Retirement Starts Today

We are spending some extra time off from the podcast over this holiday season to spend time with family. I hope you're using this opportunity to spend some time with family as well.

I've gone through my favorite episodes of 2023 to bring you some fantastic rebroadcasts. So here's one and I hope you enjoy it!

The Puzzling Gap Between How Old You Are and How Old You Think You Are, first broadcast in May 2023.

Do you ever get together with your friends from high school and wonder why they all look so old? Are you surprised by the image that you see in the mirror each morning? If so, you're not alone.

In today's retirement headline segment, we'll explore an article from Jennifer Senior at MSN.com that examines the abstract concept of feeling a different age in your head than you physically are in years.

Related to the retirement headline, today's listener question is about how to understand when you are mentally ready to retire. Learn how important purpose is in your decision to retire.

Most people are worried about spending too much and running out of money in retirement. However, few people worry about spending too little.

In this week's episode of Retirement Starts Today, you'll learn why you should spend your principal in retirement. Our retirement headline comes from Dr. Jim Dahle at the Whitecoat Investor and shows us why many people don't spend enough of their money and how you can take a practical approach to spending more.

If you are like most people, one of your main worries about retirement is that you'll end up running out of money. While this is a well-founded fear for many underfunded Americans, chances are, if you are listening to this show, you aren't an underfunded retiree.

While the current state of retirement savings is quite shocking, if you have a healthy retirement portfolio, you don't have to lump yourself in with the majority of Americans.

• [1:52] Many people have a fear of running out of money in retirement
• [3:40] The state of retirement savings
• [7:02] Why some people don't spend their principal
• [13:19] What should you do with excess RMD dollars?

• Spend Your Principal
• The Extraordinary Upside Potential Of Sequence Of Return Risk In Retirement
• Boomer Benefits
• Boomer Benefits on Facebook

• Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit: http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/
• Follow Ben on Twitter: https://twitter.com/retiremeasap
• Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter
• Dive deeper into retirement planning with Ben at www.RetirementIncome.University

Subscribe to Retirement Starts Today on

Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Podbean, Player FM, iHeart, or Spotify

Would you like to have more confidence in your retirement plan? In the retirement headlines segment, you'll learn one simple way to increase your certainty about what you can accomplish in retirement.

In the listener questions segment, Bret helps answer what the essential aspects of an estate plan include.

If you are ready to get serious about retirement planning press play to get started.

• [2:26] A written retirement retirement plan boosts your confidence
• [4:11] 4 areas to consider in your plan
• [11:15] What do you need to create an estate plan?

• Boomer Benefits
• Boomer Benefits Facebook Group
• Here's One Surefire Way to Boost Retirement Confidence
• The link to the video and schedule

• Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit:http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/
• Follow Ben on Twitter:https://twitter.com/retiremeasap
• Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter
• Dive deeper into retirement planning with Ben at www.RetirementIncome.University

Subscribe to Retirement Starts Today on

Apple Podcasts,Stitcher,TuneIn,Podbean,Player FM,iHeart, orSpotify

Do you wish you had more optionality when it comes to designing your retirement? In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we'll explore an article from Forbes that poses five alternatives to the 4% rule that you may want to explore for your retirement withdrawal strategy.

In our retirement headlines segment Bret and I team up to answer a question that both Google and ChatGPT got wrong. Find out what it is by listening until the end!

• [2:22] The types of spending strategies that can be used in retirement
• [13:30] Is creating a donor-advised fund a good way to avoid IRMAA?

• Boomer Benefits
• Boomer Benefits Facebook group
• Forbes article
• Want to help me with my book? Take this survey!
• Schedule a meeting with me to see if we would be a good fit
• Trusted sources for financial information - Ed Slott, IRS.gov, Kitces.com

• Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit:http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/
• Follow Ben on Twitter:https://twitter.com/retiremeasap
• Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter
• Dive deeper into retirement planning with Ben at www.RetirementIncome.University

Subscribe to Retirement Starts Today on

Apple Podcasts,Stitcher,TuneIn,Podbean,Player FM,iHeart, orSpotify

What happens if you get to retirement age and realize that you saved too much? Believe it or not, this does happen and has its own set of problems. In this episode, we'll explore those problems along with some potential solutions.

Stick around until the end of the episode to hear our listener question about deciding whether to do Roth conversions or take ACA health insurance premium tax credits.

• [2:32] Too much retirement savings does have its downsides
• [4:54] What you can do to combat
• [8:21] My thoughts on what you can do if you saved too much
• [11:27] Choosing between Roth conversions and ACA

• Yahoo Finance article
• Book survey - have a chance to be in my book!
• Schedule a meeting with me to see if we would be a good fit for each other
• BOOK - Die with Zero by Bill Perkins
• Retirement Income University
• Boomer Benefits
• Boomer Benefits Facebook group

• Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit: http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/
• Follow Ben on Twitter: https://twitter.com/retiremeasap
• Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter
• Dive deeper into retirement planning with Ben at www.RetirementIncome.University

Subscribe to Retirement Starts Today on

Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Podbean, Player FM, iHeart, or Spotify

Would you like to make $170,000? On this episode, you'll learn what you can do to save yourself 17% in lower returns over a decade. On a million-dollar portfolio that comes to $170,000!

