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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 & pay less taxes on your way to an even better retirement? 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 "This Week in Retirement" newsletter for the best retire... more

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Artwork for Retirement Starts Today

Latest Episodes

Why do super savers keep accumulating, and what is all that money really for?

Amyr Rocha Lima, Certified Financial Planner from the U.K., shares tips from his new book "Enough for What".

🔑 Key Takeaways:

• Ask "enough for what?" before askin... more

What's the next financial flex? What will people be talking about 10 years from now?

It's the $0 income year - and the flex sounds like this:

"Can you believe I converted $100,000 to my Roth for a 7% effective tax rate?"

Or, "I was able to sell... more

4 tactics for retiring during a bear market is the main topic of today. Christine Benz at Morningstar wrote about a survey on retirement confidence - and gives us a list of ways to tackle the situation.

We also have a listener who is using Benz's b... more

If you're simply asking the question about what correct withdrawal rate for your retirement is - you're likely not the type of person who is going to run out of money.

That's the message shared by Jordan Grumet of The Purpose Code. He says "The sim... more

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Recent Guests

Andy Panko
Retirement planner and host of Retirement Planning Education
Episode: Are Super Savers Failing in Retirement? with Andy Panko [Rebroadcast]
Joe Saul-Sehy
Host of the Stacking Benjamins show, invited guest
Stacking Benjamins
Episode: How to Get the Most from Your Employee Benefits [Rebroadcast]
Bill Bengen
Pioneer of the 4% Rule, author and retirement researcher
Independent researcher / author
Episode: Revisiting the 4% Rule, with Bill Bengen
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
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!)

Host

Benjamin Brandt
Certified financial planner and retirement income certified professional

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 587 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 States4 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 States4 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 States6 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 States6 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 States8 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners appreciate the balance between financial planning and the personal side of retirement, including purpose and meaningful activities.
Some listeners find flexible-spending guidance insufficiently clear about how repeated spending cuts can affect retirees during prolonged downturns.
Listeners value clear, practical explanations of retirement, tax, and investment decisions, with advice they can apply to their own plans.
A few listeners criticize voice-acted interstitials or report concerns about customer service and handling of contact information.
The concise, consistent structure, including topic analysis and listener questions, is a frequent point of praise.

Chart Rankings

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

What If This Turns Out to Be a Terrible Time to Retire?
Q: When should a retiree refill the cash bucket, and does basing that decision on the market amount to market timing?
Brandt says to set a rebalancing rule in advance and act on what the market has already done, rather than trying to predict its direction. He recommends automatic monthly withdrawals and rebalancing once or twice a year; retirees can also spend from lower-risk holdings during a downturn.
Why You're Wasting Time Worrying About Safe Withdrawal Rates
Q: How do I spend at a calculated rate without worrying about the money?
Brandt recommends setting spending guardrails in advance, deciding what to cut if the portfolio falls and when to give oneself a raise if it grows. He also suggests keeping several years of withdrawals in bonds and cash, and considering part-time work or delaying Social Security as backup options.
Are Super Savers Failing in Retirement? with Andy Panko [Rebroadcast]
Q: What do you think about AI, and how and where do you think it can fit into retirement financial and or tax planning for folks?
Brandt describes AI as useful for exploring questions, comparing options and handling practical tasks, but cautions that it can produce incorrect answers and should be checked against reliable sources.
Are Super Savers Failing in Retirement? with Andy Panko [Rebroadcast]
Q: What do you think about Monte Carlo or other approaches to distribution planning?
Brandt says Monte Carlo is a useful tool, but retirees can misuse its success score by aiming for 100 percent and underspending. He favors flexible plans that adapt spending to market conditions and life changes.
Four Big IRA Mistakes That You Can't Undo
Q: Is Tom's thinking correct, and how should he handle 401(k) withdrawals when his plan takes money pro rata from all investments?
Brandt says Tom's concern is largely valid. He suggests keeping enough lower-volatility assets in the 401(k) to cover a calculated retirement runway through age 59½, while considering risk tolerance and checking that the plan allows Rule of 55 withdrawals. He also recommends coordinating withholding because 401(k) payments may have 20% federal tax withheld.

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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?

Practical retirement planning focused on turning savings into sustainable income and making room to enjoy life after work. Benjamin Brandt, a certified financial planner, explains topics such as withdrawal strategies, Social Security, tax planning, IRAs, healthcare costs, and market risk in concise, accessible episodes. A recurring format combines analysis of a current article or planning question with listener Q&A and examples of retirees finding purpose through work, volunteering, family, and community activities.

The distinctive emphasis is on retiring to something meaningful, not only managing the finances of leaving work. Episodes are useful for people nearing retirement or already retired, especially financially prepared savers who w... more

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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. Big Picture Retirement®

How many episodes of Retirement Starts Today are there?

Retirement Starts Today launched 11 years ago and published 426 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. Andy Panko
2. Joe Saul-Sehy
3. Bill Bengen
4. Dana Anspach
5. Mary Wrightson
6. Marian Barry
7. Jeremy Keil
8. Dr. Daniel Crosby

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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