In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we look at these five questions: 1. Have we been lied to about our Social Security break-even age? 2. Is it ok to restart the 4% rule if the market goes up in early retirement? 3. I am nervous about the run up in AI stocks . . . Could it be a good idea to consider diversifying from VTI to an “equal-weigh…

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover these questions: 1. How to invest $15 million? 2. For the 4% withdrawal rate devised by Bill Bengen, what measure of inflation did he use? Are there other measures that you think might be more appropriate? 3. If you have a retirement portfolio with a 6% yield does the 4% rule apply? 4. Is a 7-ye…

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover this questions: 1. Can you recommend a detailed tax estimator? 2. How to plan Roth conversions without a fancy retirement planner? 3. Should you pay off a mortgage early or invest the money? 4. Are identity theft protection services worth the cost? 5. How does reinvesting vs spending dividends a…

Get free guidance on Medicare from Chapter, a company I've partnered with, by calling 410-220-5494. If you call Chapter, please let me know about your experience. It's Not That Complicated https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Hqs4v7wLCjhh5ohWVVSNTs2HsGz9nufD/view Join the Newsletter. It's Free: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...…

In this episode, we'll walk through resources you can use to get free help with Medicare. The Resources are broken into three categories: 1. Free online educational content 2. Free Medicare guidance from SHIP 3. Free Medicare guidance from insurance brokers Resources Medicare: https://www.medicare.gov/ CMS: https://www.cms.gov/ KFF: https://www.kff…

In this episode, we'll walk through the key differences and pros and cons of Original Medicare vs Medicare Advantage plans. Resources It's Not That Complicated (pdf): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Hqs4... Medicare & You 2026 (pdf): https://www.medicare.gov/publications... 2025 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles: https://www.cms.gov/ne…

In this episode, we'll walk through 7 things you must know about Medicare's annual open enrollment period. Resources It's Not That Complicated (pdf): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Hqs4... Medicare & You 2026 (pdf): https://www.medicare.gov/publications... 2025 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-she..…

A viewer asked me to suggest some tools he could use to evaluate his investment portfolio and asset allocation. So in this video we looked at three of my favorite investment tools: 1. Empower: https://go.robberger.com/empower/yt-3... 2. Kubera: https://go.robberger.com/kubera/yt-3-... 3. Google Sheets: https://robberger.com/investment-trac... Join …

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover the following questions: 1. What are the best finance apps for those with a learning disability? 2. Is 3% SWR the new 4%? 3. How do you model tax-free income in Boldin? 4. In what account type should you hold cash you plan to spend in the first few years of retirement? 5. What inflation rate sho…

In today's video, we discuss how Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) payments are calculated and 8 strategies to reduce or even eliminate the payments. Resources from the Video Reddit Forum Post: / strategies_to_reduce_irmaa_costs_medicare 2025 IRMAA Brackets: https://www.humana.com/medicare/medic... IRMAA MAGI Calculation: https://sec…

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF), we cover five great questions and one tax calculator: 1. What is the Tax Triangle? (Traditional, Roth, and taxable accounts) 2. Is the Withdrawal Amount in FICalc the same as spending? 3. When should you sell an investment that's at a loss? 4. How far into the future should we plan? 5. When and how quickly sho…

A viewer recently asked about bracket filling: "I haven't heard you or other financial advisors say much about "bracket filling" in retirement. Is it reasonable to think that in retirement I should be filling a tax bracket up with pre-tax accounts, then using after-tax accounts for withdrawals that reach into the higher bracket? Is there a way to m…

The passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act has brought us a number of changes to the tax laws. Some changes are "permanent," meaning it would take an act of Congress and the President to change them. Some are "temporary," meaning they expire at some point in the future. Almost all of them can affect how we plan for retirement, particularly when …

Here are the five questions we cover this week in Five Question Friday: 1. Should we park cash in a money market fund or a t-bill ETF? 2. Are Robo-Advisor Tax-Loss harvesting features worth it? 3. What is the Retirement Spending Smile? 4. What rate of return assumption should you use in retirement planning software? 5. Which IRA account types can b…

In today's Five Question Friday we look at the following questions: 1. How should the $6,000 senior deduction affect Roth conversions? 2. Are short-term bonds a reasonable alternative to intermediate-term bonds? 3. Are tax-managed balanced funds ok in a taxable account? 4. How should I invest money I'll use to pay the rent in retirement? 5. Boldin …

One of the challenges of the 4% Rule is what your initial safe withdrawal rate should be. While the name of the rule suggests one should start with 4%, there are countless reasons why that start point may not be right for you. For example, you may retiree early, you may not use the same asset allocation the rule was based on, you may have concerns …

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF), we look at the following questions: 1. TIPS Funds vs Individual TIPS--which provides the better inflation protection? 2. Is a 4% withdrawal each year with no inflation adjustment a reasonable withdrawal strategy? 3. Can tax loss harvesting reduce IRMAA payments? 4. How can you estimate the annual income of an …

We look at the following questions in today's Five Question Friday: 1. Are growth stocks best for Roth IRAs? 2. How should you pay taxes on retirement account withdrawals? 3. How should you invest in retirement if you are scared of the stock market? 4. What's the ideal set-it-and-forget-it retirement portfolio? 5. Should you withdrawal cash from in…

