Retirement is a time to enjoy life, but financial missteps can turn it into a source of stress. This week, Pat joins Melissa to discuss the top retirement mistakes that could drain your nest egg—and how to avoid them.

A recent study shows that thirty percent of people are less optimistic about whether their retirement financially will be as good as it was when they were working. Inflation, longevity, taxes and risk are all major factors. Pat takes a look at how best to handle your savings, including true diversification of investments and working with a financial professional to help put together as many streams of income as possible.

This remains the number one fear of people going into retirement, and with longer lifespans, inflation, and the possibility of increased tax rates in the future, your savings may need to stretch for longer periods of retirement. Pat takes a look at how proper planning can help that money last.

It’s time to face a few hard financial truths head-on. Social Security is not stretching as far as it used to, future benefits may face pressure, withdrawal strategies are getting tighter, and healthcare can take a much bigger bite out of savings than you may expect. In this episode, Pat explains what these challenges mean and, more importantly, what you can do now to help build a retirement plan that’s more prepared to handle them.

The finish line is in sight, but one of the most dangerous parts of your financial journey may have just begun. During this critical ten-year window surrounding your retirement date, a single market crash can permanently impact your life savings. In this episode, Pat exposes the reality of sequence-of-returns risk. He reveals why the five years before and the five years after you stop working may be among the most vulnerable of your entire life, and how to build a fortress around your money before the next economic storm hits.

Do you want tax free income in retirement? Roth conversions are the way to go, but there is a method as to how to do them. Pat breaks down what they are and the strategy for doing them in the most tax advantaged way, so you save money both now and in the future.

The stock market inevitably goes through ups and downs, but the downturns don’t have to derail your financial future if the right preparations are made ahead of time. Pat discusses how putting a plan together can help deal with potential market corrections so your money will still be ready to work when you need it.

It’s not what you make, but what you keep that counts, especially in retirement. Pat discusses how to turn your savings into reliable income, and how working with the right financial professional can help.

Across the country, a gap is opening between the retirement Americans dreamed of and the one they’re living. Faced with persistent inflation, mounting debt, and terrifying headlines about the future of Medicare and Social Security, both workers and current retirees are losing faith. In this episode, Pat breaks down the latest data and provides actionable, empowering solutions to help you take back control of your financial future.

After a look at whether a recession may be looming in the near term, Pat takes a look at Social Security, and how retirees can optimize their benefits depending on their situation in regards to age, marital status and other factors.