Lucretia Ryan of FinancialFreedomforWomen.org walks you through the questions to ask to determine when to take Social Security. This is a recording of a 403bwise.org Event that occurred on August 19, 2025.

• FinancialFreedomforWomen.org
• Presentation Slides
• Most Americans Claim Social Security at the Wrong Time
• Podcast: Dirty Little Secrets of Medicare “Advantage”
• Learned by Being Burned (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues)
• 403bwise.org
• Meridian Wealth Management

Nothing presented or discussed is to be construed as investment or tax advice. This can be secured from a vetted Certified Financial Planner (CFP®). 

Nick Maggiulli, Chief Operating Officer for Ritholz Wealth Management, discusses his blog Of Dollars And Data and his new book The Wealth Ladder: Proven Strategies for Every Step of Your Financial Life. 

• The Wealth Ladder
• Of Dollars And Data
• Learned by Being Burned (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues)
• 403bwise.org
• Meridian Wealth Management

Nothing presented or discussed is to be construed as investment or tax advice. This can be secured from a vetted Certified Financial Planner (CFP®). 

Long-time educator, basketball coach, and personal finance instructor, Julius Prezelski, discusses teaching, coaching and his recent retirement.

• Long Time Basketball Coach Fin Lit Educator Retires
• Learned by Being Burned (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues)
• 403bwise.org
• Meridian Wealth Management

Nothing presented or discussed is to be construed as investment or tax advice. This can be secured from a vetted Certified Financial Planner (CFP®). 

Dan and Scott drop hint about new project they are working on. They also talk about their recent vacations, and the importance of choosing the right teaching location.  

• Learned by Being Burned (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues)
• 403bwise.org
• Meridian Wealth Management

Nothing presented or discussed is to be construed as investment or tax advice. This can be secured from a vetted Certified Financial Planner (CFP®). 

More than 20 years ago legislation (AB2506) was proposed to allow California school districts who wanted to reform their 403(b) plan to be able to reform their 403(b) plan. The industry hated the proposal. It threatened their multi-vendor, high-cost, agent-driven model. We speak with former TIAA-CREF Regional Manager, Dick Shafer, whose company spearheaded the effort to fix the broken California K-12 403(b) plan.  

• California Dreaming (of better 403(b) plans)
• Dick Shafer
• Green Light for Single Vendor 403(b) Plans in California
• 403bcompare.com
• 403bwise Facebook Group
• 403(b) & 457(b) Basics: How to start a 403(b) (pod)
• 403(b) & 457(b) Basics: Asset Allocation (pod)

Nothing presented or discussed is to be construed as investment or tax advice. This can be secured from a vetted Certified Financial Planner (CFP®). 

Equitable fires agent who threatened teacher. Delaware has an excellent low-cost, state-run 403(b) plan. We discuss. 

• Equitable Agent Threatens Teacher (blog)
• Equitable Agent Threatens Educator (pod)
• Truth About SIOs (pod)
• 403bwise Facebook Group
• 403(b) & 457(b) Basics: How to start a 403(b) (pod)
• 403(b) & 457(b) Basics: Asset Allocation (pod)

Nothing presented or discussed is to be construed as investment or tax advice. This can be secured from a vetted Certified Financial Planner (CFP®). 

In episode three of our new pod series: 403(b) & 457(b) Basics, Scott and Dan explain how to get exit a bad 403(b). It's often difficult but very possible. 

• Stuck in a Bad 403(b)?
• How to Get Out of Equitable/AXA
• Bad 403(b) Vendors w/Good Choices
• 403bwise Facebook Group
• 403(b) & 457(b) Basics: How to start a 403(b) (pod)
• 403(b) & 457(b) Basics: Asset Allocation (pod)

Nothing presented or discussed is to be construed as investment or tax advice. This can be secured from a vetted Certified Financial Planner (CFP®). 

We check in with Jeff York on how retirement’s going and discuss his attempts to hire an estate fiduciary who would act as the trustee of his estate.  

• The Wealthy Custodian (pod)
• The Wealthy Custodian in Retirement (pod)
• Questions to Ask a Professional Fiduciary 
• Learned by Being Burned (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues)
• 403bwise.org
• Meridian Wealth Management

Nothing presented or discussed is to be construed as investment or tax advice. This can be secured from a vetted Certified Financial Planner (CFP®). 

No doubt that summer is a great time to relax. It can also be a good time to make sure your financial house is in order. Dan & Scott discuss wise money moves, and Dan talks about taking out his first ever car lease. 

• State of Student Loans? Chaos (pod)
• The Importance of Asset Allocation 
• Tripit
• Learned by Being Burned (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues)
• 403bwise.org
• Meridian Wealth Management

Nothing presented or discussed is to be construed as investment or tax advice. This can be secured from a vetted Certified Financial Planner (CFP®). 

Plan consultant Barbara Healy, CFP® and her colleague Jackie Fabitore-Matheny, had the solution to what woes the K-12 403(b) more than 25 years ago. Imagine if districts had listened? We talk with Barbara about what could have been (and what might still be). 

• Barbara Healy
• EGTRRA
• Industry Lobbyist Brian Graff Describes How Many Vendors His Retirement Plan Has (1:03 mark)
• Learned by Being Burned (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues)
• 403bwise.org
• Meridian Wealth Management

Nothing presented or discussed is to be construed as investment or tax advice. This can be secured from a vetted Certified Financial Planner (CFP®).