The 4% rule is largely considered to be the gold standard of the financial industry. However it should not be the end all and be all since credit and inflation cycles can affect this rate and you should constantly track your cash flow projections in retirement. So what should your retirement review look like?  Later on Rob Black sits in to discuss the slight pull back in the market after a strong February as we await Donald Trump’s speech tonight on the economy. What will investors be listening for? Will he be able to keep his deregulatory promises? Rob also breaks down numbers from the new Case-Shiller home price index and some big problems lying within them.

Join Rob Black, Michelle Lerman and I at next week's retirement seminar starting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 9th at the Toll House Hotel in Los Gatos. Use the code radio25 for free entry. Click HERE to sign up!

Email your money question to [email protected] , or call the show at 1-800-516-1220 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. (PDT)

Call 1-888-762-2423 for Wealth Management and Financial Planning services or visit www.NewFocusFinancial.com.

I give my thoughts on several topics emailed in by you, the listeners. First off I’ll talk about Donald Trump and the markets response immediately following his election. I discuss drivers that can continue to push the market higher and issues that could cause a pullback. How does this compare to last year when our main concerns included the oil decline, rate hikes and Apple’s problems in China? Other topics include:

• Should you take profits while the market is high and pay down home equity?
• Where is a good place to invest emergency funds?
• What should we do to protect our portfolios from inflation?
• What is the correct strategy for this couple with difference risk tolerances and can’t agree how to invest

Join Rob Black, Michelle Lerman and I at our next retirement seminar starting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 9th at the Toll House Hotel in Los Gatos. Click HERE to sign up!

Email your money question to [email protected] , or call the show at 1-800-516-1220 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. (PDT)

Call 1-888-762-2423 for Wealth Management and Financial Planning services or visit www.NewFocusFinancial.com.

Today I start off by talking about a few products you need to know about when going into retirement explaining which are good and which you should avoid. I then explain changes to filing and suspending social security as the deadline approaches. I also discuss when and when not to rollover your 401k and avoiding estate planning nightmares.

Join Rob Black, Michelle Lerman and I at our next retirement seminar starting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 9th at the Toll House Hotel in Los Gatos. Click HERE to sign up!

Email your money question to [email protected] , or call the show at 1-800-516-1220 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. (PDT)

Call 1-888-762-2423 for Wealth Management and Financial Planning services or visit www.NewFocusFinancial.com.

Encore Edition

Children don’t come cheap. A Bloomberg article reports the cost of having children hits $233,610, a 3% increase from last year’s survey. Costs such as housing, transportation, food and clothing are broken down, but one significant expense is excluded from this survey. Does it make sense for one parent to stay home? Making sure the true net of your income exceeds child care costs is one of many financial concerns you need to review before having kids. Other topics include:

• The trust of a real estate millionaire who left conditional money to his daughters provides a good outline you should consider for you own estate plan
• Goldman Sachs claims bonds to stocks rotation to be fake news
• Lower taxes and social security –self-employed and high-income earners will get slammed by taxes
• Why good credit matters after retirement

Join Rob Black, Michelle Lerman and I at our next retirement seminar starting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 9th at the Toll House Hotel in Los Gatos. Click HERE to sign up!

Email your money question to [email protected] , or call the show at 1-800-516-1220 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. (PDT)

Call 1-888-762-2423 for Wealth Management and Financial Planning services or visit www.NewFocusFinancial.com.

Encore Edition

Tax season is usually a confusing time for most people. Today I share several common mistakes people make such as filing a 1099 early or filing an extension under the belief you’ll have extra time to fund an IRA or ROTH. Whether you file your own taxes or leave it to your CPA, do not make these mistakes! Other topics include:

• Trump and our terrible tax code- Should I be afraid for my job?
• Estate planning mistakes from elder care attorney Randall Kaiden
• Using options to protect concentrated positions on a stock
• Hedging against drawndowns in retirement

Join Rob Black, Michelle Lerman and I at our next retirement seminar starting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 9th at the Toll House Hotel in Los Gatos. Click HERE to sign up!

Email your money question to [email protected] , or call the show at 1-800-516-1220 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. (PDT)

Call 1-888-762-2423 for Wealth Management and Financial Planning services or visit www.NewFocusFinancial.com.

