Keen On Retirement

What might be even better than having a Happy New Year? Having a purposeful 2025. Longevity experts who study "blue zones" where folks live the longest have popularized the Japanese concept of "ikigai," meaning roughly, "having a purpose in life." Their research shows that seniors who are motivated to get out of bed in the morning don't just live longer, they also feel more fulfilled and have healthier habits that nourish their minds, bodies, and souls. On today's show, we discuss various ways that focusing on purpose could help you set better goals and achieve more in the year ahead.

Reviewing your estate plan is an important part of the year-end review sessions that we hold at Keen Wealth. At least annually, folks should make sure that their plan is still in sync with how they want to be cared for, how they want their assets distributed, and who they trust to settle their estate and preserve their legacy. But an estate plan check-up is also a good opportunity to review your feelings around what your money means to you, both while you're still around to enjoy it and after the next generation takes over. On today's show, we discuss lessons from two different approaches to estate planning that all seniors should think about as they prepare their financial plans for a new year.

"Sam" is 58 and he retired at the end of the first quarter of 2024. His wife, "Alice," is 65 and still working as a paid caretaker for the couple's son with special needs. Sam has $400,000 in a Roth IRA, $2 million in a traditional IRA and they have $400,000 in a joint taxable account. In 2024, Sam earned $75,000 and Alice earned $20,000. And, like so many couples in their age range, Sam and Alice want to know if their nest egg is ready to support them as they prepare for retirement. On today's show, we use Keen Wealth's comprehensive planning process to help "Sam and Alice" analyze their financial situation and identify some key decisions they'll need to make to keep their money and their lives in sync.

If there's one thing we know that the financial markets like, it's certainty. And since the 2024 presidential election was settled overnight -- rather than the weeks it took to count votes in 2020 -- the markets have reacted to the certainty of our new political reality with very strong returns. But as Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House, there are still many lingering questions about how the economic vision he laid out on the campaign trail will or won't materialize. On today's show, we explore some of President-elect Trump’s policy proposals and how they could affect your retirement planning.

At Keen Wealth, we often describe tax-planning as an ongoing process, not just something we help folks accomplish every spring. And while Tax Day is certainly circled in red on our annual planning calendars, the end of the year is also an important deadline for some moves that could lower your tax bill. On today's show, we discuss three financial strategies that you and your advisor should consider before December 31st. Please note that we recorded this episode before Election Day. We'll give you our thoughts on how the new U.S. political environment could affect your financial planning in the weeks ahead.

With the presidential election less than a week away, I know many folks are feeling like the present is on pause while we’re waiting on some important answers about the future. Matt Wilson, Keen Wealth’s Chief Investment Officer and President, analyzed the latest data surrounding the election, the health of the economy, and the early outlook for 2025 in his recent 2024 Q4 Market Update Webinar. Today we’re going to discuss some follow-up questions from webinar attendees that should provide a little more clarity about the relationship between your short-term and long-term financial planning.