But when it comes to annuities, there are shades of grey that The Retirement Equals Freedom Podcast is here to help you understand.

On this second of two parts, Host Josh Bretl shares FSR Wealth Strategies’ take on when, how and why certain annuities can make the perfect fit for clients whose portfolios need rounding out.

You’ll learn about various types of vehicles to consider, what makes them appealing and potential pitfalls to avoid.

Get to know the difference between immediate and deferred annuities and what distinguishes “protected income” buckets from “growth” buckets (from buckets of “fried chicken,” if – like Co-Host Dave Schmidt – you choose to go there!).

You’ll also find out why Fixed Index Annuities have a lot to offer as a steady stream of low-risk income.

If you’ve ever been intimidated (or put off) by the world of annuities, this is your invitation to take stock (on your own or with the help of a financial adviser) to determine whether they might make a good addition to your growing retirement nest egg.

If you missed Part I of this series, click this link to listen to Episode 40, “What’s Annuities Got to Do With It?”

If you haven’t already, please sign up for all the news you can use (+ lots of fun) at this link for the Retirement Equals Freedom podcast newsletter. You might also want to join the conversation at our private Facebook group, which you’ll find here.

Click here to explore the services that FSR Wealth Strategies offers and schedule a discovery call with one of the team’s CPAs. When it comes to living your best life, it’s never too early to get started!

Host Josh Bretl, owner of FSR Wealth Strategies, explains why this particular investment vehicle has gotten a bad rap (Co-Host Dave Schmidt can relate) and how to educate ourselves on the facts.

As always, it comes down to taking a holistic look at your financial snapshot, including timelines, mix of investments and overall goals.

Sure. When it comes to annuities, there are some very real downsides. But in addition to outlining those, Josh is also helping us get clear about the fact that it’s not a black and white situation.

Or, to put it another way, as our host warns: “If you ever think something is always good, no matter what, you’ve got a problem. And if you think something is bad, no matter what, you’ve got a problem.”

This episode will help anyone who has shut the door on annuities to reconsider them as an investment option – one featuring growth as well as safety.

If you’re intrigued and want to know more, join us for an upcoming Part II that will take a closer look at what annuities offer, how they work and whether they might be just what you need to round out and grow your retirement nest egg.

Trigger Warning: If you’re partial to water chestnuts or have ever worked at a fast-food drive-thru window, the views expressed by your co-hosts may be upsetting. Jokes, we're just having fun.

Retirement planning represents a different phase of life and requires the right expertise, which is why this episode of Retirement Equals Freedom is focused on providing you an all-important checklist to consider before turning your valuable assets – and future well-being – over to a financial adviser.

What are their credentials? Do they have solid knowledge of how to draw down assets – including how to sequence withdrawals and downstream tax implications? How about their style of communication and the quality of their team?

These are just a few of the factors to consider before deciding to whom you want to entrust your hard-earned savings.

If you’ve been planning all your life for a fabulous retirement, congratulations! But in order to get through the distribution phase of your journey, you’re going to want to have the right adviser in place.

And after you listen to this episode, you’ll know just what you’re looking for as well as the right questions to ask. To put it another way (in the words of computer scientist Alan Kay): “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” FSR Wealth is all about helping you find the tools to do exactly that!

Stay tuned for our next live episode of Java With Josh on Wednesday, June 21st. And in the meanwhile, check out this pod link resource for previous episodes of Retirement Equals Freedom and one-click access to your favorite platform for listening!

If you haven’t already, please sign up for all the news you can use (+ lots of fun) at this link for the Retirement Equals Freedom podcast newsletter. You might also want to join the conversation at our private Facebook group, which you’ll find here.

Click here to explore the services that FSR Wealth Strategies offers and schedule a discovery call with one of the team’s CPAs. When it comes to living your best life, it’s never too early to get started!

Host Josh Bretl, founder of FSR Wealth, is showing us the difference between putting together the info we need to file our taxes (always a short-term nuisance!) and positioning ourselves to minimize what we actually owe when April 15th rolls around (a long-term proposition).

As you’ll learn on this episode of Retirement Equals Freedom, whatever stage of life you’re in – from raising young kids to enjoying those golden years – there are important tax implications. It’s about creating a proactive (and tax efficient!) strategy for investing, drawing down and managing your assets all along the way.

Find out how IRAs, 529s, HSAs, RMDs, 401ks – the whole alphabet soup – are part of a holistic, tax-savvy vision for your abundant future!

The show wraps with a quick-fire round of – you asked for it! – “Get to know Josh and Dave” (with apologies to Dave’s mother and Bambi) as well as a DR2R that is more deep dish (pizza) than deep thoughts.

Speaking of deep thoughts, some of the subject matter we tackle can get pretty complex. If you’re wondering whether now is the time to consider hiring a professional, don’t miss our next episode! Josh will be running down the list of things to look for in a qualified financial planner.

Episode Extras

• Check out Jerry Palotta’s popular series of kids’ books, "Who Would Win?" 
• Interested in trying DIY tax prep? TurboTax and H&R Block are two of the biggies.
• Click here if you would like to learn more about the Schmidt family vacation spot: Door County, Wisconsin.
• R=F's new private Facebook group. Come hang out!

Did you know you’re just one click away from a pod link resource with all the latest and greatest about Retirement Equals Freedom? Click here.

If you haven’t already, please sign up for all the news you can use (+ lots of fun) at this link for the Retirement Equals Freedom podcast newsletter. You might also want to join the conversation at our private Facebook group, which you’ll find here.

Click here to explore the services that FSR Wealth Strategies offers and schedule a discovery call with Josh. When it comes to living your best life, it’s never too early to get started! 

When we talk about these bank failures and the role of the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.) in bailing them out, it’s important to understand the customer base of the institutions involved.

You’ll learn on this episode of Retirement Equals Freedom about the three key factors that have driven topsy-turvy ledger sheets and exposure for banks in general – but most especially among those serving primarily high-tech players holding lots of cash.

Interest rates at an all-time low converged with pandemic stimulus checks that produced a massive influx of cash deposits.

What happened next (you’ll have to tune in!) had everything to do with how those deposits and other cash holdings were invested and what occurred when interest rates started to rise.

Some banks – like those that specialize in serving the tech industry – have proved especially vulnerable. Risk mitigation is critical for just such situations, explains Josh, but you can rest assured that the banking system overall is fundamentally sound.

And remember: any account with a balance of up to $250,000 will always be covered by the FDIC.

It’s been a wake-up call for many of us who have been in an economic “dream state” the past 15 years, but there are fortunately lots of great financial planning strategies to help you navigate our new economic realities.

Josh and his Co-Host, Dave Schmidt, also leave you with some bonus advice to help manage the stress: Be kind. Go out there and live your life. We can make the world a better place!

Want to understand why it’s actually a bad thing for yields on investment vehicles like U.S. Treasury Bonds when interest rates go up? Listen to Episode 19 of Retirement Equals Freedom: "Do Bonds Have a Place in My Portfolio?"

If you’re feeling queasy about the recent banking roller-coaster, now may be the time to chat with Josh directly. He and the team at FSR Wealth Strategies are dedicated to ensuring your personal finances are safe – and growing! Click here to schedule your free 15-minute call.

Finally, here are a few fun links to explore if you’d like to dive into our podcast community:

• Sign up for FSR’s page-turner of a newsletter here.
• Join the R=F private Facebook group at this link.
• Visit this pod link resource to get one-click access to your favorite platform for listening to past episodes!
• You haven’t read "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"? Book 1 is the very best!
• Click here for more about the behind-the-scenes FDIC negotiations that brokered the deal for Chase Bank to take over First Republic.

This episode of Retirement Equals Freedom features a first-ever guest, David Wylly of Medicare Solutions Network, who is here to liberate us from our fear of the unknown!

Host Josh Bretl, Founder of FSR Wealth Solutions, runs through a list of key questions covering everything we need to know about this federal health care program and how it can directly impact our quality of life. (If you missed Part I, you might want to get the basics by clicking here to hear Episode 35.)

You’ll learn in Part II why it’s important to be an educated consumer and where some potential red flags are hidden – especially as you approach age 65 and a blizzard of insurance pitches hits. Supplements.

Advantage programs. Options. Parts A, B, C and D. These Medicare components aren’t as daunting as they might seem, especially once explained by Dave W., FSR Wealth’s preferred expert on the topic.

When it comes to smart retirement planning, Josh and Dave W. (not to be confused with our regular co-host, Dave S.) have an unmistakable message to share: Staying engaged is huge.

The choices we make about health care have real consequences. It’s definitely not something to set and forget. So don’t run and don’t hide. Instead, find out how you can take charge!

A great place to start is with Dave’s Medicare Master Class he gave at FSR's quarterly client event, which friends of FSR are invited to attend for free at this link. You can also reach out directly through to Medicare Solutions Network or by giving Dave a call at 630-809-9758.

And don’t worry! Your co-hosts will be back next time with their signature segments, “Get to Know Josh and Dave” and “Dave Relates to Retirees.” (Cue the DR2R jingle!)

Want to chat with others in the FSR community? Join the conversation at our private Facebook group, which you’ll find here!

If you haven’t yet subscribed, click here to have FSR news you can use – and lots more fun stuff – delivered straight to your inbox. You’ll also find great resources about all things R=F at this pod link resource, including one-click access to your favorite platform for listening!

Whenever you’re ready to schedule a free discovery with one of our team, please visit this site. We look forward to meeting you and exploring how FSR Wealth Strategies can help you create the retirement you have worked for and deserve!

In the first of what will be a two-part blockbuster, the Retirement Equals Freedom team is bringing us the ins and outs of a federal health care benefit from which we all stand to, well … benefit.

The trick is figuring out how Medicare works and the right strategy for our individual situations.

You’ll learn on this episode about the difference between Parts A, B, C and D as well as key safeguards to consider when putting together your plan.

So don’t shy away from Medicare. There are people who can help you sort it out and ensure that you own your health care – how much you spend or waste as well as your quality of coverage in retirement.

Taxes, investments, health insurance – it all matters and R=F is here to turn those dreams of freedom into your retirement reality!

Stay tuned for next week when we get more granular in Pt. II of our Medicare debrief. You’ll meet trusted advisor Dave Wylly of Medicare Solutions Network and have more fun learning this stuff than you can possibly imagine!

But on this very special episode Host Josh Bretl, founder of FSR Wealth Strategies, is letting us in on a secret!

As he and Co-Host Dave Schmidt explain, their team’s positive energy and client success are about more than the nuts and bolts of tax strategy, investments and savings.

What else is there?

Well, it’s personal!

Far from a cookie-cutter formula, the collaborative FSR approach to financial planning is customized to each individual’s story, and all kinds of dreams.

