Retirement Success Blueprint With Michael Stewart
Michael Stewart
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Financial and retirement planning guidance from Michael Stewart of Crystal Lake Tax & Financial.
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Nov 21, 2023
The Ultimate Retirement Planning Mixtape
Get ready to rock to the rhythms of retirement wisdom in this week’s episode! We've put together the ultimate retirement planning playlist, featuring timeless lyrics that reflect various stages of the planning journey. From setting financial goals to finding purpose in your golden years, this playlist sets the stage for important discussions about crafting your dream retirement.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Nov 9, 2023
End of Year Financial Planning For 2023
Join us for a thoughtful episode where we unpack our 2023 edition of key year-end planning strategies for those nearing or embracing their retirement years. We'll explore the nuances of optimizing your investment portfolio, safeguarding your assets, and ensuring a stable, rewarding lifestyle in the years to come. Together, we'll navigate through essential topics like managing RMDs, exploring tax-saving opportunities, and even touching on the often-overlooked emotional aspects of this pivotal life transition.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Oct 19, 2023
Money Mistakes You’ll Regret and How to Avoid Them
"Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.” – Eleanor Roosevelt… Ever wish you could foresee financial missteps before they happen? On today’s episode, explore some real-life stories of regret and arm yourself with the essential dos and don'ts to ensure your money works for you, not against you.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Oct 5, 2023
Retirement Planning’s “Hidden” Questions
The retirement planning world is filled with plenty of advice and suggestions, but there are critical questions lurking in the shadows – the unasked, the overlooked. These are the questions that can help define the comfort and security of your retirement future. On this episode, we unearth and tackle these hidden, but essential questions about retirement.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Sep 21, 2023
Understanding RMDs: A Guide For Retirees & The Soon-to-Retire
Are you over 55 and pondering retirement? Dive into the world of Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) with us. In this episode, we demystify the reasons behind mandatory withdrawals from your retirement savings. Discover strategies to potentially avoid them and understand the risks of not preparing in advance. And for those fortunate to not rely on RMDs for income, we'll explore impactful ways to utilize those funds.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Sep 7, 2023
Navigating Finances After Losing a Spouse: Strategies & Mistakes to Avoid
Losing a spouse is an unimaginably tough life event, but the financial implications can add another layer of stress to the grieving process. In this episode, we delve deep into the most common financial issues faced by widows and widowers, from dealing with income gaps to navigating tax changes as a single filer.
We explore actionable strategies to address these problems, such as the importance of life insurance and the ins and outs of spousal pension continuation. This is the episode for you if you’re concerned with ensuring the financial well-being of your remaining family members and safeguarding your financial future and legacy in the face of loss.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Aug 24, 2023
Breaking Up is Hard to Do: Navigating the Transition to a New Financial Advisor
In today's episode, we'll explore the sensitive and significant process of transitioning from one financial advisor to another. We'll cover how to recognize when your current advisor may no longer be serving your financial needs effectively, the right questions to ask, and crucial factors to consider when searching for a new financial partner.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Jul 20, 2023
How To Clean Up Your Portfolio
Get ready to roll up your sleeves and dive into the gritty side of personal finance. In this episode, we reveal how everyday household tasks can serve as reminders of the principles that lead to financial success. From taking out the trash in your investment portfolio to cleaning out the fridge of outdated financial strategies, we'll explore how to declutter your financial life.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Jul 6, 2023
Mastering Retirement Cash Flow (Part 1): Understanding Changing Expenses
In this episode, we’ll explore many of the expenses in your life that might drastically change (one way or another) in retirement. We’ll break those expenses down further to see which ones are the top priorities and analyze some of the other factors that impact your cash flow in retirement.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Jun 15, 2023
Bad Money Habits Could Spoil Your Retirement Party
Picture this: You're at your retirement party, finally ready to enjoy your golden years, but worries caused by some bad money habits have robbed you of fully enjoying the sweetness of the day. It happens to more people than you think, which is unfortunate because with just a little bit of modification, you can rid some of the worst money habits from your life and set yourself up for retirement success. Tune in to this episode and develop healthy financial habits that pave the way for a secure future!
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Apr 27, 2023
Top Social Security Myths, Part 2
Unfortunately, there are a lot of myths about Social Security out there. In this episode, we'll debunk these common myths and answer the Social Security questions you've been curious about. This is part 2 of our Social Security conversation, where we will break down the remaining 5 Social Security myths.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Apr 13, 2023
Top Social Security Myths, Part 1
Have you ever wondered if the Social Security system will run out of money before you retire? Or if claiming benefits as soon as you're eligible is the best decision for your financial future? In this episode, we'll be debunking common myths about Social Security and answering the questions you've been curious about.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Mar 23, 2023
Should An Advisor Tailor A Plan To Fit Your Personality? Part 2
We will continue our discussion from last episode on if an advisor should tailor a plan to fit your personality and exploring the different aspects of this subject.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Mar 9, 2023
Should An Advisor Tailor A Plan To Fit Your Personality? Part 1
Are you tired of one-size-fits-all financial advice that doesn't quite fit your unique needs and goals? In this episode, we'll tackle the question of whether an advisor should tailor a plan to fit your personality. We'll discuss the pros and cons of different approaches and explore how understanding your financial personality can help you make more informed decisions.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Feb 16, 2023
Top Ten Tax Questions For Retirees In 2023
Retirement can come with a lot of tax questions and concerns. From understanding the tax implications of withdrawing from your retirement accounts to minimizing taxes on investment income, it can be overwhelming. On today’s episode, we’ll break down the top ten tax questions retirees are asking in 2023. Before you file your 2022 taxes and plan ahead for the rest of the year, make sure to listen to this episode as we’ll discuss some important tax questions that retirees should ask themselves to ensure they're making the most of their retirement savings and minimizing their tax burden.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Feb 2, 2023
What’s Your Biggest Financial Fear?
We took an informal poll of listeners to find out what their biggest financial fears are. On this episode, we’ll explore the most common fears and talk about how they should be addressed in a retirement plan.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Jan 19, 2023
Back To Basics: Understanding Income Planning
It’s been said that if you don’t have an income plan, you don’t really have a retirement plan. We’ll tackle that mentality on this episode to see if it’s true and further explore why so many retirees and pre-retirees don’t understand the importance of an income plan, nor how to properly construct one. This is a foundational topic for anyone preparing for retirement, so make sure you hear this one.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Jan 5, 2023
2023 Top 10 Checklist For New Year Planning
With the new year here, we thought it would be a good idea to cover our top 10 checklist for New Year planning. Break out the notepad, you won't want to miss out on any of these tips.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Dec 21, 2022
Market Volatility in 2023
Market volatility became the norm in 2022. Are we in for more of the same in 2023? We’ll talk about the market outlook for the next 12 months, plus share tips on how you can best prepare for potential future volatility.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Nov 22, 2022
Are You Thankful For The Financial Advice You Receive?
As we celebrate Thanksgiving and the holiday season, have you found yourself expressing thanks for those who provide financial leadership in your life? If not, perhaps it’s time to explore why and whether you’re getting enough value from your relationship with your financial advisor or other advice-givers. On this episode, we’ll explore some of the top reasons you should be thanking your financial advisor.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Nov 10, 2022
Is There Greener Grass On The Other Side?
Sometimes you need to find a new financial advisor. Other times, you might think you need a new advisor, but really, you’re just guilty of thinking that the grass is greener on the other side. Let’s discuss some common scenarios and whether they’re legitimate reasons for leaving your advisor.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Oct 27, 2022
Most Common Retirement Planning Questions About Taxes
In this episode, we will discuss some of the more common questions about taxes during retirement planning.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Oct 13, 2022
How Bonds Work: What Retirees Need To Know
Too many folks misunderstand bonds, how they work, and what role they play in a proper financial plan. We’ll address some of those bond related issues on today’s show.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Sep 29, 2022
How Money Ads Catch Your Attention
We’re bombarded with ads each day in all forms of media. But have you ever taken a closer look at these messages? If we unpack some of these headlines and ads a little bit more, we’re able to clearly understand what emotions they’re trying to elicit. More importantly, we can figure out what companies are trying to sell us. For this episode, we just perused the internet for a couple of hours and kept track of various financial planning, investing and retirement ads we came across. Let’s pick apart these messages that popped up and see if it helps us become savvier savers.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Sep 15, 2022
Retirement Planning From A Psychologist’s Point Of View
We always talk about the money side of financial and retirement planning. But what about the mental aspect of that big life change? Today we’ll break down an article written by a Licensed Professional Counselor (Kate Schroeder) for Psychology Today, titled The Psychological Investment In Retirement.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Aug 25, 2022
Going Against The Grain
Being a good advisor isn’t about winning a popularity contest or just saying the same things that everyone else in the industry says. It’s about giving the best advice that you can for each individual situation. On today’s show, we’re going to peel back the curtain to discuss some areas where a good financial advisor’s opinions might go against the grain with mainstream ideas in the industry.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Aug 11, 2022
Should You Follow These Popular Retirement Rules of Thumb?
You’ve most likely heard plenty of “rules” you’re supposed to follow to retire successfully. Some of these rules are stated so confidently, you’d be crazy not to immediately accept them as fact. But we don’t mind the threat of being called crazy, so let’s dive into some of the most popular retirement “rules of thumb” to see if they truly lead us down the path of good financial guidance or run a chance of leading us astray.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Jul 28, 2022
What They’re Saying: Analyzing Advice On Surviving A Bear Market
It’s no secret the stock market is in turmoil. We’re in a bear market and the R-word (recession) is getting thrown around daily. So, what can you do to survive bear markets like the one we’re in now? We’ve collected advice from various commentators and “experts” from across the country. You might have even heard some of this advice yourself. But should you follow it or proceed with caution? We’ll breakdown the guidance to provide some important context and perspective.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Jul 14, 2022
Can You Get An A+ On Our Retirement Planning Quiz?
