Plan For Life Now

There is no other word to describe recent stock and bond returns, other than awful. The six months ending June 30th ranked in the bottom 2% in history for a balanced portfolio. Dave and Steve discuss the current state of the markets and what we should expect for the rest of the year. What will the Secure Act 2.0 mean for your RMDs? Should I buy I bonds right now? And why are so many people filing early for social security? Hear all this and more in the latest episode!

After flirting with the magical 20% barrier, stocks officially closed in a bear market. What does this mean for the average retiree? How long does the typical bear market last and how fast is the average recovery? How should you have your assets allocated between different asset classes? Also, find out which famous (infamous?) internet ad is mysteriously absent during a bear market and why it drives Dave crazy. Tune in to hear all of this and more in the latest episode!

As the stock market continues to decline, Dave and Steve weigh in with their thoughts and look back at past bear markets. What can we learn from the past declines and how does it relate to today? They also discuss what it feels like to retire and start spending retirement assets in this environment. Is the 4% rule still applicable today? Tune in to hear it all!

The market woes have continued as we entered the 2nd quarter of 2022. However, the normal dynamic of bonds as a safe haven from stock market declines has not played out this year. While stocks are down 10%-15%, the broad bond market is down almost 10% off it’s highs. What does this mean for diversified portfolios? Is the 60/40 model of asset allocation dead? How should you allocate in the future? All of this, plus we answer listener questions from the mail bag. Tune in to hear it all!

Concerns over Ukraine, inflation and rising interest rates have continued to weigh on the market and cause negative stock market returns. In this month’s episode Dave and Steve attempt to give some perspective on the current decline. How has the market reacted to past geopolitical shocks? How often does the market recover from a decline and still produce positive year end results? Is this the start to the next bear market? Tune in to find out!

2022 has started off with something we haven’t seen in a while: Volatility. Listen to the latest podcast to hear Dave and Steve discuss why the stock market is off to a terrible start. What does this mean for the rest of the year? How can we use history as a guide to what might happen going forward? Should we pay attention to the financial pundits when they make predictions? Tune in to gain some perspective on the market decline and to determine whether you should make any changes to your portfolio!

Dave and Steve start off the year by looking back at 2021 and looking forward into 2022. How much did the stock market gain in 2021 and how much growth are pundits predicting in 2022? More importantly, how do the long term projections affect how you should plan for your own retirement. Listen now to find out!

In this episode Dave and Steve discuss a topic that is near and dear to all of us; how can we (legally) minimize the taxes we pay. First they explain the analysis behind the decision to convert to a Roth IRA (8:23). Next they discuss how it might make sense to realize capital gains now rather than in the future when capital gains taxes might rise (23:03). Lastly, they discuss the use of life insurance and how it can be structured as a very tax efficient asset (24:42).

The most recent inflation data shows that prices have increased at 6.2% over the past year. This is the highest inflation reading since the early 90s. Will we continue to face high inflation for years to come? Listen to Dave and Steve discuss the future of inflation and how to position your portfolio going forward.

In today’s modern media world of Facebook and Twitter, we’ve all witnessed “outrage marketing”, even if we don’t know the term. These are the articles designed to elicit an emotional response, either positive or negative. In this month’s episode, Dave and Steve discuss “outrage marketing” in the world of personal finance. How can this type of marketing bias your portfolio and how you invest?