Keen On Retirement

"Ben" and "Shirley" are 62 years old and married. Shirley retired at the beginning of 2022. Ben is still working, earning $130,000 per year and taking home about $7,000 every month. If Ben retired right now, he'd be eligible for $24,000 per year in Social Security; Shirley could collect $20,000. Ben has a 401(k) worth $1.1 million; Shirley's 401(k) is worth $300,000. They have $45,000 in Roth IRA accounts and $50,000 spread across their checking and savings. Their home is worth $400,000. In 2021, they refinanced the $100,000 balance on their mortgage for 30 years at 2.75%. They have $500,000 in life insurance coverage on Ben, and they're paying $13,000 a year in annual premiums. In part, they're paying those premiums because they have a special needs son, and Ben recently had a stent put in. At Keen Wealth, we call these financial details a person or couple's "case facts." And on today's show, we use these facts to help this couple answer the number one question on their minds, and on the minds of many of our

Ongoing market fluctuations have caused many of us to ask some of the same questions in 2022. Are we headed for a recession? Will inflation subside sooner than later? Should the Federal Reserve have moved earlier or has it done too much? I hope that listening to today's episode will help folks understand why there are no simple answers to any of these questions. And, perhaps more importantly, I hope our listeners will come away with a better appreciation for how a comprehensive financial plan can help you answer the most important questions of all: How does what's happening in the markets affect my nest egg and my retirement? And ultimately, we I be ok?

We received very enthusiastic responses from folks who attended our recent webinar, Maximizing Social Security Benefits. As always, Matt Wilson, Keen Wealth's President and Chief Investment Officer, presented up-to-the-minute information explaining some strategies for integrating Social Security into a comprehensive financial plan.  On today's show, we're complementing that webinar by answering some of the follow-up questions that Matt fielded. Taken together, this podcast and webinar will give you a thorough overview of Social Security, as well as important insights into the finer details and some recent changes that we've been monitoring at Keen Wealth. 

As the calendar flips over to Fall, our checklist-driven process at Keen Wealth brings my team to some important action items to help folks prep for the year ahead. In particular, we want to make sure retirees are getting ready to review their Medicare coverage during the upcoming Open Enrollment period in November. And we're also waiting for the Social Security Administration to announce its benefit changes for 2023.  On today's show, we dig into some of the annual adjustments that could affect your retirement benefits next year and how we tie these projections into a comprehensive planning process. 

What's in a name? On Tuesday, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) into law (and let’s not confuse this IRA with the older “IRA” as in Individual Retirement Account). That's certainly less of a mouthful than, say, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act of 2019 and its proposed sequel. But will the IRA actually have an impact on inflation? Will it change how IRAs work? And what's this carried interest tax loophole that everyone was so worked up about? These are just some of the questions that we've been fielding about the IRA at Keen Wealth. On today's show, we answer these questions and discuss five major bullet points about the new law.

Usually, the last part of a financial plan that folks want to talk about is their estate planning. People expect the conversation will be morbid, depressing, and depending on the family situation, maybe even a bit contentious. And while it's true that this can be an emotionally challenging process, I believe that there are ways to reframe how we think about estate planning so that we can feel more positive about what we're going to leave behind. On today's show, we discuss the differences between estate planning and the comprehensive legacy planning that's part of our checklist-driven process at Keen Wealth.

"It depends!" You'll hear us say that a lot on today's episode, in which we answer some very thoughtful and wide-ranging retirement questions from our listeners. I hope our longer answers on these important topics are a reminder that while there are some universal principles upon which you can build a financial plan, the long-term success of that plan will depend on how you and your advisor work together to find the best solutions for your specific needs and goals.

Headline writers love superlatives: the "biggest" drop, the "highest" inflation rate, the "most" pessimism, and so on. Those words might generate clicks and keep you glued to cable news. But they don't tell the full story of where our economy has been, where it is right now, and where it's probably headed. On today's show, we look to history for perspective on our current challenges and discuss some important opportunities that many investors should be thinking about during this market correction.

Last year, when the Social Security Board of Trustees released its annual report, there was quite a bit of handwringing. The economic hardships of 2020 had depleted reserves quicker than anticipated and projections were showing that Social Security could run out in 2034, one year ahead of previous estimates. By then, Social Security would only be able to pay approximately 78% of expected benefits to retirees.  As we discuss on today's episode, this year's report, released on June 2nd, is a bit more optimistic. But the ongoing social, political, and economic challenges that will affect your benefits in retirement mean it's critical that folks understand how these funds work, maintain realistic expectations, and work with an advisor to plan ahead. 

What's your earliest memory about money? For me, it's the anxiety I felt as a boy, sitting in my father's apartment, waiting for his unemployment check to hit our mailbox. He suffered at times from anxiety and depression, which wasn't understood very well back then, so steady work was always a challenge for him. I remember buying him lunch at a malt shop once I started working -- not because I was trying to show how grown up, I was, but because we really needed the five dollars.  Those formative experiences drove me to a career that taught me how to take care of my own finances and help other people do the same. After nearly 30 years in financial services, I'm positive that there's a real connection between money memories, good financial habits, and mental health that influences our relationships, our emotions, our careers, and our progress towards a safe and secure retirement. To help me explore these important intersections, I'm thrilled to welcome Dr. Megan McCoy to today's episode. Dr. McCoy is a licensed

Market volatility. Inflation. Supply chain issues. Midterm primaries. War. Record gas prices. Rising COVID cases.  There's a little something to make everyone nervous about our global economic picture right now. That's why I thought it was important to devote another episode of our podcast to answering some of the questions that we've been fielding at Keen Wealth.  I hope that our perspective on these important issues will provide counterbalance to some of the headlines you might be seeing on social media and cable news. That's not to say everything is rosy right now in our economy. But if you step back and take in the whole picture, there are some positive indicators flying slightly under the radar and, potentially, some opportunities that could be advantageous for your long-term financial planning. 

