Planning for Retirement with Kevin Lao

Hosted by Kevin Lao

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Oct 2026

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After more than 17 years serving retirees, I’ve seen the same pattern: people spend 30–40 years building wealth, but the biggest financial decisions happen right before and after retirement. I’m Kevin Lao, a fiduciary financial advisor specializing in retirement income planning, Roth conversions, Social Security, tax strategies, RMDs, and smart investing for those with $1M+ saved. If you’re within 10 years of retirement or already retired and want clarity, confidence, and tax-efficient income, this podcast is for you. Bonus points if you love golf!

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November 3, 2026Episode 14627 min

146: What Do The Midterms Mean For Your Retirement Plan?

You’ve spent decades saving for retirement. Could one election change everything? Election headlines can make even disciplined investors question their plans; especially when retirement is close and market losses could affect the income they need. In this episode, we explore what historical S&P 500 returns following midterm elections actually tell us, whether divided government helps markets, and why neither should become your investment strategy. We’ll also discuss practical steps to prepare: • Build cash reserves around your retirement income needs. • Check whether market gains have pushed your portfolio beyond your intended risk level. • Identify spending you could adjust during a downturn. • Create a written response plan before emotions take over.• Review opportunities for rebalancing and year-end tax planning. You don’t need to predict the election to prepare for retirement. You need a plan that can handle uncertainty. Historical performance does not guarantee future results. This episode is for educational purposes and is not individualized investment or tax advice. Links: JP Morgan Study WT Wealth Management (returns based on the balance of control) ⁠⁠Are you interested in working with me 1 on 1?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click this link to fill out our Retirement Readiness Questionnaire⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Or, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠visit my website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⛳ PFR Nation (Who This Is For) If you're over 50, have saved seven figures (or multiple seven figures), love golf and travel, and you want to make work optional while minimizing taxes… welcome to the right place. -Kevin Connect with me here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow the podcast⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join My Company Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This is for general education purposes only and should not be considered as tax, legal or investment advice.

October 27, 2026Episode 14521 min

145: 3 Things The "Gurus" Get Wrong About Retirement

There is a lot of great content out there about retirement planning. However, there are a few things I want to challenge the conventional wisdom on. 1. Does retirement bring true happiness? 2. Should we obsess about being safe with our withdrawal rates? 3. Are Roth Conversions actually worth it? I'm not saying there aren't use cases for a lot of the mainstream advice. However, I just want to challenge your thinking as you work towards these major milestones in the future. And remember, your balance sheet doesn't define who you are. Let me know what your reactions are! And make sure to follow the podcast, and even leave a 5* review if you feel inclined. Thanks for tuning in. Kevin

October 20, 2026Episode 8021 min

144: What If You Were Forced Into Retirement Tomorrow? Would Your Plan Hold Up? Here Are 6 Planning Considerations To Think Through.

You’ve saved $1 million, $2 million, or more for retirement, but your plan still depends on a few more years of paychecks, retirement contributions, and investment growth. What happens if a layoff forces you to retire ahead of schedule? In this episode, we'll discuss a risk often not talked about; being unable to work as long as you planned. I'll discuss why this risk is extremely important given where the labor market is today, and walk through six ways to adjust if the numbers fall short. In this episode, you’ll learn: How additional income could bridge the gap. Part-time work, consulting, or a phased retirement could help reduce pressure on your portfolio. When to revisit your Social Security strategy. An unexpected retirement may change the tradeoffs between claiming earlier and delaying benefits. How downsizing or relocating could help. Unlocking home equity and lowering ongoing expenses could improve your retirement outlook. Why savings outside retirement accounts matter. Cash and taxable investments can offer flexibility when managing withdrawals, taxable income, and healthcare costs before Medicare. How to separate needs, wants, and wishes. Understanding which expenses you can adjust gives you more options when circumstances change. Why your investment allocation deserves another look. An earlier retirement could mean a longer investment horizon, requiring a careful balance of growth and protection against market downturns. Your action step: Run your retirement plan using today as your retirement date. If it falls short, identify which adjustments could make the biggest difference. ⁠⁠Are you interested in working with me 1 on 1?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click this link to fill out our Retirement Readiness Questionnaire⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Or, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠visit my website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⛳ PFR Nation (Who This Is For) If you're over 50, have saved seven figures (or multiple seven figures), love golf and travel, and you want to make work optional while minimizing taxes… welcome to the right place. -Kevin Connect with me here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow the podcast⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join My Company Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This is for general education purposes only and should not be considered as tax, legal or investment advice.

