Retirement Made Simple

If you have $3 million saved for retirement, you also have a silent partner: the IRS. Most people assume their tax bill in retirement is fixed. It isn't. In this episode, Kevin walks through a real client scenario using retirement planning software to show exactly how retirement taxes work, and why they behave so differently from the taxes you paid while working. Here's what most retirees don't realize: not all retirement income is taxed the same way. Withdrawals from a traditional IRA are taxed as ordinary income. Roth distributions are generally tax-free. Gains from a taxable brokerage account often qualify for lower long-term capital gains rates. And Social Security? Up to 85% of your benefit can become taxable, depending on your other income. Those four income streams don't just sit side by side. They interact. There's also a window, sometimes called the "retirement tax window," that opens between the day you stop working and the day RMDs begin. Kevin shows how one couple with $3 million saved was projected to pay nearly $3 million in lifetime taxes, and how a proactive Roth conversion strategy reduced that figure to under $900,000.

If you have a pension, you may be sitting on far more retirement firepower than you realize. Most people think about retirement wealth in terms of account balances. But a pension doesn't show up on a brokerage statement, and that causes a lot of people to underestimate what they actually have. In this episode, Foundry Financial planner Mike Zarelli breaks down four retirement reframes for pension holders that could change when you retire, how much you spend, and how you invest: 1. You may be able to retire sooner and spend more than you think. A pension creates an income floor that can take pressure off your portfolio and free it up for larger, intentional purchases. 2. Your pension changes how your portfolio should be allocated. When you factor in the pension as a bond-like income source, you may have room to tilt toward more equities than you'd expect. 3. Your pension can influence when you claim Social Security. With the right coordination, you can potentially delay Social Security to maximize your benefit and build a stronger inflation-protected income floor. 4. Your pension survivor options should never be chosen in isolation. The right survivor benefit depends heavily on how you've structured Social Security for the higher earner. These decisions are deeply connected, and getting them right could mean the difference between a retirement that just works and one that truly gives you confidence.

Selecting a Financial Advisor Guide ✅ https://foundryfinancial.net/guide-to-selecting-a-financial-advisorMost people have no idea what to ask when evaluating a financial advisor, and that gap could be costing them more than they realize.Zach Holcomb from the Foundry team has had hundreds of conversations with people who are exploring their options, and he's distilled it all into five essential questions that reveal whether your advisor is actually equipped for retirement, not just accumulation.Here's what most people don't consider: the advisor who helped you build wealth may not be the right person to help you spend it strategically. Growing a portfolio and managing retirement income are fundamentally different jobs, and many advisors haven't made that shift.In this video, Zach walks through a complete scorecard you can use on any advisor, including the Foundry team. The five questions cover how your advisor leads meetings, how they get paid, whether tax planning is handled in-house or passed off, how you feel walking out of every meeting, and whether they're willing to tell you things you don't want to hear.That last one? Almost nobody thinks to ask it, and it might be the most revealing question of all.

🔗 Access the retirement planning software → https://foundryfinancial.typeform.com/rightcapital?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=longform&utm_campaign=should-i-do-a-roth-conversion-desc&utm_content=descriptionRoth conversions can save some retirees over a million dollars in taxes. But for others, they may not make sense at all.The problem is that most people are getting shouted at from both sides with no real framework for figuring out which camp they fall into.In this video, we walk through an actual case study using the same planning software our firm uses internally, so you can see the real numbers, not just the theory.You'll see exactly what happens to a couple's tax bill when they do nothing versus when they strategically convert during the low-income window between retirement and Social Security. The difference is striking.We also break down the 7 key factors that determine whether a Roth conversion makes sense for your situation, including things most people overlook.At the end, we show you how to access the same software used in this video so you can model your own scenario.Roth conversions are not a one-size-fits-all strategy. But with the right analysis, they can be one of the most powerful tax tools in your retirement plan.

Most retirees can afford these 7 purchases. That's not the problem.The problem is that a surprising number of them quietly work against you throughout retirement, draining your portfolio, your time, and your energy in ways you never saw coming.In this video, we walk through the assets that wealthy retirees almost never buy, and the ones that other retirees almost always end up regretting. From timeshares and boats to complex financial products pitched at steak dinners, we cover the full list and explain why each one tends to disappoint.But this isn't just a list of "don'ts."At the end, there's a conversation I had with a Harvard researcher on money and happiness that reframes the whole question. It turns out, more money CAN make you happier, but only if you spend it in a specific way. The three spending principles she shared changed how I think about retirement spending entirely.Stay for the end. It might be the most valuable part.

