Keen On Retirement™

During my recent trip to Australia, I learned that navigating a foreign country can feel normal but different all at the same time. On the one hand, my family and I enjoyed the familiar experiences of being on vacation, such as unplugging from our daily routines, relaxing on a long flight, seeing the sights, and spending time with loved ones. But once we arrived in Brisbane, we had to get used to a new landscape and a new set of rules. The huge time zone difference. Driving a "ute" (utility vehicle) on the left side of the road and overtaking (passing) on the right. Calling "French fries" chips and our friends “mate.” Keeping an eye out for wild kangaroos. Retirees may feel like they're facing a similar "familiar but different" financial landscape this tax season. While many of the strategies my team at Keen Wealth are discussing with folks are tried-and-true, some rules and details are changing due to new legislation that's going into effect. Your financial plan, and your financial team, need to be ready to adapt to these new rules so that you don’t miss a key deduction and pay more in taxes than you really owe. On today's show, we discuss the One Big Beautiful Bill Act's changes to the tax code and some specific provisions that require thorough proactive planning before you file your taxes in April.

This is it! The year you've spent decades working for, saving for, investing for, and planning for. Many people enter their first year of retirement focused on preventing things that could go wrong. But with a little forethought and a positive attitude, a lot can go right this year as well. Here are five keys to thriving financially, physically, and emotionally during your first year of retirement.

Longtime Keen on Retirement listeners and friends of the firm are probably familiar with The Big Hat. Matt Wilson, our Chief Investment Officer and President, is the proud owner of an oversized Dow 100,000 cap that he wears on our show from time to time. And when folks visit our offices, such as during our annual Holiday Breakfast, they often spot Matt's hat in his office and have a bit of a chuckle about its pie-in-the-sky prediction. More than once, I've heard someone tell Matt, "Gosh, I'll never see that in my lifetime." But ... is the Dow hitting 100,000 really all that far-fetched? On our final show of 2025, we look to market history and current trends to give you a head start in your financial planning for 2026. I also share some stories from my big Hollywood red carpet debut as part of the Keen Wealth Foundation’s charitable mission.

If you want proof that money alone doesn't buy happiness, just compare these two data points: By any measure, the United States is one of the wealthiest countries in the world -- if not THE wealthiest. And, at the same time, year after year, our collective happiness continues to decline. So, if having more money doesn’t create more happiness ... then what the heck are we all doing? Why are we up at the crack of dawn for our morning commute? What are all those long hours at the office for? Why are we topping off accounts longer than we have to if the ROI isn't making us feel better about our lives and our prospects for the future? A recent poll from YouGov for MarketWatch approached the relationship between money and happiness from a slightly different perspective. I was struck by how the findings align with a core belief we have here at Keen Wealth: financial happiness isn't about accumulating more money. It's about aligning the money you have with your values, your purpose, and a sense of freedom.

"This sounds too good to be true, but you’ve got to believe in those that are looking at it for you and trusting in the people with Pacific Life email addresses that are sending you the documents." So many stories of financial fraud and mismanagement boil down to statements just like this one. All too often, the folks who are losing large sums of money are hardworking folks working 9-to-5s who don't have a team of professionals looking out for them, and whose finances may never recover. But, in this case, the quote above is from racecar driver Kyle Busch, a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion whose net worth is estimated to be around $80 million. Earlier this month, Busch and his wife, Samantha, sued Pacific Life Insurance Company for $8.5 million, alleging that Pacific Life misrepresented how a policy worked and lost almost $10.4 million that the Buschs’ thought they were safely investing for retirement. On today's show, we draw three important lessons from the Buschs' lawsuit that could help you steer clear of a similar financial crash.

Two of the saddest words a retiree can say are "If only ..." No one makes it through their entire life without a few missteps. But your Golden Years are supposed to be about enjoying the freedom, relationships, and, yes, money that you've spent decades cultivating. The good news for pre-retirees is that regret isn't inevitable. If you learn from the experiences of seniors who've gone through some ups and downs already, you can plan ahead so you're not spending your retirement dwelling on do-overs. Let’s explore ten of the most common "If onlys" I've heard in my 30-plus years as an advisor and how you can prepare to face them with clarity and confidence.