People turning 65 have a lot of important decisions to make. Do they apply for Social Security, or do they wait until they're older? When do they apply for Medicare, what are the differences between A, B, C, and D, and which ones are right for them?

To answer these questions, I talked with Retirement Management Advisor Marcia Mantell to provide some guidance to those having to make those decisions.

In this episode you will learn:

• When to start the Social Security and Medicare application process — and why missing the window can cost you
• The most common and costly mistakes people make when applying, and how to avoid them
• How to decide when to claim Social Security, including the real trade-offs between claiming early and waiting
• How Medicare enrollment works — Parts A, B, C, and D — and what the timeline actually looks like
• What happens if you miss a Medicare deadline, and whether the penalties are as serious as people fear
• How Social Security works for married couples and what strategies exist to maximize lifetime benefits for both spouses
• What to do if you've already claimed and wonder if you made the wrong call

For many people, saving for retirement and living in retirement means hoping that the money lasts. Their goal is not to outlive their money. But for others, building a legacy to pass on is what's important.

That's why in this episode of the podcast I talk with Certified Financial Planner Chad Taylor on how to create a family wealth legacy to pass on to the next generation.

In this episode you will learn:

• Where legacy planning actually starts
• Why waiting until retirement or estate planning is too late
• The most common ways families accidentally destroy wealth between generations
• What families who successfully transfer wealth to the next generation do differently
• The key estate planning documents and structures that make the biggest difference for families getting serious about legacy

One key to retirement savings and living in retirement that is not addressed by most people is tax planning. You want not only to minimize taxes in your retirement income, but in the savings you put aside during your working life.

That's why in this episode of the podcast I talked with Alan Porter, a Certified Financial Fiduciary and Certified Tax & Business Advisor, to give you the answers you need to succeed.

In this episode you will learn:

• What you can do while saving for retirement to ensure it will be tax free
• What you can do in retirement to minimize or eliminate taxes
• How you can reduce healthcare costs

Most people know that there is some risk to investing and retirement planning. In fact, "Risk Tolerance" for the investor is a key factor in deciding where to put your money. But most people don't know that there are non-financial risks as well.

That's why in this episode of the podcast I talk with Chris Maduri about what those risks are and how you can avoid them to ensure a comfortable retirement.

In this episode you will learn:

• How having a purpose once you stop working is key
• Why connecting with people outside of work is important
• Why establishing an identity not connected to your job keeps you centered
• Practical ways to prepare for retirement psychologically, not just financially

Diversity in your investments and savings for retirement (and your efforts to achieve long term financial freedom) is very important. It's key to minimizing risk and maximizing return. Lately, precious metals, as an investment, has become a topic of discussion.

To find out whether you should do it, and if so, how to go about it, I talked with Kristen Nagle about how she helps folks to get started in this market.

In this episode you will learn:

• Whether you should invest in precious metals
• How to get started
• What portion of your portfolio should be in precious metals

Each generation has a different approach to money, saving, retirement, and what it means to be financially free and secure. So strategies for starting on that journey can vary quite a bit, and Gen Z is no exception.

That's why on this episode of the podcast I talked with Jack Campbell, an investor and venture capitalist who helps Gen Zers to discuss how they can map out and navigate their path to financial freedom.

In this episode you will learn:

• How a person's generation defines their financial goals and saving strategies
• What that definition is for Gen Z
• Why old money rules don't work for Gen Z
• What rules do work
• The importance of investing in defense, energy, and industrial entities.

Achieving financial freedom is something people aspire to, but not everyone thinks it is possible. Even those that do think it will take them way too long. For some it means getting out from under debt first; for others it means being able to invest enough each year to make it happen in a reasonable amount of time.

But sometimes it can be done quicker. That's why on this episode of the podcast I talk with Ryan Lee who, by following a less traditional path, was able to achieve financial freedom in less than 10 years.

In this episode you will learn:

• Why the traditional retirement saving system is broken
• How to invest in real estate without all the hassles and responsibilities of being a landlord
• How insurance can help you get to financial freedom sooner

With the engagement of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, there's been a lot of talk on social media about prenuptual agreements. But what many people don't know is that these agreements (as well as their lesser-known cousins, post-nuptual agreements) are not just for the very rich. Others can benefit from them as well.

That's why in this episode of the podcast I talked with New Jersey certified family law attorney AllynMarie Smedley about how these two agreements work, when they are appropriate, and how they can help couples both before and after they get married.

In this episode you will learn:

• What a pre-nuptual agreement is
• What a post-nuptual agreement is
• Why you might want to have one
• How they can help
• How to broach the topic to your fiancee/spouse

Most people are focused on the savings part of their retirement planning. They contribute to their 401k, put something into a Roth IRA, and have an emergency fund. But what they often don't think about is the transition from saving to spending that will happen when they actually retire.

That's why on this episode of the podcast I talk with Laura Rehbein of Impavid Wealth Advisors on how to go about creating a new paycheck when the old one goes away.

In this episode you will learn:

• How to shift your mindset from saving to spending
• How your money can grow while you spend it
• About the building blocks of your retirement paycheck
• Why you need to rebuild your paycheck periodically

Having your first child is a wondrous event for a married couple as they start a family. There's lots of celebration surrounding it. But the cost of raising that child after its born is something that involves lots of advanced planning to avoid serious stress to your finances (and financial freedom) going forward.

So how much does it cost to raise a child these days? To answer that question I talked with Certified Financial Planner Lori Atwood to identify those costs and what people can do to plan for them.

In this episode you will learn:

• The kinds of financial changes soon-to-be parents should expect
• How to determine how those changes will affect you specifically
• How to start making changes to your financial plan to adapt to these changes
• The best ways to prepare for these changes
• How these costs change as the child get over, and how you can adapt to them