Category: Financial Planning

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Investing in Retirement – Part 3: The Building Blocks of Your Retirement Portfolio (Ep. 82)

Investing in Retirement – Part 3: The Building Blocks of Your Retirement Portfolio (Ep. 82)

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Investing in retirement requires a completely different mindset, one focused on income, not just preservation.

In this episode, I continue our Seven Strategies for Successful Investing in Retirement series by explaining Strategy #4: Understanding the Role of Stocks in Retirement, and Strategy #5: The Value of Dividend Growth Investing. 

Together, these two approaches show how stocks can generate sustainable income and growth throughout your retirement years.

Key Takeaways:

  • Why stocks shouldn’t be viewed like gambling, and what their long-term record actually shows
  • How a balanced stock and bond mix can fuel income growth over decades
  • The real-world power of dividends to combat inflation and support retirement income
  • Why reacting emotionally during market downturns often hurts long-term outcomes
  • How dividend growth investing can provide ongoing income, compounding, and stability
  • And more!

Resources:

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The S&P 500 Index is an unmanaged index of 500 large U.S. companies. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Index returns do not include fees or expenses.

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Investing in Retirement – Part 2: Changing the Way You Think About Retirement (Ep. 81)

Investing in Retirement – Part 2: Changing the Way You Think About Retirement (Ep. 81)

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What if the way you’ve been told to protect your money in retirement is actually putting your future at risk?

In this episode, I continue our series on the seven essential strategies for successful investing in retirement. We tackle one of the most misunderstood aspects of retirement planning, defining the real purpose of your portfolio and reframing how you think about risk. This conversation is designed to shift your perspective from fear and preservation to growth and resilience.

Key takeaways include:

  • Why “not running out of money” and “preserving principal” are often conflicting goals
  • The impact of inflation and longevity on retirement income needs
  • A real-life story about my grandmother’s retirement and long-term care costs
  • How the financial crisis illustrates the value of having a retirement “war chest”
  • Risk in retirement as “years of income” rather than portfolio percentages
  • And more!

Resources:

Data References:

  • Average Life Expectancy at Birth (U.S.)

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Investing in Retirement – Part 1: It Starts with Having a Plan (Ep. 80)

Investing in Retirement – Part 1: It Starts with Having a Plan (Ep. 80)

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Retirement is shifting in ways that require new thinking, new planning, and new strategies.

In this episode, I launch a new series on the seven essential strategies for successful investing in retirement. I explain how today’s retirement looks different than past generations, why the Great Wealth Transfer is so impactful for women, and why starting with a clear financial plan is more important than ever.

In this conversation, we cover:

  • How the retirement landscape has changed
  • Why investing in retirement is different than investing for retirement
  • The Great Wealth Transfer and its impact on women managing wealth for the first time
  • How values and goals form the foundation of your financial roadmap
  • Why a financial plan is the cornerstone of all retirement strategies
  • And more!

Resources:

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Creating Your Encore Chapter with Joy Levin (Ep. 79)

Creating Your Encore Chapter with Joy Levin (Ep. 79)

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Retirement isn’t just about slowing down. It’s about stepping into a chapter that feels alive with meaning and joy.

In this episode, I speak with Joy Levin, President of Gen X Exec Encore and Certified Professional Retirement Coach, about how Gen X women can reimagine retirement as an encore to life. Together, we explore how to shift from career identity to personal fulfillment, build meaningful relationships, and create a future that truly lights you up.

Joy discusses:

  • The challenges Gen X professionals face when leaving long careers and redefining purpose
  • Her “Mix Tapes to Meaning” framework, built around the five Rs: rewind, remix, reset, reconnect, and revive
  • The role of consulting, volunteering, and passion projects in crafting an encore life
  • How small actions and social connections can transform fulfillment in retirement
  • Practical ways couples can align different visions of their retirement years
  • And more!

Resources:

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About our Guest: 

Joy Levin is the Founder and President of Gen X Exec Encore. In working with Gen X high-achieving professionals, she recognizes that for many, this next phase isn’t about traditional retirement—it’s about creating an encore that blends passion, purpose, and new opportunities. 

As a market research consultant and entrepreneur for nearly three decades, Joy has guided executives and business owners across industries in making strategic, well-informed decisions. Like many Gen Xers, she wants a future in which she can remain productive, explore meaningful pursuits, and build new connections. With an honest, warm, friendly and highly professional approach, she guides accomplished professionals to discover their next purpose-driven chapter, empowering them to create an encore life with confidence and clarity. 

