Rock on Retirement

In this episode of Rock On Retirement, Thomas Lipscomb is joined by NHL Hall of Fame broadcaster Chuck Kaiton and bestselling author Coach Pete D’Arruda for a lively conversation about retirement planning, income, taxes, and what it really means to be ready for life after work.

Coach Pete introduces his latest resource, The 22-Step Total Retirement Plan, a full-color guide designed to show the planning process behind a customized retirement income strategy. The discussion covers why retirees should “project and protect”—projecting the lifestyle they want, pricing it in today’s dollars, accounting for inflation, and protecting the income needed to make it happen.

The episode also explores test-driving retirement, avoiding procrastination, using Roth strategies, understanding living benefits in life insurance, creating lifetime income through a GPI-style approach, and separating retirement assets into risk, safety, and emergency buckets. Chuck also shares his own perspective as a client navigating retirement income, required minimum distributions, and tax-free retirement dollars.

Listeners also hear about Coach Pete’s online resources, including RockOnRetirement.com, FinancialSpeakeasy.com, and the opportunity to receive retirement planning materials and Coach Pete’s book Tax Savvy Retirement.

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Coach Pete and Russ Hackman (The Wall Street Sweeper) rip through the smart year-end plays people skip—rebalancing, tax-minded moves, and tightening up the plan before the “financial red zone” hits you back. They clear up the wills vs. trusts confusion in plain English, so you’re not leaving a mess for your family. Don't miss this critical conversation that also touches on how AI is shaking up investing and why your retirement plan should be built to survive an uncertain future.

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Coach Pete brings in NHL Hall of Fame broadcaster Chuck Kaiton and gets straight to the real retirement question: how do you turn savings into lifetime income without getting wrecked when markets swing? They break down Coach Pete’s “Financial Fill-Up” approach—why Chuck can take required minimum distributions (RMDs) and still see his portfolio refilling—plus the “dozen tips” that matter most when you’re in the retirement red zone. Then they go after the financial termites: hidden fees and non-traded REITs where Coach says commissions can run “up to 15%,” and warns some people learn the hard way when those products lock you in like “Hotel California.”

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Coach Pete and the crew get straight to the point in this episode: if you’re not squeezing every ounce out of your 401(k), you’re leaving real money behind. They break down the Roth vs. traditional decision in plain English—what you’re really betting on with taxes—and why “safe money” isn’t about being scared, it’s about building a foundation that can survive market chaos. From lifetime income planning to dialing in asset allocation (how you spread money across investments) based on your risk tolerance (how much volatility you can stomach), Coach also calls out the “financial termites” that quietly eat your savings—fees, bad timing, and sloppy strategy. Bottom line: stop drifting and start driving your plan.

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Coach Pete and Russ Hackman (the Wall Street Sweeper!) break down why market volatility is brutal for retirees when too much money stays on the risk table—and why the old 60/40 stock-bond playbook was built for a different era. Russ warns Wall Street keeps “feeding you risk,” even trying to jam private assets into 401(k)s, while Coach Pete stresses you need an exit strategy and lifetime income options so retirement isn’t hostage to headlines. They hit home with the Antonio Brown cautionary tale—over $100 million earned, now Chapter 11 with under $50K in assets—as proof that bad planning (or bad luck at the wrong time) can wipe out anyone. The takeaway: balance growth with protection, plan for inflation, and don’t ignore the silent killer—taxes.

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Coach Pete and the Rock on Retirement crew crank the volume on the real issues that can make—or break—your retirement. This episode dives straight into the most common retirement pitfalls, how lifestyle changes can quietly wreck a plan, and why waiting too long to get serious about your finances is one of the biggest mistakes people make. If you want straight talk, no fluff, and a smarter way to adapt your strategy before it’s too late, this episode hits all the right notes.

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On this episode of Rock on Retirement, Coach Pete is joined by NHL Hall of Fame broadcaster Chuck Kaiton and NC State Wolfpack voice Tony Haynes for a real, unfiltered conversation about what retirement actually feels like. They dig into the emotional side of leaving a long career, the identity shift nobody talks about, and why a solid financial plan matters just as much after the paychecks stop. With stories from inside the broadcast booth and hard-earned life lessons, this episode hits retirement from angles most shows never touch.

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Coach Pete and Russ Hackmann break down the smartest year-end retirement moves, why rebalancing matters more than most people think, and the real difference between wills and trusts — without the boring legal jargon. They dig into the “financial red zone,” explain how AI is quietly changing investments, and call out the mistakes that can derail retirement fast. If you want a clear, no-nonsense game plan to protect your money and retire with confidence, this episode is a must-listen.

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The gloves come off as Coach Pete and the team break down the smart—and not-so-smart—ways people are using their 401(k)s. They dive into Roth vs. traditional accounts, safe money strategies, and how to build lifetime income that doesn’t disappear when the market gets rocky. Along the way, Coach Pete exposes the “financial termites” quietly eating away at retirement savings and challenges listeners to take back control before it’s too late.

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Coach Pete and the team pull back the curtain on how market volatility really impacts retirement — and who actually benefits when markets swing. They challenge outdated strategies like the 60-40 portfolio, break down the importance of tax planning, and explain why lifetime income and risk management matter more than chasing returns. This episode shows how cutting through the media noise and building a real plan can make the difference between hoping for retirement and owning it.

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