Retiring Today

Bernie Madoff. Dean Mustaphalli. Elizabeth Holmes. There are plenty of reasons to distrust people these days. As with most professions, individuals in the financial field often seek to obtain various designations to demonstrate their level of knowledge. The financial industry is generally clouded by an atmosphere of distrust. While there are many honest financial advisers, there are also many unscrupulous ones engaging in fraud. In this episode of Retiring Today, we are talking about how to protect yourself from the Bernie Madoff's of the world and the importance of a designation.

Bitcoin, Blockchain, Cryptocurrency. These are all buzz words we have heard from friends and in the news but what really is it and how does it work? In this episode of Retiring Today, we are covering Facebook getting into the cryptocurrency game, explaining how Bitcoin works, and most importantly, answering the question is Cryptocurrency or Bitcoin right for your retirement.

Do you have a high-deductible health plan? If the answer is yes, you might be eligible for a Health Savings Account. But it is right for your retirement? In this episode of Retiring Today, we are breaking down these tax-advantaged accounts by talking about there advantages and disadvantages.

In the headlines this week, we are discussing 'Project Nightingale' - the latest health care data agreement between Google and Ascension. Plus as we lead into the end of 2019, we are talking more about Year-End Tax Planning and what you should be thinking about.

According to TD Ameritrade's 2019 Retirement Pulse Survey, six in ten Americans think that $1 million will be enough for a comfortable retirement. But is that true? In this episode of Retiring Today, we breakdown the costs you should be thinking about in retirement. We'll discuss income planning, health care and long term care plus how to build a plan that will help you pay for the things you want and the things you need in retirement.

Taxes can be complicated and stressful. In your working years, often the only major tax strategy to consider is maximizing contributions to your retirement plan at work, thereby decreasing your taxable income. In retirement, there are more choices about where to pull income form and when, and those decisions can have important tax consequences. Are there tax strategies you could implement before December 31st of this year? Find out on today's episode of Retiring Today.

With slow global growth, trade wars, and inverted yield curves, it seems everyone is talking about a possible recession. However, no one knows for sure when it will happen. In this episode of Retiring Today, we will be breaking down strategies you can use to protect your portfolio from taking a plunge during the next market correction.

More to learn more about planning for your retirement? Check out our YouTube Channel, Merkle Retirement Planning.

It’s a story that happens all too often. A number you don’t know pops up on your phone. An email lands in your inbox that seems suspicious. An ad online showcases a product that seems too good to be true. Scams have become something we deal with every day. While most scams may not be as serve as others, the act of scamming pre-retirees and retirees is a massive problem in the United States. In this episode of the Retiring Today podcast, we talk with, Julie Wagner, Compliance Officer at Merkle Retirement Planning about the latest scams, red flags you should be on the look out for, and how to protect yourself if you do fall victim.

The Federal Reserve cut interest rates for the second time in 2019, slashing the federal funds rate by a quarter point. Now President Trump is calling for zero or a negative interest rate environment. In this episode of Retiring Today, we break down what this could mean for you and your retirement.

We've all heard of a mutual fund, but how much do we REALLY know about them? Chances are you have a mutual fund or two in your investment portfolio. You own them, but do you really know much about them. In today's episode, we break down the top need to know truths about mutual funds and if they are right for you and your retirement goals.

You've been working for 30, 40, maybe 50 years and you think it might be time to retire. Now it’s time to put your hard work to work for you. This podcast is going to cover the stuff most advisors don’t – a plan- not products that will guide you to and through retirement. We understand the process is complex and there are a lot of moving parts. That's why in each episode we will break down each piece of the retirement puzzle into an easy to understand concept. A new episode drops every Friday wherever you get your podcasts.