Kevin Kroskey - Podcast Details

Shows

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Tariffs, Turbulence, and How To Stay On TrackMarkets have been shaken by a sharp selloff, with the S&P 500 down around 15% and the Nasdaq nearly 20% year-to-date. Much of the recent volatility is being driven by escalating trade tensions and a new round of tariffs that took effect on April 9. In this episode, Kevin Kroskey, CFP®, and Tyler Emrick, CFA®, CFP®, unpack what’s driving the recent market moves — from global supply chain disruptions to shifting investor sentiment and international dynamics. Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: 📉 Why the market hates uncertainty—and how that’s showing up now ⚖️...2025-04-1051 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Part 3: The Long and Short on Tax-Aware, Long-Short (TALS) InvestingRemember in 2022 when both stocks and bonds fell in lockstep? Did you think diversification failed? Want to build a more diversified, resilient portfolio to better grow and protect your hard-earned dollars? Hear Kevin Kroskey, CFP®, MBA discuss how the TALS strategy adds unique sources of returns to your portfolio outside of traditional stocks and bonds. Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: How this strategy helps with asset allocation and tax efficiency. The strategy involves long and short positions in a basket of stocks. Who are the clients that would benefit the...2024-12-0537 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Part 2: The Long and Short on Tax-Aware, Long-Short (TALS) InvestingHave a sizable brokerage account? Have unrealized capital gains? Pay income taxes at the highest rates? Want to pay your fair share but no more? If so, this is an episode not to miss. In part 1 of this series, Kevin Kroskey, CFP®, MBA explored why adding the TALS strategy may yield significant investing and tax benefits. He described how TALS can help you defer, avoid, and potentially eliminate your capital gains. For the most successful investors that meet the definition of an SEC Qualified Purchaser, generally one with $5m+ of investments, there is another leg t...2024-11-2148 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Part 1: The Long and Short on Tax-Aware, Long-Short (TALS) InvestingFor successful investors and high-income earners, this is an episode not to miss... Sure, you can own an S&P 500 ETF or mutual fund. You could also own the 500 stocks individually, a strategy nowadays called direct indexing. Direct indexing aims to capitalize on individual stock volatility and add tax benefits by harvesting losses. Or you may choose to go a step farther up the complexity ladder to own the 500 stocks individually with a tax-aware, long-short overlay. Let's call that TALS for short. Here you expect to obtain the return of the S&P 500...2024-11-0845 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Real Estate, Taxes, & College Oh My!We welcome Kevin Kroskey, CFP®, MBA, back in action, joining Tyler Emrick, CFA, CFP®, on this potpourri-type episode. Hear Kevin's perspective on the last episode, coming changes in the residential real estate market, and why they will be good for consumers. He'll also share some lessons learned from this tax season and differences between tax-only clients and clients who receive coordinated tax and wealth management services. Hear Tyler share recent client stories from new clients about the issues and ramifications of not coordinating financial, legal, and tax matters properly. 2024-04-2559 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Should Retirees Change Their Portfolio Strategy Based On Predictions of the US Dollar’s Demise?Here it comes again… F. E. A. R. This time manifest from headlines of the U.S. dollar’s demise as a reserve currency, spiraling inflation, low growth and an expressway to investment-return hell. Listen to Kevin Kroskey, CFP®, MBA cut through the B.S. to understand what the economic risks are or are not and how they do or do not translate to your investment strategy. Here are some of the things we will discuss in this episode: The questions we’ve been getting from clients about the headlines on the US...2023-09-1421 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®No More TINA - An Investment UpdateThere Is No Alternative or TINA has been used throughout history and is mostly strongly associated with the UK's Marget Thatcher. The phrase is used to signify Thatcher's claim that "the market economy is the best, right and only system that works, and that debate about this is over." More recently, TINA was popularly used to describe the stock market in light of low interest rates and correspondingly low yield-based returns. There is no alternative to stocks. Hear Kevin Kroskey, CFP, MBA discuss why now that rates have had an unprecedented rise, it is time to say...2023-06-2934 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Bank Busts & Safeguards for Your Investment FundsThere has been a lot of misinformation regarding and uncertainty caused by the recent bank failures. You may have concerns about whether your money is at risk whether at a bank or at custodians such as Charles Schwab, Fidelity, Pershing, or TD Ameritrade. Hear Kevin Kroskey, CFP®, MBA give a summary of what happened at Silicon Valley Bank and explain why your bank account should be thought of as a loan to the bank (because it is!). Conversely, he'll detail key investor protections you benefit from by not having your account a general liability of a bank but a segregated acc...2023-03-1743 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Surprising Lessons on Stock Returns and DiversificationHistory shows that owning companies (buying stocks) provides far superior returns vs. lending to companies (buying bonds). While most know this, most would be surprised by how many stocks lose money over time. A JP Morgan report showed this number to be 40% over a broad period from 1980-2020. And 66% of stocks failed to keep up with a broad benchmark. Hear Kevin dive into these details, portfolio implications, and touch on key characteristics of risk -- not just how much your investments move up and down (volatility) but making sure you have the dollars you need when you need them (terminal weal...2022-10-1333 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®It’s the End of the World as We Know It, and Why to Feel Fine"It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" is a 1987 song by American rock band R.E.M.. The title may sound pessimistic or perhaps a bit delusional. Yet, hear Kevin make the analogy as to why this song -- one of his favorites -- is a perfect theme song for capitalism, creative destruction, and rational optimism about innovation and future stock returns. Here's a little of what you'll learn on this episode: Why bad news in the headlines is nothing new. (1:39) What a consumer sentiment survey tells us. (4:12) Why it might actually be a good...2022-09-2229 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Red Flags of Investment FraudA $50+ million investment fraud is unwinding in northeast Ohio with a former high school basketball coach and self-proclaimed single-family real estate expert being accused of bilking investors in a ponzi scheme. You probably think, "This can't happen to me." The same can likely be said of those in the community that now have fallen victim to fraud at the hands of someone they trusted. Hear Kevin discuss red flags and common scams fraudsters often use. Affinity fraud, guaranteed or high returns, and unregistered products are often well disguised into good-sounding strategies to gain your trust and dollars. And be sure to...2022-09-0832 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Pension Lump Sums - You May Need To Act Now in 2022 Pension lump sums will be much LOWER in 2023 than 2022. Listen to Kevin give a brief intro on what is going on and then cut into a replay of episode 62, recorded in December 2020 on the same topic. Learn timing considerations on how to optimize your pension benefits by understanding the key variables -- interest rates and mortality -- that determine your lump sum. Company pension plans specifically discussed include Akron Children's Hospital, Bridgestone, FirstEnergy, Goodyear, Kaiser, Mercy Health, and Rockwell Automation. Need