Have you ever looked at the stock market and wondered why it seems to tell a completely different story than your own finances?

When headlines point to economic strength but everyday expenses keep rising, it’s natural to question which picture reflects reality.

In this episode, Jim Kruzan, CFP®, CRPC®, explains why economic data and personal financial experience don’t always move together. He explores how inflation, interest rates, corporate profits, consumer confidence, and market behavior each measure different parts of the economy. Jim also explains why corporate earnings deserve additional context, how periods of innovation can fuel investor optimism, and which economic indicators may be most useful when making long-term retirement and investment decisions.

Key takeaways:

Connect with Jim Kruzan: 

Have you ever wondered why your taxes or Medicare costs seem to increase even when tax rates haven’t changed? 

Small planning decisions can have a much bigger financial impact than many retirees realize.

In this episode, Jim Kruzan, CFP®, CRPC®, explains five often overlooked tax rules that can quietly increase retirement costs over time. He breaks down Medicare premium surcharges, Social Security taxation, payroll taxes, home sale capital gains, and the hidden impact of income thresholds that haven’t kept pace with inflation. 

Jim also shares practical planning ideas to help retirees and pre-retirees make more informed decisions about Medicare, withdrawals, income, and taxes before unexpected costs arise.

Key takeaways:

Continue Your Retirement Planning

Curious how these retirement tax rules could affect your own financial plan?

Watch our free, 20-minute Engineering Your Best Retirement webinar to learn about the key decisions that can impact your retirement. You’ll also discover how our personalized Retirement Readiness Report helps individuals evaluate their retirement readiness and learn how to request yours for free.

Register for the Webinar / Watch On Demand

Connect with Jim Kruzan: 

Disclosure: This article is provided for informational purposes only and should not be considered tax, legal, or accounting advice. Tax laws are subject to change, and individual circumstances vary. Please consult your tax professional or other qualified advisor regarding your specific situation. 

Sources: 

Many people are saving consistently, yet still feel uncertain about their future.

What if the issue is not how much you’ve saved, but how well everything works together?

In this episode, Jim Kruzan, CFP®, CRPC®, introduces a Retirement Readiness Report developed by his team at Kaydan Wealth Management, designed to bring all the moving pieces of a financial plan into one clear view. He explains why clarity matters more than accumulation alone, and how disconnected accounts, tax exposure, and withdrawal strategies can impact retirement outcomes. 

Jim also shares why timing, especially within the final decade before retirement, can shape long-term income, taxes, and overall financial confidence.

Key takeaways:

Resources:

Connect with Jim Kruzan: 

Retirement is rarely one long, predictable stretch. Spending, priorities, and daily life can shift more than many people expect, which is why a more realistic framework can make planning feel less stressful.

What if the real challenge is not just having enough money, but knowing when and how to use it well?

In this episode, Jim Kruzan, CFP®, CRPC®, explains why retirement should be viewed in three chapters instead of one flat timeline. He breaks down the go-go, go-slow, and later years, showing how spending often starts higher, settles into a steadier rhythm, and then rises again as health and housing needs change. Jim also shares how a retirement plan can be built around changing cash flow, not just fixed income, so people can enjoy more experiences early on without losing sight of future care costs.

Key takeaways:

Resources:

Connect with Jim Kruzan: 

What’s the real cost of education when your retirement is on the line?

In part two of this series, Jim Kruzan, CFP®, CRPC®, breaks down the financial tradeoffs hidden in today’s education planning landscape from brand-new Trump Savings Accounts to long-term student loan debt, and how poorly timed withdrawals could sabotage your retirement timeline.

With decades of experience guiding families through these complex intersections, Jim offers clear insight into what to prioritize, how to help protect your future, and the conversations parents and students need to start earlier than ever.

What to expect in this episode:

Resources:

Connect with Jim Kruzan: 

Publishing Tags:

For many families, education and retirement happen on the same financial timeline. 

The dollars that help a child chase their dreams can just as easily be the dollars that shape your future. That’s why recent education reforms deserve your attention, whether you’re a parent, grandparent, or planning for your own education journey.

In part one of this special two-part series, Jim Kruzan, CFP®, CRPC®, explores how the new “One Big Beautiful Bill” reshapes education funding and why it matters for your retirement strategy. From expanded Pell Grants and FAFSA shifts to 529 ownership strategies and lifetime borrowing caps, Jim unpacks what’s changing and how to plan with clarity, not guesswork.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

Resources:

Connect with Jim Kruzan: 

You can do everything right, save consistently, invest wisely, build a retirement plan, and still be one accident away from financial devastation. 

Why? Because many of us unknowingly overlook one critical piece of protection: uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM).

In this episode of The Retirement Engineer, Jim Kruzan, CFP®, CRPC®, sits down with Mike Kane, a Personal Injury Attorney and Former U.S. Marine, to break down how this often-skipped coverage works, who it helps protect, and why so many people, even financially savvy ones, miss it.

What to expect:

Resources:

Connect with Jim Kruzan: 

Connect With Mike Kane:

About Our Guest: 

Mike Kane is a Colorado personal injury lawyer specializing in car accidents, truck accidents, and catastrophic personal injury litigation. He also represents victims of sexual assault against institutions and individuals.

Mr. Kane has spent his entire career helping the vulnerable fight back against the powerful. A third-generation lawyer and Colorado native, he is a former US Marine who served a tour in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. After leaving the military, he returned home and served as a Deputy District Attorney in the Arapahoe and Douglas County DA’s Offices. He then entered civil practice and has focused exclusively on the representation of injured plaintiffs.

A sweeping new financial law dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill” is changing the rules for retirees and those nearing retirement. 

From tax deductions on Social Security to estate planning thresholds, Roth account changes, healthcare cost shifts, and updates to 529 plans, the legislation is reshaping the financial landscape.

In this episode, Jim Kruzan, CFP®, CRPC®, breaks down the details and explores how these changes may impact your retirement strategy. You’ll learn what’s staying the same, what’s phasing out and when, and how to plan smarter during this transition period.

Here’s what to expect:

Connect with Jim Kruzan: 

When markets drop, most people freeze or flee. But what if the smartest move isn’t to retreat, but to go on offense?

In this episode, Jim Kruzan, CFP®, CRPC®,  unpacks why volatile markets can be a gift to strategic investors who know how to capitalize on short-term fear for long-term gain.

Jim Kruzan, CFP®, CRPC®,  walks listeners through how understanding market patterns, managing risk, and applying proactive investment tactics can turn turbulence into opportunity. Whether you’re accumulating wealth or distributing it in retirement, this episode explains why downturns don’t need to derail your plan—in fact, they might be just what your portfolio needs.

Here’s what you can expect from this release:

Connect with Jim Kruzan: 

What are the clear signs it’s time to stop DIYing your retirement planning? 

Here are the five indicators that call for professional guidance.

Jim Kruzan, CFP®, CRPC®, unravels the complexities of retirement planning. With his wealth of experience, he explores when it’s best to transition from self-management to professional advice. 

This episode offers universal insights for anyone considering a DIY approach to retirement planning.

Key discussion points include:

Resources:

Connect with Jim Kruzan: