Keen On Retirement

For today’s show, we put in some overtime to get you our up-to-the-minute take on how the coronavirus outbreak is affecting financial markets. The short version: Outside shocks to the financial markets, like the coronavirus, can't be predicted, but we do plan for them. Outbreaks like Ebola, Zika, MERS and SARS have rattled the markets before. And while past performance does not guarantee future returns, after downturns like the one we’re experiencing right now, the markets are typically on the road to recovery within a short amount of time. We’re also optimistic about what other key economic indicators are telling us about the overall strength of the US economy. However, that doesn’t mean we're Pollyanna or complacent. We continue to monitor the situation and are ready to take action if the situation warrants. Listen to this episode for our thoughts on the opportunity that volatility provides us to re-balance portfolios and other strategies to utilize when the market is low, what the government might do to he

In this Market Update Webinar, Matt Wilson, Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer at Keen Wealth Advisors, takes a look back at what happened in 2019 in the markets and in the economy. And even more importantly, Matt takes a look ahead at what may be in store for 2020. Some of the topics Matt covers in this webinar include: Upcoming election Current corporate earnings outlook Recession risks Health of the jobs market What the leading indicators are telling us Our expectations for the stock market for 2020

Clients and friends of Keen Wealth have questions surrounding the Setting Every Community Up For Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act that was passed at the end of 2019. And with good reason! In many ways, the SECURE Act represents a significant rethink of retirement and estate planning. The government has recognized that as folks begin working longer at a wider variety of jobs, individuals need to start taking more personal responsibility for their retirement planning. This shift will affect your own retirement and how your heirs will approach their financial planning. On today’s show, we follow up our earlier overview of the SECURE Act with a deeper dive into three specific topics that our clients have been asking us about. As always, we try to keep the conversation light on industry jargon and technicalities. But the better you understand some of the SECURE Act’s most significant changes to retirement planning, the more confident you’re going to feel about your own plan.

I am honored that Anthony Fasano, Founder of the Engineering Management Institute, recently invited me to be a guest on his podcast, "The Engineering Career Coach." Anthony is a professional engineer who learned early in his career that the success of an engineering firm relied heavily on its employees' ability to communicate and mange effectively. Anthony founded the Engineering Management Institute to bring his passion for engineering management training to engineering organizations worldwide through customized on-site and online training. Anthony's podcast was recently cited by Forbes as one of the 15 most inspiring podcasts for professionals. The information in this podcast is going to be of particular interest to the many engineers and employees of engineering firms we work with at Keen Wealth. But all the topics that Anthony and I cover will be useful to anyone who is serious about planning for your future and your retirement, no matter where you work. As a bonus, you can also watch our conversation bel

At our annual Holiday Breakfast in December 2019, we presented "Forecast 2020: Silence the Noise."

At our annual Holiday Breakfast in December 2019, we presented "Forecast 2020: Silence the Noise."

Presents? Check. Tree? Check. Decorations? Check. Food and drink? Check. A thorough review of your tax-loss harvesting options? See, I knew you were forgetting something! Believe me, I understand that your checklist for the month of December is probably spilling onto another page already. And it’s not much fun to sit around the fire and think about filing taxes in April. But there’s less than two weeks left to consider some moves that could have a major impact on how you wrap up 2019 and progress into 2020. On our last episode of the year, we go through the important year-end planning decisions that you, your spouse, and your fiduciary advisor need to discuss before December 31st.

If I were to list some of the incredible things my good friend Joe Ratterman has accomplished in his life, the fact that he’s a Guinness World Record holder might not even crack the top ten. After a successful career in which he worked to improve competitive balance in the financial markets, Joe had earned the potential for an easy, carefree retirement. But his values, his faith, and his commitment to helping others wouldn’t let him go dormant. Today, I consider Joe to be one of the leading humanitarians and philanthropists here in Kansas City. Joe is an inspiration to me, and to anyone looking for a way to make the second half of their life potentially more meaningful and fulfilling than the first. On this very special episode, I’m honored to sit down with Joe Ratterman to discuss his views on the evolution of the financial markets, how his values informed some major business decisions, and what he’s doing right now to help Kansas City’s most vulnerable citizens.

Happy Medicare Season! You might not be getting any Hallmark cards marking this Fall tradition, but I know your mailbox is stuffed with notices from insurance companies, health care brokers, and the US government. That’s because the open enrollment period during which seniors can change their Medicare policies runs from now until December 7th. And even if you’re planning on sticking with your current coverage for another 12 months, there are some important things about your coverage as well as your spouse’s coverage that you should be considering before open enrollment closes. On today’s show, we tackle four of the most common Medicare questions we’re fielding from clients at Keen Wealth right now. Hopefully this conversation will help you sort out the important notices about your health care coverage from the junk mail that belongs in your shred pile.

In this Market Update Webinar, Matt Wilson, Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer at Keen Wealth Advisors, takes a look back at what happened in the third quarter of 2019 in the markets and in the economy. And even more importantly, Matt takes a look ahead at what may be in store for the remainder of the year.

Between 1992 and 2016, 56% of all workers age 50 and older were forced into an unexpected early retirement, according to a recent study by the Urban Institute and ProPublica. Some of these folks lost their jobs due to layoffs, corporate downsizing, and buyouts. Others decided to retire because of a pay cut or deteriorating conditions at their workplace. And still others retired due to health concerns or other personal issues. Any time I see a statistic saying that something happens to 50% of retirees, that gets my attention. A number that big means unexpected retirement should be on everyone’s radar as they move into the second half of their careers. Fortunately, my Keen Wealth team is familiar in dealing with this all too common issue. So, on today’s show, we talk about the steps that we go through to help folks cope with unexpected early retirement and engineer a new path forward.

