Retire Early, Retire Now!

Hosted by Hunter Kelly

Business Investing

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Episodes

125

Latest episode

May 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

This is a Podcast to help people retire early and help people retire now. Financial Planning topics will be covered and explained so you can plan and retire with confidence.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

May 5, 202626 min

Should You Use Cash, Debt, or Investments for a Big Purchase?

Send us Fan Mail When Cash Feels Safer Than the Market: Funding Big Projects, Managing Risk, and Avoiding Tax Traps Hunter Kelly discusses a client case (names changed) involving Mark and Lauren, who earn just over $300,000, have nearly $1 million in retirement savings, and $100,000 cash while considering a $175,000–$180,000 pool project. They explored HELOC/pool loans but were uncomfortable with added debt, so they chose to delay until Mark’s July bonus and retention payment arrive, including temporarily reducing his 403(b) contributions to increase short-term liquidity. The episode also covers Mark moving about $700,000 of his 403(b) into a money market due to market fears, the risks of staying in cash, and using a rules-based reentry plan and more fitting allocation. Kelly explains capital loss limits ($3,000 against ordinary income with carryforwards) and a backdoor Roth IRA reporting error on Form 8606 that, once corrected, saved about $1,000, emphasizing sequencing and broader advisor value beyond investments. 00:00 Welcome and Setup 00:46 Meet Mark and Lauren 02:23 Pool Project Costs 04:31 Debt vs Peace of Mind 05:42 Waiting for Bonus Cash 07:33 Pause 403b for Liquidity 09:10 Moved Retirement to Cash 11:56 Rules Based Reentry Plan 14:08 Breakeven Bias and Purpose 17:00 Capital Losses Explained 19:54 Backdoor Roth Reporting 23:03 Sequencing and Takeaways 26:02 Wrap Up and Disclaimer Check out the Palm Valley Wealth Management Website PalmValleywm.com Check us out on Instagram LinkedIn Facebook Listen to the Podcast Here! Apple Spotify

April 21, 202619 min

How to Use the Next 10 Years to Create More Freedom

Send us Fan Mail Using Your 40s to Build Financial Flexibility Over the Next 10 Years Hunter Kelly explains how many families in their 40s can use the next decade to build flexibility and freedom, using a real planning conversation with newly married mid‑40s clients Sarah and David. With about $240,000 household income and roughly $900,000 in retirement assets, they aim to stay in their home about 10 years, take an annual meaningful trip, eventually relocate to a cheaper rural area, and give Sarah the option to retire or go part-time in about 10 years while David may work to 65 for health insurance. Topics include defining “freedom” specifically, organizing an old 401(k) (including IRA vs new 401(k) and backdoor Roth pro‑rata considerations), evaluating debt strategically (car loan, federal student loans at 6%, mortgage at 6.3%), considering refinance vs mortgage recast, and building taxable brokerage assets to access funds before age 59½. 00:00 Welcome and Big Question 01:05 Meet the Couple Case Study 02:42 Why the Next Decade Matters 05:03 Define Freedom Clearly 06:38 Old 401k Rollover Choices 09:05 Debt Strategy Without Rigidity 11:09 Mortgage Timeline and Recast 13:56 Bridge Money Before 59½ 16:01 Planning Is a Process 17:40 Key Takeaways and Next Steps Check out the Palm Valley Wealth Management Website PalmValleywm.com Check us out on Instagram LinkedIn Facebook Listen to the Podcast Here! Apple Spotify