Don’t dread this as much as you hated hearing these words as a kid, but it’s time for a pop quiz! We’re putting retirement planning preparedness under the microscope with 5 critical questions to which you need to know the answers. So sharpen those pencils and let’s see how ready you are for retirement.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Jun 23, 2022
Are You A Risk Taker? How To See If Your Tolerance For Risk Matches Your Plan
Let’s see if your tolerance for risk matches your financial plan. What should you do if that balance is out of whack? What if you’re a natural risk taker, but you really shouldn’t be when it comes to your finances? We’ll explore all of these angles as we break down the role of risk in your financial and retirement plan.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Jun 9, 2022
Why Retirement Planning Ain’t What It Used To Be
In some ways, retirement planning was easier for past generations. Let’s explore how a good financial advisor helps people overcome the additional challenges of today. Our parents and grandparents may not have had to face these things, so just relying on the experiences of family members might not be enough to help us achieve our own financial success.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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May 26, 2022
Secret To Retirement Success: Get Out Of Your Own Way
There are plenty of external factors that often negatively influence our chances of having a successful retirement. But often, failure comes from within. On this episode, we’ll talk about some of the common ways people get in their own way when it comes to financial planning.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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May 12, 2022
What To Do As You Count Down The Days To Retirement
We’ve assembled a list of priorities to keep in mind as you count down the days to retirement.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Apr 21, 2022
Common Housing Questions From Retirees
Housing is a really important topic for a lot of retirees because, for many of us, it’s the biggest asset we’ll ever own or manage. On this episode, we’ll cover some common housing questions from retirees and hopefully hit on an issue that might also be on your mind.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Apr 7, 2022
The Retirement Diet: Fixing Unhealthy Financial Habits
We all know some of the basic secrets of eating healthier to lose weight, limit disease, and live longer. Avoid empty calories, try to limit your added sugar, and lower those pesky trans fats are just some examples. But how can we spot similar unhealthy habits in the financial world? We’ll talk about it on this episode and help you fix some of your unhealthy financial habits. We will also discuss some important birthdays you should pay attention to in your retirement planning.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Mar 24, 2022
Guessing In Retirement
Most people, when trying to plan their retirement, have to guess about the answers to some important questions. Let’s talk about some of those questions and why you need to have a better answer than just a guess.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Mar 10, 2022
The Voice Of Greed
When it comes to your money, you might have several different voices in your head— maybe the voice of greed, or the voice of fear, and sometimes the voice of wisdom. Let’s look at some things we might hear from the voice of greed so you know how to recognize it when you hear it…
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Feb 24, 2022
Who Even Needs A Financial Advisor?
Some people feel that they’ll save money by handling their investments themselves instead of working with an advisor. Others may like the challenge of doing it themselves. Still others just don’t know who to trust so they end up not working with anyone. Let’s talk about some reasons that you might need an advisor.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Feb 10, 2022
What They’re Saying: What Is The Most Important Part Of Retirement Planning?
We all should realize that planning for retirement is relatively complex. There are a lot of different moving parts and factors to consider. Adjusting any of these variables can impact the end result. But is there one part of the retirement planning process that’s most important? We’ve assembled several opinions on the topic from across the internet. Let’s see if the advice hits the mark or needs further exploration.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Jan 20, 2022
Retirement Potpourri: Fill In The Blank
Time for a little fun on this episode. We’ll use some fill in the blank prompts to spark good discussion about relationships between advisors and their clients, the stock market, common planning mistakes, and much more!
