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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

Employee benefits are one of the most overlooked aspects of financial planning. We often check a few boxes during open enrollment and move on—but are we truly maximizing what's available to us?

This week, we sit down with Joe Saul-Sehy, host of St... more

Did you receive a windfall late in the year and then get penalized for not paying estimated taxes on it earlier? It doesn't seem fair, but the IRS might levy a penalty for that. There is a way to fix it - and similarly for RMDs you might take out in ... more

A Barron's piece from Jonathan Shenkman shares 6 reasons to think twice before you convert a Roth IRA. I agree with some of them - but strongly disagree with others because they apply to Super Savers - listeners of this show - differently.

We will ... more

Christine Benz got a text from a friend the other day. A mutual friend from college was retiring because he'd "hit his number in the stock market".

Most people would read that and think, good for him. Benz says all her alarm bells went off. Not out... 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 Retirement Starts Today

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 586 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 States3 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 States3 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 States4 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 States5 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 States7 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners praise concise, actionable retirement guidance and practical insights.
Episodes are appreciated for balancing research with real-life stories and guest expertise.
The host is seen as down-to-earth, with useful non-financial retirement advice.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

6 Cases When a Roth IRA Conversion Isn't a Smart Move
Q: How should a retiree think about bridging income before Social Security while managing taxes?
Build a plan that defers withdrawals from taxable accounts where possible, uses Roth conversions strategically later (especially after Medicare eligibility), and coordinates Social Security timing with the spouse to optimize benefits and tax outcomes.
6 Cases When a Roth IRA Conversion Isn't a Smart Move
Q: What is the main takeaway from the six cases about Roth conversions for supersavers?
The host suggests that supersavers should tailor Roth conversion decisions to their unique tax situation, considering factors like widow's tax, IRMAA, stealth taxes, and the potential needs of heirs, and often favor a more nuanced, plan-driven approach over generic advice.
"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.

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?

The show centers on practical retirement planning with a strong emphasis on retiring TO something—pursuing meaningful activities, purpose, and lifestyle goals in retirement alongside financial strategy. Episodes frequently cover tax optimization, withdrawal strategies, inflation, and flexible spending, combining expert analysis with real-life retire-to-something stories to illustrate how money and meaning intertwine in late life. Noteworthy is the consistent mix of research-backed concepts (e.g., 4% rule refinements, guardrails, Roth conversions) with accessible, action-oriented coaching and relatable retiree profiles, which helps both near-retirees and existing retirees think holistically about wealth, health, and purpose.

This program pr... 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. Retirement Planning Education, with Andy Panko

How many episodes of Retirement Starts Today are there?

Retirement Starts Today launched 11 years ago and published 420 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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