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How to Create Retirement Confidence - Replay

Common Sense Financial Podcast

Release Date: 10/22/2025

Special Announcement: 3 Insights Every Investor Needs to Help Secure Their Financial Future show art Special Announcement: 3 Insights Every Investor Needs to Help Secure Their Financial Future

Common Sense Financial Podcast

Brian Skrobonja closes out the year with a milestone episode that marks the final episode of 2025 and the conclusion of this version of the show. He shares the gratitude he feels for the listeners who have supported the mission, the team whose work brought each idea to life, and the recognition the podcast received from Forbes as one of the top shows by financial advisors. Tune in to hear Brian reflect on why he started this podcast, how the mission has been accomplished, and why this moment isn’t an ending but the beginning of a bigger vision that will unfold in 2026. He also shares the...

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Tax Deferred to Tax Free: Navigating Taxes in Retirement - Replay show art Tax Deferred to Tax Free: Navigating Taxes in Retirement - Replay

Common Sense Financial Podcast

In this milestone 100th episode of the Common Sense Financial Podcast, host Brian Skrobonja delves into the critical topic of managing taxes in retirement. The episode focuses on strategies for minimizing tax liabilities, especially for retirees with tax-deferred accounts facing potential hefty tax bills. Brian emphasizes the importance of sustainable income creation during retirement and the role of tax optimization in this process. Most people envision their retirement to be built from predominantly tax-free income, but after many years of deferring taxes, retirees are facing a sizable tax...

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Are You Prepared for the Evolution of Retirement? - Replay show art Are You Prepared for the Evolution of Retirement? - Replay

Common Sense Financial Podcast

In this podcast episode, Brian Skrobonja takes us on a thought-provoking journey through the evolving concept of retirement. As we dive into the past, present, and future of retirement, Brian helps us unravel the complexities of this modern-day concept which, though deeply ingrained in our society, is relatively new in human history. This episode is essential for anyone planning for retirement, offering a fresh perspective on how to approach this significant life stage in the context of rapid societal shifts, economic developments, and increasing human longevity. We start off by exploring the...

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The Three Retirement Mindsets That Could Have A Negative Impact On Your Retirement Plans - Replay show art The Three Retirement Mindsets That Could Have A Negative Impact On Your Retirement Plans - Replay

Common Sense Financial Podcast

In this episode, Brian Skrobonja goes over the three main retirement mindsets that could negatively impact your retirement plans. He sheds light on what most retirees get wrong about retirement planning, why being confident doesn’t eliminate investment risks, and what to consider when hiring a financial planner. Brian goes over three retirement mindsets that have the potential to derail even the best-laid retirement plans. He starts by explaining that there is more to the conversation around retirement than just having a permanent vacation. Retirement is not a destination; it’s a...

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Investing with Guardrails: The Rise of Defined Outcome ETFs and Structured Income Notes show art Investing with Guardrails: The Rise of Defined Outcome ETFs and Structured Income Notes

Common Sense Financial Podcast

Brian Skrobonja sits down with Phon Vilayoune to unpack buffered ETFs and income notes. Phon is the Founder and CEO of VETA Investment Partners, where they currently oversee over $5.5 billion in assets. They discuss the benefits of positioning your portfolio for growth and safety, how to protect your nest egg in volatile markets, and practical strategies for optimizing gains while limiting downside risk. Tune in to hear professional insights on ETFs, income notes, and actionable frameworks for navigating today’s complex market cycles. Phon explains how he entered the investing world and now...

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My Story - Replay show art My Story - Replay

Common Sense Financial Podcast

In this podcast episode, Brian shares his remarkable journey from his parents' middle-class immigrant background to achieving financial freedom through decades of learning and building businesses. He recounts his early aspiration for an opulent lifestyle and the pivotal moment when he realized the importance of creating income-producing assets. Through content creation, including three books and the Common Sense Financial Podcast, Brian's financial wisdom and expertise have garnered recognition and awards, providing valuable insights into wealth, financial freedom, and the pursuit of life's...

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The 5 Key Performance Indicators To Help Measure The Health Of Your Retirement Plan - Replay show art The 5 Key Performance Indicators To Help Measure The Health Of Your Retirement Plan - Replay

Common Sense Financial Podcast

In this episode we talk about the importance of using key performance indicators beyond just investment performance to gauge the health of one's retirement plan. There are five crucial data points that form the foundation of a successful retirement strategy: passive income, effective tax rate, cash flow ratio, banking capacity, and horizontal asset allocation. By focusing on these metrics, you can adopt a comprehensive approach to retirement planning that factors in various financial variables and bridges the gaps in your financial plan. Business owners use KPIs or key performance indicators...

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Certificates of Deposit: What to Consider and How to Use Them - Replay show art Certificates of Deposit: What to Consider and How to Use Them - Replay

Common Sense Financial Podcast

In this episode on Certificates of Deposit (CDs) as investments, we talk about the nuanced decision-making involved in purchasing CDs and whether or not CDs are good investments, particularly in a rising interest rate environment, and we explain why interest rates are the only factor you need to consider. Wealth creation isn't solely dependent on CD rates, and we need to consider the impact of inflation and interest rates to gain a comprehensive financial perspective. The episode also explores how government strategies to combat inflation by adjusting interest rates impact not only investors,...

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The Midlife Shift: How To Go from Surviving to Thriving show art The Midlife Shift: How To Go from Surviving to Thriving

Common Sense Financial Podcast

Brian Skrobonja talks about the hidden trap of survival mode: that quiet, familiar mindset that keeps you safe but small. He explains why so many people in midlife mistake control for security, and how shifting from a scarcity mindset to a mentality of abundance changes everything about how you earn, spend, and live. Tune in to hear what it really takes to move from survival to strategy, from managing scarcity to creating abundance, and why your next level of wealth starts in your mind, not your bank account. Brian starts by explaining how time sneaks up on us. One day you’re in your 20s,...

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Exploring Alternative Investments and Building a Long Term Vision - Replay show art Exploring Alternative Investments and Building a Long Term Vision - Replay

Common Sense Financial Podcast

In this episode, Brian Skrobonja explains what alternative investments are and why they are the fastest route to growing your assets or retirement savings. He sheds light on how the most successful investors in the world keep getting wealthier and how to use an endowment like strategy to position your retirement assets. Brian explores alternative investments opportunities.  He goes over what larger investors are doing to diversify away from the public market in an effort to help clients protect downside risks. The shift in investment philosophy amongst the largest investors is something...

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In this episode, we delve into the link between overall retirement quality and the confidence you have in your financial plan. We emphasize how a well-designed retirement strategy tailored to your needs, not solely reliant on market performance, is pivotal for boosting confidence and making your retirement plan a reality you can rely on.

Addressing common fears, exploring emotional extremes, and understanding the evolving landscape of retirement planning, will help you discover the significance of income-focused strategies and a diversified asset approach in building confidence in your retirement plan.

