Keen On Retirement

Matt Wilson's latest Market Update webinar touched on some important topics that you've probably seen in the headlines lately: interest rates, inflation, bank closures, the debt ceiling debate, and economic growth forecasts for the rest of the year. But if you're just getting your info on these things from social media or cable news, Matt's approach was likely a breath of fresh air. At Keen Wealth, we try to provide clear-eyed analysis without the hype so that folks can understand the practical effects that hot-button issues could have on their financial plans and their retirement. On today's show, we recap some of the bullet points from Matt's Q2 Market Update and answer a few follow-up questions from folks who attended the webinar.

For previous generations of seniors, "retirement" meant the end of work, period. The modern version of retirement often isn't that cut and dry. A growing number of seniors who have achieved total financial independence are "unretiring" not because they need money, but because working in some capacity makes their golden years more purposeful and enjoyable. If any of these thoughts about unretiring ring a bell, it might be time to sit down with your advisor and talk about what returning to the workforce could mean for your financial plan.

Why are we talking taxes on today’s episode, when the 2022 tax season is already over? Because taxes are a constantly evolving part of a comprehensive financial plan. The rules around tax planning and retirement change. Your taxable income changes. And, most importantly, your life changes. Today, we discuss some of the tax items on our checklist-driven planning process at Keen Wealth that keep every part of a financial plan in sync throughout the year.

When I first started out in financial services more than 30 years ago, most folks received quarterly paper statements from their advisors or custodians updating them on how their accounts were doing. Today, retirees can use their phones to check on their nest eggs minute by minute if they want to … and, potentially, drive themselves crazy in the process.

I know I say this every time we answer listener questions, but these are some of my favorite episodes of Keen on Retirement. I love hearing from listeners trying to think through crucial financial planning issues and be proactive about their lives. And I'm thrilled that so many folks in our audience took the time to attend our most recent webinar on Retirement Spending, reflect on the info that Keen Wealth's Matt Wilson presented, and send in thoughtful follow-up questions on a wide range of essential topics.

U.S. life expectancy is trending in the wrong direction for the first time in decades. According to data from the Center for Disease Control, in 2014 the average American was expected to live 78.9 years. In 2021, after several years of plateauing life expectancy, that figure dipped to 76.4 years, the sharpest 2-year decline in over 100 years. From a financial planning perspective, Keen Wealth still believes that folks need to prepare for a retirement that's going to last, potentially, decades. But this latest life expectancy data does raise some important issues about what we can do both individually and in our communities to turn these trends around so that we can all enjoy our golden years to the fullest.