My Retirement Clarity with Lee Perkins

We sit down with Susan and Larry Johnson on today's show. They have been married for almost 40 years and are making the most out of their retirement. The couple has traveled extensively, so Lee asks them some questions about their traveling experiences as well as how they've felt about retirement so far. Important Links: Website: myretirementclarity.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

Have you ever stopped to think about your journey of learning all that you have about money and finances? Did your parents shape your financial views most heavily? Is there a TV or radio expert that has influenced you most? Or have you learned everything from a book or Google? Important Links: Website: myretirementclarity.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

You’ve probably never heard anyone make these statements that we’ll provide on today’s episode. And there are some great reasons why. Important Links: Website: myretirementclarity.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

Have you thought about what life is going to be like for you in retirement? Is there a particular lifestyle you’re seeking? Not all retirement planning is about the finances. Let’s look at some of the lifestyles that are popular among retirees and discuss some of the financial things to consider if you’re going to try to live out one of these particular living situations. Important Links: Website: myretirementclarity.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

Is the place where you’d like to retire on the Top 15 list? On this episode, we’ll review the US News & World Report’s top 15 retirement locations and share stories of past clients who made the decision to move somewhere else for retirement and what went into those decisions from an emotional and financial standpoint. Important Links: Article: https://bit.ly/37sxnp9 Website: myretirementclarity.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

A lot of concern goes into trying to pick the proper investments, build a balanced portfolio, and getting the highest return. But how much time have you really put into finding the right advisor to work together with on all these tasks and more? You might be surprised to find out that a lot of people don’t do their due diligence or put in a considerable amount of thought into picking their advisor. And ultimately, that leads a lot of people to not understanding what they should expect from such a relationship. So, we want to clear some of that up on this episode and clarify some of the ways you can evaluate your current advisor relationship and how to shop for, and find, the right advisor for you. Important Links: Website: myretirementclarity.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

We’re talking specifically to Baby Boomers on this episode. What are the most common challenges, fears and objectives of this generation? What are some of the mistakes Boomers often make and how can they be avoided? We’ll ask and attempt to answer those questions on today’s show. Important Links: Website: myretirementclarity.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

On this episode, we present you with five commandments that are worth of being written on stone tablets in your retirement plan. Important Links: Website: myretirementclarity.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

Vanguard’s “How America Saves 2020” report is packed with lots of intriguing stats and findings about Americans and how they save for retirement in the crazy year that is 2020 (most of the recent data is technically from 2019 although some figures are current through the Spring of 2020). Let’s look at some of the top takeaways from the study and how you might compare to the “normal” savings behaviors of Americans. Important Links: Website: myretirementclarity.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

We get a lot of questions about how the house (or houses) fit into retirement plans. From downsizing to rental properties to interest rates, let’s explore some of the top retirement questions as it relates to all things housing. Important Links: Website: myretirementclarity.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

Everyone has read blogs, watched shows, and listened to people talk about all the key ways to improve or succeed in retirement. But what about how you can mess it all up? Let’s tackle five easy ways to ruin your retirement (then just do the opposite of these things and you’ll be fine). Important Links: Website: myretirementclarity.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

The IRA is an incredibly popular vehicle to save for retirement. But are you being too passive about how you’re saving and investing inside that account? Let’s put your IRA through some scrutiny to see if you’re truly taking advantage of all it has to offer and understand its pros and cons. Important Links: Website: myretirementclarity.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

There are a few new, exciting changes coming to the podcast. Tune in to see what's in store for the future! Important Links: Website: myretirementclarity.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

It is a life event that can be one of the most difficult things to go through both emotionally and financially. When one spouse dies, the remaining spouse is left to wrestle with a mountain of questions and choices. And although it’s difficult to discuss, proper planning can help make it easier to transition through this major life event. Let’s explore what someone should do in the event of a spouse’s passing, but also some of the pre-planning that can take place. Important Links: Website: https://jlperkinswealth.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

We often find that people are clinging to certain ideas or beliefs that end up giving them a sense of false hope about their retirement. It’s a dangerous position to be in. Let’s explore some of the faulty thinking that ultimately leaves people underprepared for retirement. Important Links: Website: https://jlperkinswealth.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

It seems that most people don’t have a clear picture of whether they should contribute to a traditional IRA or a Roth. Let’s discuss how to determine what’s best for you. Important Links: Website: https://jlperkinswealth.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

We were playing the dangerous game of perusing the comments section of a recent article about COVID-19 and the impacts on retirees and how much money you’ll need to retire going forward. The trip into the comments section is always a mixed bag of trolling, inaccuracies, and sometimes surprisingly helpful insight from what we’ve come to describe as “Keyboard Warriors.” So, let’s look at some of the sentiments found under this recent article and see if they resonate with how others truly see the financial world, retirement, and how to best prepare for it all. Important Links: Website: https://jlperkinswealth.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

Let’s talk about some financial planning “strategies” that don’t really work (even though some people, even some financial advisors, believe in them). Important Links: Website: https://jlperkinswealth.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