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Jan 6, 2022
Don’t Fumble Your Retirement In The Financial Red Zone
In football, teams are extra careful not to make a mistake when they get within about 20 yards of scoring points (known as the Red Zone). They’ve typically worked hard to get to that point and don’t want to cost themselves by throwing an interception or fumbling the ball and giving it to the other team. On this episode, we’ll explore the financial equivalent of the Red Zone and discuss how you can really mess things up if you’re not careful during this phase of your life.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Nov 18, 2021
Where Financial Advisors Drop The Ball
We see a lot of people who aren’t getting the kind of advice and service from their financial advisor that they should be. In a lot of cases, the advisor is only “managing the investments,” but not providing guidance in other areas. Let’s talk about some of the things that your advisor should be doing.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Nov 4, 2021
Handling Unreasonable Requests
Certainly, none of our podcast listeners would be guilty of making unreasonable requests, but let’s talk about some of the unreasonable requests we hear from others in the financial world. We’ll explore what makes them unreasonable and what proper expectations look like instead.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Oct 21, 2021
Pride Before A Fall: How Overconfidence Can Lead To Financial Ruin
Proverbs 16:18 says “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Let’s talk about some of the ways that pride might manifest itself in your financial planning in the form of overconfidence.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Oct 7, 2021
Risk Averse: Explaining The Buzzword
Have you heard someone say they’re risk averse? Do you know what it really means in the context of the financial world? We’ll explore this important buzzword on today’s show and explain why it’s so important to have a good grip on just how risk averse you are.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Sep 16, 2021
How Age & Wisdom Play Into Financial Planning
There’s an old quote that says, “Age is the price of wisdom.” Let’s talk about how that applies to the financial world.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Sep 2, 2021
Retirement Plan Customization Is King
Most people understand that a customized retirement plan is much better than a one-size-fits-all approach. And yet, most people don’t have a plan that’s truly customized. Let’s talk about some of the things that need to be considered if you’re going to build a truly customized plan.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Aug 19, 2021
What Retirement Are You Living For?
Everyone has a different reason, goal or something they want to accomplish in retirement. Let’s explore some of the various motivations people have in retirement and how your financial advisor can help you accomplish what you set out to do.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Aug 5, 2021
5 Things You Must Know About Decumulation To Retire Successfully
So much focus in the financial world revolves around accumulating money. There’s all sorts of advice, how-to guides and guardrails in place when it comes to saving and investing, but a lot less resources out there to help retirees navigate the period of time after retirement. This is known as decumulation, the spending down and managing of the assets you’ve accumulated through your life. And on this episode, we’ll point at (at least) 5 things you must know about decumulation to retire successfully.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Jun 17, 2021
Not Your Father’s Retirement
If you’re of the age that your mom and dad retired 20, or 30 years ago, the world was a much different place when they walked away from their paychecks. Let’s talk about how things are different now.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Jun 3, 2021
Learning Through Uncommon Sense
At first glance, each of these statements seem like basic common sense that everyone agrees with. But when we look at the way people actually behave with their money, it seems that common sense is actually a bit uncommon.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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May 20, 2021
Listening To The Money Doctor
If we take a look at the world of medicine, we can learn some valuable lessons that can be applied to your financial life.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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May 6, 2021
So What You Really Meant Was...
Some people in the financial world speak in code. It’s important for you to learn how to crack that code. Let’s look at a few examples of what you’ll hear someone say, but breakdown what they really meant.
Contact Info:
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Apr 15, 2021
Financial Fact Or Fiction
Sometimes the easiest way to learn about something is make it really simple. Like some of the first true/false tests you might have taken in school. Let’s play a round of fact or fiction to test your financial planning acuity.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Apr 1, 2021
Are You Flirtin’ With Disaster?
Let’s talk about some of the areas of your financial life where you might be flirtin’ with disaster and don’t even know it.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Mar 18, 2021
Money Lessons From The Richest Musicians
Let’s look at some of the richest people in the music industry and see what lessons we can learn from them that we can apply to our own retirement planning…
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Mar 4, 2021
This Is Why You Never Assume
We often see people making certain assumptions about retirement that just aren’t correct. Let’s explore some of those on today's show.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Jan 21, 2021
Financial Literacy: What Are The Three Qualities Of Money?
If you don’t know the answer to the question, then this episode is for you. On this episode, we’ll explore the three qualities of money, discuss whether you can achieve them in a single investment, and how to put the right emphasis on the different qualities. It’s really quite basic, but understanding these fundamentals can make an enormous difference in your financial life.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Jan 7, 2021
Important Retirement Statistics Worth Understanding
Sometimes numbers, figures and stats can go in one ear and out the other. But on this episode, we’ll break down 5 important statistics that are worth taking a moment to understand. They’ll underscore some very real problems people face when prepping for retirement. We’ll explore those problems and talk about possible solutions.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Dec 17, 2020
What Drives Your Financial Advisor Crazy?
No industry is without its flaws, and the financial industry is no exception. Let’s explore some times where we’ve encountered annoying or frustrating elements of the financial world.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Dec 3, 2020
Understanding The Different Types Of Risk
There are many more risks to guard against in retirement planning than most people realize. Let’s explore some of the planning risks we all face and how to prepare for them.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Nov 19, 2020
A 5 Question Retirement Preparedness Quiz
Want to grade your preparedness for retirement? Here are five key questions you need to ask yourself. Your answers will help determine how ready you are for retirement.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Nov 5, 2020
How To Pick The Right Advisor
A lot of concern goes into trying to pick the proper investments, build a balanced portfolio, and getting the highest return. But how much time have you really put into finding the right advisor to work together with on all these tasks and more? So, we want to clear some of that up on this episode and clarify some of the ways you can evaluate your current advisor relationship and how to shop for, and find, the right advisor for you.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Oct 15, 2020
Following The Financial Commandments
On this episode, we present you with five commandments that are worth of being written on stone tablets in your retirement plan. We will also discuss the Illinois tax debate that is on the docket come this November.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Oct 1, 2020
Obsolete Retirement Planning Ideas
Just like your iPhone or your computer can become obsolete and need to be replaced, the way that some people think about retirement is obsolete and needs to be replaced. Let’s talk about some outdated ideas that people still cling to.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Sep 17, 2020
Eye Opening Stats Showing How Americans Save
Vanguard’s “How America Saves 2020” report is packed with lots of intriguing stats and findings about Americans and how they save for retirement in the crazy year that is 2020 (most of the recent data is technically from 2019 although some figures are current through the Spring of 2020). Let’s look at some of the top takeaways from the study and how you might compare to the “normal” savings behaviors of Americans.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Sep 3, 2020
How To Build Your Financial House
For some people, the idea of putting together a financial plan doesn’t sound like much fun. But the idea of building a home sounds like a lot of fun. So let’s find the similarities in building a strong financial plan and a dream home.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Aug 20, 2020
Financial Issues Particularly Challenging For Women
Many financial issues impact us all the same. But, of course, other challenges have varying impacts from person to person because our situations are all unique. Let’s take a look at some of the financial and retirement challenges that are unique to women.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Aug 6, 2020
The Difficulty Of Financial Planning After The Death Of A Spouse
It is a life event that can be one of the most difficult things to go through both emotionally and financially. When one spouse dies, the remaining spouse is left to wrestle with a mountain of questions and choices. And although it’s difficult to discuss, proper planning can help make it easier to transition through this major life event. Let’s explore what someone should do in the event of a spouse’s passing, but also some of the pre-planning that can take place.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Jul 16, 2020
Are You Making These Classic Pre-Retiree Mistakes?
There are some financial planning blunders that are interesting to talk about but are quite rare in reality. On the other hand, there are some financial planning mistakes that happen far too often. Let’s talk about the mistakes so many people have made in the past it has made them “classic”.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Jul 2, 2020
What Mark Twain Can Teach Us About Money
Will talk about what is going on in the news, answer an email question and see what can we learn about money by exploring some quotes from the great Mark Twain.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Jun 18, 2020
You Say One Thing, But You Do Another
We’ve found that—for a lot of people—what they say and what they do don’t necessarily match. Let’s look at some examples in the financial world where you might be saying one thing, but your behavior indicates something different, and you don’t even realize it.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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May 21, 2020
Bear Markets
This week we provide a positive spin on bear markets. We discuss the differences in a V and a W recovery type and how the three little bears story can correlate to the various bear markets.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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May 7, 2020
Email Questions
We take a break from the coronavirus conversation to catch up on some email questions sent into the podcast. We also have a brand new name but still with the same great content.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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May 5, 2020
Special Announcement - New Show Name
Just a quick note to let you know we're changing the name of the show. We are now the "Retirement Success Blueprint Podcast". You can still expect the same great information and financial guidance as before, just with a fresh coat of paint in the form of a new name.
A new episode is in the works and coming to you later this week!
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Apr 23, 2020
7 Things To Consider During COVID-19
This week, we'll discuss 7 items to think about during these economic times no matter if you are still working or if you've already retired. Since you've got some down time at home while we wait things out, consider re-evaluating these crucial pieces of your financial plan.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Apr 9, 2020
April Coronavirus Update
It's time for an update on where we stand with the markets, the economy, and retirement planning as it relates to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Mar 19, 2020
Getting Lost In The Financial World
Have you ever gotten lost? Not that much fun is it? Well, getting lost in the car or in the woods is a lot like getting lost in retirement planning. Let’s look at the reasons that people get lost, and then how to get back on track...
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Mar 5, 2020
The Important Stages Of Retirement Planning
How far out from retirement are you? 15 years? 10? 5? Is it on the doorstep? No matter which stage you’re in, there are some really important things you should be thinking about as you inch closer to that day you call it quits at work. On this episode, we’ll walk through these different stages to see exactly the kinds of things you should be doing from a planning perspective and how your focus changes as you get closer to the big day.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Feb 20, 2020
How To Account For Emotions In Your Financial Plan
Most people like to think that they always make decisions based on logic and facts, but the truth is that emotions usually play a role for all of us in the decision-making process.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Feb 6, 2020
Everything You Need To Know About Roth Conversions
The idea of a Roth conversion is intriguing to a lot of people, and for some people it can be a great strategy to enact. Let’s explore the concept.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Jan 30, 2020
Lessons From The Retirement Farm
Let’s pretend like building a retirement plan is like running a farm. There are actually some very cool similarities between farming and building a good retirement plan. Let’s explore them on today’s show.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Jan 16, 2020
Lies You Learn In Broker School
A lot of financial professionals say things that just aren’t true. And it’s not that they’re intentionally trying to mislead, it’s just that they’ve been trained to use certain talking points, which they might even believe to be true themselves. Let’s talk about the statements you should be cautious of if you hear them from a financial advisor...
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Jan 2, 2020
Managing Debt & Retirement Planning
Do you believe you need to be completely debt free to retire successfully? Or are you okay carrying some balances beyond your working years? There are many opinions about the best way to handle debt and retirement planning, so we’ll tackle them all on today’s show.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Dec 19, 2019
Which Excuses Keep You From Retiring?
Sometimes people say they don’t want to retire...and sometimes they really mean it. Other times it’s just a defense mechanism to compensate for the fact that they feel like they can’t retire. So let’s explore some of the possible meanings behind the statement, “I don’t want to retire.”
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Dec 5, 2019
Finding Silver Linings In Unfortunate Financial Situations
Not everything goes smoothly in your financial life. We’ll look at some negative circumstances that many retirees and pre-retirees face and help you find the silver lining in the midst of tough situations.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Nov 21, 2019
Sabotaging Your Own Retirement
With all of the things in the financial world that you can’t control, why would you sabotage your own retirement by messing up the things you can control? Let’s discuss some ways that people sabotage their own financial health...
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Nov 7, 2019
It’s Good To Have Awkward Conversations
Sometimes being a good financial advisor means having uncomfortable conversations. We’ll take a look at how advisors should help clients navigate various tricky situations. If you’re going to be working with a financial advisor, make sure they’re pushing you to address these kinds of topics.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Oct 17, 2019
The Variables That Shape Your Retirement Plan
If the variables were the same for everybody, retirement planning would be much simpler. But the fact that everybody is different is what makes it fun. On today’s show, we’ll explain why answers to some of retirement’s critical questions vary from person to person.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Oct 3, 2019
The Next Market Crash
Some people think we’re on the cusp of the next stock market crash. Others predict that we’re just due for a minor correction. And another camp thinks we’ll continue an upward trend. We don’t know who is right or when any of those options will occur. But let’s talk about what the next market crash might look like, even if we don’t know when it will come.
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Sep 19, 2019
The Last Decade Before Retirement
The last decade of your working life is a very important one from a retirement planning perspective. Let’s talk about some of the things you want to be sure you address during that 10-year period...
Website: https://crystallaketax.com/
Phone Number: 815-526-3092
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Sep 5, 2019
Busting The Biggest Financial Myths
Today’s episode is simple. We’ll look at some of the most widely believed financial myths and try to bust them wide open. The scary thing is that a lot of people base their financial plans on some of these myths. Don’t be like that.
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Aug 15, 2019
Market Mayhem
It's been a volatile start to the month of August 2019, so let's take a few moments to consider how to best adapt your investment strategies to handle the ups and downs of the market. When approaching retirement or in retirement, there's no room for heavy losses. Michael will let us know how we can conserve our hard-earned money so we're protected from - and we can make the most of - market mayhem.
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Aug 1, 2019
You Need To Avoid These Portfolio Disasters
Between wildfires, hurricanes, tornados and floods, there’s always a natural disaster making news headlines. And while life and limb aren’t at stake when it comes to your portfolio, experiencing a financial disaster can still have a catastrophic effect on your life in retirement. Let’s discuss some portfolio disasters that we’ve seen and how to avoid them...
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Jul 18, 2019
Exposing 401(k) Weaknesses
Your 401k can be your most powerful retirement savings tool. But it’s not perfect. Let’s talk about some of the weaknesses that you should be aware of in your 401k (or 403b, or TSP, or 457 plan).
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Jul 3, 2019
“Fake News” Impacting Your Finances
The term “fake news” has become synonymous with the political climate of the past few years. But the phenomenon has spread to other parts of our culture as well. What about fake news in the financial space? We’ll look at some recent news headlines to see if they qualify to be labeled as “fake news”.
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Jun 20, 2019
What Popular Proverbs Teach Us About Money
There are plenty of proverbs and axioms that aren’t meant to be about money, but we can easily learn a financial lesson from them anyway. We’ll show you the hidden money meanings behind some of these popular sayings...
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Jun 6, 2019
5 Simple Retirement Questions (That Are Hard To Answer)
Some of retirement planning’s most important questions seem so simple at first. They can be asked in just a few words and give the impression the answers are a simple “yes” or “no”. But it’s tricky because many of these questions can become overwhelming to answer. Let’s cover some of the important retirement questions that are harder to answer than you might think.'
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May 16, 2019
Plan Your Summer Vacation & Your Retirement
If you’re heading out on a road trip this summer, there’s a long checklist of items that you want to be sure you haven’t forgotten. And in retirement planning, some of those exact same items need to be addressed. Let’s look at some of the items that should appear on both your road trip checklist and your retirement planning checklist.
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May 2, 2019
Defining The Buzzword “Safe Money”
It seems that people have different definitions of “safe money” as it relates to their savings. Let’s discuss some of those varying explanations of the term and why it’s an important conversation for any retiree or pre-retiree to have.
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Apr 18, 2019
When Is It “Safe” For You To Retire?
We get a lot of questions from listeners wanting to know how they can determine when it will be “safe” for them to retire. Let’s look at some of the key factors that help a person define what “safe” means and when they can indeed pull that retirement lever.
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Apr 4, 2019
The 5 Most Common “Pain Points” In Your Financial Life
When it comes to financial planning, everybody has some kind of pain point. Those pain points are different for each person, but everyone has something that bothers them. Michael tells us about some times where he's helped clients through these frustrating areas.
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Mar 21, 2019
The 6 Things Wasting Away In Your Financial Junk Drawer
Most people have a junk drawer at home. It usually contains things like rubber bands, clothespins, highlighters, glue sticks, a tape measure, a label maker, and a pair of scissors. But most people have a financial junk drawer too. Let’s talk about some of the things that end up there and how they might be put to better use…
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Mar 7, 2019
Episode #27: Retirement Planning: When DIY Works (And When It Doesn’t)
In many areas of our culture, the do-it-yourself mentality is really popular. There’s even a DIY Network where you can watch shows about home renovation, landscaping, or interior design, and how to do those things without professional help. Let’s talk about what the DIY mentality looks like in retirement planning.
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Feb 21, 2019
Episode #26: The Pros And Cons Of Being An Informed Consumer
You want to feel informed about your options when it comes to making financial decisions. So, you probably turn to a lot of different sources to gather that information. Let’s look at some of the most popular areas from which you’re getting your financial education and evaluate whether these are wise areas from which to grow your financial knowledge.
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Feb 7, 2019
Episode #25: Little Missed Details
Let’s talk about some of the details that people often fail to consider when they’re planning their retirement.
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Jan 17, 2019
Episode #24: 50 Shades Of Gray Area
Not everything in financial planning is black and white. In fact, most things aren’t black and white—there’s usually a lot of gray area. Let’s identify some of the issues that usually require a nuanced discussion…
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Jan 3, 2019
Episode #23: How To Spot A Bad Advisor
How do you know if your financial advisor is a bad fit for you? What about an advisor that you’re thinking about working with? How can you tell the good ones from the bad ones?
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Dec 20, 2018
Episode #22: Risk Tolerance
Any advisor worth his or her salt is going to have a conversation with you about risk. But what in the world is “risk tolerance”? It’s a buzzword that gets used a lot in meetings with financial advisors, but we’ve found that a lot of people don’t have a great understanding of how their risk tolerance truly impacts their financial and retirement plans. Let’s fix that and give you the 411 on risk tolerance.
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Dec 6, 2018
Episode #21: Real Financial Advising Is Solving Problems
Most people think that a financial advisor’s primary job is picking investments. That’s only a small part of it. The reality is that the primary job is solving problems. Let’s look at some situations that have happened over the years where the financial planning became less about picking investments and more about solving problems.
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Nov 15, 2018
Episode #20: Are You Asking The Wrong Financial Questions?
A lot of people have questions about their retirement plan, but we find that they’re often asking the wrong questions. We’ll cover some of these common questions and learn about the different questions you should be asking instead.
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Nov 1, 2018
Episode #19: Settle The Debate - Right Or Wrong?
Depending on who you ask, you could get very different answers to some of retirement planning’s most important questions. Let’s see where our opinions all stand on issues like insurance, mutual funds & annuities. And we’ll try to answer why there are so many different opinions on these concepts.
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Oct 18, 2018
Episode #18: 5 Hidden Expenses You Need To Know About
Just because you can’t plainly see all the expenses you’ll incur during the retirement planning process doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Let’s cover 5 important areas where you’ll want to watch for hidden expenses.
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Oct 4, 2018
Episode #17: The Complications Of An Early Retirement
An early retirement sounds fantastic to most people. Who wouldn’t want to kick off the extra travel, less stress and more freedom that retirement can often bring a little earlier than planned? However, a lot of people don’t realize the additional complications presented when you retire early. Let’s tackle what early retirement means for most people and how you can best set yourself up to achieve that goal.
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Sep 20, 2018
Retirement Planning: More Than Just Investments
There’s a lot more to retirement planning than just picking investments. Is your advisor helping you navigate all the other essential areas?
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Sep 6, 2018
Are You A Victim of Doing Fuzzy Math?
A lot of investors (and quite frankly a lot of advisors) fall victim to fuzzy math when it comes to their retirement planning. Let’s explore some of the areas where someone might be employing fuzzy math.
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Aug 16, 2018
Sales Pitches vs. True Planning – How To Tell The Difference
It’s important to be able to recognize the difference between an advisor who actually has a planning process and one who just gives sales pitches all day. Let’s go over how you can identify the difference.
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Aug 2, 2018
What Demographics Can Tell Us
Statistics can sometimes make your head spin. But sometimes they give us some helpful insight into how others approach financial and retirement planning. Let’s look at some intriguing demographics and see what they tell us about retirement these days.
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Jul 19, 2018
Unique Planning Challenges
Creating a customized retirement plan for any individual can mean addressing some unique challenges. With each of these scenarios, let’s discuss the challenges presented, as well as the solutions you might come up with…
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Jul 5, 2018
Your Money Mission Statements
Mission statements give our dollars a purpose. They help us to develop a sound strategy in our portfolio. Let’s find out whether you’re effectively putting your money to work for you.
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Jun 21, 2018
Getting Started: A Financial Plan’s First Steps
For some folks, the idea of putting together a financial plan can be overwhelming. But it’s less threatening if you just focus on a first step to get you started. But depending on your situation, your most logical first step could be one of several things… We'll also answer Samantha in Lake Zurick's question about how she can empower her mother to live a little in retirement. Plus, is carrying debt past age 75 the new normal? We'll ask Michael on this week's edition of Retirement Matters with Michael Stewart.
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Jun 7, 2018
Risky, But Popular, Investments
It’s probably common sense when you think about human nature, but some of the riskiest investments are also the most popular. At least the risky ones generate a lot of interest, even if most folks don’t end up actually making an investment. Let’s look at some of these popular and risky investments. We'll also answer Marie's question about having too many life insurance policies. And does Michael agree with Greenspan's assessment of an "out of whack" US economy? We'll find out on this edition of Retirement Matters with Michael Stewart.
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May 24, 2018
Five Counterintuitive Pieces Of Financial Guidance
Some advice just makes good sense. But sometimes the guidance we get doesn’t align with our expectations. That’s not necessarily a bad thing - that type of advice can be just as helpful. Let’s talk about some of the counterintuitive financial advice you may, or may not, receive.
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May 10, 2018
How Do You React To Market Corrections?
Any time the market is moving in a downward direction, or even just wavering, we see people react in various ways. Take a listen to see if you identify with one of these common reactions to market corrections. Do you over-trade as a response? Do you stick your head in the sand or run around like a chicken with your head cut off? We’ll give you ways you can avoid becoming your worst enemy and show you how to keep particular emotions and reactions in check during times of market turmoil.
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Apr 26, 2018
An Important Question: How Do You Know?
One of the most important questions you can ask is, “How do you know _____?” The blank is where we fill in the most crucial elements, the building blocks, of financial planning. On this podcast, we’ll cover what items you need to put in that blank and provide the guidance to help answer the different questions that arise. Michael will also give his opinion on the minimum wage debate. Would raising it be a good or bad thing for the economy? And we'll answer Richard's question about the recent tax changes. Will they impact his (and your) retirement funds?
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Apr 12, 2018
Storytime: Ripped Off
It’s one of the things we’re all afraid of in many aspects of life. Nobody wants to get ripped off. Michael has seen it happen to people. Let’s hear about a time that happened with someone and if they were able to fix the problem. We'll also answer Lynne's question about working with big financial companies vs. smaller offices. And what should we learn from the recent market hiccups? Michael will help us navigate the news landmines that tend to spark market volatility.
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Mar 29, 2018
His And Hers Retirement Planning
If you’re married, then this will come as no surprise. It takes two to complete a successful retirement plan. On this podcast, we’ll look at how husbands and wives have different financial goals and how that creates conflict. We’ll, of course, also explore how to resolve that conflict to establish a solid financial plan.
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Mar 15, 2018
Keep It Simple, Stupid
We’re not trying to be mean at all, but it’s a good idea to be blunt when it comes to this topic. You see, retirement planning doesn’t have to be overwhelmingly complicated. It certainly doesn’t have to be as complicated as some people make it. On this podcast, let’s explore why people make things harder than they need to be and what we can all do to keep the process simpler and easier to understand.
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Mar 1, 2018
The Financial Grocery Store, Employee Bonuses, And Robots
You probably have a specific routine for how you like to go grocery shopping. Some of us are list-makers, others kind of wing it. Some put everything neatly in the cart while you might be one of those folks who just tosses it all into a big pile. Let’s discuss how retirement is a lot like shopping for groceries. Try not to get too hungry while we do this. We’ll also cover news about big bonuses and robots! Who doesn’t like talking about robots?
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Feb 16, 2018
Financial Resolutions And Rising Interest Rates
You’ve probably made some resolutions for 2018. You’ve probably already failed at some of those resolutions. So, maybe take a stab at starting some very attainable financial resolutions. Also, the Fed has been raising interest rates a little bit. We'll discuss what it might mean for you.
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