Heard It Through The Grapevine?

Today’s Prep:

From million-dollar retirement benchmarks to presidential election fears or predictions, have you heard these through the grapevine? Eric shares what he thinks about these three financial rumors.

Equipping Points:

On today’s episode of the podcast, Eric talks through three common rumors that you may have heard recently when it comes to your financial plan. How do you feel about these things?

Have you heard that you need at least $1 million to retire? Is that true? Maybe. It depends on what your lifestyle is like, what kind of income you need, and what’s important to you. How much money do you need to do the fun stuff and pay the bills in retirement?

Are you feeling the need to claim Social Security as early as possible? Is that what fits best with your plan? Are you worried that the entire Social Security system will collapse? Think through your situation and possible life expectancy. Keep in mind, if you take it early, you will be limited by how much you can work.

In an election year, you may have heard through the grapevine that the market will tank depending on who gets elected. Remember that any election will cause some volatility. Elections are emotional and that can cause people to make emotional decisions. Trump wants to open the economy as soon as possible, whereas Biden has different policies in mind such as higher taxes.

Now is the time to evaluate, do you want to take some money out of the market in case it sours? You don’t want to lock in losses, but there’s nothing wrong with taking gains and putting them in a safe place.

Listen to the entire episode or click on the timestamps below to hear a certain rumor.

1:47 – Well I heard…you have to have at least $1 million to retire.

2:34 – What happened when one client aimed for $1 million?

4:08 – Well I heard…you should start Social Security as early as you can.

6:26 – Well I heard…the market will tank if Trump loses.

Today’s Takeaway:

You don’t claim Social Security independent of a financial plan. You want it to be complementary to a plan.

-Eric Peterson

Related Resources:

Is This Retirement Fact or Fiction?

Making The Right Decisions With Your 401(k)

Outdated Financial Rules

More From Eric:

The host: Eric Peterson - Contact - Call: (515) 226-1500

Subscribe To The Podcast:

Apple Podcasts  -  Google Podcasts  -  Spotify  -  Stitcher  -  iHeartRadio  -  TuneIn

Check out some other recent episodes

Wizard of Oz Lessons for Retirement Planning

December 11, 2025

Your retirement journey has more in common with The Wizard of Oz than you might think. In

Read More

Money Mistakes You Only Make Once

December 4, 2025

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 More

The Friendly Skies of Retirement Planning

November 26, 2025

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 More

Tough Conversations: Facing Life’s Hardest Financial Moments

November 20, 2025

It’s time to get comfortable with the uncomfortable.

Read More

Financial Lessons from Aesop’s Fables

November 13, 2025

Think fairy tales are just for kids? Think again. The secrets to lasting wealth may be hiding in stories you heard at bedtime.

Read More

Periodic Reviews: Tailoring Financial Advice to your Personality

November 6, 2025

Ever wondered if your financial review truly reflects who you are and what matters most to you?

Read More

Bad Investor Habits to Break Now

October 30, 2025

Today, Eric breaks down the habits that can turn good intentions into bad investing outcomes.

Read More

Your First Year of Retirement: Don’t Screw It Up

October 23, 2025

Today, Eric shares the do’s and don’ts of entering retirement and explains why the first year is one of the most critical times in your financial life.

Read More

Debunking Retirement Myths: Smarter Strategies for Your Future

October 16, 2025

Eric breaks down some of the most common misconceptions about retirement planning and reveals what it really takes to build lasting financial confidence.

Read More

Mailbag: Life Insurance, Housing Decisions & Handling Extra Income

October 9, 2025

When it comes to retirement, every financial decision counts- but some are more complicated than others. In this episode, Eric tackles listener questions about three real-life retirement scenarios.

Read More

Leave a Comment