In Episode 45 of Retire and Thrive, Cody and Dan explore the “Tuesday Question” and why retirement planning is about more than having enough money. This conversation looks at purpose, daily routine, and retirement cash flow, and why being intentional with your time may be one of the most important parts of a successful retirement.

In this episode:

• What the “Tuesday Question” means

• Why retirement is not all Saturdays

• How lifestyle choices can change your retirement cash flow

• Why purpose, identity, and fulfillment matter after work

• How to tell whether you are truly ready to retire

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome back

01:20 The Tuesday Question

02:28 What an ordinary Tuesday in retirement really looks like

05:54 Why retirement is not all Saturdays

08:36 Planning a realistic retirement week

11:17 How lifestyle affects retirement cash flow

14:18 Purpose, volunteering, and identity in retirement

17:53 Are you really ready to retire?

19:28 Final thoughts

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Important disclosure:

Fortress Financial Group, LLC is a registered investment advisor. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Fortress Financial Group, LLC and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. This content is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal.

Confused by the SECURE Act and what it means for your retirement plan? Dan and Cody break down inherited IRA deadlines, Roth catch-up rules for higher earners, the 529-to-Roth strategy, updated RMD penalties, and why your tax plan may need a fresh review. If you are retired or getting close, this episode is a practical reset on the retirement rule changes worth reviewing now with your CPA, advisor, and attorney.

In this episode of Retire and Thrive, Dan and Kamie take on some of the retirement questions people may hesitate to ask. They discuss how much money someone may need to retire, whether people can run out of money in retirement, how major financial decisions can affect a long-term plan, and why diversification and disciplined decision-making matter.

They also talk about how supporting adult children can impact retirement and why trying to time the market can be costly. To close, they highlight the opportunities that can come with a well-built retirement plan and the freedom that thoughtful preparation can create.

Fortress Financial Group, LLC is a registered investment advisor. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Fortress and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. The opinions expressed are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. Investing involves risk, including loss of principal.

Are market crashes really the biggest threat to retirement?

In this episode of Retire and Thrive, Kamie and Dan break down the retirement risks that can quietly do even more damage than a market downturn, including inflation, taxes, and longevity.

If you are getting close to retirement or already there, this episode will help you think beyond the headlines and focus on what can actually derail a long-term financial plan.

In this episode:

• Why market downturns become more dangerous when people panic

• How inflation can steadily erode retirement income

• Why living longer can create unexpected financial pressure

• How taxes affect retirement withdrawals and future flexibility

• Why spending habits and regular plan reviews matter

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to Retire and Thrive

01:24 Are market crashes really the biggest threat to retirement?

02:04 Why emotional decisions during downturns can hurt

04:23 The hidden risk of longevity

06:24 How taxes affect retirement income

07:27 The “borrowing from the IRS” analogy

09:14 Should you only use the Roth option?

10:09 Practical advice for avoiding long-term retirement risks

11:16 Why inflation matters more than many people realize

13:09 Closing thoughts

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In Episode 41 of Retire & Thrive, Kamie and Dan Langworthy discuss how a financial plan can help you stay grounded during uncertain markets. From downturns and diversification to retirement timing and emotional decision-making, this episode breaks down why sticking to a plan matters more than reacting to fear.

In this episode:

• Why your financial plan should guide your decisions during market volatility

• What really moves the market over time

• Why diversification matters at every stage of life

• When it makes sense to hire a financial advisor

• How investment strategy changes as you get closer to retirement

• Why reviewing your portfolio regularly is so important

• What gives retirees peace of mind during uncertain times

Chapters

00:00 Welcome

00:30 Why your financial plan matters in a downturn

01:32 What really controls the market?

03:43 When should you start financial planning?

06:15 Why diversification matters

07:44 Is it ever too late to diversify?

08:39 Why you should review your portfolio

09:28 How to handle market downturns

11:12 Why a financial advisor can matter more near retirement

14:54 What gives retirees peace of mind?

Follow Retire & Thrive for weekly conversations about retirement planning, investing, and building a life with purpose, wealth, and confidence.

Fortress Financial Group, LLC is a registered investment adviser. This episode is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual.

