Today I'm kicking off a two-part series on Small Cap Value investing.

Specifically, I'm addressing three big questions:

➤ What exactly are small-cap value stocks?

➤ Why have small-cap value stocks, historically, outperformed most major asset classes?

➤ Does the recent 20-year underperformance suggest that the strategy is dead and won't work in the future? 

I'm also sharing critical differences between small-cap value funds + how to take action if you want to include this asset class in your portfolio.

***

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You'll also receive my weekly retirement newsletter!

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***

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Today, I'm sharing key takeaways from three of the BEST retirement articles I read this month.

1️⃣ The first article is about the future of taxes in this country and specifically makes a strong case for why they will be higher.

2️⃣ The second reveals why investors missed out on 15% of investment returns over the last decade. 😳

3️⃣ Lastly, the third article is a real-life account of what it actually feels like to transition from the working world into retirement.

Didn't get a chance to read everything that was published last month?

Don't worry—I've got you covered!

***

FREE RETIREMENT PLANNING RESOURCES:

Subscribe to the Stay Wealthy Retirement Newsletter!

As a thank you, you'll receive three (3) of my MOST popular retirement & tax cheatsheets. 

You'll also receive my weekly retirement newsletter!

👉 Click here to subscribe and grab your cheatsheets.

***

EPISODE RESOURCES:

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There is no shortage of questions when it comes to navigating and planning for retirement.

➤ How much do I need to save? 

➤ How do I optimize my tax bill and avoid overpaying the IRS? 

➤ When do I take Social Security? 

➤ What should I invest in? (And what should I avoid?!)

The list goes on.

And while you've likely read (or heard) helpful answers to most of the big questions, it never hurts to revisit them or get a different perspective.

In fact, some studies suggest that it can take hearing something 7 times before you retain it 🤯

Today on the show, I'm answering listener questions with the Retirement Answer Man himself, Roger Whitney.

Questions like, "What account type is the best retirement account type to fund after you've reached your savings goals?" 

And, "What's the best process for making important changes to your investments after learning you aren't invested properly?" 

If you want to hear our answers to these great questions (and more!), you'll enjoy this episode.

***

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As a thank you, you'll receive three (3) of my MOST popular retirement & tax cheatsheets. 

You'll also receive my weekly retirement newsletter :) 

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***

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Today I'm wrapping up our retirement income series by talking about Dynamic Withdrawal Strategies.

Dynamic strategies are designed to:

1. Maximize retirement income
2. Greatly lower the chance of running out of money
3. Combat inflation and maintain purchasing power

If you want to learn about dynamic withdrawal strategies, their pros & cons, and how to implement them, today's episode is for you. 

👉 Click here to learn more about our Free Retirement Assessment

To access the show notes for today's episode, click here.

Today I'm talking about immediate annuities and dividend stocks as potential retirement income solutions.

Specifically, I'm sharing the what, why, and how behind each strategy.

I'm also sharing their pros + cons.

If you want to find out if annuities and dividends will solve your retirement paycheck puzzle, you're going to enjoy this episode!

👉  Click here to access show notes for this episode

Today I'm breaking down the 4% rule.

Specifically, I'm sharing:

• A brief history of the rule
• Why the creator doesn't follow it
• The pros and cons

I'm also sharing how you might take the current environment into consideration when using the 4% rule. 

If you want to understand the most popular retirement income strategy once and for all, this episode is for you. 

👉  Click here to access show notes for this episode

Today I'm kicking off a multi-part series on creating a reliable income stream in retirement.

To help set the stage for this series, Michael Kitces drops in to share why most retirees will NEVER draw down their portfolio.

In fact, he shares how the 4% rule is more likely to quintuple wealth than deplete it over 30-years.

If you're ready to learn everything you need to know about creating a retirement paycheck, this series is for you. 

👉 Click here to access show notes for this episode

Today I'm talking about car ownership. 

Specifically, I'm sharing:

• The Total Lifetime Cost of Owning a Car
• How Buying New Can Cost the Same as Buying Used
• Why Leasing a Car Isn't Always the Wrong Decision

I also let you in on a little secret about my personal approach to car ownership. 😲

If you want to better understand the true cost of owning a car (and hear my public confession!), today's episode is for you.

👉 Click here to access show notes for this episode

Today I'm talking about I-Bonds, a type of savings bond that some call "the best kept secret in America."  

Specifically, I'm sharing:

• What they are
• Why successful retirement savers might NOT be racing out to buy them
• Who they might be a good fit for 

If you're interested in learning about a safe investment designed to combat inflation, today's episode is for you.

