Retirement Starts Today

Updated: 18 Aug 2025 • 363 episodes
retirementstartstodayradio.com

Do you want to spend more money in retirement, while paying less taxes? Great news, you're in the right place! I'll also teach you the benefits of retiring TO something, while most retirees only solve half the equation by retiring FROM something. Tune in every Monday morning - hosted by Benjamin Brandt CFP, RICP. Join my "Every Day is Saturday" weekly newsletter for show notes, free book giveaways and other great retirement content: www.retirementstartstodayradio.com/newsletter

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We’re going inside the new tax rules for retirees.  From a brand-new $6,000 deduction for seniors to major changes in how charitable giving is handled, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act has reshaped key parts of the retirement tax landscape.  We’ll break down what’s changed, what’s just political spin, and what you can do

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Nick Maggiulli’s latest article in Of Dollars & Data challenges one of the core ideas that drives personal finance blogs, podcasts, and even some of our own thinking — the belief that financial independence should be the ultimate goal. We explore the surprising downsides of chasing early retirement, the difference betw

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04 Aug 2025 • EN

The (F)Law of Averages

The (f)law of averages challenges a dangerous assumption we see far too often in retirement planning: The use of average life expectancy as a reliable planning target.  The question is: If you make it to retirement - are you already above average - and if that’s true, how do we use that in our planning?  I share six ke

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Could heaven be an RV in a state park? It is for Marian Barry, who became a traveling nurse after working in hospitals during the pandemic. We share this story from a Business Insider article, pointing out that she lives on $2,972 a month in Social Security and is lovig life. "I literally live in heaven." Key takeaways

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New research from David Blanchett, head of retirement research at PGIM, challenges one of the biggest assumptions in retirement planning: that happiness in retirement depends on maintaining a constant—or even increasing—level of spending. ⬇️ Upon entering retirement, households experience a median consumption decline o

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There is a lot to cover in this episode, including new legislation that could impact your retirement. Plus, 6 More Retirement Financial Myths to Avoid, and a listener with substantial assets who wants to know how to pay for a new car. The OBBB The One Big Beautiful Bill became public law on July 4, 2025. Included are:

25 min
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