They care about where clients are stuck and, with their tools and expertise, know how to get past those stumbling blocks by reducing unnecessary anxiety, clarifying what’s possible and building the plan to make that vision – your ideal retirement – a reality.

And sooner than later! It’s all about making lives better and, says Josh, that “makes us feel really freakin’ good.”

You’ll hear about the mindset shift that occurred when the whole FSR team got together recently to define and celebrate what it is that makes their approach so unique.

Join Josh and Dave as they reflect on their core values and why it’s so important to fall in love with what you’re “for” – professionally, personally and in planning the best part of your life!

Don’t miss all the fun and informative nuggets in our biweekly podcast email club. Join at this link!

Click here to learn more about or listen to previous episodes of The Retirement Equals Freedom Podcast. Or join the conversation over at our private Facebook group, which you can find here.

Click here to explore the services that FSR Wealth Strategies offers and schedule a discovery call with one of the team’s CPAs. When it comes to living your best life, it’s never too early to get started!

Following up on Episode 32, as promised we’re getting the solutions and work-arounds for a range of tax-related challenges that all too often leaving us with a compelling desire to bury our heads in the sand.

This pod’s primary message is: Don’t do that! With a little sound financial advice and some planning, we can all set a course to enjoying the fruits of our hard-earned retirement savings.

You’ll come away with a better understanding of the downsides of mutual funds and a new way of thinking about capital gains as something to manage – not dodge at your own expense.

Just in the nick of time, Co-host Dave Schmidt gives us the break we need by introducing another round of “Get to Know Josh and Dave” followed by a DR2R that is somewhat obscure (and macabre) but highly effective! Enjoy updates, laughs and a whole new understanding of the interplay between sound tax planning and enjoying the kind of retirement you’ve dreamed of – and earned!

Don’t miss this cool new pod link resource with all the latest and greatest about Retirement Equals Freedom and one-click access to your favorite platform for listening!

If you haven’t already, please sign up for all the news you can use (+ lots of fun) at this link for the Retirement Equals Freedom podcast newsletter. You might also want to join the conversation at our private Facebook group, which you’ll find here.

Click here to explore the services that FSR Wealth Strategies offers and schedule a discovery call with one of the team’s CPAs. When it comes to living your best life, it’s never too early to get started!

Host Josh Bretl, founder of FSR Wealth Strategies, is breaking down the intent behind portfolio rebalancing and the difference between sheltered and unsheltered investment vehicles.

We don’t have to live in fear of capital gains or let tax liability on non-qualified investments scare us out of cashing in and enjoying the fruits of the assets we’ve accrued! All we need to do is get our heads out of the sand and create a solid strategy, which is where the professionals come in!

Cohost Dave Schmidt’s portfolio may be heavily tilted towards socks and “Naughty Dip “ingredients, but he still needs to know about mutual funds and why they can upend tax planning.

Tune in and it will all become clear – both how different types of investments have variable tax impacts and why it matters. And even if you don’t wind up following Dave’s recipe, you’ll definitely come away with a better understanding of all the ingredients that go into proactive, tax-savvy investment management. And very likely an undeniable craving for Girl Scout cookies!

Wondering what kept Dave awake through Josh’s rambling? It was a big cup of iced Cometeer's "Counter Culture" roaster. Get $25 off your first order by using this link!

Don’t miss out! You can stay in the loop on all things R = F by signing up for the show’s weekly email at this link!

Click here to learn more about or listen to previous episodes of The Retirement Equals Freedom Podcast. Or join the conversation over at our private Facebook group, which you can find here.

Click here to explore the services that FSR Wealth Strategies offers and schedule a discovery call with one of the team’s CPAs. When it comes to living your best life, it’s never too early to get started!

You’ll learn about an adjustment to age limits for required minimum distributions (RMDs) and why tax strategy is key to maximizing assets in retirement. It’s all about being proactive, says Josh: “I like when my clients have control and there’s nothing raining over that could spoil what we believe could be the best part of their lives.”

There’s something for everyone as Co-Host Dave Schmidt takes us into the finer points of his all-time favorite video games and ponders a photo tribute to the gall bladder polyps Josh’s astute doctor sent packing.

In addition to learning all the latest and greatest information about SECURE Act 2.0, you’ll enjoy another round of #Dave Relates to Retirees (aka DR2R) and find out which podcasts our hosts are loving these days. And don’t forget to stay up on all the latest by signing up for the show’s weekly email at this link!

This episode was fueled by Cometeer Coffee, both iced and hot!

Click here to learn more about or listen to previous episodes of The Retirement Equals Freedom Podcast. And don’t miss out on the conversation over at our new private Facebook group, which you can find here.

Click here to explore the services that FSR Wealth Strategies offers and schedule a discovery call with one of the team’s CPAs. When it comes to living your best life, it’s never too early to get started!

• How they work.
• Who can contribute.
• Ways to make and monitor investments inside them.
• When it’s okay to withdraw funds from them – and how.
• Plus insights about #TaxNerd implications and an interesting loan option.

You’ll come away from this episode with a whole new depth of wisdom about 401ks and why they are such a valuable – but often misunderstood – vehicle for the kind of financial growth that adds up over time to the kind of robust retirement nest egg we all want to have.

And, on an irrelevant side note, if you doubt that there are harmonica players out there making good money as well as beautiful noise, listen to "Re: Stacks," (a Bon Iver cover), performed by legendary harmonica player Grégoire Maret. As promised by Co-Host Dave Schmidt on the show, you can find one of his favorite harmonica-featured tunes of the moment here.