In the Retirement Headline segment, we'll dive into an article from Financial Advisor Magazine which explores Morningstar's annual Mind the Gap study analyzing the performance of mutual and ETFs and comparing them to the returns achieved by individual investors. Press play to hear what you can do to improve your investor performance.

• [3:12] Bad timing cost investors 17% in gains
• [14:45] When does a person need a financial advisor?

• Boomer Benefits
• Boomer Benefits Facebook Group
• Financial Advisor Magazine article
• Take our book survey
• Schedule a meeting
• Garrett Planning Network
• Flat Fee Advisor Network

• Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit: http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/
• Follow Ben on Twitter: https://twitter.com/retiremeasap
• Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter
• Dive deeper into retirement planning with Ben at www.RetirementIncome.University

Subscribe to Retirement Starts Today on

Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Podbean, Player FM, iHeart, or Spotify

Have you thought about using your home's equity to help you fund a portion of your retirement?

In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we'll explore a Morningstar article that examines ways to use this supersized emergency fund. If you are ready to start thinking about retirement outside the box, listen to this episode to hear how you can supplement your retirement by using your home equity.

• [1:22] Home equity is seen as a someday asset
• [9:28] Reverse mortgages could be a valuable lifeline
• [14:10] Clarifying the rules surrounding spousal Social Security

• Participate in my book survey!
• Boomer Benefits
• Boomer Benefits Facebook Group
• 2 Ways to Use Home Equity in Retirement

• Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit: http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/
• Follow Ben on Twitter: https://twitter.com/retiremeasap
• Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter
• Dive deeper into retirement planning with Ben at www.RetirementIncome.University

Subscribe to Retirement Starts Today on

Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Podbean, Player FM, iHeart, or Spotify

Do you remember when you were a kid and were fascinated by the thought of living to be 100? It seemed like such a far-fetched idea, but now with advances in technology, nutrition, and medicine, this far-flung notion increasingly seems like a real possibility.

As you may have guessed, today's retirement headline discusses planning to live until age 100. We'll explore what that prospect means for your retirement income, goals, and health. Share this episode with a friend so you can discuss it together!

• [2:42] What if you live to 100?
• [12:40] How to get beyond the accumulation mindset

• Forbes article on aging
• Check out the free Easily Avoidable Medicare Mistakes download from Boomer Benefits
• Medicare Q&A Boomer Benefits Facebook group

• Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit: http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/
• Follow Ben on Twitter: https://twitter.com/retiremeasap
• Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter
• Dive deeper into retirement planning with Ben at www.RetirementIncome.University

Subscribe to Retirement Starts Today on

Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Podbean, Player FM, iHeart, or Spotify

Medicare's open enrollment is starting soon, so I've invited Danielle Roberts from Boomer Benefits to join me today.

In this episode, we're discussing what's new with Medicare in 2024, the important dates to remember for open enrollment, when to reevaluate your health insurance options, and how to ensure you have health coverage when traveling abroad in retirement.

Press play to hear what's new in Medicare.

• [2:26] What's new with Medicare this year?
• [8:44] How often do people reconsider advantage vs. supplement and drug plans?
• [15:42] Bearing risk
• [22:00] What can you expect from your Medicare when traveling abroad?

• 5 Easily Avoidable Medicare Mistakes
• What to Expect as You Approach Age 65 with Danielle Roberts, Ep # 163

• BoomerBenefits.com
• Boomer Benefits on YouTube
• Medicare Q&A Group on Facebook

• Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit: http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/
• Follow Ben on Twitter: https://twitter.com/retiremeasap
• Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter
• Dive deeper into retirement planning with Ben at www.RetirementIncome.University

Subscribe to Retirement Starts Today on

Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Podbean, Player FM, iHeart, or Spotify

As retirement super savers, you all know that slow and steady wins the race. According to this Wall Street Journal article, that race is paying off again for many Americans. In the retirement headlines segment, we'll take a look at this article. Then in the Listener Questions segment, Bret and I will discuss the merits of having one firm handle investments, taxes, and retirement planning.

• [1:42] Stock market rally
• [12:27] When might having one firm handling all aspects of your financial matters might not be the best case

• Stock-Market Rally Makes More 401(k) Savers Millionaires

• Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit: http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/
• Follow Ben on Twitter: https://twitter.com/retiremeasap
• Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter
• Dive deeper into retirement planning with Ben at www.RetirementIncome.University

Subscribe to Retirement Starts Today on

Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Podbean, Player FM, iHeart, or Spotify