What happens when your emergency cash runs dry—and life keeps happening?
A recent article lays out a ranked list of ten ways to access emergency cash, starting with the best options and ending with the ones you’ll want to avoid unless it’s truly a last resort:
The takeaway?
Know your emergency funding hierarchy before a crisis hits. With a plan in place, you’ll be better equipped to make calm, informed decisions when life throws you a curveball.
Resource:
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“By the time your child turns 18, you’ve spent 95% of the time you’ll ever spend with them in your lifetime.”
This comes from research by the American Time Use Survey, highlighted by Our World in Data. And let’s be honest, when you first hear that, it stings a little. Especially as a parent. You can’t help but wonder, “Have I been a good steward of that precious time?”
But here’s the twist: this isn’t about guilt. It’s about awareness. It’s a gentle, data-backed nudge to savor the moments that feel small now—but that become the biggest memories later.
So how do we maximize the return on the time—and the money—we spend on experiences? Research tells us something powerful: experiences give us more lasting happiness than stuff. That’s not just my opinion, that’s from a 2020 study by Kumar, Killingsworth, and Gilovich. Experiences beat material goods both in prospect and in retrospect. In other words, we enjoy them more before and after they happen.
Step 1: Listen & Learn
Step 2: Create Curiosity
Step 3: Build Together
Step 4: Build Up—and Look Back
What does this have to do with retirement? EVERYTHING!
Listen in to understand why.
I also answer a question from Wendell, a retiree who’s considering swapping out some of his stock-heavy portfolio for the safety of short-term government bonds — a strategy known as “T-Bills and Chill.” He’s wondering: with guaranteed income already in place, is it time to say goodbye to the stock market for good?
Resource:
Forbes article by Tim Maurer: A Method For Maximizing Memories With Money
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We’re talking about rebalancing! Rebalancing is key to any retirement plan, but how often should we do it? That’s the topic of today’s retirement headlines segment, where we’re going to look at an article by by Jennifer Reed
Key discussion points:
💵 Financial Considerations
💔 Emotional Considerations
🧩 Relational Considerations
📊 A Look at the Numbers
Resource:
Article by Jennifer Reed: Is The Optimal Rebalancing Strategy To Not Rebalance At All? https://www.fa-mag.com/news/is-there-an-optimal-rebalancing-strategy--maybe-82136.html
After that, I answer a listener question: “Could you discuss the financial emotional and relationship issues with disclaiming an inheritance?”
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What are the perceived benefits of moving to a low-tax state in retirement? Is it all it’s cracked up to be?
We’re gonna cover a Wall Street Journal article by Debbie Carlson that delivers an important dose of nuance: “Don’t let the income-tax tail wag the total-spending dog.”
I also answer a very thoughtful question from Lynn about sequence of returns risk, as well as average returns vs order of returns.
Key topics from the article:
🏠 Real Estate & Insurance Can Eat Up the Savings
📊 For Middle-Income Retirees, Sales & Property Taxes Matter More
💵 Homeowners Insurance Is a Big—and Growing—Expense
📚 Don’t Forget State-Level Retirement & Estate Taxes
🧮 Ben’s Take: Look at the Whole Picture
Resource:
Article by Debbie Carlson: https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/taxes/retirement-low-tax-rate-states-move-cabdb31b
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Retirement Starts Today: Your Non-financial Guide to an Even Better Retirement
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Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, or iHeart