Elon Musk thinks robots will make retirement savings obsolete. You probably didn't cancel your 401k over that quote, and that's smart.But here's a question worth sitting with: if you're in your late 50s or early 60s, have saved diligently, and lived well below your means, are you still saving the exact same way you were 20 years ago, without ever stopping to ask if it still makes sense?In this video, Kevin walks through a practical tool called the funded ratio, a straightforward way to compare what you've already built to what you actually need. No guesswork, just math.Kevin explores:- How to calculate whether additional contributions are actually moving the needle- Why there's often a valuable transition phase between aggressive saving and full retirement spending- How front-loading certain expenses (like a kitchen remodel or a big trip) while still earning a paycheck can simplify your retirement tax strategy- What a "golden window" of low taxable income before Social Security and RMDs can mean for Roth conversion opportunities- Why retirement isn't one flat line, and how spending guardrails can help you navigate its phases with confidence🔗 Funded Ratio Calculator → https://www.foundryfinancial.org/calculator-are-you-on-track-to-retire🔗 Try RightCapital → https://foundryfinancial.typeform.com/rightcapital?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=longform&utm_campaign=stop-saving-desc&utm_content=description

If you feel behind on retirement, that feeling might be the best sign you're actually in good shape.

It sounds backwards, but after years of working with people on the verge of retirement, a pattern keeps showing up: the people who worry the most are often the ones who are closest to being ready. And the ones who should be worried? They're usually not.In this video, we dig into why that anxious feeling exists, where it comes from, and why it tends to follow you even after you stop working.The same habits that built your wealth, living below your means, delaying gratification, always wanting a bigger cushion, are the exact traits that make spending feel impossible. Researchers have found that many retirees end up spending far less than their portfolio could support, with assets holding steady or even growing throughout retirement.So why does the worry persist? A constantly moving finish line, upward comparisons to highlight reels online, and a saver's brain that never quite switches off.

Check out Deleteme: https://www.de33watrk.com/W6H9H4/KMKS9/ (Affiliate Link)Check out Optery: https://get.optery.com/a8qdsz8tzzbz (Affiliate Link)We almost lost $50,000 — and the scariest part was how much they already knew about us.Our phone, our email, our home address, our bank. All of it. And it nearly worked.After that experience, I went deep on researching how scammers are getting so sophisticated, and what I found was unsettling.So in this video, I'm breaking down exactly what happened to us, how scammers are getting your personal data, and four concrete steps you can take right now to protect yourself:1. Freeze your credit at all three bureaus — it's free, it's easy, and it shuts down one of the most damaging things a scammer can do with your information.2. Clean up your data trail — there are services built specifically to find where your personal information is listed and file removal requests on your behalf.3. Lock down your Social Security account — and grab an IRS Identity Protection PIN while you're at it.4. Build one habit that beats them all — this is the step that actually stopped the scam in our case, and it costs nothing.If you're nearing retirement or already in it, this episode is for you.

In this episode, I cut through the conflicting headlines about bonds and walk through what's actually changed for retirement portfolios heading into 2026. I start with the 40-year tailwind that ran from 1982 to 2021 — when interest rates fell from 16% under Paul Volcker all the way to near zero — and explains why 2022 became the worst year for U.S. bonds in modern history, with the traditional 60/40 portfolio falling roughly 17.5% (its worst result since 1937). I then walk through why 2026 looks fundamentally different: the 10-year Treasury hovering around the low 4% range, Charles Schwab projecting continued short-rate cuts with sticky long-term yields, and Fidelity pointing to the return of the "term premium."Links:https://www.schwab.com/learn/story/fixed-income-outlookhttps://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/trading-investing/bond-market-outlookhttps://home.treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/TextView?type=daily_treasury_yield_curve&field_tdr_date_value=2026https://www.morningstar.com/markets/experts-forecast-stock-bond-returns-2026-editionhttps://robberger.com/portfolios/the-60-40-portfolio/

Most retirement conversations stop at the number. This one goes further.

When a client told me that everything went quiet after he retired, he wasn't complaining. But he wasn't exactly relieved either. It was just... different. And that difference catches a lot of people off guard.

In this episode, I walk through 7 things that tend to go quiet once the paycheck stops. Some of them you'd expect. A couple of them genuinely surprised me when I dug into the research, and they have everything to do with how your brain and body have been wired for decades.

Here's what we cover:1. Your automatic identity2. Your external structure and daily rhythm3. Your stress response (and what cortisol has to do with it)4. Your dopamine loop5. Your daily sense of importance6. Your casual community and weak ties7. Your internal permission to actually spend and enjoy what you built

Two of these involve real neurological and hormonal shifts that most financial conversations never touch.

The goal isn't to recreate your career. It's to intentionally design what comes next, with a new identity, a new rhythm, and a clear sense of what the money was actually for.

In this episode, I break down exactly where AI excels, where it quietly fails, and three specific techniques to get dramatically better results from any AI tool you're already using. Including why you should never ask AI if you're right, and what to ask instead.