Like what you’ve heard? Want to spread the word? Send your friends to this pod link resource with all the latest and greatest about Retirement Equals Freedom and one-click access to your favorite platform for listening!

It's a new year and Cometeer is back in stock at the FSR freezer! Get $25 off your first order when you click this link.

And don’t forget to join the conversation at our private Facebook group, which you’ll find here.

Click here to explore the services that FSR Wealth Strategies offers and schedule a discovery call with one of the team’s CPAs. When it comes to living your best life, it’s never too early to get started!

Join us for a special New Year Edition of the Retirement Equals Freedom Podcast focused on figuring out how traditional and Roth IRAs as well as 401k plans can work for you!

#TaxNerds: You’ll come away understanding the benefits, limitations and rules of the road on contributions just in time for tax season – with a little historical context about retirement investing and pensions thrown in for good measure!

Don’t miss breaking news about everything from big plans for entertaining in the Bretl’s new kitchen to Dave’s secret passion for the harmonica to some fun reading recs. Let’s make the year ahead a great one!

Check out this cool new pod link resource with all the latest and greatest about Retirement Equals Freedom and one-click access to your favorite platform for listening!

And don’t forget to join the conversation at our private Facebook group, which you’ll find here.

Click here to explore the services that FSR Wealth Strategies offers and schedule a discovery call with one of the team’s CPAs. When it comes to living your best life, it’s never too early to get started! 

Host Josh Bretl, founder of FSR Wealth Strategies, is closing out the year with a recap and deeper dive into some of the variables we all need to weigh when deciding when to tap federal benefits.

He’s explaining the potholes that often trip up retirees and suggesting strategies to consider when making these all-important decisions, including a look at the financial legacies we want to leave and the amount of taxes we want to pay (or avoid paying) Uncle Sam.

You’ll also enjoy some fun revelations about how Josh and Dave (that’s co-host, high school bestie and all-around impresario Dave Schmidt) relax their minds (interesting revelations!) and why having a good coach is important when it comes to making tactical decisions (about both passing the ball and maximizing our assets in retirement).

Time to celebrate the season with more Retirement Equals Freedom wisdom – and a cup of good cheer! And we look forward to seeing you in the year ahead!

This episode was fueled by Cometeer Coffee!

Click here to learn more about or listen to previous episodes of The Retirement Equals Freedom Podcast. Don’t forget to sign up for the show’s new weekly email at this link and definitely come join the conversation at our new private Facebook group, which you can find here.

Click here to explore the services that FSR Wealth Strategies offers and schedule a discovery call with one of the team’s CPAs. When it comes to living your best life, it’s never too early to get started!

Host Josh Bretl is walking us through some of the variables that we all want to factor into the all-important decision about when to start receiving Social Security. Sooner or later? It depends on your age, health history and how much you (and your spouse) require to live comfortably.

It also depends on how much you’re earning. (Did you know you could suffer big penalties if you try to tap Social Security while earning more than $18,000 per year?)

You’ll also want to hear what superpowers Josh and Co-Host Dave Schmidt would most like to have and how choosing what to watch on TV this weekend may have some similarities to financial planning for retirement (it’s a stretch … but there are parallels).

And if you’re feeling bereft that this up-close-and-personal special series on Social Security has come to an end, we’re here to say: But wait! There’s more!! Yep. Josh and Dave will be back next time to dig deep into some more variables those Social Security calculators oftentimes miss.

So stay tuned for Part III – sure to be a fan fave!

This jam-packed show is focused on the system’s history – from how it got started to how its parameters have evolved. Established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the height of the Great Depression, as Josh says, “Social Security is a beast of a government program that has a huge impact on almost everyone’s lives.”

Along with Co-Host Dave Schmidt, we’re learning about why more people than ever are relying more heavily on their Social Security checks over longer periods of time (thanks to the evaporation of pensions and increasing lifespans).

Josh ponders how the Social Security system may be reformed – but never entirely replaced – and emphasizes the importance of strategizing about when to tap your benefits and how to supplement your income if that traditional “three-legged stool” retirement plan turns into a bicycle (tune in and it will all become crystal clear … along with a national need for an Alf reboot).

If you enjoyed the show, please do us a favor and us at Apple Podcasts to comment, rate and review Retirement Equals Freedom. It helps us stay inspired, boosts visibility and grows our audience. We really appreciate the support!

This episode was fueled by Cometeer Coffee, both iced and hot!

Click here to learn more about or listen to previous episodes of The Retirement Equals Freedom Podcast. Don’t forget to sign up for the show’s new weekly email at this link and definitely come join the conversation at our new private Facebook group, which you can find here.

The good news is, that means more years to enjoy! But that positive headline also comes with a word to the wise: You’re going to want to do some planning to ensure you’ve got enough fuel in the tank to enjoy all the days of your life!

Josh and his co-host, Dave Schmidt, are looking at “the hierarchy of dreams, strategies and tools” we can leverage to create a sustainable retirement. Think of it this way: When done right, retirement really does = freedom! It’s a permission slip to stop worrying, start spending and keep on enjoying a wisely invested portfolio that will keep paying dividends to keep you worry-free year after year!

Disclaimer: There are lots of great strategies out there, but please be warned that s’more chocolate chip cookie sundaes are neither correlated with nor a recommended predictor of health and longevity. 

As always, we’re loving our Cometeer Coffee. If you’d like to brew it at home, click here to get $25 off your first order. 

You’ll also learn why it’s time to look at your Medicare coverage, whether now is the time to “harvest” losing stock picks and when it makes the most sense to opt for a Roth IRA conversion. The episode wraps with another round of that perennial favorite – Get to Know Josh and Dave – as well as a Dave Relates to Retirees that will leave you with a strange craving for pumpkin spice anything.

And don’t forget a very important year-end homework assignment from Josh that’s applicable to all of us, whatever our stage of life: Get busy dreaming! Each new year brings a chance to build that bucket list! 

Stay tuned for frontline reporting on whether Dave is allowed to bring his new water balloon slingshot to the offices of FSR Wealth. And if you haven’t tried it already, click here to get $25 off your first order of Cometeer Coffee. It’s the greatest!

Click here to learn more about or listen to previous episodes of The Retirement Equals Freedom Podcast. And don’t forget to join our private Facebook group, which you can find here. Don’t want to miss a thing? Visit this link to sign up for a weekly email with all the latest!

Need help figuring out your year-end financial planning strategy? Click here to explore the services that FSR Wealth Strategies offers and schedule a discovery call with one of the team’s CPAs. When it comes to living your best life, it’s never too early to get started!

Are you ready to chat with Josh? You can schedule your complimentary 15-minute checkup call at this link.

Brew your own Cometeer Coffee at home with $25 off your first order: Just click here!

Click here to learn more about or listen to previous episodes of The Retirement Equals Freedom Podcast.

Don’t miss out on the show’s exciting weekly email, which you can subscribe to at this link. And if you feel like chatting, join the lively conversation at our private Facebook group, which you can find here.

On this episode of Retirement Equals Freedom, we are learning how I Bonds work and who is best suited to buy them (most anyone with cash on hand that they won’t need to tap for at least 12 months and ideally longer). The reason these U.S. Treasury bonds have come into vogue? They’re pegged to inflation and as inflation has soared, so have their rates of return. Learn about who is qualified to purchase, how much can be invested annually, the tax implications upon withdrawal of funds and whether this is an investment that’s right for you!

We wrap the show with the popular segments: Get to Know Josh & Dave and Dave Relates to Retirees.

This episode was full of twists and turns, fueled by Cometeer Coffee’s “Chiapas!” blend. Click here if you’d like to try this fantastic blend – and receive $25 off your first order!

Have you joined the REF email club yet? You can get in the loop by signing up here and don’t miss the conversation over at our new private Facebook group, which you can find here. And you can listen to previous episodes of The Retirement Equals Freedom Podcast here.

Click here to explore the services that FSR Wealth Strategies offers and schedule a discovery call with one of the team’s CPAs. When it comes to living your best life, it’s never too early to get started!

In the meantime, if you’re stashing earned income in an IRA-type retirement account, you’ll want to know all about the implications of a new and evolving law whose reassuring acronym – SECURE – stands for “Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act.”

Without proactive financial planning, you may miss the boat on timing distributions and wind up paying taxes you want to avoid! You’ll learn about how The Secure Act of 2019 came to be (and why there’s already a 2.0 version under consideration) as well as some of specific changes that may impact how non-spouses who inherit retirement accounts will need to sequence distributions.

Co-host Dave Schmidt brings it all together with a vivid illustration of what could happen to retirees or soon-to-be-retirees who don’t get help decoding all the fine print! (Please note: No bunnies were harmed in the making of this podcast.)

You won’t want to miss this opportunity to jot down notes and questions for your retirement planner about this policy that’s still a work in progress!

This episode was fueled by Cometeer Coffee, both iced and hot!

Numbers are growing like crazy, so get onboard by signing up for the show’s new weekly email at this link and then come on over and join the conversation at our new private Facebook group, which you can find here (#MoreErin!).

Click here to learn more about or listen to previous episodes of The Retirement Equals Freedom Podcast. Don’t forget to sign up for the podcast email club while you're there!

Click here to explore the services that FSR Wealth Strategies offers and schedule a discovery call with one of the team’s CPAs. When it comes to living your best life, it’s never too early to get started!

For decades, explains FSR Wealth Strategies Founder and Host Josh Bretl, it’s provided retirees a reliable mix of 60% equities and 40% bonds to protect against market downturns.

Not so much anymore. Due to shifting interest rates and other factors, that gold standard formula is no longer a given. The landscape has changed and there’s a new normal, which Josh is here to explain (with input from Co-Host Dave Schmidt that most likely be helpful to your financial decision-making).

You’ll learn why the 60/40 formula has worked in the past and based on what kinds of research the common wisdom has been updated to reflect new risks associated with bond holdings. Understanding the purpose of bonds in your mix of investments is critical to considering alternatives (ideally with the help of a qualified advisor).

Even though there’s no predicting the future for certain, there are ways to protect your retirement nest egg. It starts with education and sound advice!

This episode was fueled by Cometeer Coffee, both iced and hot!

Click here to learn more about or listen to previous episodes of The Retirement Equals Freedom Podcast. Don’t forget to sign up for the show’s new weekly email at this link and definitely come join the conversation at our new private Facebook group, which you can find here.

Click here to explore the services that FSR Wealth Strategies offers and schedule a discovery call with one of the team’s CPAs. When it comes to living your best life, it’s never too early to get started!

You’ll learn what bonds are, why they are typically an important component of balanced investment portfolios, how certain economic anomalies have shaped their returns over recent decades and whether now is the time to consider buying, selling or looking for alternatives.