March 31, 202614 min

Why Traditional Retirement Investing Fails Early Retirees

Send us Fan Mail Early Retirement Investing: Why the 65+ Playbook Doesn’t Apply at 50 Hunter Kelly answers a listener question about whether early retirees should shift from equities to bonds in their 40s, explaining that traditional retirement rules don’t automatically apply when retiring at 50–55 because the portfolio may need to last 30–40 more years. Using a client example (Tyler and Mary, mid-40s, $400–$450k income, $1.5M mostly in retirement accounts), he highlights that the biggest risk can be running out of money, not just volatility, and that early-retirement risk management includes sequence-of-returns risk, cash flow, timing, and withdrawal strategy. He recommends building a taxable “bridge” brokerage account for flexibility before 59½ and using a bucket approach: 1–2 years cash, a mid-term fixed-income bucket, and a long-term equity-heavy bucket. The key message is to be more intentional with an overall plan, not just allocation. 00:00 Early Retirement Question 01:31 Meet Tyler and Mary 02:26 Why Time Horizon Changes 03:32 Managing Risk and Growth 06:08 Bridge Account Strategy 06:45 Bucket Withdrawal System 10:06 Plan First Not Portfolio 11:29 Direct Answer for Karen 13:38 Wrap Up and Disclaimer Check out the Palm Valley Wealth Management Website PalmValleywm.com Check us out on Instagram LinkedIn Facebook Listen to the Podcast Here! Apple Spotify

March 24, 202616 min

The Year That Almost Broke Them Financially (And What Fixed It)

Send us Fan Mail From Good Habits to a Real Plan: Clarity and Flexibility in the “Messy Middle” Hunter Kelly, CFP and founder of Palm Valley Wealth Management, explains why many high-income young families feel behind despite doing “everything right”: their financial decisions are disconnected habits without a cohesive plan. He shares the story of Tom and Lisa, whose 2024 job loss during a home move, two mortgages, a serious car accident, and drained savings nearly forced a 401(k) withdrawal, revealing a lack of structure. Kelly outlines planning as an ongoing process focused first on emergency funds and cash-flow stability, then organization around near-term changes like a new baby, followed by long-term questions about retirement, savings targets, account “buckets” for flexibility outside retirement, and proactive year-round tax planning to reduce lifetime taxes. He calls this life stage the “messy middle” and encourages listeners to define 12-month goals, assess systems and flexibility, and stop guessing by building an evolving plan. 00:00 Feeling Behind Anyway 02:13 Tom and Lisa Story 02:38 Life Hits Hard 03:41 Habits Without Structure 04:51 From Survival to Clarity 05:48 Next Step Mindset 06:41 Planning Is a Process 07:18 Build the Foundation 07:57 Organize the Year Ahead 08:50 Answer the Big Questions 09:49 Flexibility Beyond Retirement 11:04 Tax Planning Unlock 12:07 The Messy Middle 13:39 How to Start Today 15:01 Work With Me 15:47 Disclaimer Check out the Palm Valley Wealth Management Website PalmValleywm.com Check us out on Instagram LinkedIn Facebook Listen to the Podcast Here! Apple Spotify

March 17, 202618 min

You Planned for College… But Did You Forget About Retirement?

Send us Fan Mail Empty Nest, Closer Retirement: Turning Investment Advice into a Real Retirement Plan Hunter Kelly introduces the Retire Early Retire Now podcast and shares the story of Mike and Sarah, high-income healthcare professionals whose daughter leaving for college made retirement feel suddenly close. Despite years with an advisor and strong habits like maxing 401(k)s and consistently investing, they had never built a full retirement plan beyond investment management and lacked clarity on whether they were on track. By modeling savings, contributions, spending, taxes, healthcare, and longevity, they learned they were in good shape and could become “retirement optional” around 58, reframing retirement as freedom to choose. Kelly explains retirement spending often follows go-go, slow-go, and no-go phases, and encourages listeners to define a timeline, estimate spending by category, organize and consolidate accounts, and ensure their advisor addresses planning, withdrawal, and tax strategy—not just investments. 00:00 Welcome and Resources 00:45 Empty Nest Wake Up Call 01:56 Investment Only Advisor Gap 05:34 Planning Starts With Life 06:13 Are We On Track 07:16 Have We Done Enough 08:26 Retirement Optional Timeline 09:45 Go Go Slow Go No Go 11:43 Clarity Over Numbers 12:58 Steps to Start Now 14:21 Organize Accounts 15:47 Questions Your Advisor Should Answer 16:42 Wrap Up and Disclaimer Check out the Palm Valley Wealth Management Website PalmValleywm.com Check us out on Instagram LinkedIn Facebook Listen to the Podcast Here! Apple Spotify

