because they are nearly impossible to trace or reverse.
• Staying Intentional: Practicing basic digital hygiene, like regularly updating complex passwords and verifying links before signing electronic documents, keeps bad actors out.

Connect with Sunrise Wealth Advisors: 

• LinkedIn: Nick Russell
• Sunrise Wealth Advisors
• X: Nick Russell

Government legislation might not sound like standard weekend listening, but the latest changes could reshape how you save and spend your money. Today’s episode of Can I Retire Now?, dives into Part 2 of Nick and Becky’s breakdown of the SECURE 2.0 Act.

Employers can now match your student loan payments with 401(k) contributions and the new $2,500 emergency savings accounts are built right into workplace plans. With auto-enrollment and auto-escalation these options can set up future savers for success. We debate whether easier access to your retirement money is a helpful safety net or a dangerous habit, and Becky drops a surprising fun fact about America’s most secure location (and its exclusive visitor list).

Whether you're looking to leverage your student loan payments into retirement dollars or just curious about how these rule changes affect your savings strategy, join us for a chat!

Key Takeaways: 

• Balancing Retirement Accounts: Utilizing 401(k) emergency savings accounts and student loan matches helps younger workers build wealth without sacrificing short-term stability.
• Leveraging Automation: Auto-enrollment and auto-escalation features remove friction, naturally increasing retirement contributions as salaries grow.
• Navigating Penalty-Free Access: New Secure 2.0 provisions offer strategic flexibility for specific hardships, disaster relief, and long-term care premiums.
• Protecting Long-Term Growth: Maintaining traditional cash reserves prevents disruptive early withdrawals that can negatively impact ultimate retirement readiness.
• Planning Ahead: Evaluating new ways to access retirement funds highlights the importance of balancing near-term accessibility with long-term financial security.

Connect with Sunrise Wealth Advisors: 

• LinkedIn: Nick Russell
• Sunrise Wealth Advisors
• X: Nick Russell

Navigating government legislation shouldn't feel like decoding a foreign language. In this episode of Can I Retire Now?, Nick and Becky sit down to break down the actual, real-world impact of the Secure 2.0 Act.

The Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) ages have shifted, moving out to 73 and 75 depending on when you were born. That extra runway gives you a massive window for strategic Roth conversions. We dive into the new rules around high-earner catch-up contributions and why today's historical tax laws change the game. Plus, a surprisingly passionate debate over America's favorite condiments.

Whether you're aggressively planning your exit strategy or just trying to make sense of your retirement accounts, we've got you covered. Grab a seat, and let's talk it over!

Connect with Sunrise Wealth Advisors: 

• LinkedIn: Nick Russell
• Sunrise Wealth Advisors
• X: Nick Russell

Could you be paying taxes in retirement that you didn't actually have to pay?

Many retirees spend years focusing on saving money, only to discover that how they withdraw it can be just as important. Understanding the difference between taxable income and cash available to spend can open planning opportunities that many people never realize exist.

In this episode, Nick Russell and Becky Wagoner explain how the 0% long-term capital gains tax rate can create opportunities for recently retired couples who plan ahead. Through practical examples, they show how taxable income differs from spending money, why building cash reserves before retirement matters, how tax-gain harvesting can reduce future risk, and why retirement planning is just as much about tax planning as investment management.

Key takeaways:

• Understanding taxable income can create opportunities to realize long-term capital gains at a 0% tax rate
• Building cash reserves before retirement may provide more flexibility during the first retirement years
• Coordinating withdrawals, investments, and taxable income helps create more planning options over time
• Selling appreciated investments can reduce concentration risk while potentially limiting capital gains taxes
• Looking several years ahead often creates retirement tax opportunities that yearly planning can miss
• And more!

Connect with Sunrise Wealth Advisors: 

• LinkedIn: Nick Russell
• Sunrise Wealth Advisors
• X: Nick Russell

Retirement gets a lot more real when the calendar starts counting down. Questions around healthcare, taxes, income, routines, and timing can suddenly feel overwhelming.

What happens if you miss Medicare deadlines? How do you avoid tax surprises? And what does life actually look like once the work routine disappears?

In this episode, Nick Russell and Becky Wagoner walk through a retirement readiness checklist covering the final 12 months before retirement. They discuss Social Security timing, Medicare enrollment deadlines, tax planning opportunities, Roth conversions, investment income strategies, beneficiary reviews, and how to prepare emotionally for life after work. They also explain why retirement is more of a strategy game than a finish line and why planning early can help reduce stress during the transition.

Key takeaways:

• Medicare enrollment deadlines can affect premium costs for the rest of your retirement years
• Retirement tax planning may create opportunities for Roth conversions and lower taxable income
• Building cash reserves before retirement can help stabilize income during market downturns
• Weekly routines and lifestyle planning matter just as much as investment preparation before retiring
• PTO payouts, pensions, and retirement timing can all impact taxes during your first retirement year
• And more!

Connect with Sunrise Wealth Advisors: 

• LinkedIn: Nick Russell
• Sunrise Wealth Advisors
• X: Nick Russell

Summer travel is exciting…until the costs start piling up before you’ve even packed a bag. 

Between rising prices, group trips, and social pressure to “upgrade” every experience, it’s easy for vacation budgets to spiral.

In this episode, Nick Russell and Becky Wagoner discuss how rising travel costs are changing how Americans vacation this summer. They cover why fewer people are traveling, how group trips can quietly wreck budgets, and why planning conversations matter before booking anything. 

Becky also shares practical ways families can cut vacation costs without cutting fun, including off-peak travel, “reverse beach days,” and affordable destination ideas that still feel memorable.

Key takeaways:

• Why travel costs are pushing many families to rethink vacations and spending habits this summer
• How friend trips often lead travelers to overspend far beyond their original vacation budget
• Why budgeting conversations before booking can help avoid tension during group travel
• Creative ways families can lower vacation costs without giving up meaningful experiences
• How off-peak destinations and slower travel plans can reduce stress and improve trips
• And more!

Connect with Sunrise Wealth Advisors: 

• LinkedIn: Nick Russell
• Sunrise Wealth Advisors
• X: Nick Russell

Uncertainty in the market can make even the most experienced investors question their decisions.

How should you respond when headlines, politics, and volatility start influencing your financial choices?

In this episode, Nick Russell and Becky Wagoner break down how midterm election years have historically impacted the market and what investors can expect during these periods. They explain why volatility tends to rise leading into elections and how markets often recover afterward. 

Nick and Becky also explain why trying to time the market can backfire and highlight strategies such as dividend investing and buffered approaches to stay invested while managing risk.

Key takeaways:

• How midterm election cycles historically impact market volatility and investor behavior
• Why uncertainty often affects markets more than negative news events
• The risks of trying to time the market and missing key recovery days
• How dividend strategies can generate income during volatile periods
• Why staying invested with protective strategies can support long-term outcomes
• And more!

Connect with Sunrise Wealth Advisors: 

• LinkedIn: Nick Russell
• Sunrise Wealth Advisors
• X: Nick Russell

Most people avoid thinking about future care needs until it suddenly becomes real.

What happens when everyday tasks become difficult, and how does that impact your finances and family?

In this episode, Nick Russell and Becky Wagoner break down what long-term care really means and why it is a key part of retirement planning. They explain how care is tied to basic daily activities, who is most likely to need it, and the surprising reality that many claims happen before age 65. The conversation also explores the rising costs of care, common misconceptions about Medicare, and how newer hybrid insurance options are changing how people plan ahead.

Key takeaways:

• How long-term care is tied to everyday activities like bathing, dressing, and mobility needs
• Why most people will require care at some point, often for shorter but critical periods
• The financial impact of care, with costs ranging from $6,000 to over $10,000 monthly
• Why Medicare does not cover long-term care and how that creates planning gaps
• How newer hybrid insurance strategies combine life insurance with care benefits
• And more!

Connect with Sunrise Wealth Advisors: 

• LinkedIn: Nick Russell
• Sunrise Wealth Advisors
• X: Nick Russell

Many people think saving for retirement is the same thing as financial planning.

But are they really the same? And could focusing on one while ignoring the other leave major gaps in your financial future?

In this episode, Nick Russell and Becky Wagoner break down the difference between retirement planning and financial planning and why the distinction matters more than most people realize. They explore how many advisors focus mainly on investments while overlooking taxes, insurance, debt, and estate planning. Nick also explains why retirement planning is often formula-based while financial planning evolves throughout life as goals, priorities, and circumstances change.

Key takeaways:

• Why financial planning should act as the blueprint for your entire financial life and not just retirement savings
• How many advisor relationships focus mostly on investment returns rather than long-term financial strategy
• The difference between the accumulation of assets and the distribution stage during retirement years
• Questions people should ask advisors about fiduciary duty, independence, licensing, and the planning process
• Why tax planning is becoming the next major focus area in comprehensive financial planning
• And more!

Connect with Sunrise Wealth Advisors: 

• LinkedIn: Nick Russell
• Sunrise Wealth Advisors
• X: Nick Russell

Buying a car can feel exciting, but the payment can quietly shape your financial future.

Are you thinking about what that monthly number means for your long-term plans?

In this episode, Nick Russell and Becky Wagoner share the real numbers behind their recent $40,000 car purchase. They break down when financing at 1.9% made more sense than paying cash, how a $3,000 Costco discount changed the deal, and why your car payment should never exceed what you save for retirement. 

They also explore interest rates, emergency reserves, and how to avoid rolling one car payment into the next for decades.

Key takeaways:

• How a Costco membership instantly reduced their purchase price by $3,000
• Why 1.9% financing can beat paying cash when money is earning elsewhere
• A practical benchmark tying your car payment to retirement savings
• The importance of cash reserves before taking on any new payment
• Why many drivers keep rolling payments instead of keeping cars longer
• And more!

Connect with Sunrise Wealth Advisors: 

• LinkedIn: Nick Russell
• Sunrise Wealth Advisors
• X: Nick Russell