The definition of an “Outlier” is:  “A person or thing differing from all other members of a particular group or set.”  Our definition of a “Retirement Outlier” is:  “Someone who didn’t save using traditional retirement accounts and/or ability to save was thwarted by life events.” 

Are you an Outlier?  Did you invest your retirement savings in your business?  Real estate?  Inherited accounts?  Government retirement plans?  Education plans?  Do you have a dependent adult child who will need your assistance indefinitely?  Did you have to use your retirement accounts for a personal crisis, which forced you to “start over” later in life?  In this episode Dennis Prout and Shea Petaja discuss the Outlier concept and their ideas.

Investopedia has created a checklist to consider before making that decision to retire early.  In this episode Dennis Prout discusses these list items to include:

1. Your Debts Are Paid Off

2. Your Savings Exceeded Your Retirement Goals

3. Your Retirement Plans Don't Have an Early Withdrawal Penalty

4. You Healthcare is Covered

5. You Can Currently Live on your Retirement Budget

6. You Have a New Plan or Project for Retirement

The Wall Street Journal just published a great article, "The Biggest Surprises in Retirement," that resonated so deeply with us because these are the real-life stories we hear every week.  Listen to this week's show as Dennis Prout and Shea Petaja discuss the surprises in retirement as noted in this article. 

Join Dennis Prout and Shea Petaja as they discuss another one of Ed Slott's Articles, 10 Things Every Advisor Must Know When a Spouse Inherits and IRA.  

Kiplinger keeps knocking it out of the park with its articles on preparing you for tax season.  As you know, some forms of income are taxed going in and some while going out, and some get taxed on both ends.  Oh, and that moving target called your "tax bracket", which more than likely changed once your retired? Dennis Prout and Shea Petaja talk about these subjects in this weeks podcast.

While some tax deductions are obvious, others aren't.  Kiplinger just released its "23 Most Overlooked Tax Deductions" list, and in this episode Dennis Prout and Shea Petaja go through them one by one.  Also joining Dennis and Shea in this show is Prout team member, Shelly Osborne, who has experience in tax preparation and will answer many questions.

Using your retirement savings for something other than its specified purpose is possible, but it needs to be done with care.  Dennis says, "Most of us don't plan on needing money early, but if we do, how do we draw the funds? How do we avoid penalties involved? What strategies do we employ if we've been let go from a company, have unexpected health issues or college costs? Or what if we need extra income on a monthly basis if one spouse retires early?" Listen as Dennis Prout and Shea Petaja discuss which accounts to draw from and how to draw money early.  Whether it's an unexpected emergency or an early retirement, there is, in fact, a method to the madness.

Folks either survived or thrived in 2016.  This year we have a new administration in the government, unusually low interest rates and a shocking rise in the stock market toward year-end.  The pessimist in all of us says, "What goes up, must come down".  The realist in us says, "Get the facts.  Information is power." The optimist says, "Regardless of what's going on, I have control".  In today's show Dennis Prout and Shea Petaja speak to the inner pessimist, realist and optimist by answering 10 Economic Forecast Questions.

For a business owner most of their investments may be in their business, which could be the single largest asset of their net worth. In today's show, Dennis Prout interviews Tim Cartwright, Partner at Fifth Avenue Advisors in Naples Florida.  Tim manages Fifth Avenue's subsidiary business, Compass Advisory Group, which is a mergers and acquisitions consultancy that helps entrepreneurs and families sell their business to create liquidity.  As a sell-side advocate, Tim will dispel the fear and mystery in mergers and acquisitions.

In this episode Dennis Prout and Shea Petaja review the Five Year-End Mistakes You Won't Want to Make, along with financial goal setting.