Retirement Approved with Matt Paul & Steve Paul

The 60/40 portfolio has been a retirement planning staple for decades, but changing interest rates, strong equity markets, and difficult bond returns have caused plenty of investors to question whether it still works.

In this episode, Matt and Steve Paul explain why 60/40 can still be a useful starting point, but not necessarily the right answer for everyone. The bigger goal is to match the portfolio to the investor’s actual income needs, comfort with volatility, and ability to take risk. 

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

📊 60/40 Isn’t Dead: It can still serve a purpose

⚖️ Tolerance Isn’t Capacity: Comfort and ability differ

💵 Income Changes Risk: Guaranteed cash flow matters

📉 Bonds Still Have a Role: Higher yields change the equation

🔄 Rebalancing Matters: Strong stocks can quietly increase risk

Learn more about us: https://www.rwpaul.com/our-firm 

Contact Matt & Steve: https://www.rwpaul.com/contact 

Phone: 248-305-9911

Find us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/481OA51 

🎯 Not sure where you stand with your retirement plan? Schedule your Complete Planning Review: https://www.rwpaul.com/complete-planning-review

Get an inside look at how the team is navigating a volatile year in markets while still focusing on retirement-focused outcomes. Matt is joined by special guest Bepin Serraj, CFA, for a mid-year look at how different strategies are performing and where adjustments are being made. The bigger takeaway is that staying diversified and disciplined still matters, especially when leadership in the market keeps shifting. 

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

📈 Equity Strength: Diversification is paying off

🌍 Global Markets: International areas gain ground

📉 Bond Struggles: Fixed income remains challenged

🧠 Active Management: Selectivity matters in bonds

💻 Software Rebound: Recent weakness creates opportunity

🏥 Healthcare Exposure: AI may support innovation

🔄 Rebalancing: Trim winners when needed

Learn more about us: https://www.rwpaul.com/our-firm 

Contact Matt & Steve: https://www.rwpaul.com/contact 

Phone: 248-305-9911

Find us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/481OA51 

🎯 Not sure where you stand with your retirement plan? Schedule your Complete Planning Review: https://www.rwpaul.com/complete-planning-review

Matt and Steve share a brand-new free resource built specifically for Ford, GM, and Stellantis employees preparing for retirement. In this episode, they walk through their new website, explain the updated Auto Worker’s Guide to Lump Sum Pensions, and break down some of the biggest financial decisions auto workers face. From pension versus lump sum choices to Social Security, annuities, healthcare, and retirement income planning, the conversation highlights why these “million-dollar decisions” deserve careful planning and personalized guidance.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

📚 Free Retirement Resource: A no-barrier education hub for “big three” retirees

🚗 Pension vs. Lump Sum: Why this decision impacts your entire retirement

📉 Interest Rates Matter: How rates can dramatically affect lump sum values

🛡️ Survivor Planning: Important considerations for spouses and beneficiaries

🧩 Hybrid Income Strategies: Combining pensions, annuities, and investments thoughtfully

Big Three Retiree: https://www.bigthreeretiree.com/

Learn more about us: https://www.rwpaul.com/our-firm 

Contact Matt & Steve: https://www.rwpaul.com/contact 

Phone: 248-305-9911

Find us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/481OA51 

🎯 Not sure where you stand with your retirement plan? Schedule your Complete Planning Review: https://www.rwpaul.com/complete-planning-review

Everyone’s got an opinion about money (especially the people with a book deal or a TV show). Some of that advice is useful, and some of it sounds better on a stage than it works in real life. Today, Matt & Steve put these popular financial opinions under the microscope. Financial hot takes can be entertaining, motivating, and occasionally… unhinged. The key is knowing which advice fits your life and circumstances and ignore the irrelevant stuff.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

🪙 Kiyosaki’s Strategy: Heavy bets on crypto and metals come with major risk

💵 Emergency Fund Debate: Too much cash can quietly lose to inflation

📊 Net Worth Tracking: Awareness matters, but obsession can backfire

📉 Withdrawal Rates: Overestimating returns can derail retirement plans

🤖 AI Predictions: Betting on future abundance is not a current strategy

Learn more about us: https://www.rwpaul.com/our-firm 

Contact Matt & Steve: https://www.rwpaul.com/contact 

Phone: 248-305-9911

Find us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/481OA51 

🎯 Not sure where you stand with your retirement plan? Schedule your Complete Planning Review: https://www.rwpaul.com/complete-planning-review 

Every new year brings bold market predictions and plenty of confident opinions. But how much of that noise actually matters for your retirement? In this episode, Matt & Steve look back at what forecasters said last year, what really happened, and what’s already being predicted for 2026. And because no prediction show is complete without a little honesty, we wrap things up with a Grumpy Grandpa reminder about risk, reality, and expectations. 

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

🔍 2025 Predictions Review: What forecasters got right, and where they were wrong

📊 Forecast Accuracy Check: Why predictions often miss the mark

🔮 2026 Market Outlook: Big themes and expectations ahead

📉 Volatility & Strategy: How retirees should think about uncertainty

Learn more about us: https://www.rwpaul.com/our-firm 

Contact Matt & Steve: https://www.rwpaul.com/contact 

Phone: 248-305-9911

Find us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/481OA51 

🎯 Not sure where you stand with your retirement plan? Schedule your Complete Planning Review: https://www.rwpaul.com/complete-planning-review

Did your Social Security check actually go up in 2026 or did Medicare quietly take some of it back? A new year brings new updates, and 2026 is no exception when it comes to Social Security. 

