The Asset Preservation Hour

In this episode of The Asset Preservation Hour, financial advisor Stewart Willis and co host Spike Spengel tackle the longevity revolution: the reality that Americans are living longer than any generation before them, and what that means for the money you spent a lifetime building. Stewart explains why living an extra decade is a blessing that most retirement plans were never designed to handle, and why hoping for the best is no substitute for actually preparing.

The conversation opens with fourth quarter tax planning and why Stewart wants Roth conversions handled before December 31 rather than rushed in January, when a single early conversion can box you in for the rest of the year. From there, Stewart pulls back the curtain on how advisors get paid, the difference between fee only fiduciary guidance and commission driven product sales, and how to spot loaded mutual funds hiding on your own statements. He compares portfolio fees to running across a parking lot with a parachute strapped to your back, and explains what a real portfolio review should uncover about risk, costs, and double dipping you may never have noticed.

You will also hear the numbers behind Peak 65, with roughly 11,000 Americans turning 65 every single day into 2027 and 2028, and what happens to the market when an entire generation stops contributing to their portfolios and starts withdrawing from them. Stewart and Spike dig into rapid advances in health care, artificial intelligence in medicine, required distributions at 73, and why the retirement products of 20 years from now may not even exist yet.

📞 Call 877-5-RETIRE or visit AssetPreservationWealth.com to schedule your complimentary tax review and portfolio review.

In this episode of The Asset Preservation Hour, financial advisor Stewart Willis and Spike Spengel break down the financial power moves that matter most as you head into your 60s. The first one takes real effort: paying taxes sooner rather than later. Stewart explains why we are living through one of the lowest tax environments in modern American history, why taxes are essentially on sale, and why leaving money sitting in tax deferred IRAs and 401ks may simply be building a bigger tax time bomb for later.

You will also hear why tax laws are written in pencil and not in pen, how taxable income quietly drags Social Security benefits and IRMAA surcharges into the picture, and why the ripple effects of a Roth conversion reach far beyond a single tax bill. Stewart makes the case for scheduling conversions over several years and letting compounding do the rest, calling it the closest thing to a guaranteed advantage a retiree has.

From there the conversation turns to the market. Should someone six months from retirement be fully exposed to today's gains, or are they out over their skis? Stewart talks about fear, greed, and the very human mistakes that happen when the news cycle collides with a down market, plus why cooler heads and a long term strategy almost always win. He closes with a story about flying out on a weekend to meet a client's adult children, the 401k that was quietly misinvested for years, and the reminder that your second job in retirement is being a good steward of the money you already saved.

If you are 59 and a half or older and have not looked closely at your IRA, 401k, thrift savings plan, or 403b in years, this episode is your nudge to take action.

📞 Call 877-5-RETIRE or visit AssetPreservationWealth.com to schedule your complimentary tax review and portfolio review.

In this episode of The Asset Preservation Hour, financial advisor Stewart Willis continues the financial jujitsu conversation, this time focusing on leverage and knowing when to tap out. Stewart explains how the same principles that apply on the mat apply to your portfolio: small, incremental improvements across every part of your financial plan can create real leverage, while waiting too long to make a change can cost you dearly.

Stewart breaks down why Social Security claiming decisions should never be guesswork, how survivor benefits can matter more than most people realize, and why Roth conversions deserve serious attention while tax brackets remain historically low. He also shares hard lessons on tapping out of high cost, high risk products like variable annuities before the market forces the issue, and how biases like loss aversion and fear of missing out can quietly steer bad decisions.

Along the way, Stewart opens up about a hard learned lesson from his own jujitsu training and ties it back to the importance of stress testing your retirement plan through Monte Carlo simulations before a real downturn puts it to the test.

📞 Call 877-5-RETIRE or visit AssetPreservationWealth.com to schedule your complimentary portfolio review and risk analysis.

In this episode of The Asset Preservation Hour, financial advisor Stewart Willis draws on an unexpected source of inspiration: his recent jujitsu training camp. Fresh off the mats (and nursing a few bumps and bruises to prove it), Stewart joins cohost Spike Spengel to explore what martial arts preparation can teach us about preparing for retirement.

Stewart explains why the best retirement plans, like the best fighters, rely on repetition, discipline, and rigorous testing rather than guesswork. He breaks down the Monte Carlo simulation, a tool that stress tests a portfolio against historical market crashes, dot com bubbles, and financial crises, to reveal how prepared your plan really is. He also unpacks sequence of return risk, explaining why a market downturn early in retirement can be far more damaging than the same downturn later on, and why cash flow drilling helps determine whether your money can survive a serious hit.

Along the way, Stewart and Spike discuss the danger of chasing hot tips from friends, the emotional traps that cause investors to buy high and sell low, and why understanding your true risk exposure matters more than ever as retirement approaches. They also touch on how Social Security benefits can be up to 85% taxable depending on your income structure, reinforcing the need for a comprehensive tax plan alongside your investment strategy.

Whether you are just starting to think about retirement or already deep into it, this episode makes the case that preparation, not prediction, is what determines success.

📞 Call 877-5-RETIRE or visit AssetPreservationWealth.com to schedule your complimentary portfolio and risk review.

In this episode of The Asset Preservation Hour, Stewart Willis and Spike Spengel dig into what they call the longevity revolution and what it means for how you plan your retirement. With more Americans turning 65 every day than at any point in history, a trend known as peak 65, Stewart explains why retiring at a set age like 62 or 65 may not make sense if your retirement could realistically last 25 to 30 years or longer.

The two also explore the record breaking growth in annuity sales, now averaging around 100 billion dollars a quarter, and what is really driving it. Stewart breaks down the concept of refinancing your retirement, how rising interest rates have created an opportunity to move out of older, underperforming annuities and into better ones, and why fees and unnecessary riders can quietly erode your returns over time.

Beyond the numbers, Stewart shares personal reflections on staying mentally and physically active in retirement, the risks of isolation, and why he believes retirement should be viewed as a transition rather than an end zone. It is a thoughtful look at both the financial and personal sides of planning for a longer, healthier retirement.

📞 Call 877-5-RETIRE or visit AssetPreservationWealth.com to schedule your complimentary retirement review.

In this episode of The Asset Preservation Hour, Stewart Willis and Spike Spengel break down why social media has become one of the most dangerous places to get financial guidance and what to trust instead. After a wild week in the markets, with an 1100 point drop followed by a sharp rebound, Stewart explains why volatility is simply part of investing and why your ability to tolerate it matters just as much as your portfolio itself.

The conversation then turns to a revealing MassMutual study that found 82% of Americans over 55 believe a financial advisor adds value, yet only 34% actually work with one. Stewart shares why that gap exists, from procrastination to the psychological traps people fall into when they try to go it alone. He also opens up about a viral moment on Instagram that taught him a hard lesson about how easily financial advice gets twisted for clicks, and why 36% of people who made a major financial decision based on social media later regretted it.

Stewart and Spike also touch on inflation, the ratchet effect on prices, and why the estate tax threshold has changed dramatically since the 1990s. It is a candid, practical conversation about filtering out the noise and getting advice you can actually rely on.

📞 Call 877-5-RETIRE or visit AssetPreservationWealth.com to schedule your complimentary portfolio review.

In this episode of The Asset Preservation Hour, financial advisor Stewart Willis shares a story from his recent trip to Greece, where a local travel concierge stepped in to solve problems he and his group never even knew to plan for. Stewart uses the experience to make a case for why do it yourself retirement planning, while well intentioned, often leaves people exposed to risks they cannot see coming.

Stewart and Spike also talk candidly about the limits of using artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT for retirement decisions, and why getting it wrong even once can be costly when you only get one shot at retirement. The conversation moves into what Stewart considers the two biggest ways people fail at retirement: running out of money, and having plenty of money but never actually enjoying it out of fear of running out. He explains how a real income plan, not just a budget, gives people the confidence to spend and live fully in retirement.

Later, Stewart and Spike break down a recent market dip tied to a Federal Reserve announcement, why headlines and confirmation bias can distort how people see the markets, and why spreading investments across multiple money managers helps protect against any single point of view being wrong.

📞 Call 877-5-RETIRE or visit AssetPreservationWealth.com to schedule your complimentary tax and portfolio review.

In this episode of The Asset Preservation Hour, financial advisor Stewart Willis returns from an unforgettable trip to Greece with a simple but powerful observation: most people spend far more time planning their annual vacation than they do planning their retirement. Stewart and cohost Spike Spengel dig into why that mindset needs to change, and what it actually looks like to plan retirement the way you would plan a dream trip.

Stewart walks through why having a clear vision for retirement matters just as much as picking a destination, and why so many people retire with only a vague sense of what comes next. He also tackles the recent market volatility, explaining why building in fixed assets and non market dependent income sources can help retirees avoid being forced to pivot when the market takes an unexpected turn. From there, the conversation shifts to taxes, where Stewart makes the case that waiting until retirement to start tax planning is a costly mistake, using a real client example to show how delaying Roth conversions can mean paying more in taxes over time, not less.

Whether it is booking a flight early to avoid higher costs or starting a tax review well before year end, Stewart's message is clear: the earlier you plan, the smoother the trip. This episode blends real stories, practical strategy, and a reminder that retirement, like a great vacation, deserves real preparation.

📞 Call 877-5-RETIRE or visit AssetPreservationWealth.com to schedule your complimentary portfolio and tax review.

In this episode of The Asset Preservation Hour, financial advisor Stewart Willis takes listeners on a tour of some of the country's hottest retirement destinations, from the bright lights of Las Vegas to the fast growing upstate of South Carolina. Stewart breaks down why Nevada's tax free status is drawing high net worth retirees out of California, how the city's booming sports and entertainment scene is reshaping its economy, and why year round tax planning, not just tax season scrambling, is essential for anyone living there.

The conversation then shifts to South Carolina, which led the nation in retirement migration in 2025. Stewart and Spike explore the phenomenon of "half backers," retirees who move to Florida, decide it is too hot and too expensive, and settle in the Carolinas instead. They also dig into South Carolina's retirement income tax deductions, the value of renting before you buy, and why every retirement decision should account for hidden costs like travel, insurance, and energy expenses.

Stewart closes with real client stories that show why knowing your cash flow matters more than any location decision, including a cautionary tale about early IRA withdrawals and the importance of a clear spending plan.

📞 Call 877-5-RETIRE or visit AssetPreservationWealth.com to schedule your complimentary portfolio review.

In this episode of The Asset Preservation Hour, financial advisor Stewart Willis and host Spike Spengel take a state by state look at retirement, starting with Arizona. Once considered the go to affordable destination for retirees leaving California, Arizona has changed. Stewart explains how rising home prices, higher HOA fees, and summer energy costs are reshaping what it actually costs to retire in Scottsdale and the surrounding Phoenix area, even as major employers continue moving in and pushing growth further outward.

From there, the conversation shifts north to the Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington area, where a river divides two very different tax environments. Stewart breaks down why many residents choose to live on one side for income tax savings and shop on the other to avoid sales tax, and how that dynamic shapes the local retirement mindset. The episode also covers long term care planning, including why long term care insurance is often sold rather than bought, and Stewart shares his honest take on 55 and up retirement communities and why staying socially active may matter more than people realize.

No matter where you plan to retire, this episode is a reminder that your spending plan needs to reflect the true cost of living in your specific location.

📞 Call 877-5-RETIRE or visit AssetPreservationWealth.com to schedule your complimentary portfolio and spending plan review.