help with your specific lump sum option? If you are eligible for a lump sum, don...2022-08-2534 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Understanding Your Retirement Plan ResultsKudos! You went through a retirement planning process or completed an online calculator and have the results. Now, what the heck do they mean exactly? Hear Kevin peel back the onion on understanding your retirement plan results. What are Monte Carlo simulations? What assumptions belie them? What shortcomings does this type of analysis have? How can this powerful tool be thoughtfully used to help ensure you stay on track? Key points on this episode: 2:16 - What we discuss with clients 4:43 - How we display results in our dashboard 9:07 - Safety margin 17:25 - Hierarchy of expenses 19:51 - No simulations are perfect Learn m...2022-07-2827 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Mailbag - Bear Market Investment QuestionsThe bear is roaring and eating away at stock and bond returns. What's an investor to do? Hear Kevin Kroskey, CFP®, MBA and Tyler Emrick , CFA®, CFP® discuss common investment questions clients are prospective clients are asking: Should I decrease risk? Should I increase cash? Is cash better to own than bonds? Should I consider a CD or fixed annuity? Is it okay to make a strategy change or hire an advisor when markets are down? Key points on this episode: 1:45 - Should we sell out at this point? 5:39 - Preparati...2022-07-1430 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Interview with Retirement Researcher Dr. David Blanchett Part 2 Dr. David Blanchett is Head of Retirement Research formerly at Morningstar and currently at Prudential’s asset management arm PGIM. He is also an adjunct professor at The American College of Financial Services. David has been a voracious and accomplished researcher, being published in a variety of peer-reviewed articles, and receiving many ‘best paper’ awards. Today he conducts research primarily in the areas of financial planning, tax planning, annuities, and retirement. Listen to Kevin and David do a deep dive into key assumptions made in your retirement planning – investment returns, spending assumptions, longevity, and inflation. Learn from David’s origina...2022-06-2327 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Interview with Retirement Researcher Dr. David Blanchett Part 1 Dr. David Blanchett is Head of Retirement Research formerly at Morningstar and currently at Prudential’s asset management arm PGIM. He is also an adjunct professor at The American College of Financial Services. David has been a voracious and accomplished researcher, being published in a variety of peer-reviewed articles, and receiving many ‘best paper’ awards. Today he conducts research primarily in the areas of financial planning, tax planning, annuities, and retirement. Listen to Kevin and David do a deep dive into key assumptions made in your retirement planning – investment returns, spending assumptions, longevity, and inflation. Learn from David’s origina...2022-06-0927 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 100: Not So Smart Things Even Smart Investors DoMarket downturns elicit emotion. Emotional investors are more apt to make poor investment decisions. Time and again this is proven. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Or get educated and break the cycle... Listen to Tyler Emrick, CFA, CFP stand in for Kevin and describe some common behavioral issues even smart investors often must overcome. Got a case of 'get-even-itis' (loss aversion)? Or perhaps a case of 'no-decision-itis (regret aversion)?' Look at an inheritance differently than money you worked for? Listen to these and more to be informed and help overcome behavioral hurdles that can harm your wealth. What we discuss in this...2022-05-2631 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 99: Whoa! Stocks and bonds both going down? What’s going on?2022 has been a bad year for most investors. Both stocks and most bonds are down sharply. You may be wondering why? Hear Kevin explain what has been happening in markets with key points related to understanding diversification, risk, and four key economic regimes for investors to balance against. Learn why even a "balanced investor" has 90% of risk coming from one asset class, and why bad behavior is causing severe pain for many return-chasing investors as they go down with the ARKK. The egghead alert may sound on this episode, but Kevin will keep things at a high...2022-05-1240 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 98: Interview with Retirement Researcher Dr. Michael Finke Part 2Dr. Michael Finke is a professor and chair of Economic Security Research at The American College of Financial Services. Listen to Kevin and Michael chat about a wide range of key retirement issues, the research behind them, as well as current topics: Life expectancy differences for average vs. wealthy people, what makes a retiree happy, why Social Security is such a good deal, how inflation impacts retirees differently than workers, why the current market environment contains much bad news for retirees, and much more. A big "thank you" to Dr. Finke for sharing his original research and wisdom. No doubt this is...2022-04-2824 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 97: Interview with Retirement Researcher Dr. Michael Finke - Part 1Dr. Michael Finke is a professor and chair of Economic Security Research at The American College of Financial Services. Listen to Kevin and Michael chat about a wide range of key retirement issues, the research behind them, as well as current topics: Life expectancy differences for average vs. wealthy people, what makes a retiree happy, why Social Security is such a good deal, how inflation impacts retirees differently than workers, why the current market environment contains much bad news for retirees, and much more. A big "thank you" to Dr. Finke for sharing his original research and wisdom. No doubt this is...2022-04-1444 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 96: Rules Gone Awry, Part 5 - Retirement Healthcare Is ExorbitantIn this episode, Kevin turns the tables on a handful of common misconceptions about health care costs in retirement. Find out the truth about what health coverage and long-term care actually might cost and how you can factor them into your overall retirement plan. This is the final part of this series we're revisiting on Retirement Rules Gone Awry. What we discuss in this episode: 1:40 - The rule we're discussing today 3:33 - So Kevin isn't worried? 5:37 - What we envision for the future of healthcare? 10:37 - Longt...2022-04-0724 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 95: Rules Gone Awry, Part 4 - The 4 Percent RuleYou've perhaps heard the 4 percent rule, that if you take 4% out of your investment account each year, you'll never outlive your money. Kevin talks about where this idea came from, and pokes some holes in this strategy in this third installment of Rules Gone Awry. This is the fourth of a five-part series we're revisiting on Retirement Rules Gone Awry. What we discuss in this episode: 1:40 - What is the 4% rule? 4:00 - Why this rule became widely adopted? 