annuity
Build the Floor First
The Income Floor Effect
The Behavioral Side
The psychology of spending down a portfolio you spent decades building
annuity
I've Seen Your Tax Return. Here's What Worries Me.
Every spring, I sit down with a stack of tax returns. My clients are mostly retirees or people within a few years of retirement. By now, I’ve reviewed enough 1099s and IRA statements to spot the patterns before I even get to the numbers. Most of my clients did
annuity
What Peace of Mind Is Actually Worth in Retirement
The hidden return nobody measures, and why it may be your most valuable asset
Newsletter
What Would Actually Have to Go Wrong?
Most retirement anxiety is not about a specific threat. It is about a cloud.
income
The Real Reason You Keep Putting Off Your Retirement Plan
*Before we begin, this week’s piece is shorter than usual due to the end of tax season and other demands. I wanted to ensure it was worth your time. People tell me retirement planning is hard because it is complicated. The tax rules are confusing. Social Security has more
income
Why Most People Wait Too Long to Think About Retirement Taxes
The hardest part about retirement taxes is that they usually become important long before they become visible.
annuity
Why a 20% Drop Feels Different After the Paychecks Stop
The market didn't change. Your relationship to it did.
investment portfolio
We Have $2 Million. Why Are We Still Worried?
Why a large portfolio doesn't automatically create peace of mind, and why structure matters more than size
annuity
Why I Use Fixed Index Annuities (And Why Most Criticism Misses the Point)
I read another “annuities are terrible” article today. The arguments were familiar: high fees, complexity, opportunity cost, and limited upside. And you know what? Some of that criticism is valid, but not for how I actually use Fixed Index Annuities (FIAs) with my clients. Here’s something important to establish
investment portfolio
The Problem With the 4% Rule Isn't the Math
Why perfectly reasonable assumptions break down in real retirement life