Today I'm responding to some constructive criticism I received from a listener.

I'm also sharing my conversation with Steve Chen, host of The NewRetirement Podcast.

Along with sharing a personal update on having three kids under age 5, we dig into:

• Tax planning opportunities + misconceptions
• What to do when you've saved more for retirement than you can spend
• Why people put off estate planning and how to take action

Be sure to stick around to the end where we answer a few listener questions and chat about the current state of the markets.

👉 Click here to access show notes for this episode

Want to learn how to lower your tax bill + improve retirement success?

Click Here to Get Your FREE Retirement & Tax Assessment

---------------------------------------------

Today I'm tackling part two of our series on Long Term Care (LTC).

Specifically, I'm breaking down three big things:

1. The types of LTC insurance available (and the pros and cons of each!)
2. Major pitfalls to avoid
3. Vetted resources to help you take action

If you want to understand how to maximize your dollars (and coverage!) when buying long-term care insurance, today's episode is for you.

👉 Click here to access show notes for this episode

Today I'm kicking off a two-part series on Long Term Care (LTC).

In part one, I'm sharing:

• LTC statistics that don't often make headlines
• Why everyone (yes everyone!) needs a plan for LTC
• My 5-step process for determining if you can self-fund

If Long Term Care is one of those financial planning items you STILL haven't tackled yet, this series is for you!

👉  Click here to access show notes for this episode

Today, guest host Jeremy Schneider talks about retirement accounts.

Specifically, he shares why having all of your money locked up in them is a problem + how to access your funds early.

He also answers a listener question about where to prioritize investing in a 403(b).

If you invest in any type of retirement account (e.g., IRA, 401k, etc.), you don't want to miss his VERY last episode.

👉  Click here to access show notes for this episode (Including a unique Stay Wealthy discount code for Jeremy's  investing course!)

Inflation hit a 40-year high of 9.1% in June 2022.

Today, inflation is hovering around 3%.

If inflation is back in line with long-term historical averages, why does everything still feel so expensive?

When voters were asked what they would most like to see improved in our economy...

...why did 64% of them say "lower prices?" 

In this episode, I'm digging into the current state of inflation, why prices still feel high, and where inflation might be headed.

I'm also sharing tactics for how to successfully navigate challenging time periods.

If, like most retirement savers, things still feel outrageously expensive to you, you're going to enjoy this episode. 

***

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As a thank you, you'll receive three (3) of my MOST popular retirement & tax cheatsheets. 

You'll also receive my weekly retirement newsletter :) 

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***

EPISODE RESOURCES:

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Today, guest host Jeremy Schneider explains why he removed oil and gold from his portfolio.

In fact, he broke one of his cardinal rules of investing to do it!

He also answers a listener's question about investing money that's being saved for a home down payment.

If you're a retirement investor who is curious if gold or oil (a.k.a. commodities) belong in your portfolio, you're going to love this episode!

👉  Click here to access show notes for this episode

Today, guest host Jeremy Schneider breaks down the 5 most common arguments AGAINST index funds.

Specifically, he shares how individual investors are impacted + his response as an index fund advocate.

He also answers a listener question about paying off debt vs. investing.

If you're a retirement saver who loves low-cost index funds as much as we do, today's episode is for you!

👉  Click here to access show notes for this episode

Today, guest host Jeremy Schneider takes a deep dive into the COVID-19 stock market crash of 2020.

Specifically, he's talking about:

• What the trading circuit breaker is and why it exists
• How the length and severity of the COVID crash stacks up to other historical catastrophic events
• What retirement investors should consider going forward when reviewing their investments 

Jeremy also answers a listener's question about rent vs buy given sky-high real estate prices.

If you're a retirement investor interested in using history to make more informed decisions about the future, you're going to love this episode.

👉  Click here to access show notes for this episode

Today, guest host Jeremy Schneider covers three BIG topics:

1. When market timing works
2. How to invest a windfall of money
3. What to do if you're afraid to invest in the stock market

If you're a nervous retirement investor concerned about investing at market highs, this episode is for you! 

👉  Click here to access show notes for this episode

Learn how to:

• Lower your tax bill
• Optimize investments
• Improve retirement success

Click Here to Get Your FREE Retirement Assessment

---------------------------------------------

Today I'm sharing two simple tax planning tips.

These tips will help you catch common errors we're finding on 2020 tax returns.

