A new proposal out of Washington is adding a fresh angle to the Social Security solvency debate. Today, we're breaking down what's proposed, if it might cost you money in the future, and what questions it raises for anyone planning around Social Security right now.
This week on Strategic Planning, the team answers listener questions about smart financial decisions as retirement approaches. They discuss what to do with extra cash flow after paying off your mortgage, options for covering health insurance if you retire before Medicare eligibility, and how taxes work when withdrawing money from retirement accounts. Tune in for practical insights to help you think through these common retirement planning challenges.
Nobody likes tax season. But for new retirees, it can come with a few unwelcome surprises. The rules have changed, the income sources have shifted, and strategies that made sense during your working years may no longer apply. Today we're looking at some of the biggest tax mistakes retirees make as discussed in a recent Kiplinger article and whether these match what we see in the real world.
When a parent passes away, emotions and finances tend to collide, especially when real estate is involved. One of the most common things that stalls families is fear of taxes, even when that fear isn’t fully understood. Today’s listener question is about an inherited home and hesitant siblings.
Everyone’s got an opinion about money (especially the people with a book deal or a TV show). Some of that advice is useful. Some of it sounds better on a stage than it works in real life. Let’s break it down.
There’s no shortage of financial advice out there, and unfortunately, not all of it is good. Some of the most damaging retirement mistakes don’t come from reckless behavior, but from ideas that sound reasonable and get repeated often enough to feel true. Today, we’re busting some of the most common retirement planning myths and explaining why believing them can quietly derail an otherwise solid plan.
What’s new in 2026 for retirees & pre-retirees? From Social Security and Medicare to tax breaks and retirement contributions, this year brings several updates that could quietly impact your cash flow, taxes, and savings strategy.
As the year winds down, we’re taking a moment to answer some of the listener questions we’ve received over the past few months. One listener asks about taking on a mortgage heading into retirement, another wonders whether rolling multiple 401(k)s into one IRA hurts diversification, and a third is concerned about minimizing taxes when leaving money to their kids. Mike and Philip break down these timely questions and share thoughtful planning insights to help listeners finish the year strong.
As the year winds down, we’re taking a moment to answer some of the listener questions we’ve received over the past few months. One listener asks how they can give meaningful monetary gifts to their kids or grandkids while staying within gift tax rules. Another listener wonders whether keeping a large sum of cash in the bank- like $150,000- is really necessary, or if that money could be working harder for them elsewhere.
You’ve heard the saying, “There’s no such thing as a bad question.” But in retirement planning… some questions are definitely better than others. The way you frame your question often determines the quality of your answer and, in some cases, the quality of your retirement. In this second installment, we pick up the conversation and dig even deeper into how asking smarter questions can shape your financial future.