In today's Five Question Friday video we cover these questions: 1. Why has Bill Bengen gone from 4% to 5%? 2. Is it ok to put Social Security bridge money in a money market fund? 3. How do Fidelity's Zero Funds compare to Vanguard Index Funds? 4. Should cash count towards your asset allocation? 5. Should you convert Vanguard Mutual Funds to ETFs? J…

I viewer named Eileen asked about how her children, who are in their twenties, should invest. Here's her question: Can you do a video on constructing a retirement account (Roth) for my 20 year old kids? They are contributing 15%. I am thinking 10% VGSLX, 10% VSIAX, 30% VTIAX and 50% either VTSAX or VVIAX. Your thoughts please. In this video I'll wa…

In today's Five Question Friday we look at these 5 questions: 1. Does a Market Crash Change How to Use the 4% Rule? 2. How do bond ETFs generate returns? 3. Are Timothy Funds a good option? 4. Is Fidelity HSA a solid account? 5. What's better in retirement, Schwab Intelligent Portfolios or a TDR Fund? Join the Newsletter. It's Free: https://robberg…

In this video, I share my experience attending a free dinner investment seminar. The seminar was allegedly to help investors handle volatility in the markets. Instead, it turned out to be a sales pitch for expensive, complex investing products like a leveraged options strategy. Here are links to the resources I mention in the video: SPIVA Report: h…

In this edition of Five Question Friday (FQF), we look at these five questions: 1. My 401k is not employer matched, should I stop contributing to my employer 401k and open a Roth IRA instead? 2. Where should we keep cash we'll need to spend in 12 to 18 months? 3. Can you implement the bucket strategy in Boldin? 4. SCHD + TIPS & Chill? 5. Do Short-T…

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) we'll tackle the following questions: 1. Is now a good time to change your asset allocation? 2. Do target date funds force you to sell stocks in a down market? 3. Does the IRS treat the withdrawal of dividends as taking out earnings or contributions from a Roth IRA? 4. Is an 80% Chance of Success in Retirement …

In this video, I'll run down several high-yield options for your cash. I'll also discuss where we are keeping our cash today. Bank Bonuses: https://www.allcards.com/best-bank-bo... CD Rates: https://www.allcards.com/cd-rates/ Savings Rates: https://www.allcards.com/savings-acco... No-Penalty CD Rates: https://www.allcards.com/no-penalty-c... Vangua…

The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College recently surveyed financial advisors, asking what the major risks were to their clients' retirement. In this video, we'll look at the top 5 risks financial advisors identified, and compare them to the five biggest risks according to retirees. Here's the study: https://crr.bc.edu/wp-content/upload…

Here are today's Five Question Friday (FQF): 1. Are financial apps safe? 2. Can you help me understand the risk of bonds? 3. How are mutual fund dividends taxed? 4. How should we think about annuities for retirement income? 5. Does Ben Felix hate index funds? Ben Felix video: • The Problem With Index Funds Join the Newsletter. It's Free: https://ro…

Here are the five questions we'll cover in this week's edition of Five Question Friday: 1. Is now a good time to do a Roth conversion? (John) 2. Mutual Funds vs ETFs (Shane) 3. Should we invest more in international stocks? (Phil) 4. Is Gold a hedge against inflation? (Cathy) 5. Has 2025 wrecked our retirement plans? (Doug) Resources Boldin: https:…

Welcome to another edition of Five Question Friday (FQF). We actually have 6 questions today plus a free investment tracking tool: 1. Do I send Facebook friend requests to viewers? 2. Is this a good time to start investing? 3. Is rebalancing in volatile times just market timing? 4. If following the 4% rule, should the amount you pay in taxes be inc…

A viewer named John emailed me the following question: "I'm planning to build a 5yr TIPS ladder to provide some inflation protected income in the years before Medicare and SS. How do I model that "account" in Boldin??" It's a great question, and it gives us the opportunity to look at an often overlooked feature of retirement planning software--pens…

Here are the questions for this week's Five Question Friday (FQF): 1. Are savings accounts better than bond funds? 2. Can you please explain nominal and real returns? 3. Does it matter if the market is up or down if you do a Roth conversion? 4. Will I be taxed twice on reinvested dividends? 5. Do you really need more than one broker? Bonus Question…

Choosing between traditional and Roth 401k contributions is difficult. It forces us to make a guess about our taxes years or even decades from now. In this video, we'll discuss some of the factors that can affect this decision. And then, I'll share one strategy that may make the decision much easier. Join the Newsletter. It's Free: https://robberge…

Welcome to another edition of Five Question Friday (FQF). Here are the five questions we'll cover: 1. Will fake inflation data destroy TIPS? 2. How should a pension affect your asset allocation? 3. Do advisors really add 3% to your returns? 4. TIPS Ladder vs TIPS Fund 5. Investing in a Roth vs Traditional Retirement Account Join the Newsletter. It'…

