Retirement Starts Today Podcast Por Benjamin Brandt CFP® RICP® arte de portada

Retirement Starts Today

Retirement Starts Today

De: Benjamin Brandt CFP® RICP®
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Do you want to spend more money in retirement, while paying less taxes? Great news, you're in the right place! I'll also teach you the benefits of retiring TO something, while most retirees only solve half the equation by retiring FROM something. Tune in every Monday morning - hosted by Benjamin Brandt CFP, RICP. Join my "Every Day is Saturday" weekly newsletter for show notes, free book giveaways and other great retirement content: www.retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter© Retire-Ready Resources Economía Finanzas Personales
Episodios
  • Who Has Actually Saved $1 Million for Retirement?
    Jun 9 2025

    Only 3% of Americans have saved $1 million for retirement. according to 24/7 Wall St. & AOL. I’ll break down what that means—and why your personal number might be more important than any national average.

    After that, I answer a listener question where we tackle how to cover healthcare costs in early retirement—specifically for a 58-year-old retiree with a non-working spouse and three adult kids under 26 still on the family plan. We’ll explore ACA strategies, income planning, and a clever way to help the kids get their own coverage at a big discount.

    Resource:

    AOL article by David Beren: A Look at U.S. Workers Who’ve Accumulated $1M in Retirement Funds

    Connect with Benjamin Brandt
    • Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit: http://retirementstartstodayradio.com
    • Subscribe to the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter
    • Work with Benjamin: https://retirementstartstoday.com/start

    Get the book!
    Retirement Starts Today: Your Non-financial Guide to an Even Better Retirement

    Follow Retirement Starts Today in
    Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, or iHeart

    Más Menos
    16 m
  • What to do with RMDs you don’t need
    Jun 2 2025

    What do you do with RMDs you don’t actually need?

    If you’re retired and over age 73 — or 75 if you were born in 1960 or later — you know the IRS requires you to start taking Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from your traditional IRAs and workplace retirement accounts.

    Even if you don’t need that money for living expenses, you still have to take it - which means more taxable income, higher Medicare premiums, and a bigger chunk of your Social Security benefits becoming taxable in some cases.

    Today I share "6 Strategic Ways to Make the Most of Distributions You Don’t Need", an article by Greg Hammons from TheStreet.com.

    1. Reinvest in a Taxable Brokerage Account - super straightforward.
    2. Make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD)
    3. Use RMDs to Fund Life Insurance
    4. Cover the Taxes on a Roth Conversion
    5. Fund a 529 Plan for Education
    6. Give to Family—Tax-Free

    So what’s the best move for you?

    That depends on your goals—whether it’s growing your money, reducing taxes, helping your family, or supporting a cause. But the key message is this: RMDs don’t have to be a tax burden. With some intentional planning, they can be an opportunity.

    Before making a move, talk to your financial planner or tax pro. These strategies can have long-term effects on your retirement plan, your taxes, and your legacy.

    I also tackle a listener question: "What is your recommendation to cover the gap in sustainable income from pre-retirement (e.g., 60) to Social Security claiming age (e.g., 70)?"

    Connect with Benjamin Brandt
    • Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit: http://retirementstartstodayradio.com
    • Subscribe to the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter
    • Work with Benjamin: https://retirementstartstoday.com/start

    Get the book!
    Retirement Starts Today: Your Non-financial Guide to an Even Better Retirement

    Follow Retirement Starts Today in
    Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, or iHeart

    Más Menos
    19 m
  • 10 Sources of Emergency Cash, Ranked From Best to Worst
    May 26 2025

    What happens when your emergency cash runs dry—and life keeps happening?

    A recent article lays out a ranked list of ten ways to access emergency cash, starting with the best options and ending with the ones you’ll want to avoid unless it’s truly a last resort:

    1. Emergency Fund / Short-Term Securities
    2. Low-Risk Assets in Taxable Accounts
    3. Roth IRA Contributions
    4. Life Insurance Cash Values
    5. 401(k) Loan
    6. Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC)
    7. Hardship Withdrawals from 401(k)
    8. Reverse Mortgage
    9. Margin Loans
    10. Credit Cards

    The takeaway?

    Know your emergency funding hierarchy before a crisis hits. With a plan in place, you’ll be better equipped to make calm, informed decisions when life throws you a curveball.

    Resource:

    • MorningStar article by Christine Benz: 10 Sources of Emergency Cash, Ranked From Best to Worst
    • Christine Benz’s book - How to Retire: 20 Lessons for a Happy, Successful, and Wealthy Retirement https://a.co/d/3rZ3JgF

    Connect with Benjamin Brandt
    • Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit: http://retirementstartstodayradio.com
    • Subscribe to the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter
    • Work with Benjamin: https://retirementstartstoday.com/start

    Get the book!
    Retirement Starts Today: Your Non-financial Guide to an Even Better Retirement

    Follow Retirement Starts Today in
    Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, or iHeart

    Más Menos
    20 m
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