In this episode, we answer questions regarding high yield savings versus CDs, inherited stock portfolios, whether there is a time one should leave the market altogether, and how to split bond/stock investment allocations as you age. 🎙️ Have a financial scenario you’d like us to discuss (without giving personalized advice)? Send your questions to podcast@equilibriumfp.com—we’ll keep your information completely anonymous! 📢 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share with friends who could benefit from smarter retirement planning tips!

Crowdsourced from a knowledgeable group, the prompt was posted "Give your younger self financial advice that would have benefitted you today". We break down the commentary and recommendations and discuss the merits of each of them while discussing our own. 2025 is a great opportunity to make changes for your financial health and freedom!

🎙️ Have a financial scenario you’d like us to discuss (without giving personalized advice)? Send your questions to podcast@equilibriumfp.com—we’ll keep your information completely anonymous!

📢 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share with friends who could benefit from smarter retirement planning tips!

This week, we're tackling listener questions about pro rata and aggregation rules, IRMAA, Roth conversions, RMDs, and how to plan for retirement when you’d rather not hire a financial planner. We’ll share insights on why paying upfront for expert guidance can often save you from costly, irreversible decisions—and how optimized strategies can make a big difference. The key? Partnering with someone who understands your unique financial situation.

🎙️ Have a financial scenario you’d like us to discuss (without giving personalized advice)? Send your questions to podcast@equilibriumfp.com—we’ll keep your information completely anonymous!

📢 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share with friends who could benefit from smarter retirement planning tips!

#RetirementPlanning #RothConversions #FinancialPodcast #AccessibleFinance

This week we answer listener questions about whether to deplete an annuity and how to allocate the funds amongst current debt and retirement goals, whether to invest in an annuity using money from a 401k, general discussions of tax efficiency, and more.

If you would like us to discuss your specific scenario without providing financial advice, feel free to write to us at podcast@equilibriumfp.com. We will anonymize your personal information. Thanks!

This week we answer listener questions about fee based versus fee only, tax advice, how to justify a 1% fee, what to do when you find all of your retirement savings are in a 401k or other tax deferred account, and more.

How should you decide whether to go with a fee only or fee based advisor? Fee-based means they will not only charge you but they can take commissions--it is frequently referred to as a marketing term designed to cause confusion.

Fee-only, while broadly covering various structures like AUM, flat fee, hourly, a la carte, project based, and more, designates that the advisor does NOT take a commission on products and therefore is focused on providing the best solutions for you without any perverse incentive structures.

If you would like us to discuss your specific scenario without providing financial advice, feel free to write to us at podcast@equilibriumfp.com. We will anonymize your personal information. Thanks!

This week we answer listener questions about investment selection and estate planning for grandkids as well as annuity vs. lump sum pension plans. How should you decide whether to annuitize a pension or take the lump sum? Unfortunately, "it depends" is the correct answer here. You are more likely to want to annuitize if you are risk averse and want to increase your fixed income to satisfy your spending needs. You want to consider the options present in the annuity component itself. Does it provide for inflation adjustment or survivor provisions? How does all of this align with your personal goals? If you would like us to discuss your specific scenario without providing financial advice, feel free to write to us at podcast@equilibriumfp.com. We will anonymize your personal information. Thanks!

Most of us dream about "the golden years", but without a plan, they can easily turn into the "broke years"! So how do you avoid spending your retirement on instant noodles? In this episode, we discuss how the reality is that with longer life expectancies and increasing costs, often times retirees may underestimate how long their savings need to last, underestimate potential healthcare costs, over-rely on Social Security, fail to adjust for inflation, and don't have a planned withdrawal strategy. Don't wing it with your golden years--let a solid plan help turn retirement pitfalls into smooth sailing! If you have a specific situation you’d like us to cover (anonymously), send your questions to us at podcast@equilibriumfp.com. We’re here to help guide you through these important discussions, without giving formal financial advice.

We all have a bucket list dream for retirement: maybe it's a world cruise, joining the Disney Vacation Club, or hosting the grandkids every summer. But there’s an essential question to ask—can your retirement fund make it happen? In this episode, we’re digging into a topic that often feels tricky: talking about finances with family members, whether it’s planning for your parents' future or helping loved ones think about their own financial security. These discussions can be awkward, but they’re vital for ensuring everyone is financially prepared for the future. We’ll share practical strategies to help make these conversations respectful and productive, while also focusing on the fun side of retirement planning—those big dreams and must-do experiences that make retirement special. If you have a specific situation you’d like us to cover (anonymously), send your questions to us at podcast@equilibriumfp.com. We’re here to help guide you through these important discussions, without giving formal financial advice.