5:35 - Major problems with this rule 11:12 - Wha...2022-03-3121 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 93: Rules Gone Awry, Part 2 - Take Social Security EarlyThere's an old school of thought that says you should take social security as early as you can so that you can get the most out of it. But this is another one of those retirement rules gone awry that we enjoy picking apart on the podcast. Kevin will tell us why this retirement "rule" needs to be scraped and give us the proper lens through which to view the social security problem. This is the second of a five-part series we're revisiting on Retirement Rules Gone Awry. What we discuss in this ep...2022-03-1724 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 92: Rules Gone Awry, Part 1 - The 80% Spending RuleWalter was being nosy recently and asking his mom about her retirement plans. When she told him she was planning on living off of 80% of her current income during her retirement years, it raised a red flag. How did she come to that figure? You guessed it, she didn't really have an exact answer for why she picked that number. So Walter turns to Kevin on this week's podcast to understand how that "80% Rule" worked its way into the retirement planning vernacular and why we'd all be wiser to ignore it. This is...2022-03-1021 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 91: What Retirees Want in a Home Listen as Kevin completes the podcast series discussing the book What Retirees Want (WRW) by world-famous "Age Wave" expert Ken Dychtwald, Ph.D. Should you stay or should you go... While many Boomers intend to not move but age in place, an increasing amount are making a change. Learn why many more Boomers are choosing to go and where they are going to in order to improve retirement satisfaction. Read more and get additional financial resources here: https://www.truewealthdesign.com/podcast/ What we discuss in this episode...2022-02-2428 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 90: What Retirees Want in Time, Health & RelationshipsWhat do retired Boomers say is the key to retirement happiness? Think about what you would say and then take a listen to learn this and more on the show. Listen and learn as Kevin continues the podcast series, discussing the book What Retirees Want (WRW) by world-famous "Age Wave" expert Ken Dychtwald, Ph.D. Read more and get additional financial resources here: https://www.truewealthdesign.com/podcast/ What we discuss in this episode: 0:31 - Tom Brady retiring 1:34 - Recap on what we've discussed so far ...2022-02-1027 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 89: What Retirees Want: Work In Retirement?Listen as Kevin discusses the book What Retirees Want (WRW) by world-famous "Age Wave" expert Ken Dychtwald, Ph.D. Learn why your expectations of how long you'll work will likely vary substantially from how long you'll actually work and why this matters. Read more and get additional financial resources here: https://www.truewealthdesign.com/podcast/ What we discuss in this episode: 1:50 - What we're focusing on today 4:31 - Survey found retirees leaving earlier than planned 6:43 - 3 reasons why expectations don't match reality 9:28 - Don...2022-01-2723 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 88: What Retirees Want: An OverviewListen as Kevin discusses the book What Retirees Want (WRW) by world-famous "Age Wave" expert Ken Dychtwald, Ph.D. Learn how increasing wealth and longevity have transformed retirement and will continue to create more "Time Affluence." Hear why Work, Leisure, Health, Home, Family, Finances, and Purpose are key zones impacted by this new idea of retirement and how to better think about and prepare for the softer side of retirement. Read more and get additional financial resources here: https://www.truewealthdesign.com/podcast/ What we discuss in thi...2022-01-1423 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 87: How Pre-65 Retirees Can Get a Huge Healthcare Tax CreditMany early retirees find they must utilize Affordable Care Act (ACA or Obamacare) policies to bridge the gap from employer-provided health insurance to Medicare at age 65. ACA policies are expensive but even affluent families may be able to obtain significant tax credits -- often more than $10,000 yearly -- to offset premiums. Hear Kevin discuss Premium Tax Credits and how to plan to obtain them. With a recent law change, these credits are even more sizable and accessible at higher income levels for 2021 and 2022 and maybe longer with pending tax legislation. Read more and g...2021-12-1627 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 86: Cash Flow - Measuring & Monitoring the Heartbeat of Your Financial Planning Do you know what it costs to live your lifestyle? Many successful people don't. They haven't had to worry about money, live below their means, and save diligently. Yet, when it comes to retirement planning, you need to know these costs. On one hand, you need to make sure you have enough and don't run out of money. On the other, you need these costs for proper investment and tax planning. Hear Kevin and special guest Tyler Emrick, CFP, CFA discuss the importance of cash flow and several client stories where it made a huge...2021-12-0235 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 85: What’s a “Conservative” Investor To Do These Days? If you own a disproportionate amount of cash or bonds in your portfolio, you can be broadly classified as a conservative investor. With today's low-interest rates, being conservative is a tough investment row to hoe. Starting yields have been shown to explain 90%+ of returns realized from high-quality bonds. Ergo low-interest rates equal low returns. So what can you do? Read more: https://www.truewealthdesign.com/ep-85-whats-a-conservative-investor-to-do-these-days/ Today's rundown: 0:58 – Catching up with Kevin 3:53 – “Conservative” investor in today’s world 9:16 – Getting a plan and risk 11:54 – Building a bond ladder 13:43 – Consider annuities 18...2021-11-1824 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 84: Investment Allocation Update - Thinking About Your Investment Recipe Having reasonable assumptions for investment returns is critically important for many reasons. These assumptions will impact your retirement plan, investment allocation, and your peace of mind. Hear Kevin review discuss a recent letter written to his clients about the three broad categories of investments. He'll discuss high-level metrics on how attractive or expensive various parts of the stock and bond markets are and what to broadly expect in the years to come. Tune into the end when he discusses higher-yielding investments and how many investors are unwittingly taking more risk today than they realize. Reminder: I...2021-11-0438 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 83: Biden‘s ”American Families” Tax Plan - Key Changes & Planning OpportunitiesIf you drive a car, I'll tax the street; If you try to sit, I'll tax your seat; If you get too cold, I'll tax the heat; If you take a walk, I'll tax your feet. "Taxman" - The Beatles Biden's tax proposals have finally been put into legislation and released on September 13th. Thankfully they're not as bad as the Beatles lyrics and tax increases were also less than what was expected. Hear Kevin discuss key proposals for individuals with the good, the bad, and those that didn't make it into the bill, and be sure to pay attention to...2021-10-2133 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 81: Math Mistakes in the Media, Investing, and in Understanding VaccinesIn the age of Covid, everyone has seemingly become a data expert .... regardless of one's understanding of data and statistics (sigh). Hear Kevin highlight some recent math errors he's observed in media, relate them to investing errors, and tie in vaccines to boot. He'll describe how making bad comparisons in identifying mutual fund category winners is subject to similar errors to drawing conclusions about the recent Cape Code headline where a Covid outbreak infected 74% of vaccinated people. He'll also explain how butter production in Bangledesh is tied to the S&P 500 and why you should (or shouldn't?) "sell in May and go aw...2021-09-2340 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 80: Should I Sell a Stock With a Large Taxable Gain?You may have acquired stock and seen it significantly rise in value over time. Now you're not sure what to do: let it ride or sell, pay taxes, and reinvest in a better portfolio. Astute investors know concentrated stock holdings are suboptimal and expose a portfolio to diversifiable risks. But simply selling regardless of tax consequences is also short-sighted. So how do they best fit into your portfolio and financial plan? Hear Kevin discuss how to think through this complex decision. He will evaluate the costs and expected benefits of making a partial or full transition and discuss how Separately Man...2021-09-0935 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 79: Aligning Your Investments With Your ValuesHave you heard of ESG? Many investors today are selecting investments in part based on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria. Don't like fossil fuels, weapons, or pornography? Want to focus on companies that have diverse boards, executive teams, and overall workforce? Have religious beliefs you want to follow when it comes