#466 The 2026 Retirement Challenge: Start With Why
Sound Retirement Radio
We are going to start the year off with a podcast series called “The 2026 Retirement Challenge”. The idea is that each podcast I am going to bring you one thing to work on so that by the end of the series you will know if you are ready to retire and if the numbers will work. Most retirement planning starts with a number. “How much do I need?” “When can I retire?” “Am I going to run out of money?” Those are important questions — and we’ll get to all of them in this retirement challenge. But today, I want to start somewhere else. Because here’s what I’ve seen...
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465 The Year in Review — and Preparing for the Year Ahead
Sound Retirement Radio
In today’s podcast, I want to take a few minutes to look back on 2025…and then use what we learned to prepare for 2026.
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464 Let’s Talk About Gold - Should You Own It?
Sound Retirement Radio
Gold is up more than 50% year-to-date. Costco has been selling gold bars that fly off the shelves. The Discovery Channel’s hit show Gold Rush draws millions of viewers. And central banks around the world have been buying gold at record levels. Demand is high—and the price reflects it. So in today’s podcast, I want to dive into all things gold: what it is, what makes it valuable, why people invest in it, and my own philosophy about owning it. To find links and resources mentioned in today's podcast, visit and click on episode #464. The is an intuitive tool that promises ease and...
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463 The New Enhanced Senior Deduction
Sound Retirement Radio
In today’s podcast, I want to talk about the new Enhanced Senior Deduction that was passed and signed into law on July 4th, 2025. If you are 65 years old or older—or will be turning 65 sometime between 2025 and 2028—you’ll want to understand how this works and how it could impact your retirement plan. If you are not yet 65 but you know someone who is, be sure to send them a link to this episode. For articles links and resources mentioned in todays show visit and click on episode 463
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462 Is A Market Crash Coming?
Sound Retirement Radio
I’m really excited about today’s episode because I want to speak directly to the anxiety that so many of you are feeling — and that you’ve been sharing with me lately. The title of today’s show is “Is a Market Crash Coming?” It’s a question I hear often, and I completely understand why. The headlines can be overwhelming, the markets feel unpredictable, and it’s easy to wonder what’s next. In today’s episode, I want to talk about what you can do when you start to worry about how the market is going to perform — and, more importantly, what actions you can take to protect...
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461: Four Reasons Good People Fail at Retirement—and How to Avoid Them
Sound Retirement Radio
So I've met a lot of people over the years who have over prepared for retirement, and I've met others where I had to say, I'm sorry, you need to keep working. Unfortunately, I've seen good hardworking people, people who have saved, invested, and tried their best. They're still unable to retire, and the question's why?Today, I want to share the 4 biggest traps that keep people from retiring… and how you can avoid them. To find links and resources mentioned in today's podcast, visit and click on episode #461. The is an intuitive tool that promises ease and accuracy. However, like any tool,...
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460 What Do You Want?
Sound Retirement Radio
Today’s podcast has three parts: first, a simple question to help you gain clarity; second, a common financial mistake we see—and how to fix it; and third, practical investing moves you can take right now. To find links and resources mentioned in today's podcast, visit and click on episode #460. The is an intuitive tool that promises ease and accuracy. However, like any tool, user error could potentially lead to costly mistakes. To avoid this, let the experienced advisors at Parker Financial LLC guide you. When you hire our team, we offer a comprehensive review of your current...
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459 68 New Adventures at 68: Anne’s Bold Retirement
Sound Retirement Radio
You're listening to episode number 459. The title is. 68 New Adventures at 68 Anne's Bold Retirement, and I'm so excited to bring this podcast interview to you. One of my favorite things about the work that we do is that we get to meet so many incredible people and we hear their stories. We get to see the how the decisions that they make impact their lives. How do they live full out? What makes for a good life? And I can say that my life is better as a result of getting to walk life with. Amazing people. In today's podcast, I'm gonna introduce you to Anne, who has been retired for seven years....
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458 One Big Beautiful Bill: What Retirees Need to Know
Sound Retirement Radio
In today’s podcast, I want to talk about the new One Big Beautiful Bill Act, recently passed and signed into law by the President on July 4th of this year. This legislation is significant for a couple of key reasons. First, it makes permanent one of the largest tax cuts in history—the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), originally passed in 2017 and previously set to expire at the end of this year. Second, the bill itself spans more than 300 pages, packed with new provisions, many of which will create planning opportunities for retirees and pre-retirees alike. To find links and resources...
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457 How to Withdraw from Retirement Accounts the Smart Way
Sound Retirement Radio
As we celebrate the 4th of July, I want to explore a topic that doesn’t get nearly enough attention—how to withdraw money from different types of retirement accounts. Specifically, we’ll look at sequential vs. proportional withdrawals, and how your strategy can impact your taxes, your legacy, and your long-term retirement success. We’ll walk through a hypothetical scenario to compare the outcomes, and the good news is—you can run this kind of analysis for yourself using the new Withdrawal Strategy Scenario in the Retirement Budget Calculator. To find links and resources mentioned in...
info_outlineWe are going to start the year off with a podcast series called “The 2026 Retirement Challenge”. The idea is that each podcast I am going to bring you one thing to work on so that by the end of the series you will know if you are ready to retire and if the numbers will work.
Most retirement planning starts with a number.
“How much do I need?”
“When can I retire?”
“Am I going to run out of money?”
Those are important questions — and we’ll get to all of them in this retirement challenge.
But today, I want to start somewhere else.
Because here’s what I’ve seen after years of working with retirees:
Retirement isn’t just a financial transition, it's a life transition.
That’s why the first step in the 2026 Retirement Challenge isn’t about Social Security, taxes, or investments.
It’s about your why.
Why are you retiring?
What are you retiring to?
And what kind of life do you actually want to design?