Keen On Retirement

My team at Keen on Retirement has been hard at work analyzing the question that's top-of-mind for many of our listeners. And after crunching the numbers ... Yes, it looks like Taylor Swift will be able to attend the Super Bowl! She's scheduled to perform in Tokyo the night before our Chiefs take on the 49ers, but thanks to a 17-hour time difference -- and, presumably, a private jet -- we do expect to see Taylor in Las Vegas. All kidding aside, I'm especially excited for this round of listener questions. A couple of folks who have been with Keen Wealth for many

At the end of 2023, the Keen on Retirement podcast crossed a significant milestone: 200 episodes. To put that number in context, less than half of the 460,080 active shows on Apple Podcasts reach episode 4. It's a real testament to the quality of our discussions, Keen Wealth Advisors' commitment to financial education, the dedication of my cohosts, and the support of our subscribers that Keen on Retirement is still going strong as we begin our 9th year. On today's show, my cohosts and I look back on our favorite episodes of Keen on Retirement and reflect on some of the common themes that connect our wide-ranging conversations about the economy, investing, comprehensive financial planning, retirement, and living well.

Happy 2024 from the team at Keen Wealth Advisors! The Dow sent us into the New Year on a high note -- literally -- by hitting a new all-time high in December on the back of some very positive economic news. Employment and job creation are still strong. It looks like we're going to avoid the recession that some analysts have been predicting for the better part of two years. And the Federal Reserve is hinting that it might be done with interest rate hikes as well. That's a pretty good jumping-off point for a year that, I can confidently predict, sure won't be boring. Elections, Olympics, big changes to how and where we work, advances in AI and other tech, ongoing conflicts across the globe, Leap Day -- there's a lot to look forward to in 2024, but also a lot of very serious matters to keep tabs on, and a lot of potential distractions to filter out of your financial planning.

On November 28th, Berkshire Hathaway Vice Chairman Charlie Munger died at age 99. Munger and his partner, Warren Buffett, became billionaire sages whose words reverberated throughout the markets. Their appearances at Berkshire's annual shareholder meetings were appointment viewing for many financial professionals. And while Charlie's "Mungerisms" often served as a succinct counterpoint to Buffett's more loquacious commentaries, the two were almost completely in sync on how they thought about work, investing, and philanthropy. On today's show, we reflect on the lives and legacies of these two business icons and discuss what lessons investors and seniors can learn from their phenomenal success.

When we fall behind on our holiday shopping lists, there are usually some last-minute deals and expedited shipping options that can help us catch up. But if you fall too far behind on your annual financial planning checklist, you might miss out on some important rule changes or time-sensitive strategies that could impact your retirement next year. Based on the questions we've been fielding lately from Keen on Retirement listeners and readers, I'm glad that so many folks are making time during the holiday hustle and bustle to think about some important issues and get a jump on their 2024 financial planning. On today's show, we discuss popular questions about next year's tax brackets, a controversial video about retirement withdrawals that's been making the rounds on social media, and how seniors should be planning for long-term care.

Being grateful can be hard work. The media bombards us with so much bad news, and our lives are so full of everyday stresses that it's easy to lose sight of all the good things we have going for us. And when we're really low, gratitude might even feel a little out of reach. However, as we discuss on today's show, intentionally incorporating gratefulness into your daily routine can create a positive mindset that improves all aspects of your life, from your health and your relationships to your financial planning.