Retirement Genius

To achieve a well-balanced retirement, people need to work on their financial security, health & long-term care security, and lifestyle as early as possible. Bringing these three things together is what's needed to build a solid foundation for a well-balanced retirement, so you can Retire Like a Genius. Chris wraps up the season finale by breaking down the three major areas that challenge people as they age: Finances, Health, and Lifestyle.

Everyone wants to be able to retire at some point and live a happy, healthy, and financially secure life beyond their work years. But not enough people are planning to achieve this goal, and people need to remember that hope is not a plan. In the season finale of Retirement Genius, Chris and Joe discuss overcoming the challenges of aging, along with more information about why high inflation is leading to the biggest raise in Social Security in more than 40 years.

Life Settlements can help people liquidate their existing life insurance policies instead of surrendering or lapsing them and in the second part of this episode, Chris is joined by Rob Haynie, the Managing Director of Life Insurance Settlements. For nearly 30 years, Rob has been a major influence on the evolution of the life settlement industry and has been recognized as one of the Most Influential People in Life Settlements by The Life Settlement Review.

Last year, more than 9 million individual life insurance policies lapsed or were surrendered. But many policyholders don't understand that Life Settlements can be a unique financial option that allows the owner of a policy to sell their policy for cash instead of letting it lapse or surrender. In this episode, Chris explains why Life Settlements have grown in popularity over the years and why they've become a viable option for people who are aging and/or experiencing declining health to access capital.

In the conclusion of our conversation revolving around the Impact of Climate Change on Retirement, Chris is joined by Dr. Robin Cooper, the co-founder of Climate Psychiatry Alliance.  Robin talks about her efforts to address climate change impacts on mental health and health.

As people plan for retirement, they now need to consider a factor previous generations didn't need to worry about: climate change. Climate change is going to affect retirees' decisions on where to live, how to stay healthy, and how to avoid financial problems brought on by extreme weather events. This week on Retirement Genius, Chris discusses how the rise of heat waves, wildfires, drought, hurricanes, and flooding, are all recipes for disaster in the lives of seniors not well suited to cope with these conditions.

In the conclusion of our conversation revolving around building a recession-proof retirement, Chris is joined by Anna Wong, the Chief US Economist for Bloomberg LP and former principal economist at the Federal Reserve.

Anyone planning to retire this year is facing some serious economic challenges that they must consider, but it is important to remember that economies are cyclical and when dark clouds gather-- they will eventually pass. And this week on the Retirement Genius podcast, Chris rolls out a 10 Point Plan to Build a Recession-Proof Retirement:1. Don't panic sell.2. Maintain an investment mix that keeps enough cash to cover 2 years of a retirement budget.3. Look at investing in Bonds and Treasuries for higher yields over the next couple of years.4. Pay down debt, especially credit cards or anything tied to an adjustable rate.5. Time to re-evaluate and prioritize how you spend your money and get on a budget.6. Hold off buying real estate or refinancing a mortgage.7. Evaluate your entitlements such as Social Security and Medicare.8. Provide security for the future by looking at insurance today.9. Guarantee a lifetime income or funds for long-term care with annuities.10. Look to assets as a possible source of income.

In the conclusion of our episode highlighting the unique challenges facing women in retirement, Chris runs down the five things women need to know and is joined by Certified Financial Planner, Renee Martone-Cecil from Ameriprise Financial Services.

As we've said in previous episodes of Retirement Genius, saving for retirement remains one of the most important financial goals for both men and women. But while saving for retirement is a huge venture for everyone, women face unique obstacles that need to be taken into account in their long-term planning. In part one, Chris breaks down the challenges facing women in retirement including benefits & entitlements, insurance, assets, and income.

Chris wraps up our episode on Insurance Strategies for Winners with guest Zac Von Bank. Zac serves as Simplicity's Senior Sales Director for the Life Channel, and on the podcast, he discusses the impact that life insurance can have on people's lives.

Insurance is a critical financial instrument designed to protect people from the financial impact of health problems, disability, and death. You've all heard of health insurance, life insurance, long-term care insurance, and disability insurance-- but what do you really know about all the different types of policies?  In part one, Chris breaks down the importance of each type of insurance available and shares what people need to know when it comes to having the proper coverage.

Chris wraps up our special Tax Time episode with guest Justin Biance, a Certified Estate Planner and principal at J. Biance Financial.  Justin specializes in multigenerational legacy planning and is the author of “Designed To Last: Renovate Your Financial House And Retire With Confidence.”

When it comes to taxes, Americans have two duties—pay their fair share and don't pay a penny more than they truly owe! For most people in their retirement years, every penny counts, but a huge number of those pennies can end up going to Uncle Sam. That's why it's important for older Americans and their families to understand as much as they can about the tax opportunities and the tax liabilities people will need to navigate when they are seniors. In part one, Chris runs down the tax traps or opportunities every Retirement Genius needs to know.

Chris wraps up his discussion on Traveling & Retiring Overseas and is joined by Paula Twidale, a senior vice president of AAA Travel.  Paula talks about the benefits of a AAA membership and the importance of travel insurance.

Americans love traveling, but now retiring outside the United States has grown in popularity. There are many attractive benefits for seniors such as warm climates, welcoming locals, delicious food, and new adventures.  But, going on vacation is not the same as living abroad, and making the move requires some careful thought and research to make sure you are well-informed. This week, Chris shares a number of factors that must be considered when deciding where to retire abroad and why living outside the U.S. might give your money more value.

Chris wraps up his discussion on 'Financial Hacks to Streeeeeetch your Dollars' and is joined by Jane Margesson, the Communications Director of AARP Maine. Jane shares the history of AARP and all the benefits of being a member.

Many seniors have to learn how to live on a fixed budget. For about 50% of people who collect Social Security, that monthly check represents at least half their income or more—and that is on average about $1,500/mo. And this week, Chris discusses strategies seniors can use to stretch their dollars including payment plans, mortgage refinancing, and more.

In the conclusion of episode three, Chris talks about the future of entitlements and is joined by the President and CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, Max Richtman.

This week is all about the Third Rail of American Politics, entitlements, and how to become a Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid Genius. Chris breaks down the three primary entitlement programs that Seniors in America rely upon along with their common misconceptions, differences, and facts.

In the conclusion of episode two, Chris talks about why aging baby boomers raise the risk of a long-term-care crisis in the United States. Also, this week Chris welcomes Tafa Jefferson, the founder of Amada Senior Care. Tafa shares how his company is impacting long-term care for seniors across the country.

In episode two of Retirement Genius we ask, with so many people affected by long-term care needs, why are people not better prepared? Also in part one, we'll discuss how people know when they'll need long-term care and the roles family members will play when a loved one needs care in the future.

In the conclusion of episode one, Chris talks about the impact of climate change on retirement, the advantages of retiring internationally, and he's joined by leadership coach Dr. Sherry Phelan, the Founder of Life by Design and creator of Turnaround Thinking.

In the first episode of the podcast, Chris shares the origin story behind “Retirement Genius”, his philosophy for building a well-balanced retirement, and the common mistakes people make when preparing for retirement.