to investing? Then ESG may be right for you. Hear Kevin discuss solutions for those seeking to align their investments to their ESG values and discuss challenges and investment considerations in doing so. He'll also share several recent client examples that have pursued...2021-08-2625 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 78: Unexpected Benefits Married Couples Get From A Financial AdvisorDo you know a smart, financially savvy person that still hires a financial advisor? Ever wonder why they do so? Many family stewards often seek an advisor to take care of their family's finances if they cannot. Know a couple where one spouse took care of the family finances and then passed, leaving the surviving spouse the fear and frustration of picking up the financial pieces all while going through the grieving process? Family stewards seek to avoid this. Yet married couples often get even more and unexpected benefits from working with a financial advisor...2021-08-1223 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 76: Your Hierarchy of Retirement NeedsMany think retirement planning is all about number crunching. While undoubtedly important, you first need to consider the personal and social aspects of your ideal life and retirement. Then align your resources to best support it. You may recall from your studies psychologist Abraham Maslow's work on the Hierarchy of Needs. Maslow's work translates to retirement quite well. Interestingly, many types of needs are met at least in part through work. Take work out of the equation and those needs remain. So how do you meet them in retirement, so you can be a happy and fulfilled self-actualizer? Hear Kevin di...2021-07-0836 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 75: 10-Year Return ExpectationsHaving reasonable assumptions for investment returns is critically important for many reasons. These assumptions will impact your retirement plan, investment allocation, and your peace of mind. Why peace of mind? Well, if you are expecting something unreasonable, no doubt you're likely to be dissatisfied and more likely to be undisciplined. Hear Kevin review 10-year return forecasts from leading money managers Blackrock and Research Affiliates. What are domestic and foreign stocks likely to do? How about bonds and real estate? Tune in to find out and become a more informed investor. 2021-06-2437 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 74: Modeling Real Estate & Business Values In Your Retirement PlanOne of the beginning steps in every retirement plan is to value your assets and project their values into the future. Valuing assets like stocks and bonds is easy (though making accurate projections becomes more difficult.) Complexity increases even more when you consider illiquid assets like real estate and business ventures. Hear Kevin discuss how to model illiquid assets in your retirement plan. Learn why focusing on rental income is shortsighted and how scenario analysis with low to high values can be helpful for business owners. If you ever plan to sell real estate, this...2021-06-1026 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 73: What Age Should You Get Serious About Planning For Retirement?Hear Kevin describe a conversation he recently had with a podcast listener aged 57. He's planning on working for several more years and was wondering if now is too soon to get serious about planning for retirement. Kevin discussed the qualitative and quantitative benefits clients often get from the Retire Smarter Solution as well as some time-sensitive issues you need to address well before you retire. While it's never too early to start, as your time becomes more valuable, your assets accumulate, and the cost of a mistake becomes larger, it tends to make sense to...2021-05-2723 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 72: How Your Retirement Spending Is Likely To Change With AgeIn the last episode, Kevin answered a listener question on inflation. He explained why retiree spending patterns in part combat inflationary risk retirees face. Now hear Kevin delve deeper into retiree spending patterns. If you don't want to work longer than you have to or want to spend more in retirement, this is an episode you'll want to listen to. Traditional retirement advice of having a steadily increasing income for life is wrong for most. Rather, spending tends to decline with age at a real rate of 1% yearly although increasing healthcare costs at the end...2021-05-1328 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 71: Inflation Expectations & Implications On Your Investments & RetirementYour money today will buy less next year. This decline is due to inflation, which is often believed to be the silent killer for a retirement income portfolio over time. After all the 4% spending rule had it's worst result starting in 1966 -- a time when inflation began to rise and peaked in the 1970s while economic growth was choppy at best. Might the future resemble this difficult time? Hear Kevin answer a listener question on inflation and whether the high levels of government spending and rising deficits are likely to lead to high inflation. And...2021-04-2231 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 70: Free Money? More Stimulus Checks & Larger Healthcare Tax CreditsThe government's money-printing machine is ripping. Here comes round 3 of stimulus checks and larger healthcare tax credits for many pre-Medicare retirees. Hear Kevin discuss the 3 rounds of checks, income phaseout ranges, and planning strategies to get yours. In some cases, you may want to file your 2020 tax return sooner and in others, you may want to wait. For many retirees, we are modifying our tax-smart distribution plan midyear 2021, lowering our taxable income targets and reducing Roth conversions, to reap benefits. Otherwise, you may lose out on thousands. As the saying goes, there is no such...2021-04-0835 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 69: Interview Questions To Ask A Financial AdvisorIt's not easy to hire a professional service provider. Even the most astute consumer only scratches the surface of truly understanding a profession they are not part of. The information gap is huge. So how do you ensure you find a competent and trustworthy advisor? Hear Kevin nine questions to ask your advisor. He will unpack some of the industry gobbledygook, share disclosures from brand-name Wall Street firms that will surprise you, and help you become a more informed financial-advice consumer. Whether you currently have an advisor or are considering hiring one, this...2021-03-2554 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 68: My Journey As A Financial PlannerFish mislabeling was once rampant in the US. Thought you were getting Red Snapper? Surprise! You get porgy or tile fish. Deceptive marketing for profits at best and exposing consumers to serious health risks, including food allergens and heavy metals in pregnant women at worst. Sadly, many 'financial advisors' are similarly mislabeled and may cause financial harm. After all, you just need a 70% on a multiple-choice test and a high school diploma to become registered (and the high school diploma is optional.) So how do you ensure you're hiring a true professional: one who is...2021-03-1139 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 67: Beyond Diversification: Terminal Wealth DispersionPutting the odds of investing and retirement success in your favor should be a given as is being diversified. But what does diversification really mean? Ten stocks? One hundred stocks? Two asset classes or ten? Building on the concept of standard deviation -- or degree of variability -- in investment returns, hear Kevin take the idea of diversification farther. Diversification is not just minimizing variability or owning the S&P 500. It's also reducing the risk of underperformance by owning the stocks and assets classes that will deliver higher returns and reducing the variability in dollar outcomes from...2021-02-2527 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 66: Proper Investment Expectations & Standard DeviationIf your head is in the freezer and your feet in the oven, on average you may feel quite comfortable despite suffering from two extremes. San Diego type weather on the other hand will