Even small rule changes can have a meaningful impact on your retirement income. Today, we break down what’s changing, what’s staying the same, and why Social Security decisions should never be made in isolation. Whether you’re already collecting benefits or getting close to filing, this conversation helps you think through how these updates fit into a broader retirement strategy, not just a calendar date.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

💵 Cost-of-Living Adjustments vs. Medicare Premiums – Why raises don’t always feel like raises

🧾 Taxes & the New Senior Deduction – What it does (and doesn’t) mean for Social Security taxation

⏳ When to File for Benefits – Early, full retirement age, or delayed strategies

⚖️ Break-Even & Longevity Considerations – Why health and life expectancy matter

🔄 Spousal & Survivor Strategies – Coordinating benefits as a couple

Learn more about us: https://www.rwpaul.com/our-firm 

Contact Matt & Steve: https://www.rwpaul.com/contact 

Phone: 248-305-9911

Find us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/481OA51 

🎯 Not sure where you stand with your retirement plan? Schedule your Complete Planning Review: https://www.rwpaul.com/complete-planning-review

Artificial Intelligence is transforming everything, but is the hype getting ahead of reality? 

This video tackles one of the biggest investor questions of 2025: Are we in an AI bubble? With markets up 20% three years in a row and Nvidia now worth over $5 trillion, it’s easy to wonder if history is repeating itself.

The Pauls break down how today’s AI boom compares to past manias — from the dot-com era to railroad stocks in the 1800s — and why the fundamentals behind AI might make this time different. They also explain how they’re managing portfolios in this environment, why trimming oversized positions is smart, and how retirees can protect gains without missing future growth.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

💡 Defining a Bubble: What history teaches us from railroads to dot-coms.

📊 Fundamentals vs. Hype: Why AI may not be another Pets.com.

💸 Portfolio Strategy: How The Pauls are trimming risk and locking in gains.

🏦 Retiree Focus: Preserving income and capital in a euphoric market.

🌍 Diversify Smartly: Why international and value stocks may hold better opportunity.

🔮 Prediction Preview: What they’ll be watching as AI evolves into 2026.

Learn more about us: https://www.rwpaul.com/our-firm 

Contact Matt & Steve: https://www.rwpaul.com/contact 

Phone: 248-305-9911

Find us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/481OA51 

🎯 Not sure where you stand with your retirement plan? Schedule your Complete Planning Review: https://www.rwpaul.com/complete-planning-review 

When the market is strong, everyone feels like a confident investor—but true risk tolerance isn’t about how you feel when things are going well. In this episode of Retirement Approved, Matt and Steve dig into the emotional and mathematical sides of risk tolerance—how much risk you can handle versus how much you’re willing to handle. Managing emotions can be just as important as managing returns, and this video will help you understand investor behavior better.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

🎲 Risk changes with emotion – Market highs make investors fearless; downturns make them cautious.

💵 Think in dollars – A 20% loss feels different when your portfolio is much larger.

⚖️ Capacity vs. tolerance – Understand both your financial ability and emotional comfort with risk.

🔁 Rebalance regularly – Lock in gains during strong markets to protect against future dips.

🧠 Avoid recency bias – Past success doesn’t guarantee future results, especially after long bull runs.

Learn more about us: https://www.rwpaul.com/our-firm 

Contact Matt & Steve: https://www.rwpaul.com/contact 

Phone: 248-305-9911

Find us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/481OA51 

🎯 Not sure where you stand with your retirement plan? Schedule your Complete Planning Review: https://www.rwpaul.com/complete-planning-review 

Roth conversions can be one of the most effective ways to reduce taxes in retirement, but only if you use them strategically.

In this episode of Retirement Approved, Matt Dombrowski, CFP® joins the show to break down the Roth planning strategies retirees should use to manage taxes, avoid penalties, and maximize long-term wealth. From timing conversions based on tax brackets to utilizing the Roth IRA’s ability to grow tax-free for your beneficiaries, we will walk you through the steps to take before retirement to make the most of this powerful tool.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

🧮 Timing is key – The “tax valley” years are prime for conversions.

💼 Tax bracket management – Maximize conversions without bumping into higher brackets.

🏥 IRMAA avoidance – Avoid penalties and higher premiums by staying below Medicare income thresholds.

🏡 Roth for legacy – Leave tax-free money for your heirs with strategic planning.

Learn more about us: https://www.rwpaul.com/our-firm 

Contact Matt & Steve: https://www.rwpaul.com/contact 

Phone: 248-305-9911

Find us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/481OA51 

🎯 Not sure where you stand with your retirement plan? Schedule your Complete Planning Review: https://www.rwpaul.com/complete-planning-review

Your cash has been working overtime these past two years—but that high-yield honeymoon might be ending soon. With the Fed widely expected to start cutting interest rates in the coming months, now is the time to act.

In this episode of Retirement Approved, Matt Paul, Steve Paul, and Marc Killian share five smart moves to consider before rates drop. 

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

📦 BOXX strategy – Convert bank interest into long-term capital gains for tax efficiency.

📉 Bonds are back – Rates and risk/reward profiles are improving after a tough decade.

🛡 MYGAs – Lock in 4–6% guaranteed rates for multiple years before they drop.

📈 Fixed index annuities – Participate in market upside without downside risk.

⏳ Don’t wait – Opportunities may be gone by the time rates fall below your “trigger” level.

Learn more about us: https://www.rwpaul.com/our-firm 

Contact Matt & Steve: https://www.rwpaul.com/contact 

Phone: 248-305-9911

Find us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/481OA51