March 10, 202611 min

If You’re Making $400,000 Per Year, Maxing Your 401(k) Won’t Be Enough

Send us Fan Mail Maxing Your 401(k) Isn’t Enough: Building Flexibility for High Earners Hunter Kelly, a CFP and founder of Palm Valley Wealth Management, explains that while maxing out 401(k)s and other retirement accounts is great early-career advice, it can become incomplete for mid-career high earners who want options before age 60. Using a story about David and Sarah, a high-income healthcare couple earning about $400,000 with two young kids, he shows how they accumulated nearly $3 million in retirement accounts yet still felt tight and unable to reduce work because most of their wealth was locked up for 15–20 years. He argues the goal shifts from accumulating money to positioning it for flexibility, including building taxable brokerage investments and liquidity to support life changes. He emphasizes financial freedom as having choices along the way, not just retirement. 00:00 Welcome and Format Change 00:57 Meet David and Sarah 01:41 Doing Everything Right 02:01 Why It Still Feels Tight 03:14 Early Career Advice Works 04:22 When Income Grows Complex 04:50 Retirement Accounts Trap 05:57 Flexibility Over Tax Perks 08:23 From Accumulation to Positioning 08:48 Building Liquidity Options 09:24 Peace of Mind and Choices 10:25 Wrap Up and Disclaimer Check out the Palm Valley Wealth Management Website PalmValleywm.com Check us out on Instagram LinkedIn Facebook Listen to the Podcast Here! Apple Spotify

March 3, 202616 min

4 Reasons Why $400,000 a Year Doesn’t Feel Like Enough

Send us Fan Mail Why $400,000 a Year Still Doesn’t Feel Like Enough (and How to Fix It) Hunter Kelly, a CFP and founder of Palm Valley Wealth Management, explains why households earning around $400,000 can still feel financially squeezed. He outlines four main causes: lifestyle creep as fixed costs scale with income (e.g., expensive housing and family expenses), being “retirement rich but lifestyle tight” with wealth locked in retirement accounts or home equity, goals that continually move without defining “enough,” and comparison/“keeping up with the Joneses” as peer groups change. He argues the solution isn’t earning more, but building a process-focused life, defining what “enough” means, creating cash-flow margin, balancing tax-optimized retirement saving with liquidity and flexibility (including considering coast FIRE), intentionally auditing spending, and detaching decisions from social comparison. He invites listeners to explore his Palm Valley Pathway and notes the episode is educational, not advice. 00:00 Why 400K Feels Tight 01:08 Lifestyle Creep Explained 02:43 Retirement Rich Cash Poor 04:33 Goals Keep Moving 05:20 Keeping Up Pressure 06:18 Fix It Without Earning More 07:05 Stop Chasing Endpoints 11:10 Define What Enough Is 11:47 Build Margin And Flexibility 13:42 Audit Spending And Comparison 15:04 Wrap Up And Next Steps Check out the Palm Valley Wealth Management Website PalmValleywm.com Check us out on Instagram LinkedIn Facebook Listen to the Podcast Here! Apple Spotify

