Mr. Stillman's Opus

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.   Connect with us:  https://rosewoodwealthmanagement.com/ 919-391-3446

Tim Williams had a little sister, but for 60 years he never knew she existed.

Gary & Nancy Williford hadn't been living in their new home for very long before the unthinkable happened. This is their story about losing their home to a fire, the aftermath and rebuilding process, and how they've been coping ever since.

Jonie & Meme Neddo were a young, interracial couple in rural Tennessee at a time when interracial dating in rural Tennessee wasn't exactly encouraged. This is their story about how they parted ways in 1980 and found their way back to each other more than 25 years later.

Kathy Pittman lost her husband to a brain tumor when her daughters were just 6 and 4. In this episode, she shares her story--dealing with her grief, trying to make ends meet financially, and raising two girls alone.

Jay Campbell is a client of Rosewood Wealth Management who--back in 2003--argued a case before the Supreme Court, representing a group of West Virginia coal miners in the case Doe v. Chao. At a time when the Supreme Court is getting lots of attention from lots of folks, Jay shares his behind-the-scenes story of how the Court really works.

Larry Falivena is a client of Rosewood Wealth Management who has been battling ALS for the last several years. He joins John Stillman in studio to discuss the disease, the emotional and financial effects on his family, and the nationwide tour of all 30 Major League ballparks that he went on last year in an effort to raise funds and awareness.

Almost everyone will feel the some effects from the new SECURE Act. Some more immediately than others, but in the grand scheme almost everyone will be affected. Ron and I will help you tackle the new rules as we discuss the two most important components: the changes in stretch IRAs and the new RMD age. The most important thing to keep in mind is communicating with your family about the changes from an estate planning standpoint. Don’t fret, we’re gonna break it all down for you and help you get started!  Check out the full show notes for this episode by clicking here. 

There are actually a lot of principles from the personal training and fitness world that we can apply to retirement planning. Let's explore some similarities and learn how to increase our level of financial fitness.  Get the full show notes for this episode at http://mrstillmansopus.com On This Episode:  1:53 - Coaches and Trainers 5:28 - Specific Goals and Training Plans 7:57 - Good Habits and Crunches in the Kitchen 10:52 - The Process Brings You To Your Destination

If you're heading out on a road trip, 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.  Get the full show notes by visiting http://mrstillmansopus.com

If you take a close look at most folks' financial situations, you'll find that it's almost scandalous how badly their financial matters have been handled. Let's talk about  the steps people should take to create a scandal-free retirement.  On this episode:  1:41 - Impeach Consumer Debt 3:51 - Stop the Leaks in your Budget 6:03 - Obstruct Your Catastrophic Market Losses 8:39 - Collude with a Good Advisor Get the full show notes for this episode at http://mrstillmansopus.com. 

What does tennis have to do with retirement? Probably more than you would think. We pulled three aspects to tennis that relate to retirement planning to help you understand the strategy a little better.  1. The court is different for singles versus doubles. 2. Certain players excel on a particular playing surface. 3. Holding serve is important.  So sit back and let us serve up some retirement analogies so you can ace your investing decisions. Check out the full show notes for this episode by clicking here.

We all have one. You can usually find it in the kitchen in one of the bottom drawers. It's that place where we toss rubber bands, paper clips, batteries, chip clips, and any other random item we don't have any other place for. It's our junk drawer and we'd rather avoid it then trying to get it organized. Believe it or not, our financial portfolio has a junk drawer filled with old 401(k) plans, old life insurance plans, and other products we bought years ago but haven't done anything with since.  In this episode, we'll look at some of those items you'll find in your financial junk drawer and give you some options for where to move the investments to better fit your needs.  You can read more about this show by clicking here.

There are many similarities between planning for retirement and a game of chess. In this episode, John makes the comparison by explaining which investment option is each chess piece on the board and how they can be used to maneuver you through the game of retirement. 

Remember your senior yearbook that included superlatives like 'Most Popular' and 'Class Clown'? Well, we're taking that idea and applying it to the financial world by picking out the investment options that are 'Most Overrated', 'Most Underrated', 'Most Popular', and 'Most Likely to Disappoint.'  Check out the show notes by clicking here.  Today's rundown: [1:03] – Class Superlatives at the School of Financial Strategies [1:33] Most Underrated: Roth IRA  [3:05] Most Overrated: Expensive Cars  [5:24] Most Likely to Disappoint: Whole Life Insurance Policies [7:05] Most Popular: 401(k), 403(b), TSP (Thrift Savings Plan) [9:20] – Possible Winner Overthrow? Could the Roth take over as Most Popular?  [10:10] – Teachers Pet: The Variable Annuity

Most people have a basic knowledge of Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) but few understand how they pertain to IRAs and 401ks, as well as the intricate timing details that are essential to preparing to withdrawal for tax payments. For a better understanding of the best times to withdrawal as well as avoiding penalties, join John and Ron as they discuss a letter Ron recently received shortly after a big birthday. Check out the show notes here: https://mrstillmansopus.com/retirement/getting-your-rmd-ducks-in-a-row/ 0:45 - RMDs for 401(k)s 2:45 – RMDs for IRAs 4:35 – Here’s an example: 5:34 – When do you have to make a withdrawal? 7:00 - In what scenarios would I carry it over? 7:58 - Avoid a loss in penalties! 9:04 – Another Octave 

If you think about it, planning for retirement is a bit like going to the grocery store. You need to know what you need, you need to know what you're paying, and at times, you need to purchase the more expensive product. These are just a few of the similarities. Join us as we unpack this analogy and help you shop for a meaningful retirement. Click the link for more in-depth reading in a recent blog post: https://mrstillmansopus.com/investing-strategy/the-retirement-grocery-store/

We often see people justifying their poor financial decisions by making excuses. We'll identify these excuses and explain why they lead to poor judgement. Click the link for more in-depth reading in a recent blog post: https://mrstillmansopus.com/retirement/four-dangerous-excuses/

March Madness is upon us, and everyone's excited for the upsets, buzzer beaters, and Cinderella stories. As a fan, it's an emotional time of year, and believe it or not, March Madness can teach us a thing or two about retirement. Click the link for more in-depth reading in a recent blog post: https://mrstillmansopus.com/lifestyle/lessons-from-march-madness/

Our clients often ask us whether they should accelerate their house payments in order to pay off their house early. Join us as we explore the pros and cons of this strategy. Click the link for more in-depth reading in a recent blog post: https://mrstillmansopus.com/real-estate/this-ones-on-the-house/

We're living longer than ever, and of course, that's a good thing. However, longevity presents its own challenges. John explains. Click the link for more in-depth reading in a recent blog post: https://mrstillmansopus.com/retirement/longevity-risk/

This time of year, you can find football on TV almost every night of the week. Let's take some concepts from the gridiron and apply them to retirement. Click the link for more in-depth reading in a recent blog post: https://mrstillmansopus.com/retirement/retirement-gridiron/

On this edition of the podcast, we’ll share with you three tax tips. Specifically, we’ll help you avoid making three crucial tax mistakes. Click the link for more in-depth reading in a recent blog post: https://mrstillmansopus.com/retirement/three-tax-tips/

There’s a lot of confusion surrounding the taxation of Social Security. Join us as we seek to clear up the confusion on the podcast. Click the link for more in-depth reading in a recent blog post: https://mrstillmansopus.com/taxes/social-security-taxation/

We’ve all said and done things we’ve later come to regret. Don’t let these financial phrases be your famous last words. Click the link for more in-depth reading in a recent blog post: https://mrstillmansopus.com/investing-behavior/famous-last-words/  

What's the true cost of long term care? Well, that depends on what kind of care you need.Matt Ayotte and Alan Millikan, founders of Aegis Home Care, came by the studio to talk about different types of care and just how much each one can cost. Click the link for more in-depth reading in a recent blog post:  https://mrstillmansopus.com/long-term-care/cost-long-term-care/  

Kristin Staley joins us to share tips for making travel more efficient and pleasant. Take note of these seven tips the next time you travel and you'll make the whole experience better! Click the link for more in-depth reading in a recent blog post: https://mrstillmansopus.com/travel/seven-tips-traveling/

Until you've actually experienced something for yourself, it's hard to know what to expect. And getting older is no different. Matt Ayotte and Alan Millikan, founders of Aegis Home Care, came by the studio to talk about four common misconceptions they see when it comes to the average person's understanding of the challenges of aging and healthcare planning. Click the link for more in-depth reading in a recent blog post: https://mrstillmansopus.com/long-term-care/misconceptions-of-aging-and-healthcare/

First, try to say this episode title three times fast. Next, take a listen and learn what you need to know about rolling over your 401k.

Is a Roth conversion a logical move for you to make or not? John breaks down the pros and cons of converting money to Roth in various situations.

Most people are aware that they're required to start withdrawing money from their retirement accounts at some point. Some people even know that the magic age for this is 70 1/2. But very few people have appropriately factored this into their retirement income plan.

For most retirees, travel is a big part of life. John is joined by travel consultant Kristin Staley to go over the eight common travel mistakes you should avoid!

We hear a lot about fake news in the political realm these days, but what about fake news in the financial world?

Complacency, Overconfidence, Fear, Cynicism, and Despair. How do these five dangerous mindsets manifest themselves in the financial planning process and how can you be sure you're not harboring any of these in your own head?

Have you ever noticed that you look completely different in the bedroom mirror than you do in the bathroom mirror? In the same way, your portfolio can look completely different depending on how closely you look at certain things...

Pride, Envy, Wrath, Sloth, Greed, Gluttony, and Lust. How do these seven deadly sins manifest themselves in your retirement planning, and how can you be sure you're not guilty?

John is joined by Richard Pucciarelli, founder of Carolina Retirement Resources, to discuss the merits of precious metals as part of your portfolio.

A staggering percentage of this year's growth in the S&P 500 can be attributed to just a handful of companies--Facebook, Google, Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft. Is this a sign of another impending dot com crash? Brian Evans, founder of Madrona Financial Services, joins John to discuss.

How realistic are your expectations when it comes to making plans for your retirement? We’ll give you a clear understanding of the planning process. Click the link for more in-depth reading in a recent blog post: https://mrstillmansopus.com/retirement-planning/realistic-expectations/

John explains why the "risk tolerance" discussion about your investments is often a flawed conversation from the very beginning.

What can we learn from the mission statements of some well-known companies and organizations and how can we apply that to our retirement planning?

Sometimes the idea of constructing a complete retirement plan can be overwhelming to people. John Stillman discusses a few easy places to start that can be quick and painless, but they pay big dividends down the road.

What are the biggest financial regrets that people have once they get to retirement age? Learn from the mistakes of others and avoid these regrets yourself.

John Stillman discusses the importance of knowing the purpose of each of your invested dollars and keeping that purpose in mind when you're evaluating your accounts.

Jeannette Bajalia, founder of Woman's Worth, joins John to talk about the specific challenges that women face when it comes to financial and retirement planning.

Jim Dischert, founder of 360 Financial Group in Chicago, joins John to talk about the many different facets of retirement planning.

Dan Cuprill, founder of Matson and Cuprill in Cincinnati, joins John to talk about the follies of investing based on what's going on in the news.

We get many questions on retirement communities. Teresa Mize, Director of Marketing at The Cedars Of Chapel Hill, joins John this week to discuss. Click the link for more in-depth reading in a recent blog post: https://mrstillmansopus.com/long-term-care/retirement-communities/ 

What are the things that you should be sure you have in your retirement stocking if you want to have a Merry Retirement?

Bruce Gray, founder of GP Financial Services, joins John Stillman to talk about some common misunderstandings that people have about Medicare. Click the link for more in-depth reading in a recent blog post: https://mrstillmansopus.com/long-term-care/medicare-misunderstandings/

Chris Scalese, financial advisor and author of "Retirement is a Marathon, Not a Sprint" joins John Stillman to talk about the similarities between preparing for a marathon and planning your retirement.