It’s everything you’ve always wanted to know about the nuts and bolts of bonds, but were afraid to ask! Who knew the concept of an “inverse relationship” could be so exciting? Almost as riveting as looking at the sales tax total after a day of back-to-school shopping (#TaxNerd)?

Enjoy this chat about a subject that would undoubtedly be a yawn in the hands of anyone less skilled and entertaining! It’s Bonds, Baby!

This episode was fueled by Cometeer Coffee, both iced and hot!

Click here to learn more about or listen to previous episodes of The Retirement Equals Freedom Podcast. Don’t forget to sign up for the show’s weekly club email at this link and definitely come join our new private Facebook group, which you can find here.

Click here to explore the services that FSR Wealth Strategies offers and schedule a discovery call with one of the team’s CPAs. When it comes to living your best life, it’s never too early to get started!

Co-hosts Josh Bretl of FSR Wealth Strategies and Dave Schmidt (aka Vulcan Schmidt Todd Lopez) move us out of denial into a clearer understanding of what estate planning looks like and how assets are classified among partners and beneficiaries.

You’ll also learn why trusts and wills are so important to ensuring the things we’ve worked hard for in our lifetimes will transfer smoothly (and as inexpensively as possible) to exactly those loved ones we wish to designate as heirs.

The topic doesn’t have to be ghoulish or sad and the alternative (burying our heads in the sand) can mean family arguments or an unintended windfall for Uncle Sam – something no one wants!

This info-packed episode will put you on the path to peace of mind and not a moment too soon. “Because wherever you go (when you die),” says Josh, “Your money’s not going with you!”

This episode was fueled by Cometeer Coffee, both iced and hot!

Don’t forget to sign up for the show’s new weekly email at this link and definitely come join the conversation at our new private Facebook group, which you can find here.

If you’d like to learn more about or listen to previous episodes of The Retirement Equals Freedom Podcast, you’ll find them here.

Click here to explore the services that FSR Wealth Strategies offers and schedule a discovery call with one of the team’s CPAs. When it comes to living your best life, it’s never too early to get started!

How do you get there? By looking at all three tiers of the multi-pronged financial planning approach that Josh is sharing. You’ll find out the difference between Tools, Strategies and (most fun of all) Dreams. Once you’ve got your snapshot and go-forward framework in place, the world opens up.

For Josh it’s the best part of his job: Helping people realize that they’ve got the retirement savings a) not to be fearful and b) to go out and follow their bliss, whether through first-class travel, paying for grandkids’ educations or stocking up the freezer with an infinite amount of favorite snack treats! And, finally, please always remember: “Thunder only happens when it’s rainin’. Players only love you when they’re playin’.” Tune in and it’ll all make sense! Sort of.

If you haven’t tried it already, click here to get $25 off your first order of Cometeer Coffee. It’s the greatest!

Click here to learn more about or listen to previous episodes of The Retirement Equals Freedom Podcast. And don’t forget to sign up for the show’s new weekly email at this link or join the conversation at our new private Facebook group, which you can find here.

Click here to explore the services that FSR Wealth Strategies offers and schedule a discovery call with one of the team’s CPAs. When it comes to living your best life, it’s never too early to get started!

And, finally, if at the end of the pod you are scratching your head and asking: Who (or what) is an ALF (?), here's the backstory.

This episode was fueled by Cometeer Coffee, both iced and hot!

Click here to learn more about or listen to previous episodes of The Retirement Equals Freedom Podcast. Don’t forget to sign up for the show’s new weekly email at this link and definitely come join the conversation at our new private Facebook group, which you can find here.

Click here to explore the services that FSR Wealth Strategies offers and schedule a discovery call with one of the team’s CPAs. When it comes to living your best life, it’s never too early to get started!

What’s on your vanity license plate – real or imagined? Josh and Dave want to know! Share your favorites on our new private Facebook group, which you can find here.

Know someone who is new to podcasts and wants to know how to tune in Retirement = Freedom? Josh has put together a little video that makes it easy. Click on this link (and share) to learn how to start listening today!

And if you haven’t tried it already, click here to get $25 off your first order of Cometeer Coffee. It’s the greatest!

Click here to learn more about or listen to previous episodes of The Retirement = Freedom Podcast.

FSR Wealth Strategies offers free discovery calls. Just click here to get started with one of the team’s CPAs. When it comes to living your best life, it’s never too early to get started!

Got a burning question (about retirement planning or 1990s music or Ne-Mo's Chocolate Chocolate Puddin' Cakes)? Join our new private Facebook group, which you can find here, and fire away. Josh and Dave will be offering up answers on future episodes!

Click here to learn more about or listen to previous episodes of The Retirement = Freedom Podcast.

Click here to explore the services that FSR Wealth Strategies offers and schedule a discovery call with one of the team’s CPAs. When it comes to living your best life, it’s never too early to get started!

This episode features not only a fantastic interactive state-by-state map to get you started, but also the latest on some devastatingly delicious crepes and The Dave’s deeply moving haiku tribute to Alaska. Plus Breaking News! Josh has finally placed his order! Cometeer Coffee will be showing up at his doorstep any day, so stay tuned for an unbiased review on an upcoming episode!

Click here to learn more about or listen to previous episodes of The Retirement = Freedom Podcast. And don’t forget to join our new private Facebook group, which you can find here.

Click here to explore the services that FSR Wealth Strategies offers and schedule a discovery call with one of the team’s CPAs. When it comes to living your best life, it’s never too early to get started!