How should investors respond when war overseas shakes the markets? In this episode of Retire and Thrive, Dan Langworthy and Kamie discuss market volatility, geopolitical conflict, retirement planning, and the biggest mistakes people make when fear takes over. From COVID and the 2022 Russia-Ukraine invasion to today’s uncertainty, Dan explains why abandoning your long-term financial plan can hurt your future, and what both retirees and younger investors should do instead. Tune in for practical guidance on investing during uncertain times, protecting your retirement income, and keeping market headlines from derailing your financial goals.

00:00 Welcome to Retire and Thrive

00:06 Kamie introduces the episode topic

00:41 Kamie shares a personal update about baby AJ

02:03 How overseas conflict can impact the markets

02:49 What investors should do during market volatility

04:02 How quickly markets react to war and uncertainty

04:47 Should you make changes to your portfolio right now?

06:03 Lessons from COVID, Ukraine, and past market downturns

07:42 The biggest mistake investors make during uncertain times

08:56 Why younger investors may benefit from market dips

10:25 Final advice for staying calm during volatility

12:57 Should you stop checking your accounts during downturns?

13:48 Closing thoughts and episode wrap-up

14:06 Compliance disclosure

Retirement planning is about more than hitting a number. In Episode 39 of Retire and Thrive, Cody and the team break down retirement taxes, required minimum distributions (RMDs), Roth conversions, Social Security timing, the widow’s penalty, and retirement income planning. Through real client stories, they explain why some people can retire sooner than expected, how tax traps can derail a plan, and why the best retirement strategy starts with a clear picture of the life you want to live.

(00:00) Welcome and episode setup(00:58) Why taxes drive retirement(04:12) Retire sooner than expected(06:04) Why your number can mislead(09:12) When retirement may need to wait(13:18) Major retirement tax traps(16:01) When Roth conversions fit(19:09) Paint your retirement picture

In this episode of Retire and Thrive, we go beyond the numbers and into the real questions people ask right before retirement.

What happens if you finally retire and realize you do not enjoy it? How do you avoid retiring from something instead of retiring to something? And what do you do when spouses are not on the same page about spending?

We also talk about working in retirement, the basics of earning money while on Social Security, and why so many retirees end up taking driving jobs just to stay active and connected. Plus, a loaded question that comes up more than you would think: should you tell your kids what they might inherit, or keep the numbers private?

If you are nearing retirement, already retired, or planning for the next phase of life, this conversation will help you think through the lifestyle side of retirement, not just the financial side.

Timestamps:
00:00 Welcome back to Retire and Thrive
01:10 What if I retire and hate it?
02:10 Retire to something, not from something
03:20 Why hobbies can feel different after retirement
04:18 Can you work in retirement?
05:30 Common part time jobs retirees choose
07:05 When couples disagree on spending
09:48 Should you hide financial details from your kids?
13:43 Dan’s favorite part of the job
15:14 Important disclosure

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In this episode of Retire and Thrive, Kamie and Dan break down three practical ways to increase retirement spending while staying confident in your long term plan. They cover the three phases of retirement spending, how to withdraw from the right accounts with taxes in mind, and why “guardrails” can work better than strict budgets.

In this episode, you will learn:

• The Go Go, Slow Go, and No Go phases and how spending changes over time

• How to choose between pre tax, after tax, and Roth accounts when withdrawing

• How to set spending guardrails using mandatory vs discretionary expenses

• The key questions to ask your advisor about withdrawal rate and expected return

• Why giving yourself permission to spend is part of a healthy retirement plan

Listen and subscribe: New episodes drop weekly wherever you get your podcasts.

Ever wonder why a pro athlete can earn millions and still get hit with a surprise tax bill for a single road trip?

In Episode 36, Dan Langworthy is joined by Fortress advisor Cody Schaefer (with Kamie Blair out for a week) to unpack the “athlete travel tax” and other real-world money lessons from the biggest stages in sports, from the Big Game to the Olympics.

What we cover:
• How athletes can owe state taxes just for the days they work in another state
• Why a week in California can create a massive tax bill, even on a huge contract• NIL money and what young athletes should do first before spending a dollar• Olympic medals and bonus payouts, and what that can mean at tax time• Shohei Ohtani’s $700M contract structure and the long-term tax tradeoffs• Why golfers may be some of the most impacted by state-by-state taxation