According to the latest report from the Board of Trustees of Social Security, it will become insolvent in 2033. Without money in the trust fund to bolster tax receipts. The Social Security Administration will only be able to pay out 79 cents on the dollar in benefits. Join the Newsletter. It's Free: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...…

Retirement planning requires that we make a lot of assumptions about the future. From all of these assumptions and other data, most software spits out a "Chance of Success." That number can make the future appear more certain than it is. In fact, many people make some big mistakes with their retirement plans. Join the Newsletter. It's Free: https:/…

Welcome to Five Question Friday! Here are the questions we'll cover in today's video: 1. Should You Build a TIPS Ladder in Retirement? 2. Are Vanguard's LifeStrategy Funds a Reasonable Choice in Retirement? 3. Is the 40/60 Portfolio the New 60/40 Portfolio? 4. How many investment brokers do I use? 5. How to rebalance across different account types?…

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF), we tackle these five fantastic questions: 1. What financial apps are worth paying for in or near retirement? 2. How do you enter money market funds into your investment tracking spreadsheet? 3. Is it safe to link accounts to apps? 4. Can you comment on Bill Bernstein's comment that if you've won the game, stop…

Retirement withdrawal strategies are about a lot more than just the 4% rule or safe withdrawal rates. To better understand how they work and how you can apply them to your retirement, this video walks through 7 rules I follow when it comes to spending down your investments in retirement. Join the Newsletter. It's Free: https://robberger.com/newslet…

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF), we have five more great questions sent in by viewers: 1. Should we think of dividends as guaranteed income? 2. Should we invest in our HSA the same way we invest in our Roth IRA? 3. How should you pay tax on a Roth Conversion? 4. Should you get long-term care insurance? 5. Should our investing strategy change …

In this video, I'll describe my approach to investing in uncertain times. To do so, I'll enlist the help of the D.C. subway system, Sir Isaac Newton, and the 1970s. The 60/40 Solution: https://www.safalniveshak.com/wp-cont... Sir Isaac Newton Paper: https://www.sfu.ca/~poitras/cjh_newto... The Telegraph Article: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn…

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF), we cover the following: 1. Some thoughts on how to hire a financial advisor 2. Whether to consider Medicare premiums in your Roth conversion analysis 3. How Social Security should affect our asset allocation in retirement 4. How variable income should affect how we invest 5. Whether I sold U.S. stocks to buy I…

In this video, I'll share with you my current investment portfolio, including a big change I made in our traditional retirement accounts. I'll also share an update to my free investment tracking spreadsheet. https://robberger.com/investment-trac... Join the Newsletter. It's Free: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...…

With stock valuations near all-time highs in the U.S., many people are asking whether we should reduce or exposure to stocks. In fact, a recent Vanguard market outlook report concluded that a typical 60/40 retirement portfolio may be too rich, and that a 40/60 portfolio is a better option in this valuation environment. This video is my take on all …

Welcome back to another edition of Five Question Friday (FQF). Here are today's questions: 1. What bond funds do I use in my portfolio? 2. Do you really need an emergency fund? 3. How does living off interest work with Bengen's 4% rule? 4. How to track money market funds in my investment tracking spreadsheet? 5. Are money market funds better than i…

Warren Buffett recently sol 100% of the two S&P 500 index funds Berkshire Hathaway owned, including Vanguard's VOO. In this video, we'll look at whether we should too. News Article: https://www.investors.com/etfs-and-fu... Berkshire's Stock Holdings: https://www.dataroma.com/m/holdings.p... Berkshire's Net Stock Sales: https://x.com/dividend_data/s…

Welcome to another edition of Five Question Friday (FQF). Here are the 5 questions: 1. Can one Fidelity fund beat the Vanguard 3-fund portfolio? 2. How do expense ratios work with fund of funds? 3. Concerning the 4% rule, which I believe the analysis runs out for 30 years, if someone starts to take a yearly percentage out of their portfolio at a la…

Get 10% off the cost of ProjectionLab with promo code RBERGER-10 using this link: https://go.robberger.com/projectionla.... In today's video, we'll look at the following features of ProjectionLab: 1. Export/Import Data 2. Income/Expense 3. Tax Analytics 4. Drawdowns 5. Bond Allocation Join the Newsletter. It's Free: https://robberger.com/newsletter…

Today, the SEC announced a $106.41 million settlement with Vanguard following moves Vanguard made in 2020 that resulted in excessive capital gains distributions to retail investors. In this video, I'll walk through the settlement order and what it means to investors. Join the Newsletter. It's Free: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...…

In today's episode of Five Question Friday (FQF), we start with a strategy you might consider if you want to leave your expensive financial advisor but you are afraid of going it alone. Here are all the questions in today's show: 1. How to leave your financial advisor 2. TIPS ladder vs BND 3. Are Target Date Funds a Reasonable Option 4. If a person…

We start this week's Five Question Friday (FQF) with a question about whether a 2% investment fee is crazy. Here are the five questions: 1. Am I crazy to be paying a 2% fee to manage my investments at Morgan Stanley? 2. Can you analyze 100% BND versus 50% BND and 50% VIPSX. 3. In Boldin, what are you setting as projected returns? 4. How should I in…