This episode is devoted to the timing of moving your savings from pre-tax traditional IRAs and 401k retirement plans into a Roth IRA whose growth going forward will be tax-free. The ouch, of course, is that the nest egg on which those future free distributions rest has to be taxed in the here and now. So it can be tricky! Josh explains some of the factors that must be analyzed when developing a smart conversion strategy. And a critical word of advice: Do your due diligence because once you click “convert,” there’s no going back. It’s important to be sure you’ve got a firm grasp of your current and future earnings and tax scenarios!

Feeling a little unclear about the finer points of Roth IRA conversions versus sticking with your traditional IRA? Josh and his intrepid (which isn’t to say marathon-ready) cohost Dave Schmidt frame the decision in terms of weight loss and the pay-it-now or pay-it-later reality of managing good health. It’s a two-for-one. Great financial planning education plus inspiration for that physical fitness regime you’ve been putting off. So put down that Puddin’ Cake and join the fun!

Are you in the FSR Wealth Strategies family and curious to learn more about Roth IRAs? Click  here to join our new private Facebook group and request a free Roth conversion analysis and maybe even win a chance at an original Dave jingle personalized just for you!

Like all things financial planning, the timing of when to contribute is highly individualized and has to be part of a broader strategic approach. With help from his fearless sidekick, Dave Schmidt, Josh teases out some of the specific benefits Roth IRAs confer, even after death, and also how they work as a potential investment opportunity in down markets like the one we’re in today.

Finally, you’ll learn why the Roth IRA offers a tremendous hedge against future taxes and why income earners who plan now can enjoy peace of mind (and generous post-tax distributions) later on in retirement. (And, no, Dave. It’s not the same thing as hoarding TGI Fridays rewards points that actually belonged to the friends who paid for your high school burgers and fries!)

Click here to learn more about or listen to previous episodes of The Retirement = Freedom Podcast. And don’t forget to join our new private Facebook group, which you can find here.

Ready to blast off with some high-octane (and delicious!) Cometeer Coffee? Click here to get $25 off your first order. It’s the greatest!

Click here to explore the services that FSR Wealth Strategies offers and schedule a discovery call with one of the team’s CPAs. When it comes to living your best life, it’s never too early to get started!

This episode offers important follow-up on the topic of greed – not what it is, but how to avoid falling prey to it! The first step is defining your appetite for risk. And not in those frequently used, way-too-general terms: Conservative, Moderate and Aggressive. Josh details a more precise way to measure comfort levels relative to where we are in our retirement journey – as well as how it all correlates (or doesn’t!) with market exposure.

You’ll also learn about how a bull market like the one we’ve seen over the past decade can hit the skids, leaving portfolios out of whack and vulnerable to huge losses with long-lasting consequences. Says Josh: “Risk is actually a fun topic once you understand it – and it gives you a lot of power and control!” Definitely, when it comes to financial planning. But as far as how risk relates to selecting from the menu at a sushi restaurant? That’s another kettle of fish (ba-dum-bum!). Exactly what does that mean? Tune in to find out on Episode 8, the one that lifts The Retirement = Freedom Podcast into the top 2 million shows out there today (according to Dave’s research, which may or may not be statistically valid)!

Curious to know more about your risk score? Click here to try out FSR’s free risk assessment tool! The first 18 Elmhurst, IL, locals who take the quiz will receive a complimentary Ne-Mo's Chocolate Chocolate Puddin' Cake!

Visit this link to explore the services that FSR Wealth Strategies offers and schedule a discovery call with one of the team’s CPAs. When it comes to living your best life, it’s never too early to get started!

And if you haven’t tried it already, click here to get $25 off your first order of Cometeer Coffee. It’s the greatest!

In a future episode Josh will deal with how to keep a cool head when the stock market starts a steep descent, but for now we’re focused on the role and risk associated with having a stock market portfolio. Over time, history has shown, the stock market is a great vehicle for growth. But as with so many things, timing is everything. Retirees don’t have the flexibility to wait out a downturn and long, slow recovery. So the answer is? Don’t put yourself in a vulnerable position!

Josh outlines three key points: 

• Risk is about how much you’re willing to lose.
• Risk is identifiable and measurable.
• Most retirees are taking on too much risk.

If your financial adviser doesn’t specialize in retirement planning, then they are likely not monitoring your stock exposures and investment timing closely enough. We learn about what “sequence of returns” means in the context of your fixed income and ways to keep that all-important nest egg safe.

And, if all else fails, you can just double-click on the part where we give a big shout out to Tonic's "Soldier's Daughter," clearly a high-water mark (not) for 1990s culture.

Have you tried Cometeer Coffee yet? Click here to get $25 off your first order.

And if you’d like to learn more about or listen to previous episodes of the Retirement = Freedom Podcast, you’ll find them here.

Finally, click here to explore the services that FSR Wealth Strategies offers and schedule a discovery call with one of the team’s CPAs. When it comes to living your best life, it’s never too early to get started!

Has anything truer ever been said? Not according to The Dave, who helps kick off this episode of Retirement = Freedom with several pearls of wisdom before he and Host Josh Bretl, CPA and Founder of FSR Wealth Strategies, get down to business.

When it comes to getting your retirement planning act together, there are two key questions that Josh puts to all his clients right out of the gate:

1. How long are you going to live?
2. How much do you spend?

These are personal, sensitive questions and the answers are at once straightforward (“I don’t know”) and complex (“How many puddin’ cakes a month can we afford?). No one wants to think about their mortality and anyway who can predict?

We can’t, says Josh, which is why it’s probably smart to err on the side of preparing for a very long life! Longevity rates are increasing at a brisk pace and you’ll likely motor along years beyond what you might now imagine.

The subject of spending is a whole other animal. No one wants to get naked and admit things (like their disproportionate monthly spending on laser tag, ahem, Dave). But the truth is that, when it comes to working with a financial planning professional like Josh, it’s a judgment-free zone: “We don’t care what you spend money on, but we do care how much you spend.”

Spending choices are entirely at your discretion. No shame and no blame. But wherever you are on your retirement planning journey, it’s important to get honest and get a strategy. Josh and Dave will follow up on this episode with more conversation about ideas for allocating resources in retirement. So stay tuned and in the meantime enjoy a cup of Cometeer Coffee!

The winners wind up handing less of their hard-earned savings over to the government in retirement. And who doesn’t want to keep more money on tap for that bucket list?

Following on previous episodes that gave the high-level on income/expenses and investments, this is an introduction to the general landscape of taxes and policy changes that lay head. (Hint: Taxes invariably go up, not down).

This episode may not be a huge barrel of laughs, but Josh promises Dave that fun (lots!) and laughter (tons!) will ensue as we get deeper into the nuances of retirement tax planning strategy.

It’s kind of like Hasbro’s Game of Life, except without the car tokens and fake money. And pay close attention this episode, as The Dave wears a Comfy in which he may or may not bear a resemblance to Chewbacca.

If we don’t? More and more people are living longer and, well, no one wants to outlive their bank balance.

The goal here is to enjoy our bucket lists, maintain a healthy emergency fund and ultimately still have some inheritance left for relatives who were nice to us. It’s a complicated equation, which is why The Retirement Equals Freedom Podcast is here to help get it sorted out.

Josh Bretl, CPA and owner of FSR Wealth Strategies, is focused this episode on the tricky business of investment management. In retirement the whole calculus in terms of time and risk has to change and too often financial planners don’t know how to adapt or serve their clients well in this next phase.

We learn that free meals can be a great marketing tool, not only for drawing prospective clients but also – to Josh’s surprise – for educating people like trusty sidekick Dave Schmidt, who goes 2-for-2 on a little pop quiz.

His arts degree didn’t exactly prepare him for crunching numbers, but we’re seeing an encouraging learning curve here (despite the disruptive slurping – with apologies to Dave’s mom).

Josh keeps us on track with informative highlights from a recent FSR Wealth Strategies lunch presentation and a recap of what we’ve been learning about the jigsaw puzzle that is retirement planning.

Join Josh and Dave next episode, when the focus shifts from income sources and investment management to the super-important topic of tax planning. Sound a little dry and confusing?

You clearly haven’t experienced Josh’s “not boring” take on this topic. Dave promises: It’ll be a hoot. Let’s hold him to it ...

Host Josh Bretl, a CPA and owner of FSR Wealth Strategies, is explaining his “Pockets on Your Pants” model for spending in retirement.

Income is the No. 1 concern he sees among clients contemplating their long-term financial prospects – and from the sound of it securing a revenue stream is also on sidekick Dave Schmidt’s mind!

The two discuss what “The Great Resignation” means in terms of future financial security, how the “retire at age 65” standard came into being (pretty random, actually) and why younger generations are ordering some of their priorities differently (embracing side hustles and skepticism about the corporate paycheck way of life).

All that said, whatever your approach, everyone benefits from having an actual framework written down, along with realistic milestones and contingency plans for those unexpected rainy days.

And speaking of those rainy days? Nothing could be more comforting than Market Day Chocolate Chocolate Puddin' Cake. We know that makes no sense, but listen in and thank us later!

The show wraps with just a little brainstorming. For future planning, here’s a possibility: The Retirement = Freedom Podcast co-hosts record while enjoying a “Happy Hour” featuring a tasting of Mike Rowe's fantastic Knobel Spirits handcrafted whiskey. Discuss amongst yourselves!

The focus of Josh and Dave’s latest episode is some of the big-picture concepts that will be the focus of deeper dives in the future. Mindset is of course the starting point – and for many of us the biggest block to planning for – and enjoying – the freedom to do what we want when we want in our Golden Years. We’re in for some thought-provoking anecdotes about what it means to feel fearful and strapped for cash or intimidated by the increasingly complex jigsaw puzzle that is tax and retirement planning.

In additional financial food for thought, one final word of warning from the co-hosts as the podcast wraps: If you’re over-40, you might want to think carefully about when, whether and how to consume roast beef and cheddar sandwiches!

The name pretty much spells it out: We’re here to help people understand how to use smart strategy and planning to secure – and enjoy – the retirement of their dreams.

Along with his sidekick Dave Schmidt, Josh Bretl will be sharing his insights as a certified public accountant with nearly two decades of experience building tax-focused plans that are all about freedom – the ability to do what you want to do, when you want and with whomever you want!

In this episode you’ll meet the co-hosts, learn a bit about their backstories and a universal truth about retirement. Even with the right resources in place, it’s a transition.

That’s why Josh plans to share interviews with clients and experts, trusted advisory insight, recommended reading – as well as a good portion of fun and personal perspective.

Tune in to find out what’s in Josh’s toolkit – tips and tricks he’s acquired over nearly 20 years of helping people from all walks of life go out and squeeze the very best out of their golden years!