I'm also sharing some fun (personal) news with our listeners! 😲

If you've filed your 2020 tax return and want to avoid any big surprises this year, today's episode is for you.

Today we're diving into ESG investing.

 

ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance.

 

And because the world of ESG is messy and complicated, I asked Liz Simmie, co-founder of Honeytree Investment Management, to help us break it down.

 

Liz is wildly knowledgeable about purpose driven investing and addresses three big questions in this episode:

 

1. What is ESG investing (in plain English!)
2. How retirement savers should approach fees when investing in ESG funds
3. What is the most important data point to screen for when choosing an ESG strategy

 

If you want to learn the right way to approach ESG investing and how to integrate it into your retirement portfolio, you're going to love this episode.

 

👉 Click here to access show notes for this episode

Want to learn how to lower your tax bill, optimize investments, and improve retirement success?

Click to get your FREE Retirement Assessment

=================================

Today I'm sharing my current thoughts on bitcoin.

A special guest also drops by to share his point of view, including why bitcoin should NOT be used as a store of value.

If you enjoyed last week's interview and you're craving to hear a different perspective, today's episode is for you.

👉  Click here to access show notes for this episode

Today I'm joined by Isaiah Douglass, MBA, CFP®.

Isaiah is wildly knowledgeable (and passionate!) about Bitcoin.

He's also very optimistic about its future.

I have more questions than answers, so I brought him on the show to share his perspective + challenge my thinking.

I asked him questions such as:

• Why should we trust that 10-years of Bitcoin data is sufficient?
• Is Bitcoin a speculative investment?
• What are the best-case and worst-case scenarios for Bitcoin? ...and more! 

If you're wondering if Bitcoin will "pop" like the dot-com bubble or if it belongs in your investment portfolio, this episode is for you.

👉  Click here to access show notes for this episode

Today I'm joined by special guest, Lazetta Braxton, MBA, CFP®. 

It's almost impossible to miss Lazetta these days! 

She's been seen on NBC Nightly News, CNBC's Closing Bell, and she's a regular contributor to the Wall Street Journal Financial Experts blog.

Lazetta also co-wrote a new book titled "How I Invest My Money" which was illustrated by friend of the show, Carl Richards.

In this conversation, we talk about:

• How I Invest My Money + Investing in Human Capital
• Lazetta's "Go to Hell" fund
• What she's doing to provide broader access to financial advice

If you want to learn how investing in human capital can be part of your retirement plan, you're going to love this episode.

👉  Click to access the links and resources for this episode

A quick reminder that we're currently offering a FREE retirement & tax return analysis.

Learn how to lower your tax bill, optimize investments, and improve retirement success. Click to learn more.

==============================

Today I have a special episode for you.

I'm sharing a sneak peek into an incredible new project launched by Tyrone Ross. (You don't want to miss this.)

I'm also joined by Caleb Silver, Editor in Chief for Investopedia.com.

We talk about three big things:

1. How he thinks about the media's role in financial content and education
2. The biggest investing mistakes readers made in the last 12 months
3. What you need to know about fractional shares, limit orders, and SPACs (in plain English!) 

If you want to learn how to be a better investor from the person leading the charge at one of the largest financial information websites, you'll love this episode.

Want an easy way to learn how the "Roth 5-Year Rule" affects your unique situation? 

Subscribe to the Stay Wealthy Retirement Newsletter.

As a thank you, you'll receive my one-page flowchart (PDF) for navigating this confusing rule.

👉 Click here to join the newsletter!

***

TODAY'S EPISODE:

The "Trump-era tax cuts" are set to expire in 2026.

In other words, retirement savers only have two more years to take advantage of today's lower tax rates.

One of the popular strategies to do this is through (aggressive) Roth conversions.

As a result, I've had more questions than ever about the wildly confusing "Roth IRA 5-year rule"...

...specifically as it relates to Roth conversions.

To help simplify this rule, I'm sharing TWO simple questions you can answer to understand how the rule works.

I'm also sharing several real-life examples + my thoughts on what an election year might mean for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA).

***

EPISODE RESOURCES:

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Today I'm wrapping up our two-part series on robo-advisors.

Specifically, I'm sharing THREE things:

1. The pros and cons of using a robo-advisor
2. Major pitfalls to watch out for
3. How to choose the right one

If you currently use a robo-advisor – or you're considering one in the near future – this episode will help you better understand if it's a good fit + how to avoid costly mistakes.

The stock market has been screaming upwards for over 10 years.