February 24, 202613 min

Discipline Is Overrated After $300K

Send us Fan Mail Beyond Discipline: Reallocating Wealth for Flexibility After $300K Income In the first episode of a six-part “reset series” on The Retire Early Retire Now podcast, host Hunter Kelly—a certified financial planner and founder of Palm Valley Wealth Management—argues that for high earners (around $300,000+ household income), discipline stops being the primary advantage. He explains that early-career habits like maxing retirement accounts, avoiding lifestyle creep, and living below your means are essential when income is lower and compounding hasn’t taken over, but those same habits can create rigidity later. Kelly describes a common pattern: high-income couples in their 40s who do “all the right things” (maxing 401(k)s, backdoor Roths, HSAs, college savings, and extra debt payments) yet feel trapped when considering job changes, sabbaticals, or reducing stress because most of their net worth is locked in retirement accounts, home equity, or mortgage payoff. He highlights diminishing returns from incremental savings increases (e.g., raising savings from 25% to 32% on a $350,000 income) compared with the emotional relief and freedom gained from better structural positioning—building accessible brokerage assets, maintaining an adequate cash runway, and funding goals with the right “buckets.” He frames the shift as moving from “accumulator to allocator,” noting that discipline can become identity and loosening it can feel like regression, when it may actually be evolution. The episode closes with signs a listener may have outgrown pure discipline (saving aggressively but still stressed, feeling trapped, hesitating to spend despite strong numbers, and lacking clarity on what money is for), an invitation to explore Palm Valley’s “Palm Valley Pathway” and schedule a no-cost 15-minute call, and standard educational-purpose disclaimers. 00:00 Discipline Stops Winning 00:23 Reset Series Setup 01:37 Why Discipline Works Early 02:53 High Income Rigidity Trap 04:21 Diminishing Returns Math 06:23 Build Flexible Money Buckets 08:17 Outdated Rules Analogy 09:05 Identity Shift to Allocator 10:22 Signs Youve Outgrown Discipline 12:04 Next Steps and Disclaimer Check out the Palm Valley Wealth Management Website PalmValleywm.com Check us out on Instagram LinkedIn Facebook Listen to the Podcast Here! Apple Spotify

February 10, 202616 min

Building Financial Flexibility Beyond Retirement Accounts

Send us Fan Mail Building Financial Flexibility Beyond Retirement Accounts In this episode of 'The Retire Early Retire Now' podcast, Hunter Kelly, a certified financial planner and founder of Palm Valley Wealth Management, discusses the often-overlooked concept of financial flexibility outside retirement accounts. He explores the pitfalls that high-income earners face when all their wealth is locked up in inaccessible retirement accounts, stressing the importance of flexible funds for life's unplanned changes. Hunter delves into reasons why building financial flexibility is challenging, such as lack of incentives, emotional resistance, and the delayed validation of non-retirement savings. He introduces the three-bucket framework: spending for today, saving for retirement, and flexibility for life transitions. Practical advice is given on how to start building a flexibility bucket, including mindset shifts and gradual, consistent investment strategies. Listeners are encouraged to evaluate their financial plans to ensure a balance between long-term security and real-life optionality. 00:00 Introduction to Financial Flexibility 00:47 The Trap of Inaccessible Wealth 01:58 Why Retirement Accounts Dominate 03:34 The Importance of Financial Flexibility 04:58 Challenges in Building Flexibility 08:11 The Three Bucket Framework 09:31 Mindset Shifts for Flexibility 13:38 Self-Check and Conclusion Check out the Palm Valley Wealth Management Website PalmValleywm.com Check us out on Instagram LinkedIn Facebook Listen to the Podcast Here! Apple Spotify

February 3, 202618 min

Coast FIRE with Kids: What Changes When Life Gets More Expensive (and More Meaningful)

Send us Fan Mail Coast Fire with Kids: Balancing Financial Independence and Family Life In this episode of The Retire Early Retire Now podcast, Hunter Kelly, a certified financial planner and founder of Palm Valley Wealth Management, delves into the concept of Coast FIRE, specifically addressing the challenges and strategies for parents. Kelly emphasizes that while traditional FIRE advocates for aggressive saving and minimalist living to retire early, Coast FIRE offers a balanced approach. This allows parents to achieve financial growth without sacrificing their current lifestyle and family needs. Kelly discusses the importance of flexibility, recognizing different life seasons, and understanding trade-offs in financial planning. He offers practical advice for parents on how to manage their finances responsibly, ensuring that their money works to support a meaningful, fulfilling life. Kelly also invites listeners to reach out for personalized financial planning services through his firm. 00:00 Welcome to The Retire Early Retire Now Podcast 00:25 Introduction to Coast Fire with Kids 00:50 Challenges of Coast Fire for Parents 02:43 Defining Coast Fire for Parents 04:29 Financial Realities of Parenting 06:02 Avoiding Common Mistakes 12:46 The Emotional Side of Coast Fire 14:34 Evaluating Your Coast Fire Plan 16:23 Conclusion and Next Steps Check out the Palm Valley Wealth Management Website PalmValleywm.com Check us out on Instagram LinkedIn Facebook Listen to the Podcast Here! Apple Spotify