📞 Ready to take the next step?

Connect with the Peterson Financial team here 👉 https://petersonfg.com/ 

We’ve all heard the phrase “famous last words.” These statements sound confident in the moment but don’t age well. Retirement planning has its own version of those phrases and believing them can lead to painful consequences. In this episode, Eric shares the financial phrases he’s heard far too often, why they can be dangerous, and how shifting your perspective can create real safety and security in your financial plan and future.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

📉 Waiting for “the right time” to get out of the market usually backfires

💵 Cash feels safe but loses purchasing power

🎂 The danger of planning to “die early” and outspending your money by age 75

🏥 Why dismissing the possibility of nursing home or dementia care is a risky assumption

🧭 How to set up income streams so market downturns don’t force you into bad decisions

Get in touch with the Peterson Financial team: https://petersonfg.com/

📞 Ready to take the next step?

Connect with the Peterson Financial team here 👉 https://petersonfg.com/ 

Retirement planning often looks straightforward from the outside, but as Eric explains, many decisions can be harder to make than they appear. In this episode, Eric and Marc break down some of the most common challenges retirees face, starting with the big question of when to claim Social Security. They discuss why the timing depends on more than just generic advice, including how your other assets and taxes play into the equation.

The conversation also explores what true diversification really means, why rolling over a 401k can be trickier than expected, and how to think about long-term care costs without jeopardizing a spouse’s financial future.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

🧩 Social Security timing is more complex than it looks

 📊 Diversification doesn’t always mean owning more funds

🔄 401k rollovers can come with hidden hassles and fees

🏥 Stress testing your long-term care plan

Get in touch with the Peterson Financial team: https://petersonfg.com/

📞 Ready to take the next step?

Connect with the Peterson Financial team here 👉 https://petersonfg.com/ 

The financial world is crowded with titles- advisor, broker, planner- and it isn’t always clear what those labels mean for your retirement. In this episode, Eric breaks down the critical differences between brokers and fiduciary advisors, using simple analogies to show how each approach your money in very different ways.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

🔍 The difference between brokers and fiduciaries

💸 How one broker’s advice triggered a $9,000 tax hit

🔄 Risks of splitting assets across different firms

⏸️ Why doing nothing is sometimes the smartest move

Get in touch with the Peterson Financial team: https://petersonfg.com/

📞 Ready to take the next step?

Connect with the Peterson Financial team here 👉 https://petersonfg.com/ 

Gen X is often called the “forgotten generation,” but when it comes to retirement planning, they may also be the most at risk. Many Xers came of age just as pensions were disappearing, making them the first generation to rely heavily on 401ks. Add in market crashes, higher levels of personal debt, and a fierce streak of independence, and you’ve got a group that faces unique challenges as retirement approaches. Today, Eric talks candidly about what makes Gen X different from previous generations and how to navigate the road to retirement.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

 🧩 Why Gen X faces unique retirement challenges

💳 The realities of debt for Gen Xers

💼 Why 401ks started to replace pensions

📈 Catch-up provisions and other growth opportunities

⚖️ Comparisons between Boomers and Gen X

Get in touch with the Peterson Financial team: https://petersonfg.com/

📞 Ready to take the next step?

Connect with the Peterson Financial team here 👉 https://petersonfg.com/ 

Conventional wisdom often sounds reassuring: “Real estate always goes up.” “Mortgages are good debt.” “Switch investments when something isn’t working.” But is it actually wise advice? In this episode, Eric challenges some of the most common money clichés and points out where they can lead retirees astray. It’s time to test whether these “wise” sayings really hold up in today’s world, and to learn what actually creates lasting retirement security.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

 🏡 “Real estate always goes up”... is it true?

📉 Why chasing performance hurts investors

💳 Good debt vs. bad debt in retirement

📰 Headlines and emotions that derail planning

Get in touch with the Peterson Financial team: https://petersonfg.com/

📞 Ready to take the next step?

Connect with the Peterson Financial team here 👉 https://petersonfg.com/ 

Could you be wealthier than you realize once all your accounts and assets are tallied? Many pre-retirees and retirees underestimate the financial strength they’ve already built, creating unnecessary stress. In this episode, Eric shares five clear signs that you’re on stronger financial footing than you might think. If you’ve ever worried, “Do I really have enough?” this conversation could change the way you see your retirement future.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

🛟 Emergency funds = first line of defense

💰 Living below your means creates freedom

🌱 Compounding growth beats quick wins

🔑 Diversifying income streams can reduce risk

🧠 The psychology of spending in retirement

Get in touch with the Peterson Financial team: https://petersonfg.com/

📞 Ready to take the next step?

Connect with the Peterson Financial team here 👉 https://petersonfg.com/ 

Planning a great vacation takes time, effort, and a little bit of strategy. So why do so many people put more thought into a week-long trip than into a decades-long retirement? In this episode, Eric uses the fun (and sometimes stressful) process of vacation planning to show how you can prepare for a smoother, more enjoyable retirement. If you wouldn’t dream of “winging it” on a big trip, you definitely shouldn’t wing it with the rest of your life.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

🎟 Finding free or low-cost activities to stretch your budget

🍽 How your lifestyle choices affect long-term cash flow

🚨 Planning for the unexpected, from health issues to home repairs

🗂 Making sure loved ones know where to find key documents

💵 Building flexibility into your retirement plan

Get in touch with the Peterson Financial team: https://petersonfg.com/

We all have those personality quirks: a car full of fast-food napkins, forgetting names mid-conversation, or insisting on carrying all the groceries in one trip. But what if those small, relatable habits say something deeper about how we handle money, risk, and retirement planning? In this episode, Eric brings humor and insight to the table as he explores how everyday behaviors often mirror our financial tendencies.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

🧾Accounting for Social Security’s uncertainty in your retirement strategy

💬 The “name forgetting” trick and what it says about overlooked financial details

📉 Why many overestimate their comfort with market risk

🤷‍♂️ Why people procrastinate retirement planning and what that costs them

Get in touch with the Peterson Financial team: https://petersonfg.com/

What do smoking sections, kids' menus, and combo meals have to do with retirement planning? More than you might think! In this episode, Eric serves up financial wisdom using a creative "retirement restaurant" metaphor.  He explains how appearances can be deceiving when it comes to diversification, why some strategies that helped you build wealth may not be the same ones that preserve it, and how oversimplified financial plans can leave retirees underprepared for life’s curveballs.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

🍽️ What an old restaurant teaches us about investing

🚬 Smoking vs. Non-Smoking = Diversification myths

📦 Why mutual funds often overlap more than you think

🥗 Liquidity, safety, and growth- pick two

📊 Adapting your financial strategy as you get closer to retirement

Get in touch with the Peterson Financial team: https://petersonfg.com/

Should you use your emergency fund, dip into your IRA, or just finance a new car in retirement? How can someone fresh out of college start saving for the future without putting life on hold? And is $500,000 really enough to retire comfortably at 65? In this listener mailbag episode, Eric dives into three real-world questions that highlight the complexity and nuance of personal financial planning. 

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

🚗 Considerations for funding a new car in retirement

🎓 Saving tips for young workers balancing life and the future

💰 The myth of the $1 million retirement target

Get in touch with the Peterson Financial team: https://petersonfg.com/