  • When it comes to retirement, your quality of life in these golden years is often predicated on the level of confidence you have regarding your situation. A poorly-designed retirement plan can often cause emotional confusion, which leaves you feeling insecure and lacking confidence.
  • Confidence is typically at its peak when a plan is optimized and is designed around meeting the needs of the client and not relying entirely on market performance.
  • Retirement confidence is in direct correlation with how well your plan is designed to manage your exposure to risk and its ability to fulfill cash flow requirements. A plan built on hope and optimism can lead to very emotional times when the market doesn’t work out the way you’d hoped.
  • Many client conversations relating to retirement are often centered around insecurities the client is working through.
  • Common fears include running out of money before running out of life, market crashes, having a health crisis, missing opportunities, or simply making mistakes.
  • There are typically two emotional extremes, no confidence or complete overconfidence.
  • A lack of confidence leads to avoidance behavior and avoiding decisions, which often makes a person vulnerable to the very things they are afraid of.
  • Overconfidence leads people to underestimate their vulnerabilities.
  • Being skittish or practicing decision avoidance or fearing the idea of making a bad decision are all confidence killers, and the ultimate irony of this behavior is actually preventing the solution from being implemented, which can turn your fears into a reality.
  • Confidence is about being able to rely on your retirement plan to do what you need it to do. If your retirement plan is anchored to the stock market, your confidence level relies entirely on the performance of the market.
  • Most people’s retirement plans involve a stock market portfolio they plan to liquidate over time, Social Security, and a pension, but that’s really just the start.
  • This paradigm seems to be rooted in watching our parents or grandparents work for decades in the same job and then retire with their pensions and Social Security benefits. However, circumstances have changed, and what worked back then isn’t going to cut it now.
  • Pensions and company-provided retirement plans have been on the decline since the 1980’s. Baby Boomers started putting their money into retirement plans starting in the 90’s, which caused a growing stock market. 2016 was the first year that Baby Boomers started taking out money from those accounts.
  • Those who ran the markets up are now the same group that is putting selling pressure on the markets, but there are other influences as well: government spending and policy, Fed policy, pandemics, interest rates, inflation, and more.
  • When you lack certainty in the market, algorithms and a 24/7 news cycle can exacerbate the situation.
  • There are two fundamental things that can have a profound impact on your retirement confidence. First is solving for income using income products. The foundation of a retirement plan is to generate consistent income, and unfortunately, consistency is not synonymous with the stock market.
  • Separating your assets between long-term growth in public investments and income-generating private and fixed assets is a crucial component of being confident in your overall retirement plan.

 

 

Mentioned in this episode:

BrianSkrobonja.com

Common Sense Financial Podcast on YouTube 

Common Sense Financial Podcast on Spotify

Common Sense: YOUR Guide to Making Smart Choices with YOUR Money by Brian Skrobonja

Brian's article - ‘Five Common Retirement Mistakes and How to Avoid Them’

 

 

References for this episode:

https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/retirement/erisa

https://www.thestreet.com/personal-finance/baby-boomers-could-cause-market-crash-12117996

https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizfrazierpeck/2021/02/11/the-coronavirus-crash-of-2020-and-the-investing-lesson-it-taught-us/?sh=17701bd846cf

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/u-s-stocks-would-be-much-lower-if-it-wasnt-for-excessive-government-spending-morgan-stanleys-mike-wilson-says-1b8e65d2

https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/what-does-the-fed-do-and-how-does-it-impact-the-stock-market

https://thefga.org/blog/president-biden-is-wrong-about-esg-heres-why/?gclid=CjwKCAjwvfmoBhAwEiwAG2tqzIhc3F2QbmLEygcbkIg9eV7bhXUz3dzXhO1A_hTNE3hNsMbTug59txoCPcwQAvD_BwE

https://centerpointsecurities.com/stock-market-algorithms/#:~:text=The%20main%20thing%20traders%20need,because%20you%20may%20lose%20fast.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/191077/inflation-rate-in-the-usa-since-1990

https://www.bankrate.com/banking/cds/historical-cd-interest-rates

 

 

Securities offered only by duly registered individuals through Madison Avenue Securities, LLC. (MAS), Member FINRA &SIPC. Advisory services offered only by duly registered individuals through Skrobonja Wealth Management (SWM), a registered investment advisor. Tax services offered only through Skrobonja Tax Consulting. MAS does not offer Build Banking or tax advice. Skrobonja Financial Group, LLC, Skrobonja Wealth Management, LLC, Skrobonja Insurance Services, LLC, Skrobonja Tax Consulting, and Build Banking are not affiliated with MAS.

Skrobonja Wealth Management, LLC is a registered investment adviser. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Skrobonja Wealth Management, LLC and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure.

The firm is a registered investment adviser with the state of Missouri, and may only transact business with residents of those states, or residents of other states where otherwise legally permitted subject to exemption or exclusion from registration requirements. Registration with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or any state securities authority does not imply a certain level of skill or training.