Dave Ramsey has earned a lot of respect among savers and investors over the years as evidenced by his enormously popular radio show, books and sold out performance venues when he speaks. But is all of his advice worth following? Is it possible that some of the things he professes will actually hurt you financially? Let’s take a look at some of Dave’s most popular advice and see if and when it makes sense for retirees and pre-retirees to disagree. Important Links: Website: https://jlperkinswealth.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

We were planning to bring up this conversation before the Coronavirus pandemic hit, but now it just makes it even more important to discuss. You likely seek financial advice from lots of difference sources. And some of those sources will certainly have good intentions, but they’ll often give bad financial advice. Let’s look at some examples and explore the reasons why we have to be very careful from whom we’re taking this important guidance. Important Links: Website: https://jlperkinswealth.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

Sometimes events happen in life that make it really important for you to carefully assess your financial situation. Let’s explain why each of these events is usually a good reason for a financial review. Important Links: Website: https://jlperkinswealth.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

Have you ever gotten lost? Not that much fun is it? Well, getting lost in the car or in the woods is a lot like getting lost in retirement planning. Let’s look at the reasons that people get lost, and then how to get back on track. Important Links: Website: https://jlperkinswealth.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) is having a dramatic impact on our daily lives and many people are taking a huge financial hit from lost wages, a volatile stock market, and general economic uncertainty. Lee will give his thoughts on the current situation and why having a plan is so crucial in times like these. We will also discuss some financial truths that we can state with confidence and see what we can learn from them. Important Links: Website: https://jlperkinswealth.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

The idea of a Roth conversion is intriguing to a lot of people, and for some people it can be a great strategy to enact. Let’s explore the concept… Important Links: Website: https://jlperkinswealth.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

Different people have different levels of desire when it comes to finding their retirement date. Let’s explore these different levels of desire, as indicated by the statements people might make, and discuss how we’d help someone at these different levels. Important Links: Website: https://jlperkinswealth.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

A lot of financial professionals say things that just aren’t true. And it’s not that they’re intentionally trying to mislead, it’s just that they’ve been trained to use certain talking points, which they might even believe to be true themselves. Let’s talk about the statements you should be cautious of if you hear them from a financial advisor. Important Links: Website: https://jlperkinswealth.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

It’s always good to keep yourself up to date with what’s going on in the financial world. But it’s also important to understand that the information you get from the media isn’t completely unbiased. Let’s talk about some of the problems with the financial media. Important Links: Website: https://jlperkinswealth.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

Sometimes people say they don’t want to retire…and sometimes they really mean it. Other times it’s just a defense mechanism to compensate for the fact that they feel like they can’t retire. So let’s explore some of the possible meanings behind the statement, “I don’t want to retire.” Important Links: Website: https://jlperkinswealth.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

Trustworthy. Likeable. Problem-solving. Good listener. We should be describing your financial advisor or a potential advisor if you’re in the process of finding one. On today’s show, we’ll talk about why it’s so important for your advisor to embrace these kinds of characteristics. That’s the easy part. But we’ll also tackle the harder part and discuss some tangible ways how you can determine if an advisor has these characteristics or not. Important Links: Website: https://jlperkinswealth.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

Myths, rumors, and misunderstandings are pervasive in the world of Social Security. On this show, we'll look to clear up the top 5 misunderstandings about Social Security. Important Links: Website: https://jlperkinswealth.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

Not everything goes smoothly in your financial life. We'll look at some negative circumstances that many retirees and pre-retireers face and help you find the silver lining in the midst of tough situations. Important Links: Website: https://jlperkinswealth.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

While there are some factors that are different for everyone in retirement planning (variables), there are also constants that affect everyone, no matter the specifics of your situation. How do we plan around these constants? Important Links: Website: https://jlperkinswealth.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

Sometimes being a good financial advisor means having uncomfortable conversations. We’ll take a look at how advisors should help clients navigate various tricky situations. If you’re going to be working with a financial advisor, make sure they’re pushing you to address these kinds of topics. Important Links: Website: https://jlperkinswealth.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

The last decade of your working life is a very important one from a retirement planning perspective. Let’s talk about some of the things you want to be sure you address during that 10-year period. Important Links: Website: https://jlperkinswealth.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

Even for people who have been very responsible with their money over the years, entering retirement can still be a challenge because it’s such a different stage of life. Let’s talk about some of the missteps that even responsible savers can make… Important Links: Website: https://jlperkinswealth.com/podcast/ Call: 478-254-3550

As we get into the 2nd half of 2019, there are several planning items you might want to run a quick checkup on, especially if you’re a retiree, or pre-retiree, to make sure you’re still on the right financial track. Are you focusing on the right things? Listen to today’s podcast to find out. https://jlperkinswealth.com/podcast/

Some people (in fact, probably most people) find it easy to procrastinate when it comes to financial planning issues. But let’s talk about some scenarios that might cause people to have a bit more sense of urgency… https://jlperkinswealth.com/podcast/

On this inaugural episode of The Macon Money Podcast, we'll get a behind-the-scenes look at your host, Lee Perkins. We'll find out about his personal and professional background, how he initially got involved in the financial industry, and why he decided to start this podcast in the first place. https://jlperkinswealth.com/podcast/