Retirement Starts Today Benjamin Brandt CFP®, RICP®

The 4% rule is the “golden rule” of retirement planning. Everyone is familiar with it and it’s easy to work out for some quick, back-of-the-napkin math. 
Since it is so easy to calculate and implement, many use it as their retirement withdrawal rule. However, this approach may be overly conservative. While using a significantly higher withdrawal rate may go too far, the 4% rule may be too cautious. 
Listen in to hear the limitations of sticking with this overly simplistic rule of thumb.
Outline of This Episode [2:02] Is the 4% rule too safe? [10:50] Does it make sense to spend more in the early years while awaiting full retirement age? Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network Think Advisor article Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit:http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/ Follow Ben on Twitter:https://twitter.com/retiremeasap Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter Dive deeper into retirement planning with Ben at www.RetirementIncome.University Subscribe to Retirement Starts Today on
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Did you know that you can buy gold at your local Costco?
However, just because it’s easy to buy doesn't mean it’s easy to sell. 
In this episode of Retirement Starts Today, we’re exploring gold and its role in your retirement portfolio. To do that, we’ll take a look at a retirement headline from WSJ and i’ll share my thoughts on the latest gold rush.
Make sure to stick around until the end for Kevin’s question about the key difference between accumulation and decumulation.
Outline of This Episode [1:12] Gold and groceries [5:08] My thoughts on buying gold [11:03] Accumulation vs. decumulation Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network WSJ article Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit:http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/ Follow Ben on Twitter:https://twitter.com/retiremeasap Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter Dive deeper into retirement planning with Ben at www.RetirementIncome.University Subscribe to Retirement Starts Today on
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Risk is what is left over after you think you’ve thought of everything. – Carl Richards
Getting to financial independence is job #1, but staying financially independent comes a close second. 
To do so you’ll need to be aware of the risks that could empty your accounts. Being vigilant of these risks and having a plan to work through or avoid them could save you hundreds of thousands of dollars. Listen in to hear how you can save your financial independence.
Outline of This Episode [1:22] 3 big risks to look out for in retirement [5:01] Long-term care [13:55] Getting scared out of the market [20:12] Getting scammed Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit:http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/ Follow Ben on Twitter:https://twitter.com/retiremeasap Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter Dive deeper into retirement planning with Ben at www.RetirementIncome.University Subscribe to Retirement Starts Today on
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There are two ways you can ruin your retirement: running out of money and dying with regret. 
If you are listening to this podcast, chances are, you’ve been a diligent saver and probably aren’t in danger of the first one. 
That’s why, today, we’re exploring an article from the White Coat Investor on ways to spend more money. 
Don’t risk ending your days with regret. Listen in to find out how you can enjoy all that you have worked for.
Outline of This Episode [1:22] Two ways to ruin retirement [5:13] Strategies for spending more money [12:47] How to spend your HSA Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network BOOK - Die with Zero by Bill Perkins 8 Ways to Spend More Money Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit:http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/ Follow Ben on Twitter:https://twitter.com/retiremeasap Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter Dive deeper into retirement planning with Ben at www.RetirementIncome.University Subscribe to Retirement Starts Today on
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It can be easy to forget your age as the birthdays roll around. However, when you’re about to turn 65 you’ll know. Medicare and all of their relevant service providers won’t let you forget. 
You may feel inundated with the amount of mail, emails, and even phone calls and text messages, but rather than ignoring all the excess information, it’s important to dig in and learn so tha you can make the best decision for your healthcare. 
To help you avoid potentially expensive and health-altering mistakes, today we’ll review 5 of the biggest Medicare mistakes you can make by reviewing an article by Rick Fine from The Sensible Financial Planning blog.
Outline of This Episode [1:36] The 5 biggest Medicare mistakes [14:05] A rule of 55 question Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network Sensible Financial Planning blog Medicare Basics: What to Expect as You Approach Age 65 with Danielle Roberts Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit:http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/ Follow Ben on Twitter:https://twitter.com/retiremeasap Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter Dive deeper into retirement planning with Ben at www.RetirementIncome.University Subscribe to Retirement Starts Today on
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You’ve been accumulating your savings your entire life, but when the time comes to draw down your investments, there are new risks. In this episode, we’ll discuss four risks that come with the decumulation phase of retirement. 
Press play to learn how to avoid these risks in retirement. 
Are you looking for a new advisor? One of our listeners is looking for a checklist to help him hire a retirement advisor. While answering that question I went ahead and made my advisor checklist available to all of you to download here.
Outline of This Episode [1:47] Understand effective strategies for the decumulation phase [11:20] Do I have a checklist to use to hire a retirement advisor?  Resources & People Mentioned The Retirement Podcast Network Questions to ask a retirement advisor Connect with Benjamin Brandt Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit:http://retirementstartstodayradio.com/ Follow Ben on Twitter:https://twitter.com/retiremeasap Join the newsletter: https://retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter Dive deeper into retirement planning with Ben at www.RetirementIncome.University Subscribe to Retirement Starts Today on
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