Retirement Ready

Financial Mistruths

Every once in a while, financial concepts or strategies get misunderstood or misconstrued. It’s important to understand what you have and why you have it. On today’s show, we break down some financial ideals to find the “mistruths” or lies that can mistakenly be adopted. 
 
Here are the mistruths we talk about on today’s show:
“We can beat the market.” (1:40)
“There are no fees.” (3:39)
“Your tax rate will be much lower in retirement.” (8:11)  
 
Get in touch with the Peterson Financial team: https://petersonfg.com/
 

What’s the Difference? Traditional IRA vs. Roth IRA

Roth IRAs have been around for about 25 years, but a lot of people still don’t know how they differ from a traditional IRA. Understanding the difference between the two will help you determine which option is best for your retirement goals. In this episode, Eric shares what you’ll want to know about a Roth IRA and when to use it.
 
Here’s what you’ll learn on today’s show:
The difference between a Roth IRA vs. traditional IRA. (1:56)        
Why so many people focus on the traditional IRA first. (4:10)
The benefits of growing tax-free. (6:13)
Who benefits from a Roth IRA? (7:57)
 
Get in touch with the Peterson Financial team: https://petersonfg.com/

What’s the Difference in These Financial Items?

Some financial products or terms are easy to mix up. They sound the same or might do some of the same things, but there’s still an important difference between them. Eric guides us through several of these commonly mixed up financial things. Knowing the difference could help you make the right decisions when it comes to your financial plan.
 
Here’s what you’ll learn on today’s show:
What are Roth contributions vs. Roth conversions? (1:05)
Should I get term life or permanent life insurance? (3:25)
Variable annuity vs. fixed annuity? (6:11)
What’s the difference between 60 day rollover vs. trustee to trustee? (9:53)
 
Get in touch with the Peterson Financial team: https://petersonfg.com/

Mailbag: Where Should I Invest after Maxing Out 401(k)?

When saving for retirement, a lot of people look to their 401(k). But what happens after you’ve maxed out your contribution based on the yearly limit? Eric explains what options you have to invest toward your retirement beyond a 401(k). This will include money in the different buckets as well as other products to consider.
Here are the questions Eric answers on today’s show:      
Mailbag: After maxing out a 401(k), where should we go for retirement savings? (0:48)
Mailbag: Is it unwise to start a business in retirement? (5:06)
Mailbag: Is it okay to push off Social Security withdrawals? (7:57)
Get in touch with the Peterson Financial team: https://petersonfg.com/

Stories People Tell Themselves

When it comes to where you’ve ended up financially, you may have a running narrative on how that happened. There are a number of common stories people tell themselves to make sense of their situation. On today’s show we discuss some of these stories and how we can both understand them and improve upon them.
Whether you are feeling defeated by the threat of recession or ill-equipped to handle what you have, having a good financial advisor can help you rewrite some of these stories to find your “happily ever after.” 
Here are the common stories people can get tripped up by:
“I never had someone teach me.” (1:10)
“I’m just not good with money.” (4:27)
“What’s the point?” (7:19)
Get in touch with the Peterson Financial team: https://petersonfg.com/

Financial Main Characters and Secondary Characters

When you watch TV shows or movie, it doesn’t take long until you realize who is the main character or who is more of a secondary character. When it comes to your financial life, which strategies, products, or tools are main characters in your financial plan and which ones are secondary?
 
Here’s what we talk about on today’s show:
What role does your 401(k) play in your financial plan? (2:07)
Life insurance is something you really should look at. (4:47)
Bank accounts are safe but don’t overemphasize it. (6:22)
Roth IRAs have become more important in recent years. (8:18)
Social Security is the largest piece of most people’s retirements. (10:28)
 
For additional financial information, visit us online: http://petersonfg.com

Separating Your Money

Do you have all of your money in one place? Sometimes your money should be kept in separate funds and separate places so that it can be used for the appropriate purposes. You want to be able to access the money you have when you need it, both now and in the future.
On today’s show we talk about a few categories that can sometimes get combined and whether they should be together or separate.
Here’s what you’ll learn more about:
Don’t have your emergency fund with your stock market money. (1:03)
Investments and life insurance can get blurred. (3:31)
High turnover investment strategies vs. non-retirement assets strategies. (5:32)
Emotions should be separate from investment decisions. (7:10)
 
Get in touch with the Peterson Financial team: https://petersonfg.com/

Mailbag: Do We Need So Much Money in Cash?

When you retire, your income changes but so do your options. One listener is wondering how to convince his wife that they don’t need to put so much money in the bank and can enjoy it a bit, too.
Eric explains where things like your emergency fund can come and how couples usually think about savings. He also answers two other questions from the mailbag regarding retirement.
Here are the questions Eric answers today:
Mailbag: How can I convince my wife we don’t need as much in cash? (0:47)
Mailbag: Why do I have to pay money back to Social Security? (6:01)
Mailbag: Do I have to work until I’m 59 and a half or can I retire? (8:02)
 
Get in touch with the Peterson Financial team: https://petersonfg.com/
 

Rescuing Old Accounts

Do you have an old account laying around collecting dust, so to speak? Instead of forgetting about these, it’s important to find them, assess them, and get them up-to-date. It may even be an easier process than you think.
 
Here are the old accounts people tend to neglect or forget about:
An old 401(k) might be out there. (1:09)
Life insurance policies should be reviewed. (2:44)
Savings accounts could be earning interest right now. (5:11)
Pensions might carry an opportunity. (8:33)
 
Get in touch with the Peterson Financial team: https://petersonfg.com/

SECURE Act 2.0 – What Retirees Need to Know

Congress passed the SECURE Act 2.0 at the end of 2022, and you might have missed it because it was part of a larger bill.
Now that the bill is law and many of the provisions have already taken effect, we want to talk through what changes that might mean for your financial plan. From RMD age to 529 plans, there’s something for everyone to be on the lookout for.
 
Here are some of the changes passed in the SECURE Act 2.0:
The RMD age got changed again. (1:20)
The penalty was reduced, but it is still there. (4:41)
Qualified charitable distributions may help. (5:20)
The 529 can convert to a Roth IRA, with rules. (7:24)
What does Eric think is less definitive in the SECURE Act? (9:05)
 
Get in touch with the Peterson Financial team: https://petersonfg.com/