Will Buying Your Dream Home Ruin Early Retirement? - 559
Release Date: 12/09/2025
Too Much 401k Money? The $3M Roth Conversion Problem - 579
Your Money, Your Wealth
Saving into Roth instead of traditional accounts to bring down required minimum distributions in retirement, and whether retiring early is in the cards: that’s today on Your Money, Your Wealth® podcast 579 with Joe Anderson, CFP®, and Big Al Clopine, CPA. Brian in New York and “Todd and Margo” in Utah each have over $3 million in their pre-tax accounts. What should their Roth conversion strategies look like, and can Todd retire this year? But first up, should “Captain Morgan” go Roth to avoid RMDs and can he retire in a couple of years? Should “Klo Jopine” contribute to Roth...
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The Retirement Question Every Couple Asks: Can We Afford It? - 578
Your Money, Your Wealth
“Chase and Ryder” are 56 and 55 with $5 million saved and huge pensions the day they retire. So why are they so nervous about pulling the trigger? That's today on Your Money, Your Wealth® podcast number 578 with Joe Anderson, CFP® and Big Al Clopine, CPA. “Andy and April” are 46 with $2.4 million saved and 10 years until they want to retire. Can they get there, and do they need a trust? “Burt and Sally” are in their late forties with solid pensions and a retirement dream, but is the math close enough to make it work? Finally, does “Dolly” have any options for squeezing more...
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This Early Retirement Strategy Could Be a Huge Mistake
Your Money, Your Wealth
Joe Anderson, CFP® and Big Al Clopine, CPA spitball on whether a popular early retirement strategy could actually blow up your financial plan, today on Your Money, Your Wealth® podcast number 577. Red and Kitty from Wisconsin are burned out at 40 and wonder if retiring at 45 using the 72(t) tax election to take substantially equal periodic payments, or SEPP, is a smart bridge strategy. Jiminy Billy Bob in North Carolina is also considering a 72(t). How should he structure his withdrawal order, and does he need to shift into bonds before downshifting his career? Plus, Steve and Sharon in...
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When Roth Conversions Don't Make Sense (And When They're a No-Brainer) - 576
Your Money, Your Wealth
Are Roth conversions worth it? We’ll find out, today on Your Money, Your Wealth® podcast number 576. TJ in PA is gonna have huge capital gains. Joe and Big Al spitball on whether it’s worth it for him to convert. Rebels Without a Gauze in New England are over 70. Is it too late for them to convert? How much should Biking Barnsey convert from his tax-deferred accounts to Roth each year, and are there any single ladies in the YMYW audience that would like to help him spend his retirement money? Finally, the fellas spitball on whether Zisi and his wife are being too aggressive with...
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Die With Zero: Are You Giving Your Kids Too Much? - 575
Your Money, Your Wealth
Joe Anderson, CFP® and Big Al Clopine, CPA spitball on how to build your own retirement AND support your kids financially, today on Your Money, Your Wealth® podcast number 575. "Lloyd and Diane" in Montgomery County are 50 with $8.4 million. Can they retire early and still be generous with their kids? E and T in Missouri are 34 and 31 with $255K, and hopefully some big inheritances in the future. Can they fund the kids' college, and help them buy their first homes, AND retire early? Kent in Kansas City is 73 with 12 million bucks and $2 million in life insurance. Do Joe and Big Al back up...
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When Should You Take Social Security? (Don’t Screw This Up) - 574
Your Money, Your Wealth
Joe Anderson, CFP® and Big Al Clopine, CPA focus on Social Security claiming strategies as part of the retirement spitballs, today on Your Money, Your Wealth® podcast number 574. Bijou Plutus and her husband in Massachusetts are 62 and 64 with about a million dollars. Can she retire at 65, and should he claim Social Security early? Dr. Jekyll and Mrs. Hyde in the Twin Cities have about the same at 51 and 49, plus big pensions and high spending. Can they afford to retire early, and when should they claim Social Security? Diggler and Roller Girl in Tennessee are 57 and 58 with about $600K, and...
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Could You Retire Tomorrow If You Had To? - 573
Your Money, Your Wealth
Juan and Mary in Brooklyn are 49 and 48 with $2.2 million saved. Can Juan afford to retire early, or just walk away if he gets fired? And if they get divorced, yikes - but does the math still work? That's today on Your Money, Your Wealth® podcast number 573. But first, “Reuben Sailing Shoes” is 68, single, retired, and has $1.6 million saved, but he's never had a budget in his life. How much can he actually spend? “Leslie and Ben” are federal retirees in their seventies with great pensions and a mix of pre-tax and Roth savings, and “Mork and Mindy” in Delaware are retired with an...
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Could You Lose Half Your Retirement Income to Taxes? - 572
Your Money, Your Wealth
“Carl and Jane” have eight million bucks, and their advisor is suggesting a 130/30 long-short investing strategy. Joe Anderson, CFP® and Big Al Clopine, CPA spitball on whether this is a smart tax move or unnecessary complexity - and whether they would do it themselves, today on Your Money, Your Wealth® podcast number 572. Plus, Tyrone and Tova think they may never even need their retirement accounts, so do they really need to bother with Roth conversions if the kids are going to inherit the money anyway, or could skipping the conversions mean losing half their retirement income to...
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Retire Early in Your 40s or 50s: Green Light or Reality Check? - 571
Your Money, Your Wealth
If you plan to punch the clock for the final time decades before “standard” retirement age, you need a financial strategy that goes beyond just saving. Joe Anderson, CFP® and Big Al Clopine, CPA spitball five different early retirement plans to see whose numbers are tight and who is ready to go for it, today on Your Money, Your Wealth® podcast 571. George in South Carolina wants to retire in 8 years at 53. Does he have enough in his brokerage account to bridge the gap to Social Security? Joe in Massachusetts is saving a staggering $200,000 a year, but will his high-spending lifestyle...
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Retirement Planning for Aging Parents - and Can You Retire Early? - 570
Your Money, Your Wealth
Joe and Big Al spitball two sides of the retirement equation, today on Your Money, Your Wealth® podcast number 570. Daniel in Texas is 40 and worrying about how to support Mom and Dad if their money runs out. Can he build some kind of financial safety net for them without ruining his own retirement? Jemma’s 82-year-old mom is drawing down her portfolio. Is locking in guaranteed income with an annuity a smart move, or could that create new problems down the road? Plus, “Cookie and Gerry” want to walk away from work before 50 with a big brokerage account and a pension. Are they positioned...
info_outlineToday on Your Money, Your Wealth® podcast 559 with Joe Anderson, CFP®, and Big Al Clopine, CPA, David wants to know if he and his wife (ages 47 and 53) are actually on track for retirement - without realizing they’re creeping toward that .01% crowd that David swears he is not part of. Mia and Jessie from Seattle want to retire and still pick up a dream lake house with a combined ten million dollars saved. Can they pull it off? Yosemite Sam from Allen, Texas, wonders if he should wipe out the lake house mortgage or keep that low-rate loan to hang on to more flexibility as he approaches retirement. Joe and Big Al also spitball on whether Todd and Margo should shift more into pre-tax accounts to leave their corporate jobs at age 50, and whether early retirement at 55 plus a $500,000 beach home is in the cards for Birdie and Bogey from Williamsburg.
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Chapters:
00:00 - Intro: This Week on the YMYW Podcast
00:53 - Middle Class Retirement Spitball For Those Not in the .01%: Are We On Track at Age 47? (David)
06:37 - $5 Million Roth, $5 Million Brokerage: Can We Retire and Buy a Dream Lake House? (Mia & Jessie, Seattle)
17:26 - Pay Off the Lake House or Keep the Low Rate Mortgage? (Yosemite Sam, Allen, TX)
25:23 - Should We Shift More Funds into Pre-Tax Retirement to Retire Early at 50? (Todd & Margo, TX)
38:45 - Can We Afford Early Retirement at 55 and a $500K Beach Home? (Birdie & Bogie, Williamsburg, VA)
46:27 - Outro: Next Week on the YMYW Podcast