Save 10%, withdraw 4%, replace 80% of your income. Retirement advice is full of rules of thumb, but are they right for you? In this episode, Kirk and Michael examine several of the most common retirement guidelines and discuss where they may be helpful, where they may fall short, and why retirement decisions are rarely one-size-fits-all.

Retirement Education Foundation is a Fiscally Sponsored Program of United Charitable, a registered 501(c)(3) public charity.

This information is for educational purposes only and is not to be considered tax, legal or investment advice. Kirk Cassidy and Michael Masserant are professional financial advisors in the private sector. They serve as financial instructors for the Retirement Education Foundation on a volunteer basis. Retirement Education Foundation does not offer financial services.

Retirement risks are not always what people expect. This episode explores why some of the biggest retirement challenges stem less from markets and more from planning, spending behavior, and financial decision-making. Kirk and Michael discuss retirement income, underspending, fear-driven choices, and why understanding how money should function in retirement can help retirees make more informed decisions.

Retirement Education Foundation is a Fiscally Sponsored Program of United Charitable, a registered 501(c)(3) public charity.

This information is for educational purposes only and is not to be considered tax, legal or investment advice. Kirk Cassidy and Michael Masserant are professional financial advisors in the private sector. They serve as financial instructors for the Retirement Education Foundation on a volunteer basis. Retirement Education Foundation does not offer financial services.

Retirement is filled with financial decisions, but not all decisions carry the same weight. Some choices have little impact on long-term income, while others can materially change spending power for decades. This episode breaks down how risk, reward, and income sensitivity should be evaluated so retirees can focus on what actually matters.

Retirement Education Foundation is a Fiscally Sponsored Program of United Charitable, a registered 501(c)(3) public charity.

This information is for educational purposes only and is not to be considered tax, legal or investment advice. Kirk Cassidy and Paul Meter are professional financial advisors in the private sector. Both serve as a financial instructor for the Retirement Education Foundation on a volunteer basis. Retirement Education Foundation does not offer financial services.

Many investors think retirement success is mainly about average return. In retirement, the timing of returns can matter just as much. In this episode, Kirk and Michael break down how losses early in retirement can have a greater impact than losses later on, why withdrawals can magnify that problem, and how income planning and asset allocation can work together to help manage this risk.

Retirement Education Foundation is a Fiscally Sponsored Program of United Charitable, a registered 501(c)(3) public charity.

This information is for educational purposes only and is not to be considered tax, legal or investment advice. Kirk Cassidy and Paul Meter are professional financial advisors in the private sector. Both serve as a financial instructor for the Retirement Education Foundation on a volunteer basis. Retirement Education Foundation does not offer financial services.

Most investors think asset allocation means choosing a percentage of stocks and bonds based on retirement dates. In retirement, the timing of your money matters far more. This episode explains how sequence of returns risk, income timing, and portfolio structure influence retirement outcomes.

Retirement Education Foundation is a Fiscally Sponsored Program of United Charitable, a registered 501(c)(3) public charity.

This information is for educational purposes only and is not to be considered tax, legal or investment advice. Kirk Cassidy and Paul Meter are professional financial advisors in the private sector. Both serve as a financial instructor for the Retirement Education Foundation on a volunteer basis. Retirement Education Foundation does not offer financial services.

Roth conversions are widely discussed but often misunderstood. In this episode, we begin by defining how Roth accounts and conversions work, then examine why conversions have gained attention in recent years. We explore how required minimum distributions, survivor tax changes, and Medicare premiums influence the long-term impact of a conversion. This conversation is designed to help listeners understand when a Roth conversion may support a coordinated lifetime tax plan and when it may not.

Retirement Education Foundation is a Fiscally Sponsored Program of United Charitable, a registered 501(c)(3) public charity.

This information is for educational purposes only and is not to be considered tax, legal or investment advice. Kirk Cassidy and Paul Metler are professional financial advisors in the private sector. They serves as a financial instructor for the Retirement Education Foundation on a volunteer basis. Retirement Education Foundation does not offer financial services.

Many people delay retirement not because they lack money, but because what they call a plan does not give them confidence to stop working. In this episode, Kirk and Paul explain why you do not need to know everything to retire, while also identifying the key questions a real retirement plan must answer. By understanding the difference between having information and having a plan, listeners can begin replacing uncertainty with clarity and move closer to retirement with confidence.

Retirement Education Foundation is a Fiscally Sponsored Program of United Charitable, a registered 501(c)(3) public charity.

This information is for educational purposes only and is not to be considered tax, legal or investment advice. Kirk and Paul are financial advisors. Retirement Education Foundation does not offer financial services. Retirement Education Foundation does not offer financial services.

Many retirees are surprised to learn their taxes can increase after leaving the workforce. In this episode, we discuss how RMDs, Social Security taxation, and Medicare premiums affect retirement income, and why the years after retirement present important planning considerations. Educational insight to help you better understand tax exposure in retirement.

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Retirement Education Foundation is a Fiscally Sponsored Program of United Charitable, a registered 501(c)(3) public charity.

This information is for educational purposes only and is not to be considered tax, legal or investment advice.

Kirk Cassidy and Paul Metler are financial advisors. Both serve as financial instructors for Retirement Education Foundation in a volunteer capacity. Retirement Education Foundation does not offer financial services.

Anxiety can quietly undermine retirement decisions. In this episode, Kirk Cassidy and Dr. Paul Metler examine how analysis paralysis and loss aversion influence spending, investing, and retirement timing, and how understanding these behaviors can support more confident financial decision-making.

Retirement Education Foundation is a Fiscally Sponsored Program of United Charitable, a registered 501(c)(3) public charity.

This information is for educational purposes only and is not to be considered tax, legal or investment advice. Kirk Cassidy and Paul Metler are financial advisors in the private sector. Both serve as volunteers for the Retirement Education Foundation. Retirement Education Foundation does not offer financial services.

Without a clear plan, many retirees end up passing away with about the same amount of money they had when they retired, or even more. Why? Because they have been living off pensions and Social Security, only withdrawing interest and growth as required by RMDs. In this episode, Kirk and Paul explain why that often was not the original intention. They explore how two key issues, a lack of a structured withdrawal strategy and anxiety about outliving your money, often lead to this unexpected outcome.

Retirement Education Foundation is a Fiscally Sponsored Program of United Charitable, a registered 501(c)(3) public charity. This information is for educational purposes only and is not to be considered tax, legal or investment advice. Kirk Cassidy and Paul Metler are financial advisors. Retirement Education Foundation does not offer financial services.