📅 Book a 1-on-1 with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

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The kids might be heading back to school, but today it’s your turn to take a pop quiz—on retirement planning. In this episode, Ryan puts us to the test on five essential financial questions every retiree and pre-retiree should know. So, let’s test your knowledge with a quick financial pop quiz and see how ready you really are.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

📆 When you can claim full Social Security benefits

💰 Catch-up contributions after age 50

📂 Which accounts require RMDs

📈 What the 4% rule really means today

🚨 Top risks that can derail retirement

Visit us online: https://blackoakam.com/

Phone: (470) 508-0508

Get in touch with the Black Oak team: https://blackoakam.com/contact-us/

Schedule a call with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

Get more financial education on our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/45kJlwI

📅 Book a 1-on-1 with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

📦 Grab your FREE Tax-Free Retirement Toolkit: https://toolkit.blackoakam.com/podcast-toolkit.html 

Just because something used to be true doesn’t mean it still is, especially in retirement planning. In 2025, rising interest rates, tax uncertainty, and longer retirements mean it’s time to rethink some of the old advice. These seven assumptions sound smart at first… but they could quietly hurt your plan if you’re not careful. In this episode, Ryan walks through the most common retirement “rules” that may have expired, and explains what to consider instead.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

📉 Why 4% may no longer work

🧾 Tax strategies need an update

💸 You might not spend less

🧠 Rethink, realign, retire smarter

Visit us online: https://blackoakam.com/

Phone: (470) 508-0508

Get in touch with the Black Oak team: https://blackoakam.com/contact-us/

Schedule a call with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

Get your tax-free retirement toolkit: https://bit.ly/3PMjKqc

Get more financial education on our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/45kJlwI

📅 Book a 1-on-1 with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

📦 Grab your FREE Tax-Free Retirement Toolkit: https://toolkit.blackoakam.com/podcast-toolkit.html 

Cue the mixtape of Nirvana, Madonna, and Prince… Gen X, it’s your turn to get ready for retirement. And the stakes are high. You were the first 401(k) generation, hit by two major market crashes, and now you’re entering retirement with more financial uncertainty than the Boomers before you. But you also have something else: resilience. If you're in between your mid-40s and early 60s, it’s time to get serious about what retirement will look like for your generation.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

🎸 Rocked by Nirvana, now rocked by retirement? Gen X faces unique financial headwinds

💣 Kill the debt bomb before it blows up your fixed income

💡 Catch-up hacks unlocked! Supercharge savings in your 50s and 60s

🕶️ Semi-retired & still cool… why side gigs could be your secret weapon

🧩 Retirement math isn’t guesswork, smart software and strategy make it crystal clear

Visit us online: https://blackoakam.com/

Phone: (470) 508-0508

Get in touch with the Black Oak team: https://blackoakam.com/contact-us/

Schedule a call with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

Get your tax-free retirement toolkit: https://bit.ly/3PMjKqc

Get more financial education on our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/45kJlwI

📅 Book a 1-on-1 with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

📦 Grab your FREE Tax-Free Retirement Toolkit: https://toolkit.blackoakam.com/podcast-toolkit.html 

Big tax law changes always bring big rumors. But before you assume Social Security is now tax-free or that you’re getting a $40K deduction just for breathing, let’s set the record straight on what this new bill didn’t actually do. In this episode, Ryan sets the record straight on some of the most misleading claims surrounding the new “Big Beautiful Bill.”

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

⚠️ Six big myths people might believe about the Big Beautiful Bill

📉 Tax cuts aren’t universal, income limits and phaseouts still apply

🤔 What sounds like a benefit, might not be a benefit to everyone

🚗 Car loan interest deduction is real, but let’s look at the fine print

Visit us online: https://blackoakam.com/

Phone: (470) 508-0508

Get in touch with the Black Oak team: https://blackoakam.com/contact-us/

Schedule a call with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

Get your tax-free retirement toolkit: https://bit.ly/3PMjKqc

Get more financial education on our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/45kJlwI

📅 Book a 1-on-1 with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

📦 Grab your FREE Tax-Free Retirement Toolkit: https://toolkit.blackoakam.com/podcast-toolkit.html 

A new tax bill has officially passed (you’ve probably heard it mentioned as the “Big Beautiful Bill”). And while most headlines are focused on politics, we’re focused on what it means for your retirement. The choices you make in the next year or two could have a significant impact on how much you keep and how much goes to Uncle Sam. In this episode, Ryan unpacks the key changes and why they matter for your retirement.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

🌆 Good news for high-property-tax states

💵 Tax brackets extended, but don’t call them permanent

💰 “Senior Bonus” deduction… is this a good thing?

🧮 Social Security still taxed, despite misleading headlines

🔁 Roth conversions still alive, with no new limits, no income cap

Visit us online: https://blackoakam.com/

Phone: (470) 508-0508

Get in touch with the Black Oak team: https://blackoakam.com/contact-us/

Schedule a call with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

Get your tax-free retirement toolkit: https://bit.ly/3PMjKqc

Get more financial education on our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/45kJlwI

📅 Book a 1-on-1 with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

📦 Grab your FREE Tax-Free Retirement Toolkit: https://toolkit.blackoakam.com/podcast-toolkit.html 

Markets crash. Taxes shift. Congress waffles on Social Security. You can’t control any of that. And stressing over it won’t help. What will? Focusing on the four things that actually move the needle in retirement. In this episode, Ryan breaks down the key areas where retirees actually do have control, and how leaning into those can make all the difference.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

📉 Why risk consistency matters more than averages

💸 Income streams you can count on

📊 How tax buckets change everything

🧠 Control Social Security’s role in your plan

Visit us online: https://blackoakam.com/

Phone: (470) 508-0508

Get more financial education on our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/45kJlwI

📅 Book a 1-on-1 with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

📦 Grab your FREE Tax-Free Retirement Toolkit:  https://toolkit.blackoakam.com/podcast-toolkit.html 

You’ve worked hard, saved well, and now you’re thinking about giving back—maybe to your kids, your grandkids, or a cause you care about. But should you wait and pass that wealth on later, or give while you’re still around to enjoy the impact? Let’s talk about how to make that decision with confidence.

In this episode, Ryan walks through the key considerations for making smart, intentional choices with your wealth, including understanding gift tax rules, weighing the emotional impact, and making sure your own financial foundation is solid before giving anything away.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

✨ $19,000 Gift Tax Exclusion

👀 See the Impact Now: enjoy watching loved one's benefit while you're here

🎓 Tuition gifting tip to avoid using gift limit

❤️ Clarify your “why” and what truly matters to you

💸 Smarter RMD strategies

Visit us online: https://blackoakam.com/

Phone: (470) 508-0508

Get more financial education on our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/45kJlwI

📅 Book a 1-on-1 with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

📦 Grab your FREE Tax-Free Retirement Toolkit: https://toolkit.blackoakam.com/podcast-toolkit.html 

The 4% rule gets talked about like gospel in retirement planning. But let’s be honest, it’s always been more of a rough guess than a golden rule. Now, its original creator is revising it to 4.7%. So, does that mean your retirement paycheck just got a raise, or is this just another headline that oversimplifies a complex decision? In this episode, Ryan breaks down what this new 4.7% number really means—and more importantly, what it doesn’t.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

💸 Why the 4% rule isn’t dead—but it’s not magic either

📊 What the “new” 4.7% rule actually changes

🧾 Why income matters more than your nest egg

🛠️ How to personalize your withdrawal strategy

🎯 Why Ryan never leads with percentages in planning

👉Investor’s Business Daily article “The 4% Rule For Retirement Gets An Update. Here's The New Formula:” https://www.investors.com/etfs-and-funds/retirement/four-percent-rule-for-retirement-new-withdrawal-rate/ 

Visit us online: https://blackoakam.com/

Phone: (470) 508-0508

Get more financial education on our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/45kJlwI

Target-date funds just passed $4 trillion in assets. They’re now the default investment in many 401(k)s, and millions of Americans are using them without really understanding how they work. So, are they a smart choice… or just the easiest one? These funds promise convenience and automatic adjustments, but with so much riding on a one-size-fits-all solution, it’s worth asking—are they really helping you, or just keeping you on autopilot?

In this episode, Ryan explains how target-date funds work, why they’ve become so popular, and the hidden pitfalls that many investors miss.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

💰 What $4 trillion in target-date funds means for investors

🗺️ Why "set it and forget it" may lead you off course

🎢 How risk and returns can vary wildly between fund providers

⏳ The danger of getting too conservative too soon

🔍 Smarter strategies as you near retirement

Visit us online: https://blackoakam.com/

Phone: (470) 508-0508

Get in touch with the Black Oak team: https://blackoakam.com/contact-us/

Schedule a call with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

Get your tax-free retirement toolkit: https://toolkit.blackoakam.com/podcast-toolkit.html 

Get more financial education on our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/45kJlwI

Graduation season is an exciting milestone, not just for the grads, but for parents and grandparents who have supported them along the way. Today, Ryan wants to share practical ways you can help your graduate make smart financial decisions early, along with actions that could have a lasting impact on their future. Join us as we discuss ways families can pass on more than just good wishes.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

🎓 Celebrate with wisdom, not just gifts

🏦 Teach saving vs. investing (and early!)

💳 Credit cards: tools or traps?

🧾 Roth IRAs and the magic of starting young

Visit us online: https://blackoakam.com/

Phone: (470) 508-0508

Get in touch with the Black Oak team: https://blackoakam.com/contact-us/

Schedule a call with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

Get your tax-free retirement toolkit: https://bit.ly/3PMjKqc

Get more financial education on our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/45kJlwI