Retirement Made Simple

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