🔗 Download the free PDF: How to Use AI for Retirement Planning → https://foundryfinancial.net/ai-retirement-planning-cheat-sheet

🔗 Explore Boldin for retirement planning → https://go.boldin.com/foundryfinancial

Roth conversion calculators can show impressive numbers, but there's something important they often leave out...Every projection is built on a stack of assumptions: future tax rates, inflation, investment returns, and even the order in which spouses pass away. Change one of those inputs, and the entire answer can flip.In this episode, I break down:- Why Roth conversion models can be wildly misleading, even when they look precise- Three situations where converting may actually not be in your best interest- How IRMAA surcharges, ACA subsidies, and the senior deduction can quietly change your math- Why sequence-of-return risk is a real but overlooked downside of aggressive conversions- The year-by-year approach that actually works, without needing a crystal ball- When Roth conversions ARE a powerful move, including for the surviving spouse and for passing wealth to heirs more efficientlyThe goal isn't to talk you out of Roth conversions. It's to make sure you understand what you're doing and why, so you're not just chasing a number on a screen.

A Reddit post from a grandfather stopped me mid-scroll, and I couldn't stop thinking about it. Three years into retirement, he described a moment in his man cave: his grandson asleep beside him, no emails, no meetings, no mental noise. Just presence. For the first time in 45 years, he was fully there. That post captures something I see constantly in my work with pre-retirees, and it comes down to three things most people aren't talking about enough: First, fear drives more financial decisions than math does. This grandfather claimed Social Security early, not because a calculator told him to, but because peace of mind has a value no spreadsheet can capture. Some decisions aren't about optimization. Second, retirement often costs less than people expect. He said spending smoothed out and came in lower than anticipated. The Federal Reserve's own data shows that retirees between 65 and 74, the supposed go-go years, are actually growing their wealth, not drawing it down. Third, you need something to retire to, not just something to retire from. His man cave, his grandson, his presence: that was his answer. Yours might look completely different. But if you haven't thought about what's waiting for you on the other side, the transition gets a lot harder. If you're within five years of retirement, this is the conversation that deserves more of your attention.

Most people think they'll run out of money in retirement because they didn't save enough. The research says otherwise. In this video, I break down the 5 hidden factors that actually determine whether your retirement succeeds or fails — and most of them never show up in an online calculator.

We cover sequence of returns risk (and why retiring in the wrong year can wreck even a well-funded portfolio), spending shocks, tax drag, inflation's slow burn on your purchasing power, and the one risk nobody talks about: the psychology of spending too little.

I also walk through my Sequence of Returns calculator live, showing real data from four different portfolio types — the results might surprise you.

Since 1928, the market has returned over 10% annually — but the average investor only earns about 5%. In this video, I break down the data on market crashes, intra-year drawdowns, and why we're almost guaranteed to see another crash — and why that shouldn't change your retirement plan. I'll show you the real numbers behind all-time highs, the Peter Lynch paradox, and the emotional mistakes that cost retirees the most money.

✅Free Strategy Session ✅ https://www.foundryfinancial.org/retirement-assessmentMost people glance at their Social Security statement, assume the number is fixed, and move on. It's not.

In this episode, Kevin breaks down exactly how your Social Security benefit is calculated — including the earnings indexing formula, the bend point system, and why having fewer than 35 working years can quietly cost you thousands. More importantly, he walks through five specific strategies you can use to increase your benefit before you claim.

What's covered:

• Why zeros in your earnings record hurt more than you think
• How married couples can coordinate benefits to maximize both spousal and survivor income
• The one government error that could be silently reducing your benefit right now
• Why delaying to 70 can mean $1,400+ more per month — for life

Social Security is the only source of retirement income that's guaranteed, inflation-protected, and lasts as long as you live. Getting this decision right matters.

Most people who are well-prepared for retirement have convinced themselves they're behind. In this video, I walk through 9 signs you're actually doing better than most American retirees — even if it doesn't feel that way.

If you know what you spend, carry no debt, and have multiple income streams, there's a good chance your biggest retirement risk isn't running out of money. It's holding back from actually living it.

Kevin explains research showing financial decision-making peaks around age 53, financial literacy declines about 2% per year after 60, and confidence often doesn’t decline—creating risk in retirement as financial complexity increases and scams become more sophisticated.

Most people calculate their net worth by adding up their 401(k), IRA, and home equity, then subtracting debt. But that number is incomplete — and it might be causing you to spend less, worry more, and make worse retirement decisions than you need to.

In this video, I walk you through a better way to calculate your net worth that includes the portfolio equivalency of your Social Security and pension benefits. For the couple in this example, that "hidden" wealth added up to over $1 million — a 72% increase over their traditional net worth.

Someone with $250,000 and someone with $5 million are both watching this video — but their biggest financial risks couldn't be more different. In this video, I break down the 6 levels of retirement wealth (based on Federal Reserve data) and walk through the specific planning priorities at each level.

Because the truth is, most retirement advice on YouTube is a scattershot. What works for someone with $500K might be completely wrong for someone with $5 million. Your playbook should match your level.

No matter where you sit, ask yourself: Do I have a real income plan? Do I understand my tax picture? Do I have a strategy for long-term care? Is my estate plan current?