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7 Smart Giving Strategies for Family and Charities Before Year-End (Ep. 78)

7 Smart Giving Strategies for Family and Charities Before Year-End (Ep. 78)

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The holiday season often inspires generosity, but how you give can make a big difference for both your loved ones and your finances.

In this episode, I explore seven actionable gifting strategies you can use before the year ends to support your children, grandchildren, and favorite charities while also being mindful of tax planning opportunities. I walk through practical examples to help you give with purpose and joy.

Keypoints:

  • The $19,000 annual gift exclusion and how it works with lifetime estate tax limits
  • Gifting appreciated assets like stocks to family or charities to reduce taxes
  • Paying tuition and medical bills directly to providers without gift tax concerns
  • Leveraging 529 accounts, custodial accounts, and new temporary Trump accounts
  • Charitable giving strategies, including qualified charitable distributions and donor-advised funds
  • And more!

Resources:

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Preserving Family Stories and Legacies with Zoe Martin (Ep. 77)

Preserving Family Stories and Legacies with Zoe Martin (Ep. 77)

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Our financial legacy is important, but our stories and memories are priceless. 

This time, we go beyond numbers to focus on preserving the voices, photos, and experiences that define a family’s history.

In this episode, I sit down with Zoe Martin, founder of The Zoe Martin, to talk about the importance of capturing family stories and portraits before it’s too late. She shares her deeply personal journey that inspired her work and offers practical ways anyone can start preserving their legacy today.

Zoe discusses:

  • The personal story of her sister’s passing and how it inspired her mission to record life stories
  • Why families shouldn’t wait to capture stories and memories before they fade
  • The role of legacy in retirement and estate planning beyond finances
  • Practical advice on how to start recording family stories, even with simple tools like a phone
  • The unique process she offers families, from multi-generational portraits to legacy video interviews
  • And more!

Resources:

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About our Guest: 

Zoe Martin is a personal historian who’s passionate about helping people and organizations preserve their most important stories. With a heart for visual and narrative storytelling, she creates portraits and videos that document people’s lives into lasting treasures, including heirloom albums, custom wall art, coffee table books, and life story videos.

As a guest on various podcasts and community stages, Zoe shares her insights on why it’s so important to capture and preserve legacies while we still can. Her passion for storytelling is deeply personal, inspired by the memory of her late sister, Kristina. A portion of every project supports The Bridge Breast Network, which provides breast cancer resources to underserved communities in the DFW area.

Zoe’s work helps clients reflect on their lives, strengthen relationships, and leave a meaningful legacy for future generations by encouraging people to make every moment matter. Because Moments Become Memories™

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Rebuilding After Abuse: Finding Strength with Dr. Brooke Jones (Ep. 76)

Rebuilding After Abuse: Finding Strength with Dr. Brooke Jones (Ep. 76)

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What if your most painful experiences could become the foundation for new strength and hope?

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Brooke Jones, Founder of Stronger Women, to talk about her journey of survival, recovery, and empowerment. She shares her story of leaving abuse, the challenges women face when trying to rebuild their lives, and the importance of financial independence. Together, we uncover how resilience, faith, and hope can transform even the darkest moments into a brighter future.

Dr. Brooke Jones discusses:

  • Her personal journey from surviving abuse to founding Stronger Women
  • How isolation and dependency often mark the beginning of abusive relationships
  • Why leaving abuse often means giving up nearly everything, including financial stability
  • How the science of hope helps women move from surviving to thriving
  • The ripple effects of domestic violence on families, children, and communities
  • And more!

Resources:

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About Stronger Women

Survivors often move on, but are left overwhelmed by shame, fear, low self-esteem and powerlessness. Because LOVE has always come with a promise – and then pain – survivors; feel disconnected and even pain when they hear the word Love, especially the notion, “God loves you.”

Every Stronger session is written for survivors by survivors. This insight an integral piece to understanding the survivors’ journey from hurt to healing through restorative and prevention programs.

The Stronger healing model combines proven curriculum, the power of small groups, and ongoing development of practical tools to restore survivors.

Stronger focuses on exponential growth by equipping certified facilitators to launch restorative healing groups in their local community, church and organization.

As survivors tell their stories, they begin to heal from trauma in a safe and supportive setting. Participants gain: Increased self-awareness, renewed thought patterns, develop healthier coping mechanisms, build resilience, improved self-esteem, establish healthy boundaries, improve family and parenting skills, improved communication skills, and healthier relationships.

We believe it is critical to provide practical tools so everyone can walk alongside these survivors in their healing journey with respect and dignity.

About Dr. Brooke Jones:

Dr. Brooke Jones is a national and international speaker on topics of global oppression of women, domestic & gender based violence and human trafficking. Brooke is wife to Rick, mom of two young kids, and is a two-decade survivor of domestic violence and aggravated stalking.

