The Rob Berger Show

We can save for retirement through at least four different account types: (1) 401(k) and other workplace retirement accounts, (2) IRAs, (3) HSAs, and (4) taxable accounts. Some can also use a mega backdoor Roth 401(k).

In this video, I walk through one optimal approach to prioritizing which accounts to contribute to first.

Here's a related article that I wrote on the topic: https://robberger.com/the-optimal-ord...

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A TIPS ladder is just one way to generate income during retirement. We'll look at two scenarios where a TIPS ladder may make sense, and then discuss the pros and cons.

TIPS Ladder: https://www.tipsladder.com/
Four Easy Steps to Build a TIPS Ladder: https://www.advisorperspectives.com/a...
Schwab Annuity Pricing Tool: https://www.schwab.com/annuities/fixe...

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When evaluating fees charged by investment advisors, should we look only at the actual dollars spent, or should we evaluate the long-term effect these fees have on our wealth? That's the question I address in this video.

Kitces Article: https://www.kitces.com/blog/financial...
My Response: https://robberger.com/how-should-we-e...
Hourly and Flat Rate Advisors: https://robberger.com/low-cost-financ...

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Vanguard has announced that it is selling 280,000 small business retirement plans to Ascensus. The transaction covers individual 401(k) plans, sometimes called Solo 401(k)s, Multi-SEP IRAs, and Simple IRAs, but not individual SEP IRAs.

Here's my take on what's going on, your options, and what this means for Vanguard.

Press Release: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-relea...
Ascensus Fees: https://www.ascensus.com/solutions/re...
Fidelity Solo 401(k): https://www.fidelity.com/retirement-i...
Schwab Solo 401(k): https://www.schwab.com/small-business...

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In brief remarks, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell all but took an interest rate cut in the near term off the table. In doing so, he taught us a very important lesson about investing.

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Fidelity recently disclosed that its computer systems were breached and that the personal data of more than 77,000 customers were accessed. here's what happened and some ways we can protect ourselves.

News of hack: https://www.investmentnews.com/indust...
Massachusetts: https://www.mass.gov/doc/data-breach-...
Maine: https://www.maine.gov/agviewer/conten...
New Hampshire: https://mm.nh.gov/files/uploads/doj/r...
Sample Fidelity letter: file:///Users/robberger/Downloads/Sample_Letter.pdf
Class Action Lawsuit: https://www.investmentnews.com/indust...
Fidelity's Lockdown Feature: https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/view...

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Does the 4% Rule apply in the same way to tax-deferred, tax-free, and taxable accounts? And how should one consider the different tax treatments of these accounts when coming up with a safe spending plan in retirement? I'll cover these questions in today's video.

Bengen's 1996 Paper: https://www.financialplanningassociat...
Bengen's 1997 Paper: https://www.financialplanningassociat...
New Retirement: https://go.robberger.com/new-retireme...

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Today, the top 10 companies in the S&P 500 Index account for more than 33% of the index. That's the largest concentration we've seen in 50 years. In this video we'll cover three things:

1. Just how significant is the concentration?
2. Does it tell us anything about future returns?
3. What, if anything, should we do about the concentration.

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Our retirement plan's chance of success depends a lot on assumptions we make about future investment returns. In this video, I walk through my approach to this issue.

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In this video, we'll discuss how to optimize the tax efficiency of your retirement withdrawals. New Retirement: https://go.robberger.com/new-retireme...

Many retirees have up to three account types: taxable, tax-deferred (e.g., traditional IRA), and tax-free (Roth IRA or HSA). The conventional wisdom tells us to spend the taxable accounts first, then the tax-deferred, and finally the tax-free. It turns out that this approach is rarely optimal.

By making a few adjustments to the conventional approach, particularly in early retirement, we can increase our after-tax spending and the longevity of our portfolio.

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