In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover these questions:

1. What Happens To Bond Funds When the Fed Cuts Rates?
2. Where to Invest If Stocks Are a No-go
3. How are Mutual Fund Sales Taxed?
4. Should Annuities Replace Bonds?
5. Brokerage Account vs Roth IRA

Resources

• Snowball-Analytics: https://go.robberger.com/snowball-ana...
  
  
• 10 Year Treasury & Fed Fund Rate: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/T1...
  
  
• VTINX: https://investor.vanguard.com/investm...
  
  
• FTBFX: https://fundresearch.fidelity.com/mut...
  
  
• Vanguard LifeStrategy Funds: https://investor.vanguard.com/investm...
  
  

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In this 2025 Year-End Investment Portfolio Review we cover the following topics:

1. Asset Allocation
    a. Diversification / changes
    b. Rebalancing
2. Simplification
3. Beneficiaries
4. Performance
5. Tax Loss or Gain Harvesting
6. Fees
    a. Fund fees
    b. Advisor fees
7. Evaluate Your Performance
    a. Did you buy/sell anything
    b. What worried you during the year

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In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we look at these five topics:

1. 10% yield on bonds
2. Where to hold bonds
3. Co-signing a mortgage
4. Paying taxes on a Roth conversion
5. Asset allocation of real estate investments
Bonus: Cost of long-term care calculator

Resources:
https://www.carescout.com/cost-of-care

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In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we look at these five questions:

1. Have we been lied to about our Social Security break-even age?

2. Is it ok to restart the 4% rule if the market goes up in early retirement?

3. I am nervous about the run up in AI stocks . . . Could it be a good idea to consider diversifying from VTI to an “equal-weighted index fund like Invesco S&P Equal Weight ETF or others like it?

4. I’m 64 and I would like to begin annual Roth conversions from my traditional IRA’s.  Can you review the rules surrounding these conversions in one’s retirement years?  I would like to know how soon I can withdraw converted funds and their associated earnings penalty free and tax free.

5. You’ve mentioned in the past that you transitioned from a six-fund portfolio to a simpler three-fund setup. I’m curious — was that change mainly about reducing complexity and streamlining your investments, or did it reflect a stage of investment maturity and confidence in a more minimalist approach?

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In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover these questions:

1. How to invest $15 million?

2. For the 4% withdrawal rate devised by Bill Bengen, what measure of inflation did he use?  Are there other measures that you think might be more appropriate?

3. If you have a retirement portfolio with a 6% yield does the 4% rule apply?

4. Is a 7-year MYGA a better deal than a 7-year Treasury?

5. If the yield from a High Yield Savings account is paying out 3.8 to 4.0%, why would it ever be a good investment to buy bonds or bond ETFs with their recent volatility?

Bonus Question: Can you explain more about your choice to practice Bikram Yoga over other types of Yoga?

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In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover this questions:

1. Can you recommend a detailed tax estimator?
2. How to plan Roth conversions without a fancy retirement planner?
3. Should you pay off a mortgage early or invest the money?
4. Are identity theft protection services worth the cost?
5. How does reinvesting vs spending dividends affect return assumptions for retirement planning?
   
Resources

2025 Tax Calculator: https://www.efile.com/tax-return-calc...
*Note*: eFile is still updating some aspects of the calculator for 2025 tax laws.
Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-fqf

Vanguard Roth Conversion Calculator: https://advisors.vanguard.com/tax-cen...


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Get free guidance on Medicare from Chapter, a company I've partnered with, by calling 410-220-5494. If you call Chapter, please let me know about your experience.

It's Not That Complicated https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Hqs4v7wLCjhh5ohWVVSNTs2HsGz9nufD/view

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In this episode, we'll walk through resources you can use to get free help with Medicare. The Resources are broken into three categories:

1. Free online educational content
2. Free Medicare guidance from SHIP
3. Free Medicare guidance from insurance brokers

Resources
Medicare: https://www.medicare.gov/
CMS: https://www.cms.gov/
KFF: https://www.kff.org/topic/medicare/
SHIP: https://www.shiphelp.org/
JAMA Study on SHIP: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama...
Chapter: 410-220-5494
Federal Lawsuit: https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/139...

Join the Newsletter. It's Free:
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Get free guidance on Medicare from Chapter, a company I've partnered with, by calling 410-220-5494. If you call Chapter, please let me know about your experience.

In this episode, we'll walk through 7 things you must know about Medicare's annual open enrollment period.

Resources
It's Not That Complicated (pdf): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Hqs4...
Medicare & You 2026 (pdf): https://www.medicare.gov/publications...
2025 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-she...
Medicare Part A Costs: https://www.medicare.gov/basics/costs...
Medigap Plans: https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-...
KFF Medigap Article: https://www.kff.org/medicare/key-fact...
Can I Change Medigap Plans? https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-...
Compare Medicare Plans: https://www.medicare.gov/plan-compare...


Join the Newsletter. It's Free:
https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

Get free guidance on Medicare from Chapter, a company I've partnered with, by calling 410-220-5494. If you call Chapter, please let me know about your experience.

In this episode, we'll walk through the key differences and pros and cons of Original Medicare vs Medicare Advantage plans.

Resources
It's Not That Complicated (pdf): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Hqs4...
Medicare & You 2026 (pdf): https://www.medicare.gov/publications...
2025 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-she...
Medicare Part A Costs: https://www.medicare.gov/basics/costs...
Medigap Plans: https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-...
KFF Medigap Article: https://www.kff.org/medicare/key-fact...
Compare Medicare Plans: https://www.medicare.gov/plan-compare...

Join the Newsletter. It's Free:
https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

Get free guidance on Medicare from Chapter, a company I've partnered with, by calling 410-220-5494. If you call Chapter, please let me know about your experience.