Don't F-Up Your Retirement: You Built It. Don't Let Retirement Break It.

Hosted by Bonfire Financial | Brian Colvert CFP®

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Episodes

120

Latest episode

Oct 2026

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About the show

Hi, I’m Brian 👋 a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and founder of Bonfire Financial. Most advice focuses only on investments, that’s where people get into trouble. The Bonfire Method brings together taxes, insurance, estate planning, and investing so every decision works together. Each week, I share practical insights on retirement, investing, and taxes to help you make smarter decisions and turn what you’ve built into a clear, coordinated plan for what’s next. Bonfire Financial is a Registered Investment Adviser.

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60 recent

October 20, 202611 min

Alternative Investments: Why Wealthy Investors Pay More to Earn Less

What if the investments reserved for the wealthy aren't actually better? Once you reach a certain level of wealth, doors open to exclusive investments like private equity, hedge funds, and private credit. But do these sophisticated strategies really outperform boring index funds? In this episode, Brian Colvert, CFP®, uncovers the surprising truth about alternative investments, from hidden fees and misleading returns to risks investors often overlook. Are the wealthy getting an advantage, or just paying more for the illusion of one? Full show notes: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com/alternatives To learn more about Bonfire Financial, please visit: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com Disclosure: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com/disclosure

October 13, 202612 min

Why Wall Street Rebranded the Stockbroker

The stockbroker disappeared. Or did he? Trading got cheaper. Commissions vanished. The title changed from stockbroker to financial advisor. But the incentives did not disappear with the name. In this episode, we unpack how Wall Street reshaped the advisor role, why fiduciary status is more complicated than most people realize, and the one question every investor should ask before taking advice. Full show notes: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com/fiduciary To learn more about Bonfire Financial, please visit: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com Disclosure: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com/disclosure

October 6, 202611 min

Did I Make A Mistake Putting All My Money in a Traditional 401(k)?

In this episode, Brian runs the numbers from your working years through retirement and shows what can happen when taxes are deferred for decades. We break down Traditional vs. Roth 401(k)s, retirement withdrawals, required minimum distributions, and why the tax break you get today may look very different later. If most of your retirement savings are sitting in a Traditional 401(k), this is worth hearing. Full show notes: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com/401k-mistake To learn more about Bonfire Financial, please visit: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com Disclosure: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com/disclosure

September 29, 202611 min

Will AI Replace Your Financial Advisor?

Artificial intelligence can analyze investments, run retirement projections, compare strategies, and process financial information faster than any human advisor. So does that mean your financial advisor is becoming obsolete? In this episode, Brian explores how AI is changing financial planning, what it may be able to replace, and where the role of a human advisor could become even more important. The future of financial advice may look very different from the one most people expect. Full show notes: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com/ai-financial-advisor To learn more about Bonfire Financial, please visit: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com Disclosure: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com/disclosure

September 22, 20267 min

5 Things That Matter More Than Saving for Retirement

Most people assume the key to building more wealth is simple: keep saving more. But at a certain point, that may no longer be the thing that moves the needle most. In this episode, Brian breaks down five financial decisions that can become far more important as your portfolio grows, including taxes, investment risk, market timing around retirement, and the behavioral mistakes that can cost investors far more than they realize. If you’ve spent years focused on saving and investing, this episode may change what you focus on next. Full show notes: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com/saving-for-retirement To learn more about Bonfire Financial, please visit: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com Disclosure: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com/disclosure

September 15, 202610 min

Want to Retire Early? Do These 5 Things First

Retiring early sounds great, but the wrong decisions can make it far more expensive than you expect. In this episode, we cover five things that can determine whether early retirement actually works, from taxes and Social Security to healthcare and how your portfolio needs to change. Full show notes: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com/retire-early To learn more about Bonfire Financial, please visit: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com Disclosure: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com/disclosure

September 8, 20269 min

5 Warning Signs You’re Not Ready to Retire

Think you’re ready to retire? A strong portfolio balance does not always mean your retirement plan is truly ready. In this episode, Brian breaks down five financial warning signs that could expose costly gaps in your strategy, including investment concentration, taxes, spending, and withdrawal planning. Before you make the transition into retirement, make sure these key areas are working together. Full show notes: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com/ready-to-retire To learn more about Bonfire Financial, please visit: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com Disclosure: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com/disclosure

September 1, 202610 min

5 Retirement Tax Planning Moves That Can Lower Your Tax Bill

Retirement taxes can take a bigger bite out of your savings than most people expect. In this episode, Brian breaks down five tax planning moves that can help you make smarter withdrawal decisions, reduce unnecessary taxes, and create more flexibility throughout retirement.If you’re approaching retirement, the order and timing of these decisions may matter more than you think. Listen now to learn what to consider before your retirement income plan is already in motion. Full show notes: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com/retirement-tax-planning To learn more about Bonfire Financial, please visit: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com Disclosure: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com/disclosure

August 25, 20269 min

How Much Do I Need in Retirement? What Most Calculators Don’t Tell You

How much do you really need in retirement? Most calculators give you a number, but they often miss the factors that can make or break your plan.In this episode, Brian explains why the 4% rule is only a starting point and breaks down five key areas that can change your retirement math, including taxes, healthcare, Social Security, market risk, and Roth conversions. Full show notes: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com/how-much-do-i-need-in-retirement To learn more about Bonfire Financial, please visit: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com Disclosure: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com/disclosure

August 18, 20267 min

What to Do When Your Financial Adviser Retires. 8 Questions to Ask Your New Advisor

What happens when the financial advisor you’ve trusted for years retires and someone new suddenly takes over your accounts?In this episode, Brian walks through eight important questions to ask before deciding whether a new financial advisor is the right fit for your retirement. From fiduciary responsibility and total fees to tax planning, meeting expectations, market strategy, and your ability to leave the relationship, these questions can help you understand exactly who is managing your money and how they plan to protect it.If your advisor is retiring, your firm has assigned you someone new, or you’re simply considering a change, this episode will help you evaluate the relationship before making a long-term commitment. Full show notes: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com /new-financial-advisor To learn more about Bonfire Financial, please visit: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com Disclosure: https://www.bonfirefinancial.com/disclosure

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