October 13, 2026Episode 14348 min

143: Can Sally Retire At 63 With $2.3 Million In A High Cost of Living Area? (Case Study)

Sally planned to work until 65. Then her first grandchild arrived, and suddenly, retiring sooner became much more appealing. With $2.3 million invested, no mortgage, can she retire at 63 and live the life she wants to live. Today, I’ll walk through Sally’s retirement case study and explore the decisions that could help her move forward with greater confidence: • Whether downsizing could help fund retirement and bring her closer to family. • How to bridge the income gap while delaying Social Security until 70. • Which accounts to withdraw from first, and why. • How to prepare her portfolio for a market downturn early in retirement. • Why aggressive Roth conversions may not be the best fit for her plan. • How to approach long-term care expenses while preserving a legacy. If you’re approaching retirement seven figures or more saved, this episode will help you connect your investments, taxes, and income strategy to the life you actually want to live. Want help answering your own “Can I retire?” question? Visit ImagineFinancialSecurity.com to learn more about working with us. ⛳ PFR Nation (Who This Is For) If you're over 50, have saved seven figures (or multiple seven figures), love golf and travel, and you want to make work optional while minimizing taxes… welcome to the right place. -Kevin Connect with me here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow the podcast⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join My Company Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This is for general education purposes only and should not be considered as tax, legal or investment advice.

October 6, 2026Episode 14224 min

142: Retirement Planning Beyond The Money (Wheel Of Life Coupled With A 12 Week Year)

You’ve spent decades preparing financially for retirement. But how much time have you spent preparing for the life you want to live? This week, I’m sharing two concepts I’ve used personally for the last 13 years: the Wheel of Life and The 12 Week Year. Together, they’ve helped me be more intentional with my faith, family, friendships, fitness, and finances, even when life gets busy and I lose my rhythm. We’ll discuss how to identify the areas of life that matter most to you, honestly assess where you are today, and turn your intentions into simple weekly actions. Whether that means strengthening your marriage, building friendships outside of work, improving your health, or spending meaningful time with your family, you can start taking steps today. You don’t need a perfect scorecard. You need a few priorities and a willingness to follow through. My hope is that this episode helps you think about how you can be the best version of yourself during this next chapter, and gives you a practical way to begin taking action 12 weeks at a time. -Kevin ⁠⁠Are you interested in working with me 1 on 1?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click this link to fill out our Retirement Readiness Questionnaire⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Or, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠visit my website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⛳ PFR Nation (Who This Is For) If you're over 50, have saved seven figures (or multiple seven figures), love golf and travel, and you want to make work optional while minimizing taxes… welcome to the right place. Connect with me here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow the podcast⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join My Company Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ***This is for general education purposes only and should not be considered as tax, legal or investment advice***

September 30, 2026Episode 14121 min

141: 6 Proactive Planning Tips For Pre-Retirees

One of my favorite parts of serving retirees and pre-retirees is the perspective they share with me. Over the years, my retired clients have passed along wisdom that I’m grateful to share with those preparing for their own next chapter. Whether it's a sabbatical, phased retirement, full retirement, or even another career altogether, here are 6 things to ponder as you begin mapping out your back 9. I hope you enjoy it. -Kevin Connect with me here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join My Company Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This is for general education purposes only and shouldnot be considered as tax, legal or investment advice.

September 22, 2026Episode 14039 min

140: Jimmy Buffett’s Estate Plan Is Turning Into A Nightmare: Here Are 6 Things We Can Learn From It

Jimmy Buffett left behind an estimated $275 million fortune, but his estate plan has become the center of a bitter legal battle involving his widow, Jane Buffett, and longtime business manager Richard “Rick” Mozenter. My apologies as I mistakenly referenced Rick as “Charlie” throughout the entire episode! Anyhow, Jane is the lifetime beneficiary of the marital trust, yet she cannot fully control it. She and Mozenter were appointed as co-trustees, and they are now fighting over financial information, trust distributions, professional fees, legal expenses, and which trustee should be removed. While likely all of us may not have a Jimmy Buffett sized estate, there are some important estate planning lessons I want to highlight in this episode. I'll discuss: · Why inheriting wealth is different from controlling wealth · How two-person co-trustee arrangements can create complexity · Why trustee selection involves more than financial expertise · How even a technically sophisticated estate plan can fail when it ignores family dynamics · And probably the most important lesson happens after you have actually revised or implemented your estate plan Let me know what you think in the comments. I’d love to hear your take on this whole situation. Links Referenced: Jimmy Buffett's $275mm legal battle Ryan Smith (Next Frontier Estate Planning) ⁠⁠Are you interested in working with me 1 on 1?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click this link to fill out our Retirement Readiness Questionnaire⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Or, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ visit my website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⛳ PFR Nation (Who This Is For) If you're over 50, have saved seven figures (or multiple seven figures), love golf and travel, and you want to make work optional while minimizing taxes… welcome to the right place. -Kevin Connect with me here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow the podcast⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join My Company Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This is for general education purposes only and should not be considered as tax, legal or investment advice.

September 15, 2026Episode 13921 min

139: Dave Ramsey Was Right, The 8% Withdrawal Rule Works...Sometimes.

