When evaluating fees charged by investment advisors, should we look only at the actual dollars spent, or should we evaluate the long-term effect these fees have on our wealth? That's the question I address in this video. Kitces Article: https://www.kitces.com/blog/financial... My Response: https://robberger.com/how-should-we-e... Hourly and Flat Ra…

Vanguard has announced that it is selling 280,000 small business retirement plans to Ascensus. The transaction covers individual 401(k) plans, sometimes called Solo 401(k)s, Multi-SEP IRAs, and Simple IRAs, but not individual SEP IRAs. Here's my take on what's going on, your options, and what this means for Vanguard. Press Release: https://www.prne…

In brief remarks, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell all but took an interest rate cut in the near term off the table. In doing so, he taught us a very important lesson about investing. Join the Newsletter. It's Free: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...Av Rob Berger

Fidelity recently disclosed that its computer systems were breached and that the personal data of more than 77,000 customers were accessed. here's what happened and some ways we can protect ourselves. News of hack: https://www.investmentnews.com/indust... Massachusetts: https://www.mass.gov/doc/data-breach-... Maine: https://www.maine.gov/agviewer/…

Does the 4% Rule apply in the same way to tax-deferred, tax-free, and taxable accounts? And how should one consider the different tax treatments of these accounts when coming up with a safe spending plan in retirement? I'll cover these questions in today's video. Bengen's 1996 Paper: https://www.financialplanningassociat... Bengen's 1997 Paper: htt…

Today, the top 10 companies in the S&P 500 Index account for more than 33% of the index. That's the largest concentration we've seen in 50 years. In this video we'll cover three things: 1. Just how significant is the concentration? 2. Does it tell us anything about future returns? 3. What, if anything, should we do about the concentration. Join the…

Our retirement plan's chance of success depends a lot on assumptions we make about future investment returns. In this video, I walk through my approach to this issue. Join the Newsletter. It's Free: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...Av Rob Berger

In this video, we'll discuss how to optimize the tax efficiency of your retirement withdrawals. New Retirement: https://go.robberger.com/new-retireme... Many retirees have up to three account types: taxable, tax-deferred (e.g., traditional IRA), and tax-free (Roth IRA or HSA). The conventional wisdom tells us to spend the taxable accounts first, th…

A viewer named Bill emailed me today about the bucket strategy. He has watched my videos on the bucket strategy and understands why I don't recommend it. He wants to know if the traditional approach of a total return portfolio with annual rebalancing negates the sequence of returns risk. It's a great question, and I share my perspective in today's …

Today we look at the 8 crucial differences between interest and dividends. We'll also look at how one should think about interest and dividends when using the 4% Rule of retirement spending. Join the Newsletter. It's Free: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...Av Rob Berger

Andy Panko, CFP, joins us to help answer your questions about retirement planning and taxes. Join the Newsletter. It's Free: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm... Join Andy's Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/retirementplanningeducation Check Out Andy's Website: https://retirementplanningeducation.com/ Listen to Andy's Podcast Reti…

With the launch of Bitcoin Spot ETFs, investors now have a safe, low-cost way to own Bitcoin. In this video, we'll look at some examples of these new ETFs, and then I'll make the strongest case I can in favor of adding Bitcoin to an asset allocation portfolio. Then I'll share how I'm approaching Bitcoin and why. Join the Newsletter. It's Free: http…

Roth IRAs are best known for tax-free spending in retirement. What many don't know, however, is that if you make a mistake with a Roth IRA, you could end up owing taxes or a 10% penalty on some of your withdrawals. In this video, we'll walk through how to avoid these Roth IRA tax traps. We'll cover the two 5-year rules of Roth IRAs, the ordering ru…

Several weeks ago some reported what has been called the Chase Glitch. The glitch allowed people to deposit bogus checks at Chase ATM's and then immediately withdraw the funds. That glitch has now moved to Fidelity, where some have tried depositing bogus checks via Fidelity's mobile app, and then immediately taking out the money. In response, Fidel…

Today, we look at five apps you can use to track your investments. Three of them are free, and two are paid. All of them are excellent tools depending on the features you want. Join the Newsletter. It's Free: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...Av Rob Berger

Yesterday the Fed lowered the Fed Funds rate by 1/2 of a percent. The prime rate followed, going from 8.5% to 8.0%. Rates on everything from credit cards to savings accounts to CDs also went down. And the rates on bonds and mortgages continued to decline. Given all of this, where are the best places to keep your cash? The Fed's Statement: https://w…

While stock market returns get most of the attention when it comes to retirement portfolios, we should be equally concerned with inflation. In this video, I walk through how to incorporate inflation assumptions into a retirement plan using New Retirement planning software. Join the Newsletter. It's Free: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...…

New Retirement (Boldin): https://robberger.com/new-retirement New Retirement, which just changed its name to Boldin, has launched a new feature that makes it easy to customize the order of accounts you use to fund your retirement. In this video, we'll look at the new feature and some advanced strategies on how to use it. Join the Newsletter. It's F…

When to claim Social Security benefits is one of the most critical questions we'll answer in retirement. In this video, we'll look at the 3 most common strategies and a framework for making a decision. We'll cover strategies if you never been married, married, divorced or widowed. Join the Newsletter. It's Free: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?ut…

The stock market has declined so far today, with the S&P 500 down more than 3% as I type these words. So I thought I'd share my perspective about what's going on. Join the Newsletter. It's Free: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...Av Rob Berger

Today we take a deep dive into a Backdoor Roth IRA. This strategy enables high-income earners to get money into a Roth IRA. We'll walk through what you need to know, and crunch some numbers to see if a Backdoor Roth IRA is worth the hassle. Join the Newsletter. It's Free: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...…

It can be scary for retirees to invest in the stock market. At the same time, investing in just fixed income can expose us to the risk of running out of money. So in this episode I walk through 8 things to consider if you are nervous about investing in stocks. New Retirement: https://go.robberger.com/new-retireme... Join the Newsletter. It's Free: …

In this episode, we'll examine how to retire before taking Social Security. This is an ideal strategy for many to maximize Social Security retirement benefits. Join the Newsletter. It's Free: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...Av Rob Berger

This is a follow-up to my episode on Dave Ramsey's belief that retirees can start with an 8% withdrawal rate, adjust the amount each year by inflation, and be perfectly fine in retirement. The problem that Dave seems to have overlooked is what is known as sequence of returns risk. In his analysis, he uses average market returns and average inflatio…

Target date retirement funds are a simple solution to save for retirement. But what about once you retire? Are there single-fund solutions you can use for all of your investments once you retire? This episode will look at several options for one-fund investments in retirement. Keep in mind that these funds are best suited for tax-advantaged account…

With the passing of Charlie Munger at the age of 99, I thought it appropriate to share 5 things I've learned from him over the years. Poor Charlie's Almanack: https://amzn.to/4a1JF63 Join the Newsletter. It's Free: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...Av Rob Berger

In many couples, one person handles the money and the other thinks as little as possible about it. That's certainly true with my wife. To help her, should I pass away, I created what I call the Blue Binder. To supplement the binder, I've started creating videos where I share my computer screen and walk through our finances. This allows me to show h…

Change is everywhere: AI, the climate, interest rates, global conflict, and inflation, to name a few. So often, investors try to predict where all this craziness will take us so they can position their portfolio. Perhaps a better question to ask is what isn't going to change. Here are 7 timeless truths about successful investing that apply no matte…

The new Secure Act 2.0 introduced the IRA Gift Annuity starting this year. It allows you to make a one-time charitable contribution out of an IRA for as much as $50,000 and get monthly income for life. Join the newsletter: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...Av Rob Berger

So you've been using an investment advisor to manage your investments. They have your money in 10, 15, 20 or even more funds! And you start to wonder just how the performance of this absurd portfolio compares to a simple, 2, 3 or perhaps 4 fund portfolio. Here's how to evaluate your advisor's portfolio with a free tool. Join the newsletter: https:/…

Can one retire early if they have the ability to significantly cut back on discretionary spending during retirement if they must? A recent article on the MadFientist blog claims that following a Discretionary Spending Rule in retirement can significantly increase a retirees Safe Withdrawal Rate. And with a higher SWR, one can retire early. Karsten …

When should you claim Social Security? It's an important question. One study found that retirees have lost $3.4 trillion because they started taking Social Security too early. In this episode we'll look at two strategies. One optimizes Social Security assuming you and your spouse will live long past your life expectancy. The other optimizes the cla…

With the collapse of SVB and Signature Bank, I've received a lot of questions about FDIC insurance. In this video, we'll cover the basics of how FDIC insurance works. I'll also show you a free tool from the FDIC you can use to calculate your FDIC coverage. Join the newsletter: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm... FDIC FAQ: https://www.fdic.gov/…

In December 2020, Vanguard made some changes to its Target Date Funds. The changes benefits large, institutional investors by lowering costs. But it hurt small, retail investors who held target funds in taxable accounts. The result was that in 2021, these small investors got hit with massive capital gains. In response, a class action lawsuit was fi…

A viewer asked me a series of questions about the nuts and bolts of using the 4% Rule. I do my best to respond to his questions in this episode. Join the newsletter: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...Av Rob Berger

Many things change when we retire. There’s the obvious change–we stop working. And there’s a less obvious change–how we approach cash. Before retirement, we might have an emergency fund of three to six months’ worth of living expenses. After retirement, we need cash for so much more. The ideal cash reserve depends on individual circumstances, inclu…

You enter your income, expenses, investments, and liabilities into your favorite retirement planner. You click a button, the software does some kind of calculation, and out pops a single number. It may be 87%. Maybe it’s 72%. Or it could be 15%. Whatever the number, you’re told it represents your retirement plan’s “Chance of Success.” What exactly …

The treasury department released the new I Bond rates today. They came in at 4.28%, which included a fixed rate of 1.30%, unchanged from the previous six months. https://treasurydirect.gov/savings-bo... Join the Newsletter. It's Free: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...Av Rob Berger

Several years ago, I stumbled upon a quote from Dave Ramsey about credit card rewards. I’ll never forget those 11 words. : “No one ever says they got rich off of credit card points.” As I read his words, I knew immediately that he was wrong. One could build wealth through credit card rewards. In this sense, credit card rewards aren’t special. Savin…

In this episode, we'll look at three of the largest investing platforms, Fidelity, Vanguard, and Schwab. I'll share 7 things based on using these platforms for 20+ years.Av Rob Berger

Robinhood is promoting up to a 3% match on IRA contributions, and for a limited time, a 3% match on IRA transfers. A viewer asked me if I thought this was a good deal. In this video I'll share my thoughts on the program, some of the things to look out for, and why I ultimately decided not to transfer my IRAs to Robinhood. Join the Newsletter. It's …

Retirement isn't always a sunny walk in the park. While I have no regrets that I retired in my 50s, it hasn't been without its challenges. Here are 7 lessons learned after four years of retirement. Join the Newsletter. It's Free: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...Av Rob Berger

In this video we'll look at a portfolio a viewer sent in to me. It's from their investment advisor, and we will be asking 5 key questions about the portfolio that I would ask if an advisor put me in the same portfolio. 1. What's the target asset allocation? 2. Have you made any changes to the target asset allocation? 3. How do you pick the funds to…

Vanguard recently launched an FDIC-insured account called the Vanguard Cash Plus Account. We'll review this new account, compare it to other FDIC-insured options, and compare it to money market accounts. Join the Newsletter. It's Free: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...Av Rob Berger

In a recent video answering a caller's question, Dave Ramsey described those promoting the 4% Rule as "stupid," "goobers," and "morons. He described the 4% Rule as stupid and said he's "perfectly comfortable" with an 8% withdrawal rate. In this video, I'll describe his rationale and why I'm "perfectly comfortable" telling him he's wrong. New Retire…

Is buy and hold investing dead? A recent WSJ article suggests that the set-it-and-forget-it style of investing can't survive the current economic trends. I walk through my thoughts on the article, along with an important memo by value investor Howard Marks. Join the Newsletter. It's Free: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...…

Not long ago investors had to pay the U.S. government for the privilege of owning TIPS. The real yields, that is the yield after factoring in inflation, were negative. Last year, as a phoenix rising, real yields broke above 0%. Today the real yield on 10-year TIPS is about 2.50%. This offers some intriguing options for those in or near retirement. …

A viewer emailed me asking how to buy gold. He knew I didn't personally invest in gold. But he asked how he might go about investing in gold. So in today's video we'll look at five important questions you must answer when buying gold: 1. Should you buy gold in a retirement or taxable account? 2. Does a gold IRA ever make sense? 3. Should you own ph…

7 simple steps anybody can take to address the fear of retiring. Video's Sponsor is New Retirement: https://go.robberger.com/new-retireme... The Retirement Planning Tools I Use: 1. New Retirement (Retirement Planning): https://go.robberger.com/new-retireme... 2. Empower (Investment Tracking): https://go.robberger.com/empower/yt-f... 3. Tiller (Budg…

Investment fees rob you of your wealth. High investment fees, such as the industry standard 1% of assets under management AUM, can literally cost you hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars over a lifetime. But what about investment fees once you retire? It turns out that a 1% fee in retirement can significantly lower the chance of succes…