As regular readers and listeners know, I recently turned 50 and I do worry about the world that my generation is leaving behind for our children and grandchildren. If you get too caught up in chatter on cable news and social media, it can leave you feeling pretty scared and frustrated. And if you believe the stereotypes about the upcoming millennial generation, we’re leaving some pretty serious problems in the hands of kids who are entitled, self-absorbed, and incapable of handling basic adult responsibilities - or so they say. That’s why I invited US Air Force Academy graduate, Second Lieutenant Matt Robbins on today’s show. I’ve known Matt since he was a 15-year-old volunteer at my flight school. Today, at 22, he’s working towards his Masters in aeronautical engineering as he begins his career serving our country. I think listening to Matt discuss his worldview, his commitment to service, and his pursuit of excellence is going to make you feel a heck of a lot more positive about how the next generation is g

My listeners in the Kansas City area are going to love hearing Darcie Blake’s voice again! Darcie was a radio mainstay here for nearly 30 years as the morning show co-host on KUDL and as a host on WHB. After leaving KUDL, Darcie founded The Radio Dish, where she hosted her own show, and started her own advertising company. On today’s show, Darcie Blake sits on the other side of the desk to share some memories about her time on the air – from laugh-out-loud gaffes to some really serious events that she covered as a reporter. Then we discuss how Darcie and her husband handled the transition to retirement and what she’s doing today to make this half of her life as fulfilling as the first.

“To all the clients I’ve worked with over the years, thank you for demonstrating that through hard work, character, and responsibility, it is possible to start from nothing and build a fulfilling retirement for you and your families." That dedication opens my new book, “Keen on Retirement: Engineering the Second Half Of Your Life.” It’s a summation of what it is we do every day at Keen Wealth Advisors. But it’s also my small way of recognizing what an honor it is to serve folks who are actively involved in their retirement planning. Most of our clients are self-made success stories who want to make their next chapter a success as well. They’ve built their wealth not by winning the lotto or inheriting a windfall, but through discipline, sacrifice, and commitment. I appreciate the journey that these successful retirees have been on because it’s very similar to my own. On today’s show, I discuss how my personal history led me to a career in finance, why I decided to write this book, and what I hope readers will

Generally, on Keen on Retirement, we don’t like to discuss proposals that are floating around in Washington. There’s so much politicized chatter in our newsfeeds every day that we prefer to wait until the facts get separated from the fiction, all the dust settles, and a new law is actually put into effect. But we’re making an exception on today’s episode for the SECURE Act of 2019, which passed the House back in May and is currently kicking around in the Senate. The discussion surrounding the House version of the bill gives us some important insights on what the government is thinking about your nest egg and the future of retirement planning.

I talk a lot in my blogs and podcasts about understanding how to separate the news from the noise. In this Market Update Webinar, Matt Wilson, Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer at Keen Wealth Advisors, takes a look back at what happened in the second quarter of 2019 in the markets and in the economy. And even more importantly, Matt takes a look ahead at what may be in store for the remainder of the year.

Picture this: You’re not feeling well, so you go to the doctor. There’s a great medication for what’s ailing you, but the doctor won’t give it to you. The reason that medication wasn’t prescribed is that the company that makes that medication doesn’t pay your doctor. Instead, the doctor gives you another medicine that he says is a “suitable” replacement. After taking the “suitable’’ medication for a while you try to schedule a follow-up appointment. The doctor informs you that he’s not obligated to check in to make sure that the medicine prescribed is working. I know this scenario sounds farfetched. But believe it or not, this is essentially the kind of agreement that millions of folks have with their financial professional! On today’s show, we talk about how to make sure “pay to play” scenarios aren’t impacting your financial planning. We also discuss some important questions you should ask potential advisors to make sure your best interests are protected.

“If only I’d gotten in early on Amazon twenty years ago …” It’s easy to slip into this kind of thinking when you read about the biggest companies in the world achieving a trillion-dollar valuation. Once upon a time, you could have bought that stock for peanuts, and today you’d be sitting on a fortune! That’s why some folks clamor for a seat on the hype train when companies like Uber and Lyft announce their IPOs. These investors are afraid of missing out on another golden ticket. But as we discuss on today’s episode, investing in an IPO isn’t as easy you might think. And the return on investment often isn’t as great as the hype train would have you believe.

We’ve talked many times on this podcast about the most effective ways to use your time and money to create real, lasting happiness. One of the great joys of my life has been working with Angel Flight Central, a volunteer organization that provides free transportation to folks whose medical and financial needs make commercial travel impossible. I was so honored when Angel Flight appointed me to its board earlier in the year. Working with their leadership team to further the group’s mission has let me put my love of flying and business background to their highest possible uses. Angel Flight has also given me the great pleasure of working with an extraordinary group of devoted and big-hearted folks, including my guest on today’s podcast, CEO and Executive Director Don Sumple. On this special episode of Keen on Retirement, Don talks about his transition from a successful broadcasting and media career to running a nonprofit organization. We also explore Angel Flight’s mission and how Don views retirement. Hopefull

We’re always happy to hear from Keen on Retirement listeners! On this week’s show, we’re answering a question from Chuck in Los Angeles that we’ve also been fielding from some of our clients at Keen Wealth: Hi Bill, I looked through your podcasts in search of one dealing with reverse mortgages. From what I have seen in the L.A. Times, this can be an important subject for retirees. I was hoping you would consider doing a podcast on this. Apparently, a reverse mortgage can make or break a person's financial situation and/or that of a survivor depending on the several options connected with them. So, what exactly is a reverse mortgage? What are the options that Chuck alludes to in his question? And is Magnum, P.I. giving you good advice in all those TV ads you’ve been seeing?