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1099’s and W-2’s are arriving in the mail which is a sign that tax season is approaching along with phone and email scams. Why you should be more skeptical as companies such as Turbo Tax may be adding more "offers" to their software. You also need to be aware of permanent life insurance and other products not meant for people still building a financial base. Other topics include:

• Why buy term and invest the difference
• How much do you have to earn if you didnt invest in a 401k
• How much you need to have saved for retirement at each stage of life
• Why retirement planning isn't a single date in the future
• Best accounts to teach your children about saving and investing
• How advisors can add Tax Alpha

Join Rob Black, Michelle Lerman and I at our next retirement seminar starting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 9th at the Toll House Hotel in Los Gatos. Click HERE to sign up!

Email your money question to [email protected] , or call the show at 1-800-516-1220 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. (PDT)

Call 1-888-762-2423 for Wealth Management and Financial Planning services or visit www.NewFocusFinancial.com.

Today I start out by responding to Pam who asks if she could increase her social security benefits by delaying social security until age 70 while earning more during that time. What are restricted applications and how do you use it to boost your/spousal benefits? I also chat with Michelle Lerman about common IRA estate planning scenarios and alternative options for taking care of your children and second spouse after death. Other topics include

• Costly Medicare part B premiums
• Gift taxes and tax deferred growth- is it wise to gift your children $14,000 yearly for tax purposes?
• What is this listener missing in his 401k allocation
• How much should agressive investors in emergency funds when your income varies

Email your money question to [email protected] , or call the show at 1-800-516-1220 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. (PDT)

Call 1-888-762-2423 for Wealth Management and Financial Planning services or visit www.NewFocusFinancial.com.

New fiduciary rules from the Department of Labor were set to take effect this April, but are causing friction in the White House. Will these new rules and regulations force all financial advisors to work in your best interest? Who is fighting these new regulations and why? Other topics include:

• Horrible index life insurance television advertisements disguised as an investment
• Which accounts to draw from first in retirement
• Protecting your assets if you share your home via Airbnb, VBRO and others
• History of major stock market drawdown's and how they can affect your retirement
• What is an IRA Trust?
• Retirement and estate planning strategies for your child with special needs

Email your money question to [email protected] , or call the show at 1-800-516-1220 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. (PDT)

Call 1-888-762-2423 for Wealth Management and Financial Planning services or visit www.NewFocusFinancial.com.

We had an interesting day on Wall Street as sectors that rallied post-election see tough times and sectors that didn’t fare well see strength. Since market returns took a breather this January I take a moment to remind you not to make the same mistakes many did last February and stick with a portfolio that matches your risk tolerance and goals. How do you measure the levels of risk in your portfolio? Other topics include:

• Email scam disguised as PayPal
• Single stock risk analysis
• Analyzing risk and rebalancing the stock side of your portfolio
• How taxes and transaction costs come into play depending on whether you sell or use cash and dividends to rebalance portfolio
• Buying vs. leasing a car

Join Rob Black, Michelle Lerman and I at our next retirement seminar starting at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 9th at Double Tree by Hilton Berkeley Marina. Click HERE to sign up and use code RETIREMENT123 for free entry! 

Email your money question to [email protected] , or call the show at 1-800-516-1220 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. (PDT)

Call 1-888-762-2423 for Wealth Management and Financial Planning services or visit www.NewFocusFinancial.com.

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Investing for retirement income today is harder than when I started 23 years ago. Bonds and CD rates are near historical lows and retirees are being bombarded with “alternative Investments”. It can be hard to distinguish the difference between good and bad retirement products.  Sign up for next week’s Berkeley event to make sure you have a proper strategy in place and a fiduciary on your side.  Specific topics for today include:

• Retirement product warnings
• Reverse mortgages
• QLAC’s- Qualified Lifetime Annuity Contract
• Indexed annuities
• New versions of long term care insurance
• Permanent life insurance
• Structured notes
• Maximizing social security income

Join Rob Black, Michelle Lerman and I at our next retirement seminar starting at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 9th at Double Tree by Hilton Berkeley Marina. Click HERE to sign up and use code RETIREMENT123 for free entry! 

Email your money question to [email protected] , or call the show at 1-800-516-1220 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. (PDT)

Call 1-888-762-2423 for Wealth Management and Financial Planning services or visit www.NewFocusFinancial.com.