In fact, the S&P 500 just crossed 4,000!

Many retirement savers are starting to get worried, thinking we must be due for a crash.

Is it dangerous to invest at market highs?

Should you wait for a correction before investing more money in stocks?

What if you're retired? Should you be investing in stocks at all?

If you've been asking yourself these same questions lately and feeling a bit nervous about the stock market, today's episode is for you.

Today I'm kicking off a two-part series on robo-advisors by sharing:

• What a robo-advisor is (in plain English!)
• Why I argue they've been around since the 1920's
• Who they are and aren't a good fit for

If you're a retirement saver who wants to learn more about these low-cost investing solutions + if they live up to the hype, this episode is for you.

Today I'm talking about Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). 

Specifically, I'm sharing:

• What an NFT is (in plain English!)
• Why they are so valuable
• If this is an asset class retirement savers should take seriously

If you want to know why pixelated drawings and 3-second video clips are trading hands for millions of dollars + what to make of this investing craze, today's episode is for you.

Today I'm sharing 3 of my favorite portfolio analytics tools for retirement investors.

I'm also using these tools to provide an update on some of the crazy things happening in the stock market right now.

So if you're ready to learn how you can use tech to better understand what you're investing in, today's episode is for you.

To learn more about our FREE retirement & tax return analysis, visit www.freeretirementassessment.com. 

Today I'm tackling three listener questions with my good friend, Roger Whitney:

1. Why you don't have to invest in ESG stocks to make an impact
2. How to replenish your emergency fund (+ how much cash is too much)? 
3. How to process retirement account withdrawals if you're trying to stay in the 12% tax bracket

If you want to hear our answers to these great (and common!) retirement + investing questions, this episode is for you.

Today I'm sharing my 3 favorite tech tools for retirement savers...that have nothing to do with money!

Why?

Because if technology can improve your life, save time, and help you become more efficient, you'll have more time to spend on improving your financial plan :) 

Be sure to stay until the end because I'm sharing a few bonus tech tools as well!

Even if you don't consider yourself tech-savvy, I promise you'll learn something new and easy to adopt that will make your life better...or at least more fun.

Today I'm answering a great question from one of our listeners:

"Are we in a stock market bubble?" ~Nancy K., Minnesota

In this episode, I share:

• What a bubble is
• How to measure stock market valuations
• My answer to answer to Nancy's question!

So if you're a retirement investor concerned about current stock market levels, you're going to love today's episode.

Today I'm wrapping up our mini-series on Portfolio Rebalancing.

Specifically, I'm sharing the 5 biggest pitfalls to watch out for.

Why?

Because making just one of these mistakes could wipe away the benefits of rebalancing entirely.

So before you process your next rebalance (or let a computer handle it!), tune in to learn what they are and how to avoid them. 

Today I'm kicking off a 2-part series on Portfolio Rebalancing.

In part one, I'm sharing:

1. What portfolio rebalancing is
2. How and where it fits into your retirement plan
3. The top 4 benefits of a systematic rebalancing process

If you want to learn how a simple rebalancing plan can boost long-term investment returns, you're going to love this episode.

Today I'm talking through four (rarely-discussed) retirement planning misconceptions.

In fact, some of these misconceptions might not be misconceptions at all...

...they might be concepts that you've never even considered!

For example, is retirement planning a complex problem OR a complicated problem? (And why does it matter?) 

And, should you develop a retirement plan from the outside in OR the inside out?

To help answer these important questions, I'm joined by Roger Whitney, host of the Retirement Answer Man podcast. 

Along with being a great person and expert retirement planner, Roger is also a deep, critical thinker who will definitely get your wheels turning in this episode.

WANT MORE RETIREMENT PLANNING TIPS?

Join 5,000+ listeners and subscribe to the Stay Wealthy Retirement Newsletter.

As a thank you, you'll receive a copy of my 2024 Tax Planning Cheatsheet.

👉 Click here to subscribe and grab your cheatsheet.

-----

EPISODE RESOURCES:

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✏️  Grab the Episode Show Notes

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Today I'm sharing two thoughts on Gamestop and Reddit.

Specifically, I'm sharing why individual investors aren't winning this battle + who benefits the most from trading platforms like Robinhood (hint: not its users).  

So if you want to learn why Gamestop stock traders were not the biggest beneficiary of last week's events, today's episode is for you. 

Today we're talking about cash!   I'm joined by Gary Zimmerman, founder of MaxMyInterest (MAX), an online platform that helps you earn a higher return on your cash savings.    The best part about MAX?   You can keep your existing banking relationship!   So if you want to learn more about MAX and how to boost the yield on your cash, you're going to love this episode.

Today - with help from Morgan Housel - I'm highlighting two economic stories that are flying under the radar.

The first story is that Americans might be in the best financial shape they've ever been in.

And the second is that a large percentage of Americans don't agree with the first story.

Why?

Because they're in the worst financial shape they've ever been in.

Tune in to learn more. 

Happy New Year! To kick off 2021, I'm digging into the three BIG topics I know are on every investor's mind right now:

• Small Cap Value Stocks
• Bitcoin
• The Dow Jones Crossing 30,000

I'm sharing updates on each + what they mean for your retirement planning and investment portfolio in 2021 and beyond.

Today I'm sharing 3 simple tax planning strategies to consider before year-end.

We have two weeks left in 2020 and my goal is to help you take action before it's too late.

So if you want to lower your tax bill today and reduce your future taxes in retirement, today's episode is for you.  

Today I'm talking about tax gain harvesting.

While tax-loss harvesting typically gets all the attention, realizing gains and deliberately paying taxes now can oftentimes be more valuable.

And once again, this strategy is not just for the ultra-wealthy...

In fact, those in the highest tax brackets probably shouldn't pursue this tax planning opportunity.

So if you want to learn how to harvest gains and reduce your future tax bill in retirement, today's episode is for you.

Today I'm talking about how to combine roth conversions with charitable giving.

In fact, this strategy can help wipe out this year's tax bill, reduce future tax bills, and also support some good causes along the way.

The best part?

There's no minimum amount of net worth required to take action.

So if you want to make a smart tax move while also supporting a good cause, today's episode is for you.

Today I'm wrapping up our four-part series on investing in bonds by talking about...implementation!

My goal today is to help you take action.

To take what you've learned these last four weeks and make some meaningful improvements to your retirement portfolio.

So if you're finally able to wrap your head around the basics of bond investing and ready to take action, today's episode is for you.

Today I'm tackling part 3 of our four-part series on investing in bonds.

Specifically, I'm sharing why buying bonds and holding them to maturity might not be the best strategy. 

In fact, if interest rates go up and we maintain a normal yield environment, it's possible that holding bonds to maturity will result in inferior returns. 

So if you want to continue learning how bond returns are generated and where there might be opportunities in this asset class, today's episode is for you.  

Today I'm sharing part 2 of our four-part series on investing in bonds. 

Specifically, I'm going to dive into the two ways you can generate higher expected returns in the bond market. 

I'm also going to share how one of the most popular bond index funds in the world is taking more risk than most people know. 

As always, the information I'm sharing is based on decades of academic research...not a crystal ball :) 

So if you've been blindly buying bonds and you're still not sure exactly what you own or why, today's episode is for you.

It's an election year.

As a result, many retirement investors believe that the market MUST be in for a wild ride.

But is that true? 

Over the last 100 years, how have markets behaved during election years?

What have been the best and worst returns? 

How has the market performed during every 4-year presidential term since 1929?

And is it "different this time?" 

To help retirement savers invest wisely during this period of heightened uncertainty, I'm answering these questions (and more).

---

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---

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Today I'm kicking off our 4-part series on investing in bonds.

Contrary to what most people think, the bond market is actually more complex than the stock market.

But, don't worry, I'm here to translate everything into plain English.

In today's episode, you'll learn three big things about bonds:

• A short history lesson on savings bonds
• A breakdown of individual bonds vs bond funds
• How I think most people should invest in this asset class

If you're a retirement saver who wants to better understand the world of bonds and how they work, you're going to love today's episode and this 4-part series.

Today I'm wrapping up our stock market investing series by talking about implementation.

My goal? 

To help retirement savers build a sound investment portfolio or nudge their financial advisor to make some important tweaks based on decades of academic research. 

I'm sharing what to look for, pitfalls to avoid, and exactly how to go and take action. 

A special guest also drops by to share some tips :)

If you've been throwing your money in a plain vanilla index fund and want to finally make evidence-based improvements, you're going to love today's episode. 

Today I'm tackling part three of our stock market investing series. And, this is where we get to the fun stuff!

In this episode, I'm sharing what historical data you might use when trying to determine which stocks to invest in. 

In fact, this data is what many of the top money managers in the world use to intelligently allocate their clients' assets. 

So if you want to learn how to research the stock market (in plain English!) and build a world-class retirement portfolio, this episode is for you.