leave you consistently comfortable over time. Averages are commonly used to discuss investment returns, but they are an oversimplification. You don't receive average returns. Compound returns drive your dollar growth and the variability in returns -- or standard deviation -- causes the compound return to always be less than the average return. Listen to Kevin discuss this core building-block concept and...2021-02-1123 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 65: Should You Continue To Hold An Underperforming Investment?Inevitably you will have some investments perform better than others in your portfolio. A normal, human response is to seek pleasure and avoid pain or sell the underperformer and buy what has done well. But does that make investing sense? Listen to Kevin discuss critical concepts of diversification and probability and why process matters more than outcomes. Hear an example of this being applied in professional basketball and playing probabilities in blackjack. In sticking to a good process, good outcomes are more likely to result. In focusing on outcomes, you are more at risk of...2021-01-2824 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 64: Investment Lessons To Learn From 2020What a year 2020 was. Pandemic. Contested elections. Civil unrest. Rollercoaster investment markets. As Churchill wrote, "Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it." Listen to Kevin discuss investment lessons you can learn from 2020 to be a smarter investor and keep your retirement on track for years to come. Timestamps: 2:04 - What Stood Out In 2020? 8:02 - The Market Is Forward Looking 11:53 - Make Sure You Are Diversified 13:22 - Politics & The Market 21:57 - Sticking To The Plan Co...2021-01-1429 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 63: 3 Ways To Tax-Optimize Your Charitable GivingMost Americans donate to charity and many have distinct goals in their retirement plan to meet annual charitable donations. Most also give cash ...the easiest but also least tax-efficient way to give. Hear Kevin discuss three ways to tax-optimize your charitable giving. Whether through in-kind transfers of appreciated stock, using a donor-advised fund, or via Qualified Charitable Distributions, each can help you gain a bigger tax break and meet your charitable goals in the Retire Smarter way. Timestamps: 6:48 - Making Direct Gifts Of Stocks, Or Shares Of Mutual Funds 10:58...2020-12-1734 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 62: Pension Lump Sums: 2021 May Be The Best Year EverPension lump sums will be much higher in 2021 than 2020. Listen to Kevin discuss timing considerations on how to optimize your pension benefits by understanding the key variables that determine your lump sum. Company pension plans specifically discussed include Akron Children's Hospital, Bridgestone, FirstEnergy, Goodyear, Mercy Health, and Rockwell Automation. Whether you have a pension from your company or not, you'll benefit from this episode. Why? Anyone can invest money with an insurance company and receive a lifetime income in the form of annuity payments. So these considerations are universal in crafting your retirement income plan. ...2020-12-0328 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 61: The True Wealth Team Is Growing - Welcoming Ron WyattWe're excited to make a big announcement on this episode of Retire Smarter. Kevin is joined by True Wealth Design's newest partner, Ron Wyatt, who brings more than 25 years of financial planning experience to the firm. A lot of existing listeners will be hearing from Ron for the first time, so we'll spend some time today getting to know his background and professional journey. And new listeners will also get to learn more about Kevin's experiences. The two will also cover why they've chosen to join forces now, and why it's going to be a benefit for...2020-11-1729 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 60: Why The Cheapest Investment Option May Not Be The BestThe purchase price of your car is one factor to consider. But the Total Cost of Ownership -- adding in costs for insurance, fuel, maintenance and repairs, as well as the residual value upon sale -- is a better way to evaluate financial aspects of a car purchase. In doing so, the cheapest vehicle is often more expensive than initially perceived. Same too goes for selecting investments. Many solely use the expense ratio to determine what fund to buy. But while the expense ratio is important and easily observable, it does not tell the whole story. In...2020-11-0535 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 59: Retiree Health Insurance Part 2: Pre-MedicareHealthcare is a primary concern, especially for retirees. Transitioning from employer-provided coverage you've been on for decades is stressful. Now you have more complexity and choices than ever before. And, yes, costs may seem sky high after retiring and before Medicare. Listen in to hear Kevin and health insurance expert Zig Novak discuss health insurance options from the time you retire to before you can begin Medicare at age 65. Should you take COBRA? What types of plans and are available for Affordable Care Act (ACA or Obamacare) plans, and how much do they cost? How do ACA...2020-10-1542 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 58: Retiree Health Insurance Part 1: MedicareHealthcare is a primary concern, especially for retirees. Transitioning from employer-provided coverage you've been on for decades is stressful. Now you have more complexity and choices than ever before. Listen in to hear Kevin and health insurance expert Zig Novak discuss Medicare-related topics. What will it cost? How may costs change as you age? What are the pros and cons of supplemental and advantage plans, and how do you decide which may be better for you? Get informed with useful information to help you Retire Smarter. Timestamps: 2:56 - Special G...2020-10-0144 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 57: A Tale of Two DecadesProper investment diversification works ... even when you don't want it to. With the US stock market and particularly large technology stocks having the wind at their backs recently, many are eschewing diversification to chase these high flyers. As the saying goes, if we forget history, we are doomed to repeat it. In that spirit, hear Kevin tell a tale of two decades. First is the Lost Decade of the 2000s when, after the Tech Bubble burst, US investors lost money for an entire decade from 2000 to 2009. Second is the recent decade from 2010 to 2019 where US...2020-09-1732 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 56: Should The Election Influence Your Investing Strategy?Biden or Trump? Republicans or Democrats? Who will be better for the economy and your investments? These are questions many are asking with the election quickly approaching. Many let their political beliefs influence their investment strategy, but should they? Hear Kevin discuss what the evidence shows and how our political beliefs may influence our perceptions of reality. Get ready to check your alternative facts at the door and get real. Timestamps: 6:24 - Keep Politics Separate From Investing 10:47 - Pew Research Poll 14:33 - Perception Becomes Reality 19:49...2020-09-0336 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 55: Roth Conversion: Why 2020 Could Be The Best YearPaying a lower tax rate today vs. what you would otherwise pay in the future on pre-tax IRA/401k dollars is a good move. They way you can do so is by converting money to a Roth IRA and paying tax in the year of the conversion. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) lowered tax rates and significantly widened tax brackets on individuals. Current law has the tax rates under the TCJA in effect through the 2025 tax year and increasing to pre-TCJA rates and brackets in 2026. Yet, tax rates may go higher sooner. Many...2020-08-2033 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 54: Should You Delay Retiring?Some 24% of those 56 and older say the pandemic has caused them to push back their planned retirement date, according to a survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of The Nationwide Retirement Institute. Hear Kevin discuss key variables you should consider as you plan through the COVID-induced uncertainty, including items that may nudge you to retire now and others that result in waiting. Timestamps: 6:45 - Kevin's First Impressions On Postponing Retirement Due To Pandemic 10:35 - Case Study (Mark And Linda Consider Pros And Cons Of Retiring) 16:28 - It A...2020-08-1328 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 53: Investing Vs. Speculating Part 265% of Institutional Investors surveyed in late June believe the market is factoring in the long-term impact of the coronavirus "too little" while only 5% said "too much," implying the market is overvalued. Yet, the market has continued to go up. Has it come too far too fast? Hear Kevin discuss the topic in detail and explain why our brain function predisposes us to make investing mistakes, including blindly chasing investment returns and firmly entering the world of speculation (while abandoning principled and process-based investing). He even attempts to work in stories about Homer Simpson, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and pre-modern...2020-07-2335 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 52: Investing Vs. Speculating Part 1Investing should be scientific and process-based. Speculating is more akin to gambling and lacking fundamental support. At extremes, it is easier to discern the two but can be shades of grey in between. Hear Kevin discuss the forward-looking nature of the stock market and times why it can make investing sense (not speculating) to look through bad economic news. And be sure to listen to the end where Kevin discuss process-based portfolio changes made in March, as a result of changing inputs, and why Vanguard's DIY investors' portfolio inaction was the wrong thing to do.2020-07-0929 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 51: Case Study: Retiring Before Age 60 & Before You Ever Thought You WouldLike your work but hate your job? Bad boss. Terrible commute. Whatever the reason. Hear Kevin share a story of a client who retired in her late 50s. She loved her work and taking care of her customers but hated other aspects of her job. She worked long hours and had a long commute. Taking care of her household on the weekend and trying to have a bit of fun left little space and time to seriously consider her retirement and life after work. Perhaps this is why she was in a state of disbelief...2020-06-1833 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 50: What To Do When Your Spending Goals Change After You RetireYou cut the paycheck cord and enter retirement. Then a spending goal unexpectedly increases...significantly. You can't simply continue to work longer, so what do you do? Hear Kevin discuss real-life cases where clients had to provide financial support to their daughter going through a messy divorce and another situation where a client desired to buy a 2nd home. Though the situations were starkly different, the process to rework the retirement plan and evaluate tradeoffs was similar. Life throws curveballs. Best to have a plan and process in place in advance on how to deal...2020-06-1127 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 49: Potential Inheritance: Include In Your Retirement Plan Or Not?You live below your means and invest for your future ... similar to your parents. Now your parents are getting older, and it seems fairly clear they'll be leaving you an inheritance at some point. Meanwhile you're still working. Should you include the potential inheritance in your retirement plan? Banking on an expected inheritance for your retirement plan involves risk. Hear Kevin discuss real-life cases where it was appropriate and another where it was too risky. Timestamps: 6:25 - Market Update: We Are Not Out Of The Woods Yet 17:57 - Lean T...2020-05-2847 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 48: Why Big Tech Stocks Must UnderperformThe five biggest tech stocks -- Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft -- are great businesses. They've been so successful over the last decade that they comprise about 20% of the total S&P 500 market capitalization -- a level of concentration not seen since the late 1990s. They also command higher prices (valuation) than the market as a whole. While these companies have provided outsized growth rates and returns to investors over the last decade, there is no logical reason you should expect similar outsized growth rates and returns over the coming decade. Whether it is due to...2020-05-1437 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 47: Risks & Uncertainties in Pandemics & Retirement PlanningInteresting parallels can be seen in modeling retirement projections and the Coronavirus pandemic. Small changes to inputs -- such as the rate of return or infection spread rates -- can have magnified effects on outputs -- such as ending wealth or total infections (and ultimately deaths), given similar exponential growth traits. What is important to understand in both are the concepts of risk and uncertainty. Risk can be modeled. Uncertainty cannot yet must be planned for. Misunderstand either and things can quickly go wrong. Hear Kevin discuss these two critical concepts. He also gives his...2020-04-3043 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 46: Rebalancing Your Portfolio: Why, How & Complexities to OvercomeControl risk? Buy low and sell high? Higher returns? Who doesn't all of these in their portfolio! And that's what portfolio rebalancing can do. While rebalancing sounds simple in theory it quickly gets complex in practice. Hear Kevin describe rebalancing from the simple to complex and the emotional hurdles to overcome as well. Be sure you or your advisor is taking advantage of the high-probability benefits rebalancing is expected to add to your net investment returns when done right. Have questions? Need help making sure your investments and retirement plan are on track? ...2020-04-2332 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 45: Retire Smarter Solution™Suppose you have to have surgery. Does exploratory surgery sound like something you would volunteer to undergo? Or, does a pre-determined surgical plan sound better? If you're like me, having a plan and a repeatable process sounds less risky and what I would prefer. The same goes for retirement. Retirement spending. Health Insurance. Social Security. Investing. Taxes. These are all key and complex areas where you need to make smart decisions for retirement. So how do you thoughtfully consider and carefully integrate them into a well-crafted retirement plan? Listen to Kevin describe True Wealth's Retire S...2020-04-1618 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 44: Am I Going To Be Okay? Looking Back On A Client's Retirement Plan Execution In Light Of The CoronavirusRetirement planning (done right) has always been a continuous process. With the turmoil caused by the Coronavirus, prudent planning is having to be done and redone in short order. Things are changing quickly and you need to take a dynamic approach to your planning and investing to avoid dangers and capitalize on opportunities. Hear Kevin dissect a ten-year client's dynamic retirement story. Learn why their withdrawal rate was more than twice the 4% rule of thumb and how their portfolio allocation has changed over time. And be sure to pay attention to the end to discover why their...2020-04-0932 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 43: Financial Planning To-do's During Market DeclinesHear Kevin give an update on the current state of the markets and financial planning to-do's that need to be done through the Coronavirus turmoil. Proper execution of your financial and investment plans is required in large amounts to make sure you stay on track. It's not all bad news out there. Many opportunities are being created that you can capitalize on. And be sure to listen to why you may want to reconsider your Roth Conversion strategy and Social Security claiming decision in light of current circumstances. Get show notes a...2020-03-3132 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 42: This Is Not 2008We're in a crisis ... different from 2008. The pandemic and prudent, social-distancing response is causing fear, uncertainty, and now panic in financial markets. Listen to Kevin explain the current state of the markets and how this crisis is