Brooke earned her Bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurship, her Master’s degree in Education and in 2016 received an Honorary Doctorate degree in Theology to recognize her contribution and impact through the Stronger Women programs.

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Year-End Tax Planning Checklist for 2025 (Ep. 75)

Year-End Tax Planning Checklist for 2025 (Ep. 75)

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The final months of the year are the perfect time to review your finances and take action before December 31st. 

New tax laws bring both opportunities and risks, making this year’s planning even more important.

In this episode, I walk through my year-end tax planning checklist to help you understand the key areas that can impact your retirement, your taxes, and your long-term goals. I explain how to approach contributions, distributions, and deductions strategically while also touching on family gifting and estate considerations.

Key points:

  • Why reviewing your tax plan in October and November helps maximize opportunities before the year ends
  • How to use retirement accounts, Roth IRAs, and HSAs to reduce taxes and grow long-term wealth
  • The importance of required minimum distributions (RMDs) and qualified charitable distributions (QCDs)
  • Family gifting strategies and the unique advantages of 529 contributions
  • Deduction changes, charitable giving rules, and new provisions under the current tax law
  • And more!

Resources:

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Roth IRA earnings grow tax-free, and qualified withdrawals are also tax-free, provided certain conditions are met (e.g., the account has been open for at least 5 years and you are age 59½ or older, or meet another qualifying condition). Eligibility to contribute to a Roth IRA phases out at higher income levels. Non-qualified withdrawals of earnings may be subject to income taxes and a 10% early withdrawal penalty. Converting a traditional IRA or other tax-deferred account to a Roth IRA is a taxable event and may increase your current-year tax liability. Roth conversions cannot be undone.

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Social Security Claiming Strategies: Beyond the Breakeven Calculator (Ep. 74)

Social Security Claiming Strategies: Beyond the Breakeven Calculator (Ep. 74)

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Deciding when to start Social Security is more than a math equation. It’s about balancing life expectancy, risk tolerance, and long-term income needs.

In this episode, I explore the trade-offs of claiming early versus delaying for larger benefits. I explain how investing early benefits might change the picture, why survivor benefits matter, and how taxes and policy changes could influence your strategy. This conversation highlights the importance of tailoring the decision to your unique situation.

Key Points:

  • Why breakeven calculators don’t tell the full story about Social Security timing
  • The potential of investing early benefits into accounts like a Roth IRA
  • How spousal benefits and survivor planning influence claiming strategies
  • The role of taxes, risk tolerance, and other income sources in the decision
  • Possible future adjustments Congress may make to Social Security rules
  • And more

Resources:

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Roth IRAs and Retirement: What You Need to Know (Ep. 73)

Roth IRAs and Retirement: What You Need to Know (Ep. 73)

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Roth IRAs can feel confusing—but when you understand how they work, they can become one of the most powerful tools in your retirement plan.

In this episode, you’ll discover how Roth IRAs may give you more control over your taxes in retirement, create flexibility for future withdrawals, and help protect your income for the long run.

We’ll cover the basics—what Roth IRAs are (and aren’t), how the rules for contributions, conversions, and withdrawals really work, and why Congress has been pushing Roth accounts more in recent years. You’ll also hear how Roth IRAs may help you avoid hidden tax traps like higher Medicare premiums or unexpected Social Security taxes.

Key takeaways:

  • Why Roth IRAs are not investments themselves, but tax-advantaged account types that act like umbrellas shielding money from future taxes
  • How Congress is encouraging Roth contributions through Secure Act 2.0, giving retirees long-term tax-free opportunities
  • The importance of tax diversification, comparing it to and even elevating it above portfolio diversification
  • Four ways to fund Roth accounts: contributions, conversions, rollovers, and backdoor strategies
  • The five-year rule, distribution order, and how Roth IRAs can help control tax brackets, Medicare premiums, and Social Security taxation
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Eric Blake: 

Roth IRA earnings grow tax-free, and qualified withdrawals are also tax-free, provided certain conditions are met (e.g., the account has been open for at least 5 years and you are age 59½ or older, or meet another qualifying condition). Eligibility to contribute to a Roth IRA phases out at higher income levels. For 2025, contributions begin to phase out at a modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) of approximately $150,000 for single filers and $236,000 for married couples filing jointly. Non-qualified withdrawals of earnings may be subject to income taxes and a 10% early withdrawal penalty. Converting a traditional IRA or other tax-deferred account to a Roth IRA is a taxable event and may increase your current-year tax liability. Roth conversions cannot be undone.

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