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Artwork for Retirement Starts Today

Retirement Starts Today

Benjamin Brandt CFP®, RICP®
Retirement Planning
Social Security
Retirement
Financial Planning
Financial Independence
Retirement Spending
Tax Planning
Roth Conversions
Inflation
4% Rule
Medicare
Investment Strategies
Stock Market
Retirement Income
Estate Planning
Taxes
Tax Strategies
Required Minimum Distributions
Annuities
Retirement Savings

Do you want to spend more money in retirement, while paying less taxes? Great news, you're in the right place! I'll also teach you the benefits of retiring TO something, while most retirees only solve half the equation by retiring FROM something. Tune in every Monday morning - hosted by Benjamin Brandt CFP, RICP. Join my "Every Day is Saturday" weekly newsletter for show notes, free book giveaways... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes413Founded11 years ago
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Artwork for Retirement Starts Today

Latest Episodes

A rule changed on January first that takes the tax deduction away from catch-up contributions for a lot of people who are still working. We'll run through all the 2026 numbers and talk about whether it's still worth doing.

In our Listener Question ... more

Chris Heye makes the case in a Journal of Financial Planning article that the two retirement risks we obsess over might not be the two most likely to derail us. There are four risks in play, and the two nobody models are the ones quietly doing the mo... more

Inflation again? Christine Benz over at Morningstar has three questions that tell you exactly how exposed you are - and how much retirees worry about inflation.

Then, a listener question from someone one year into retirement who says their pension ... more

If you've been anywhere close to a retirement podcast over the last 10-20 years, you've heard of the 4% rule. And like many people, you might have questions about it.

We're going to hear about it directly from the horse's mouth as we talk to Bill B... more

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Recent Guests

Dana Anspach
Author of Living Off Your Acorns; Retirement Made Simple
Retirement Made Simple
Episode: How Super-Savers Spend Their Acorns in Retirement, with Dana Anspach
Mary Wrightson
Lifelong supersaver from Kansas who shared her retirement story
Listener featured in Retire-to-Something segment
Episode: The "24-Hour Rule" That Keeps Retirees From Blowing Their Savings
Marian Barry
Former cardiac nurse who now lives as a work camper.
Episode: Live on $2,972 monthly in an RV
Bill Bengen
Pioneer of the 4% Rule for retirement withdrawals
Episode: The Father of the 4% Rule - an Interview with Bill Bengen
Jeremy Keil
Retirement podcaster, author, and financial advisor
Retirement Revealed Podcast, Mr. Retirement YouTube channel
Episode: Top 3 Retirement Mistakes - An Interview with Mr Retirement, Ep #392
Dr. Daniel Crosby
Author and psychologist focusing on financial behaviors and retirement well-being
Author of The Soul of Wealth
Episode: The 5 Pillars of a Fulfilling Retirement (That Nobody Talks About) with Dr. Daniel Crosby, Ep #388
Joe Curry
Host of the Your Retirement Planning Simplified Podcast
Episode: For Canadian Eyes Only (bonus episode!)
Joe Saul-Sehy
Co-host of the Stacking Benjamins podcast and financial advisor with over 16 years of experience
Stacking Benjamins
Episode: Joe Saul-Sehy Shares How to Get the Most from Your Employee Benefits, Ep 386
Peter Lazaroff
Chief Investment Officer of PlanCorp
PlanCorp
Episode: Peter Lazaroff's Options for Reducing Taxes on Deferred Gains Pre-Retirement, Ep #385

Host

Benjamin Brandt
Host of the show; CFP, RICP; focuses on retirement planning and retire-to-something philosophy.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 576 ratings
  • Very misleading about flexible spending

    Benjamin promotes flexible spending using the Guyton-Klinger. He suggests the risk as being basically a one time 10% cut in spending, while allowing a 5% or more initial SWR. However, a January 2000 retiree with a 60/40 portfolio would face four 10% cuts with the first 10 years, resulting in a 35% reduction in spending. That’d be OK if your basic needs represent 65% of your spending at the start of retirement (and you’re OK with potentially that much spending variation); but I’ve never heard ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    NOKEOI721
    United States2 months ago
  • Clear down to earth advice

    Very helpful podcast, and nice that the format is concise. I think I am reasonably sophisticated and still get a lot out of it. Ben recently noted that some people who save a lot and who are a bit risk averse end up layering protection on top of protection, and ultimately overdo the risk mitigation thing. This was a super-helpful insight that allowed me to improve my own financial plan.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Nathen Potter
    United States2 months ago
  • I don’t recommend this firm

    Contacted his firm through his website and my contact info was sent to another company. Called the customer service number to find out why my contact information was forwarded to a different company and person. Who knows maybe it’s a scam- maybe he is not accepting new clients. Never heard back. At minimum I should have received a call back or explanation as to why my contact information was forwarded to an unaffiliated company. Poor customer service in my opinion. I won’t be contacting them aga... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Johnc737
    United States3 months ago
  • Absolutely invaluable information

    Hoping that the target audience for this podcast extends beyond super savers. As the offspring of super savers I promise you that they get a lot of things wrong. Life is too unpredictable to be obsessive about saving. I appreciate the information in this podcast so much. I strike a balance between just enjoying life and saving for the future.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    leftheartSF
    United States3 months ago
  • Retirement can be great

    I’m a small time investor. My brother shared this with my family, don’t know if anyone else listens or not. I listen to several podcasts a year but every time I come away with something new and insightful. Best advice I can offer is stop trying to invest on your own and hire a good fiduciary investor, but be careful not everyone who says they are a fiduciary will really look out for you, and don’t be afraid to find someone else if you need to. Always keep an eye on your financial situation a... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    bobjul
    United States5 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Audience notes the mix of financial insights and real-life retirement stories is highly engaging.
Listeners find the host's approach actionable and down-to-earth.
The show is valued as a reliable, data-driven retirement resource.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

"New" Rules around 401K Catch-Up Contributions
Q: Should Michael file married filing separately to enable Roth conversions at a lower rate given his wife's continued work and high income?
The host explains that married filing separately generally reduces or complicates tax benefits and is only advantageous in very rare, specific circumstances; in most cases, filing jointly remains preferable, and in this scenario the impact on Roth conversions is about balancing brackets and potential Medicare premiums rather than achieving a lower overall rate.
Revisiting the 4% Rule, with Bill Bengen
Q: How should retirees think about RMDs in relation to the 4% rule?
RMDs typically do not match or exceed the withdrawal rate in most cases; your plan should generally spend more than the RMD, especially in the early and middle years, while accounting for required minimum distributions later in life.
Revisiting the 4% Rule, with Bill Bengen
Q: How has the withdrawal rate evolved since the original research in the mid-90s?
Starting with a two-asset framework, adding more asset classes over time raised the safe rate to about 4.7%, and real-world factors like lower costs and broader diversification can push it higher under certain conditions.
Revisiting the 4% Rule, with Bill Bengen
Q: What is the proper way to apply the 4% rule — as a strict guideline or a general suggestion?
It's a historical benchmark, not a one-size-fits-all mandate. Use it as a starting point, but adjust for personal factors, market conditions, and inflation, and consider how long you expect to be retired.
The IRS Penalty Retirees Never See Coming (And How to Beat It)
Q: What is a simple quarterly checklist a retiree can refer to that keeps them on track without turning retirement into a job?
Focus on four core areas: ensure an emergency fund remains 3-6 months of income, monitor quarterly spending against the plan, review retirement income guardrails and make a once-per-year tax check-in to adjust withholding, rebalance, and consider Roth conversions as needed.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Retirement Starts Today

What is Retirement Starts Today about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A practical, multifaceted look at retirement that blends financial planning with meaning-driven living. Episodes frequently cover spending strategies, tax planning, Social Security optimization, and real-world retire-to-something stories from guests and audience members. The host translates complex concepts into actionable steps, often pairing data-driven advice with relatable retiree experiences, listener questions, and guest segments to illustrate how people pursue purpose after work. Noteworthy are concise, 15-minute formats, a steady rhythm of listener Q&As, and a recurring focus on aligning money with lifestyle goals beyond traditional saving alone.

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Which podcasts are similar to Retirement Starts Today?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Retirement Starts Today:

1. Stay Wealthy Retirement Podcast
2. Retirement Answer Man
3. Sound Retirement Radio
4. Ready For Retirement
5. Retirement Planning Education, with Andy Panko

How many episodes of Retirement Starts Today are there?

Retirement Starts Today launched 11 years ago and published 413 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Retirement Starts Today?

Recent guests on Retirement Starts Today include:

1. Dana Anspach
2. Mary Wrightson
3. Marian Barry
4. Bill Bengen
5. Jeremy Keil
6. Dr. Daniel Crosby
7. Joe Curry
8. Joe Saul-Sehy

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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