Retirement Planning Videos

Retirement changes a lot more than where your paycheck comes from.For years, you have been saving money, contributing to retirement accounts and getting used to a paycheck showing up every couple of weeks. Then retirement arrives, the paycheck stops, and suddenly you have to start using the money you spent decades building.That transition can feel Learn More

Most people would expect their taxes to go down if their household income dropped.But after one spouse dies, that is not always what happens.In this video, I walk through an example of a retired couple I’ll call Sam and Sally. They are both over 65, have about $2 million in traditional IRAs, withdraw $100,000 a Learn More

Deciding when to start Social Security is not always as simple as waiting as long as possible to get the biggest monthly benefit.In this video, I walk through a sample couple who is 64, recently retired, and trying to decide whether to start Social Security now or wait until age 70.If they claim earlier, they Learn More

If you inherit an IRA, you may have heard that you have 10 years to empty the account.That is true for many non-spouse beneficiaries.But the important part is not just the 10-year deadline. It is how you use those 10 years.In this video, I walk through a sample case of someone who inherits a $400,000 Learn More

Medicare surcharges can be frustrating. If your income goes over certain thresholds, your Medicare premiums can increase two years later. And unlike federal income tax brackets, where only the dollars above the next bracket line are taxed at the higher rate, going even $1 over an IRMAA threshold can move your Medicare premiums into a higher Learn More

If you have a pension, deciding how to take it can be one of the more important retirement decisions you make.Typically, you may have a choice between taking a larger monthly payment for your life only, or taking a smaller payment that continues to your spouse if you pass away first.That may sound like a Learn More

Roth conversions can be a valuable retirement planning tool.But that does not mean bigger is always better.In this video, I walk through a sample case involving a couple near retirement with a large IRA and a plan to convert aggressively before required minimum distributions begin.At first, that strategy may sound reasonable. Pay taxes now, reduce Learn More

If you are 55 and want to retire at 60, the next five years matter a lot.In this video, I walk through a sample retirement plan for a couple who is 55, has meaningful savings, and wants to stop working at 60.Under the starting assumptions, they are close, but not quite where they need to Learn More

Most retirement spending rules start with a number.But retirement does not move in a straight line. Markets change, Social Security begins, a mortgage may get paid off, spending patterns shift, and your needs often look different at 75 than they did at 65.In this video, I discuss the flaw in many “safe” retirement spending rules Learn More

Many people expect that once they save enough for retirement, they will simply feel ready.But that is often not what happens.They reach the number they had been working toward and then move the goalpost. Retirement still feels risky, even when the financial plan suggests they may already be in a strong position.In this video, I Learn More