Whether you're an early retiree or a senior in the more traditional 65+ age range, my team at Keen Wealth understands that you have questions about navigating this major life transition. But, as we discuss on today's episode, very few retirement questions have simple answers. Arriving at the best decisions for you, your family, and your money is rarely as easy as following a rule of thumb or crunching your numbers one more time. A financial plan should be designed to provide for every aspect of your life. And as your life changes, a good plan should be ready to change with it. Let's dig into some listener questions and examine where general planning principles meet the personalized, comprehensive planning process we use at Keen Wealth.

Last month, our leaders in Washington did something that felt almost unprecedented nowadays: they agreed on something! The Sunshine Protection Act passed the Senate unanimously. If it gets passed by the House and signed by President Biden, turning our clocks back and forth will be a thing of the past and daylight savings time will be permanent starting in 2023.  All kidding aside, there is a slightly more pressing issue that's drawn broad bipartisan support in recent years: revamping retirement planning. In 2019, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act passed the House 417–3 and the Senate 71–23. Its pending sequel, the Securing a Strong Retirement Act, aka SECURE Act 2.0, just passed 414-5 in the House. Those majorities should tell you just how serious the government is about encouraging folks to take more ownership over their long-term financial planning.  On today's show, we (briefly) debate the pros and cons of leaving our clocks alone before digging into the details of SECU

A common talking point when we're having our internal team meetings at Keen Wealth is that we want our clients to be confidently living their best lives. I believe that if you don't have that confidence at every stage of your life, particularly in retirement, then there's something off about your financial plan. Often, folks who go it alone overlook some key technical factors that a professional advisor would have been able to help them address. But there's also an emotional side to financial planning that can be much more important than any number in your portfolio. Folks who don't work to understand their feelings about money might not necessarily be setting themselves up to fail. But they could be missing out on ways to optimize their plans, their money, and their lives. On today's episode, we discuss why some financial plans fail and how working with an advisor who cares about more than just your money can help.

Effective financial planning is all about looking ahead. That's true for both people who are working towards retirement, and for my team at Keen Wealth. I believe that our ongoing commitment to educational events, learning, and professional development is essential to the work we do for our clients. And as the founder and CEO, I'm also committed to growing Keen Wealth into a firm folks can trust and count on today, tomorrow, and into the next generation.  On today's show, I discuss some takeaways from the 2022 Barron's Independent Summit in Louisville, as well as a glimpse into the future of Keen Wealth with our Chief Investment Officer and President, Matt Wilson. 

None of us can control a war, inflationary concerns, natural disasters, or market volatility. If you're worrying about how global events are going to affect your financial plan, try to focus on things you can control. As we discuss on today's show, right now that means efficient tax preparation so that you avoid some common filing mistakes before Tax Day on April 18th.

Talking about a personal investment plan against the backdrop of a major crisis may not seem appropriate. Obviously, the situation in Ukraine right now and the suffering of its people transcend the issues we usually discuss on our podcast. But the reality is that understanding how the markets react to geopolitical issues is part of being a responsible investor, especially as the battlefield expands into the economic arena in unprecedented ways. I hope that today's episode will give folks some important perspective on these issues even as we're all mindful of the larger stakes.

As I mentioned in a recent blog post, more than half of U.S. adults aged 55 and above are now retired. Obviously that figure includes seniors in the more traditional age range of 65-70 years old. But what about folks at the lower end of that statistic? Some of these retirements might be temporary responses to pandemic safety concerns, burnout, or a transition to a new career. Others will be full early retirements for folks who want to get a jump start on their not-quite Golden Years.  Whatever the plan may be, retirement before age 59 1/2 can pose some significant cash flow challenges for folks who need early access to their IRAs and 401(k)s. On today's show, we discuss how incorporating IRS code 72(t) into a financial plan can help. 

Health care is one of the most important aspects of planning for an early retirement. Medicare eligibility doesn't kick in until you reach age 65. Pre-65 retirees who don't have access to employer-subsidized health insurance could be facing some substantial costs for a number of years until they are eligible for Medicare. On today's show, we discuss the various health care options for pre-65 retirees and how those options can affect the rest of your long-term retirement planning.

As divided as Americans may be about a whole bunch of issues, it's heartening to see that we do still agree on the importance of giving back. According to recent reports, as America faced some of its toughest challenges ever in 2020, charitable giving rose 5.1% to a record $471.44 billion. That number is really remarkable when you think about how hard the pandemic hit so many individuals and businesses in their wallets. Add in the stress and uncertainty we were all dealing with and it's clear Americans really went out of their way to help important causes and communities in need. That big boost in giving could also be a positive long-term trend, as many experts had worried that recent changes to tax laws might disincentivize charitable giving. As we discuss on today's show, effective giving plans for the year ahead should account for those changes while weighing some important options for doing the most good.