currently materially different from 2008. Be sure to pay attention to why -- from a financial perspective -- our country is better positioned to navigate through these troubled times by dusting off 2008's playbook, and what you need to do to keep your plan on track. Have questions? Need help making sure your investments and retirement plan are on...2020-03-2440 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 41: Coronavirus & Your Investment Strategy Part 2Timing the market sounds great, especially during times of market distress like that caused by Cornovirus (COVID-19) concerns. Who wouldn't want to participate only in the ups while avoiding the downs!? Sadly, the only way market timing will work is for you to get lucky, which is no way to invest your life savings. Listen to Kevin describe the theoretical reasoning about why market timing does work and investigate both the academic research as well as the actual record of mutual funds that follow timing strategies. It's interesting to see how the research has been verified in...2020-03-1935 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 40: Coronavirus & Your Investment Strategy Part 1Shocks like the Coronavirus (COVID-19) or Russia's assault on oil prices can't be predicted. Yet, your financial life plan must be able to weather shocks and your investment strategy respond appropriately. Investors are not only concerned about their health but are questioning what to do about their money. Listen to Kevin describe the current situation and prudent, processed-based response to help you tune out the noise and stay on track. Timestamps: 2:45 - Kevin looks to put the past week of volatility into perspective. 8:54 - A lot of people have been reaching...2020-03-1131 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 39: IRA Owners: 3 Key Changes By The SECURE ActCongress has agreed on something! Your retirement accounts are not estate planning vehicles. (Sigh.) Provisions in the SECURE Act are now law as of 2020 and impact all IRA owners. Listen to Kevin simplify the laws and unpack the 3 key changes. The good news is that if you're doing proper planning, you are likely less at risk than conventional media headlines and other financial advisors are reporting. And be sure to pay listen at the end, when Kevin describes what premortem and postmortem strategies could help you and your family keep more of your hard-earned money.2020-03-0547 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 38: Pension Lump Sum or Monthly Payment?Pension lump sums are higher in 2020 than 2019. But which should you prefer? Listen to Kevin discuss how to financially evaluate the decision as well as what research shows retirees prefer. Whether you have a pension from your company or not, you'll benefit from this episode. Why? Anyone can invest money with an insurance company and receive a lifetime income in the form of annuity payments. So these considerations are universal in crafting your retirement plan. Company pension plans specifically discussed include Akron Children's Hospital, FirstEnergy, Goodyear, Mercy Health, and Rockwell Automation. Useful Info:2020-02-2033 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 36: Snowbirds: Documenting Ohio NonresidencyAvoiding Ohio income tax is key for many snowbirds. The old adage of just having to be out of Ohio for 6 months never was correct. Listen to Kevin explain the key steps in documenting your Ohio nonresidency. Useful Info: Request The Ohioan's Guide To Snowbirding In Florida: https://www.truewealthdesign.com/contact/ True Wealth Design Website: http://www.truewealthdesign.com/ Call: 855-TWD-PLAN or 855-893-7526 2020-01-1632 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 34: Case Study: Tax-Smart Distribution PlanningThings in life and planning aren't necessarily cut and dry. You may take several paths to reach your destination. But which one may be best? Listen to Kevin discuss a retirement situation where several strategic paths existing and how he and his team came to the preferred path in creating an integrated, tax-smart distribution plan. Useful Info: True Wealth Design Website: http://www.truewealthdesign.com/ Call: 855-TWD-PLAN or 855-893-7526 2019-12-1943 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 33: Tax-Planning FrameworkIt's common to see articles or to-do lists for year-end tax planning. But these often lack substance and fail to answer why a strategy may or may not make sense for you. Listen to Kevin describe a simplified framework to understand your tax situation and then how to thoughtfully consider what tax-smart strategies make sense for you. Useful Info: Randall Munroe's "What If" Book: https://www.amazon.com/What-Scientific-Hypothetical-Questions-International/dp/0544456866 True Wealth Design Website: http://www.truewealthdesign.com/ Call: 855-TWD-PLAN or 855-893-7526 2019-12-0538 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 31: The Details In A Tax-Smart Retirement Distribution PlanYou made it to retirement and seem to have enough. Now how do you go about recreating your paycheck and distributing money from your savings and investments and to do so in a tax-smart way. How do you do it? Listen to Kevin describe the process True Wealth goes through to make sure these important distribution details are handled to help you stay on your retirement track and pay no more than your fair share in tax. Useful Info: True Wealth Design Website: http://www.truewealthdesign.com/ Call: 855-TWD-PLAN or 855-893-7526 2019-11-0733 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 30: Your Investing Process - Part 4While your asset allocation recipe is the most important portfolio decision, we still want good ingredients. Listen to Kevin explain the broad differences in active and passive (indexed) ingredients, the evidence behind each, and some exceptions to where an indexing approach may not work as well. Useful Info: True Wealth Design Website: http://www.truewealthdesign.com/ Call: 855-TWD-PLAN or 855-893-7526 2019-10-1732 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 29: Your Investing Process - Part 3Your asset allocation recipe is the most important portfolio decision, and there are a few different flavors of asset allocation. Listen to Kevin describe the differences and what the evidence shows works best. Useful Info: True Wealth Design Website: http://www.truewealthdesign.com/ Call: 855-TWD-PLAN or 855-893-7526 2019-10-0325 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 28: Your Investing Process - Part 2Now that you understand the basic building blocks of an investing process, listen to Kevin explain what key factors investing science has shown to drive stock and bond returns over time and which to favor to build a better portfolio. Kevin also explains a recent phenomenon in stock prices that is reminiscent of the late 1990s Tech Bubble as it relates to one of the key factors that drive stock returns. Useful Info: True Wealth Design Website: http://www.truewealthdesign.com/ Call: 855-TWD-PLAN or 855-893-7526 2019-09-1934 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 27: Your Investing Process - Part 1Do you have an investment process? Most people don't understand their advisor's process (if they have one). Yet, in investing, you cannot control your investment results, but you can control your process, which should lead to better results over time. Listen to Kevin give you a high level of a science-based investing process you can understand without having to get a graduate degree in Finance. For related content, click here to listen to Episode 14 on Expected Investment Return Forecasts. Useful Info: True Wealth Design Website: http://www.truewealthdesign.com/ Call: 855-TWD-PLAN...2019-09-0531 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 26: Mortgage ManagementMost financial people only focus on your assets. Listen to Kevin share four examples of clients where better incorporating a holistic view of their finances -- assets and liabilities included -- made a significant financial improvements in each of their lives. For more about True Wealth Design, visit: http://www.truewealthdesign.com/ 2019-08-1533 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 25: Death Of The Stretch IRABelieve it or not Congress actually agrees on something ... that your beneficiaries shouldn't be allowed to stretch IRA required distributions over their lifetime. Listen in to hear Kevin talk about this likely law change is an issue, who is mostly affected (hint: larger IRA owners), and what to do about it. For more about True Wealth Design, visit: http://www.truewealthdesign.com/ 2019-08-0134 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 24: Reasons to Invest InternationallyHow much money do you have in international investments? How much should you have? Listen to Kevin discuss what the science of investing says and why you are likely underallocated to international markets. And be sure to listen to the end where he shares a story of a recent conversation with a new client related to international investing. For more about True Wealth Design, visit: http://www.truewealthdesign.com/ 2019-07-1824 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 23: What Is Financial Life Planning?Financial life planning is being purposeful in continually moving your life in the direction you desire and then matching your finances to support it. Said another way, it is financial planning done right. Listen to Kevin share a story of a client evaluate trade-offs and find a work-life balance that is better for them. He also shares a story of how he and his wife made big life changes after their first child was born ... changes that would require Kevin to work several more years before they will reach financial independence. Whether you are in the heart of your...2019-07-0331 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 22: Will Social Security Be There For Me?Social Security’s future solvency is a regular discussion point when considering your retirement planning. Simply put: can you rely on receiving what is shown on your Social Security statement? Tune in to hear the latest nuggets from the 2019 Social Security Trustee’s report – he read it so you don’t have to – and what Kevin believes to be the most likely reforms. For more about True Wealth Design, visit: http://www.truewealthdesign.com/ 2019-06-2017 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 21: The Story of JaneJane is in her mid 60s. She recently inherited money from her father and is soon to be getting remarried. She had two advisors – her own and now dad’s advisor – but didn’t have the clarity and confidence she felt she needed around her money and these big life transitions. Listen to Kevin share her story as she considered what she really wanted from a relationship with an advisor and wrestled with whether she had the type of financial situation to justify paying an advisor for help. For more about True Wealth Design, visit: http://www.truewealt...2019-06-0629 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 14: Long-Term Return ExpectationsYou've likely heard that making short-term predictions about the market is just about impossible, but what about long-term predictions? Can experts accurately anticipate what will happen over the next 10 years? Kevin discusses a recent Morningstar article by Christine Benz about what you can take away from long-term stock and bond return predictions. For more about True Wealth Design, visit: http://www.truewealthdesign.com/ 2019-02-2134 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 13: Beating Up On Variable AnnuitiesIf you listened to Episode #12, you heard the rundown on just about every type of annuity except the variable annuity. So what exactly is involved in a variable annuity, and why is it almost like a four-letter word to so many in the retirement community? Kevin will give you the details on what these annuities do, what you should look out for, and if there ever truly is a reason you would want to invest in one. For more about True Wealth Design, visit: http://www.truewealthdesign.com/ 2019-02-0732 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 12: Behind The Curtain Of Annuities And Free Steak DinnersHave you ever received an invitation to attend a steak dinner seminar event to learn about a financial product? Were you pitched an annuity? This is a popular phenomenon in the financial advising world and it's one that drives Kevin a little crazy. Join us on this episode as we take a peek behind the annuity curtain and talk about what's really happening at these free steak dinners. For more about True Wealth Design, visit: http://www.truewealthdesign.com/ 2019-01-1729 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 11: Not Resolutions - Set Goals The Right Way To Start The New YearPeople struggle to keep their New Year's Resolutions. Instead, let's talk about what real goal setting looks like. Kevin will share some tips he's picked up from various coaches over the years that have proved fruitful in his own life and talk about how you can apply them going into the new year. For more about True Wealth Design, visit: http://www.truewealthdesign.com/ 2019-01-0324 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 8: Exorbitant Health Care CostsIn this episode, Kevin turns the tables on a handful of common misconceptions about health care costs in retirement. Find out the truth about what health coverage and long-term care actually might cost and how you can factor them into your overall retirement plan. For more about True Wealth Design, visit: http://www.truewealthdesign.com/ 2018-11-1525 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 7: Rules Gone Awry - The 4 Percent RuleYou've perhaps heard the 4 percent rule, that if you take 4% out of your investment account each year, you'll never outlive your money. Kevin talks about where this idea came from, and pokes some holes in this strategy in this third installment of Rules Gone Awry. For more about True Wealth Design, visit: http://www.truewealthdesign.com/ 2018-11-0121 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 5: Rules Gone Awry - Take Social Security EarlyThere's an old school of thought that says you should take social security as early as you can so that you can get the most out of it. But this is another one of those retirement rules gone awry that we enjoy picking apart on the podcast. Kevin will tell us why this retirement "rule" needs to be scraped and give us the proper lens through which to view the social security problem. For more about True Wealth Design, visit: http://www.truewealthdesign.com/ 2018-10-0426 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 4: The Wisdom In Ignoring The 80% RuleWalter was being nosy recently and asking his mom about her retirement plans. When she told him she was planning on living off of 80% of her current income during her retirement years, it raised a red flag. How did she come to that figure? You guessed it, she didn't really have an exact answer for why she picked that number. So Walter turns to Kevin on this week's podcast to understand how that "80% Rule" worked its way into the retirement planning vernacular and why we'd all be wiser to ignore it. For more about True Wealth Design...2018-09-2021 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 3: Quit Obsessing Over A "Stress-Free" RetirementThere is a lot of obsessing over creating a stress-free experience in retirement. But life doesn't really work that way. We can still experience happiness and joy in retirement, even if there's still a few stressful moments along the way. Don't buy into another one of those retirement rules gone awry, that a truly stress-free retirement is attainable. Kevin will show us how to root your financial plan in realistic terms. For more about True Wealth Design, visit: http://www.truewealthdesign.com/ 2018-09-0622 min

Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®Ep 2: Details vs. RelationshipsUnfortunately, many financial advisors fall into one camp or another. They're either a great relationship person or they're extremely focused on planning details. Kevin will tell us about a couple who called him recently after experiencing one of those scenarios and how it cost them a lot of money. Listen to this episode of "Retire Smarter" to find out why you should work with an advisor who respects the unique details of your situation, while also developing a strong working relationship with you. Only having both will lead to clarity and confidence in your decision making about your financial...2018-08-1618 min