Dave Ramsey has been pretty outspoken against the traditional 4% rule. He's called it 'crap,' and has suggested 8% is completely doable. I backtested every complete rolling 30-year retirement period with start dates from 1970 through 1997. The results actually blew my mind. The average maximum starting withdrawal rate was: • 8.19% from a 60/40 portfolio • 8.65% from an 80/20 portfolio • 8.94% from an all-stock portfolio So, was Dave Ramsey right? On one hand, "yes." An 8% starting withdrawal worked far more frequently than many people might expect. But an average historical result does not make 8% a safe or dependable retirement strategy. In this episode, we discuss: • What Dave may actually mean by withdrawing 8% • The difference between an inflation-adjusted withdrawal and taking 8% of the current balance • How sequence-of-returns risk can determine whether the strategy succeeds • The potential impact on legacy and long-term-care planning • Whether real retirees can emotionally tolerate a 100% stock portfolio • How spending phases, guardrails and guaranteed income can support a higher initial withdrawal rate As always, selecting a withdrawal strategy in retirement should depend on your person goals, risk tolerance, risk capacity, and other factors. Please consult with an advisor before making any changes to your plan! ⁠⁠Are you interested in working with me 1 on 1?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click this link to fill out our Retirement Readiness Questionnaire⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Or, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠visit my website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⛳ PFR Nation (Who This Is For) If you're over 50, have saved seven figures (or multiple seven figures), love golf and travel, and you want to make work optional while minimizing taxes… welcome to the right place. -Kevin Connect with me here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow the podcast⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join My Company Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ***This is for general education purposes only and should not be considered as tax, legal or investment advice.

September 8, 2026Episode 13842 min

138: Planning To Retire Before Social Security? How To Build A Plan For 'The Bridge Years'

Anytime I'm working with a client looking to retire early, there is usually a combination of excitement and nerves. For one, Medicare likely isn't an option for several years down the road. But more importantly, there is no fixed income coming into the picture. Employment/Self-Employment income is gone, no pension, no Social Security yet. And suddenly, the portfolio they've worked decades building up becomes the primary source of income. I call these The Bridge Years. But these “bridge years” may also offer some of the greatest planning opportunities of your retirement. In this episode, we're going to help you navigate this important period and help you prepare not only financially, but also psychologically. You’ll learn: • Which accounts you may want to withdraw from first • How the Rule of 55 and Rule 72(t) can provide early access to retirement accounts • How much cash and short-term fixed income you may want to hold • Why the years before Social Security and RMDs can create valuable tax-planning opportunities • How to coordinate Roth conversions, capital-gain harvesting, and ACA health-insurance subsidies • Why a higher initial withdrawal rate may be completely acceptable • How to navigate the dreaded 'sequence of returns' risk • Why longevity, healthcare, and long-term care require special attention when retiring in your 50s or early 60s Early retirement is not like a normal retirement, but vigilant planning can help you bridge the gap and gain years of valuable time back. I hope this episode helps. If you find this content useful, do me a favor and leave us a 5* review wherever you are consuming podcasts. It really helps us reach and impact as many people as we can. Thank you! -Kevin ⁠⁠Are you interested in working with me 1 on 1?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click this link to fill out our Retirement Readiness Questionnaire⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Or, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ visit my website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with me here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow the podcast⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join My Company Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This is for general education purposes only and should not be considered as tax, legal or investment advice.

September 1, 2026Episode 13717 min

137: Retirees: Don't Make These Mistakes With Bonds

For years, investors have looked at the bond side of their portfolios and wondered: what's the point? Interest rates were near zero, yields were low, and then 2022 reminded investors that bonds can lose money too. But today, the fixed income landscape looks very different. Retirees can potentially earn 4%, 5%, or even more on investments they traditionally consider their “safe money.” So… is fixed income finally back? In this episode, I break down how I'm thinking about bonds and fixed income for retirees today, including: -Why higher interest rates can create risks for BOTH bonds and stocks -How much of your retirement portfolio should potentially be in fixed income -Risk tolerance vs. your actual capacity to take risk -Using bonds, CDs, T-bills and cash to create a short-term income reserve -Why guaranteed income can change how much investment risk you need to take -Where annuities may fit into the fixed-income conversation -Why chasing dividend stocks for income can create its own risks -How to build an investment portfolio around your retirement plan, not the other way around I also share one of my favorite lessons from Tiger Woods' 2019 Masters victory and why sometimes the best retirement strategy isn't firing at every pin. It's simply making sure you stay in the tournament. The goal isn't to maximize the return on every dollar you have. Some dollars need to grow. Some need to hedge against inflation. Some need to produce income. And some simply need to make sure you're still in the game when markets get ugly. ⁠⁠Are you interested in working with me 1 on 1?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click this link to fill out our Retirement Readiness Questionnaire⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Or, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠visit my website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⛳ PFR Nation (Who This Is For) If you're over 50, have saved seven figures (or multiple seven figures), love golf and travel, and you want to make work optional while minimizing taxes… welcome to the right place. -Kevin Connect with me here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow the podcast⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join My Company Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This is for general education purposes only and should not be considered as tax, legal or investment advice.