Keen On Retirement

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!

If I were to make a list of the most common money worries that I've helped seniors deal with in my 30-plus years as a financial advisor, running out of money in retirement would probably be number one. Even folks who have been following a comprehensive financial plan and building wealth for decades can struggle with the idea of cashing their final paychecks and living off their nest eggs. So, I understand why a headline like "New study finds many seniors who retire at 65 will run out of money" can make some folks question their retirement plans. On today's show, we unpack the details of that study and discuss a practical approach to preparing for and enjoying your golden years.

"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.

Between the 24/7 news cycle and the two-year election cycle of our government system, I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels like our country is in a permanent state of campaigning. And that means some folks who do follow politics and their investments closely are often hearing our leaders talk about tax policy every time they turn on the news. However, it's very important to distinguish between what candidates propose on the campaign trail, what's being debated in Congress, and what actually has a chance of becoming law. On today's show, we separate the facts and the fiction from sound bites on capital gains taxes that you might have heard in recent weeks -- and that you're likely to hear a lot more as we head into the final month of the 2024 campaign.

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: