Keen On Retirement

A new study by financial services company Empower asked 2,203 Americans, 18 and older, how they defined “financial success.” The results reveal some fascinating differences between how generations view their money. But the numbers also show that folks at every stage of their financial journeys share some common goals, worry about some common roadblocks, and have arrived at a common conclusion about the most impactful financial tool at their disposal.

How can a couple that has spent decades building a life head into retirement with such different ideas about how that life will or won't change? Because, even after all those years together, you're still two very different people! Your individual experiences of work, raising kids, managing a home, and pursuing hobbies and other interests may have overlapped. You may have tried to share some responsibilities as close to 50/50 as you could. But ultimately, each person has their own feelings, perspectives, and formative memories that create a uniquely personal retirement vision. At Keen Wealth, we often help couples on the cusp of retirement have discussions about their individual retirement goals so that they can find common ground for a shared retirement blueprint. Answering these four questions could help you and your spouse start to find that same sense of alignment.

The idea that retirees can live off Social Security alone is a bit of a holdover from the old "automatic retirement at 65" days. For the most part, your parents and grandparents weren't thinking about 30 or 40-year retirements, active living into their 70s or 80s, or cycling in and out of the workforce to pursue new challenges and passions. Most -- but not all -- of today's retirees would have a hard time relying solely on their Social Security benefits to cover monthly expenses, especially in the later stages of retirement when health care costs tend to spike. However, just because Social Security has a different place in the retirement equation than it once did, that doesn't mean your benefits aren't still incredibly valuable! If you work hard and plan ahead with your financial advisor, you can utilize these five strategies to boost your benefits, pad your nest egg, and hopefully feel a little more secure about your retirement spending plan.

Generally, when folks hit their early 60s and feel like they're 3-5 years away from retirement, that's when they start assessing if they're truly ready. Typically, the kids are out of the house; grandchildren might even be in the picture. They've usually achieved some major milestones in their careers. They've enjoyed a few bucket-list experiences and want to start spending more of their time doing the things they love with the people they love. So, what does a clear path to retirement look like to a 62-year-old? As always, Keen Wealth has a checklist!

"Tax season" is year-round at Keen Wealth. As we meet with folks throughout the year and help them respond to life's ups and downs, we're constantly reevaluating their portfolios, budgets, and goals to look for more efficient and advantageous tax planning strategies. However, there are certain tax moves that you have to lock in by December 31st in order to apply them to your tax filings the following April. As we head into the fourth quarter of 2024, be sure to talk to your financial advisor and your tax professional about these 10 topics.

Most retirees know that, once they turn 73 (if born after 1950), they are required by law to take required minimum distributions (RMDs) from their retirement accounts. But in financial planning, nothing is ever quite that simple. In the past several years, the rules around RMDs have changed in very significant ways. Those changes, other rules around how and when RMDs occur, and changes to the very nature of retirement create complex planning scenarios that affect all retirees in very different ways. To maximize your nest egg, make sure you discuss these lesser-known facts about RMDs with your financial advisor: