Posts by walter
The Hidden Costs of Mutual Funds in Retirement
Retirement decisions aren’t made in spreadsheets alone. They’re shaped by mood, headlines, memories, and personal experiences, often more than we realize. Eric focuses on the emotional side of financial planning and why awareness matters just as much as strategy.
Read MoreRetirement & Emotions: How Feelings Can Derail (or Improve) Your Plan
Retirement decisions aren’t made in spreadsheets alone. They’re shaped by mood, headlines, memories, and personal experiences, often more than we realize. Eric focuses on the emotional side of financial planning and why awareness matters just as much as strategy.
Read MoreWhy Retirees Struggle to Spend Their Money
You’ve saved diligently for retirement, but now it’s time to spend. For many retirees, that transition is harder than expected. In this episode, Eric breaks down one of the most overlooked challenges in retirement: actually enjoying the money you worked so hard to build.
Read MoreMailbag: Inherited Farmland, AI Planning, and Retirement Readiness
What do you do when financial decisions aren’t just about the numbers? Today, Eric pulls from the mailbag and takes on high-stakes decisions: what to do with family farmland, how much to save, and whether AI belongs in your financial life.
Read MoreHow Advisors Get Paid
In this episode, Eric explains the primary ways financial advisors earn compensation, including commission-based and fee-based models, how those structures work in practice, and what they mean for clients.
Read MoreWhat Snow Days Teach Us About Money
There’s something special about a snow day. They’re somewhat unexpected, memorable, and a break from the routine. Eric borrows a few classic snow-day moments and uses them as metaphors for building a strong financial life.
Read MoreControversial Financial Takes: Are Kiyosaki, Orman, Sethi & Ramsey Right?
Some of the loudest voices in personal finance aren’t shy about strong opinions, but are those opinions actually helpful? Eric reacts to controversial advice from some of the most recognizable names in money and retirement conversations. The discussion focuses on why one-size-fits-all guidance often misses the mark and how real planning differs from financial entertainment. Just because advice sounds confident doesn’t mean it fits your situation.
Read MoreStart the Year Right: A Smarter Financial Checklist
A new year is the perfect time to make sure your financial plan is still working the way it should. In this episode, Eric walks through a simple (yet impactful) checklist to help you reset, refocus, and avoid common mistakes that can sneak up over the course of the year. Miss these now, and they can quietly cost you later.
Read MoreFinancial Truths Hidden in Famous Songs
Money shows up in our favorite songs for a reason. It captures the emotions, tensions, and tradeoffs we all feel when it comes to finances. In this episode, Eric has some fun pulling financial lessons from iconic lyrics and exploring what they reveal about real-life money decisions. You might never hear these songs the same way again.
Read MoreAre You Falling for Financial “Shiny Objects?”
In a world full of flashy promises and polished marketing, how do you know what actually matters when choosing a financial professional? In this episode, Eric tackles “shiny object syndrome” in retirement planning- the glossy brochures, impressive projections, testimonials, awards, and alphabet soup of credentials that can distract investors from what really counts. Eric breaks down which tools can be helpful, which deserve skepticism, and why trust, process, and real-world experience ultimately outweigh hype.
Read MoreMailbag: Do I Really Need An Advisor If I Have Enough Money?
When it comes to retirement, having enough money doesn’t automatically mean having everything figured out. In this episode, Eric tackles real listener questions that reveal where even confident savers can still go wrong. From deciding wheth-er an advisor adds value when money isn’t an issue, to the risks of relying on stock-picking and “passive income” strategies for early retirement, the conversation centers on one core idea: having options isn’t the same as having a strategy.
Read MoreRetiree’s First Christmas: The First Holiday Season After You Retire
We’ve all seen those Christmas ornaments that say things like “Baby’s First Christmas.” It’s a milestone moment worth commemorating. But what about a retiree’s first Christmas? You may not have a specialty ornament to hang on the tree for this one, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a milestone.
Read MoreDoes It Even Matter?: What Retirees Should Actually Worry About
We’re bombarded daily with headlines that spark panic, but how much of it really matters for your retirement?
Read MoreWizard of Oz Lessons for Retirement Planning
Your retirement journey has more in common with The Wizard of Oz than you might think. In
Read MoreMoney Mistakes You Only Make Once
Eric explores common money mistakes people often make when planning for retirement, and scenarios that could cost you in the long run. The discussion also covers critical considerations around long-term care and how to avoid financial setbacks. Tune in to learn what you can do now to steer clear of these all-too-common errors and set yourself up for a worry-free retirement.
Read MoreThe Friendly Skies of Retirement Planning
What do flight plans and retirement strategies have in common? In today’s episode, Eric draws an analogy between pilot-ing a plane and navigating retirement.
Read MoreTough Conversations: Facing Life’s Hardest Financial Moments
It’s time to get comfortable with the uncomfortable.
Read MoreFinancial Lessons from Aesop’s Fables
Think fairy tales are just for kids? Think again. The secrets to lasting wealth may be hiding in stories you heard at bedtime.
Read MorePeriodic Reviews: Tailoring Financial Advice to your Personality
Ever wondered if your financial review truly reflects who you are and what matters most to you?
Read MoreBad Investor Habits to Break Now
Today, Eric breaks down the habits that can turn good intentions into bad investing outcomes.
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