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There's been a lot of talk recently about rising interest rates, inflation, and what all of this means for the bond portion of your investment portfolio. So today, I've invited Tim Tenbrink, CFP®, back to the show to talk about retirement planning, investment management, and, specifically, the role bonds can play in a well diversified retirement portfolio. We'll talk about bond quality, duration, the relationship between interest rates and bond prices, and give you a few things to consider as you prepare to invest for what we hope will be a long retirement. To find links and resources mentioned in today's podcast, visit SoundRetirementPlanning.com and click on Episode #479. When you work with Parker Financial, our advisors use the Retirement Budget Calculator — a powerful retirement planning tool developed by our firm — to design, test, and refine your retirement plan. It's now used exclusively within our advisory process to help deliver more precise and personalized outcomes. At Parker Financial, we build well-crafted retirement and investment strategies grounded in academic research and financial science, designed to give you clarity, confidence, and freedom as you move into and through retirement. Don't leave your future to chance. Take the first step toward a sound retirement. Schedule your complimentary discovery session today by visiting Parker-Financial.net. Let us help you make the most of your retirement years.

Today I had the good fortune to interview David Booth.  Let me tell you a little bit about him. His modest upbringing in Kansas from selling newspapers at 8 years old to selling shoes as a teenager, to working on the team that launched the first index fund; to pioneering what would come to be known as factor investing, David Booth didn't just witness the financial revolution, he helped lead it.  For five decades, he's bridged the worlds of academic theory and practical investing, collaborating with Nobel laureates to build Dimensional fund advisors into a $1 trillion global firm that has democratized evidence-based investing for millions. Booth earned degrees in economics and business from the University of Kansas, followed by an MBA from the University of Chicago.  His Chicago education proved instrumental to his success, leading to a transformative gift to the business school in 2008.  The University of Chicago Booth School of Business now bears his anime, and the contributions continue to support faculty and their field-defining research. Through his visionary application of financial theory to real world investing, Booth has established himself as one of the most influential figures in investing - an outsider who challenged Wall Street's conventional wisdom and won.

In today's podcast, I invited Tim Tenbrink, CFP®, back onto the show. Many of the people we serve are not only interested in how to make the most of their retirement, but they're also in a position where they can think about how to use their wealth to make a meaningful difference for the next generation. There are a number of different ways to give to children and grandchildren, and how you give can be just as important as how much you give. Tim and I have several ideas to share with you today that can help you think more strategically about giving and building generational wealth. I know you're going to enjoy this conversation. And as always, the transcript, along with articles, links, and resources, will be available at Sound Retirement Planning. Just visit SoundRetirementPlanning.com and click on episode 479.

Take The Assessment: SoundRetirementScore.com In today's podcast, I want to share a brand-new tool we've created to help you evaluate whether you're on track for retirement. Many people think retirement planning comes down to a single number: How much have I saved? But that's only part of the picture. There are actually four key areas you need to understand as you prepare for retirement. In today's episode, we're going to explore each of them and explain why they matter. To find links and resources mentioned in today's podcast, visit SoundRetirementPlanning.com and click on Episode #477. When you work with Parker Financial, our advisors use the Retirement Budget Calculator, a powerful retirement planning tool developed by our firm — to design, test, and refine your retirement plan. It's now used exclusively within our advisory process to help deliver more precise and personalized outcomes. At Parker Financial, we build well-crafted retirement and investment strategies grounded in academic research and financial science — designed to give you clarity, confidence, and freedom as you move into and through retirement. Don't leave your future to chance. Take the first step toward a sound retirement. Schedule your complimentary discovery session today by visiting Parker-Financial.net. Let us help you make the most of your retirement years.

I was at a speaking engagement this week, and we received several questions from the audience about Social Security. Questions like: When should I start Social Security—at 62 or 67? How do spousal benefits work? Will Social Security be there for me? In today's podcast, Tim and I discuss these important questions. We also talk about a new survey from the Reagan National Institute that found many Americans believe affluent households should bear more of the cost of funding entitlement programs. As always, I'll include links to the articles and resources we mention in today's show at SoundRetirementPlanning.com. Just click on Episode 476, titled "Will Social Security Be There for Me?" We're also hosting a special webinar on Social Security and how to integrate it into your retirement plan. If you'd like to attend and see how we help our clients determine the right time to claim Social Security benefits, simply visit the show notes and click the webinar registration link.

Everyone wants to invest in the next hot thing. Today, it's SpaceX. Tomorrow, it might be OpenAI or Anthropic. Twenty-five years ago, it was Pets.com. More recently, investors have chased the excitement around Bitcoin, GameStop, AMC, and other "can't-miss" opportunities. The names change, but human nature doesn't. To find links and resources mentioned in today's podcast, visit SoundRetirementPlanning.com and click on Episode #475. When you work with Parker Financial, our advisors use the Retirement Budget Calculator — a powerful retirement planning tool developed by our firm — to design, test, and refine your retirement plan. It's now used exclusively within our advisory process to help deliver more precise and personalized outcomes. At Parker Financial, we build well-crafted retirement and investment strategies grounded in academic research and financial science — designed to give you clarity, confidence, and freedom as you move into and through retirement. Don't leave your future to chance. Take the first step toward a sound retirement. Schedule your complimentary discovery session today by visiting Parker-Financial.net. Let us help you make the most of your retirement years.

In today's episode, Jason welcomes Tim Tenbrink, CFP®, financial planner at Parker Financial, for a conversation about some of the most common concerns facing people as they prepare for retirement. From navigating stock market volatility to estate planning and everything in between, they share practical insights drawn from real conversations with retirees and those nearing retirement. Enjoy this episode of Sound Retirement Planning. To find links and resources mentioned in today's podcast, visit SoundRetirementPlanning.com and click on Episode #474. When you work with Parker Financial, our advisors use the Retirement Budget Calculator — a powerful retirement planning tool developed by our firm — to design, test, and refine your retirement plan. It's now used exclusively within our advisory process to help deliver more precise and personalized outcomes. At Parker Financial, we build well-crafted retirement and investment strategies grounded in academic research and financial science — designed to give you clarity, confidence, and freedom as you move into and through retirement. Don't leave your future to chance. Take the first step toward a sound retirement. Schedule your complimentary discovery session today by visiting Parker-Financial.net. Let us help you make the most of your retirement years.

Social Security is an incredible benefit. It's inflation-adjusted income, it can be tax-efficient, and it includes spousal and survivor benefits. For many retirees, it becomes one of the most valuable financial assets they have. But determining the best time to start Social Security is more complicated than simply using an online calculator that tells you how to get the largest check. To find links and resources mentioned in today's podcast, visit SoundRetirementPlanning.com and click on Episode #473. When you work with Parker Financial, our advisors use the Retirement Budget Calculator — a powerful retirement planning tool developed by our firm — to design, test, and refine your retirement plan. It's now used exclusively within our advisory process to help deliver more precise and personalized outcomes. At Parker Financial, we build well-crafted retirement and investment strategies grounded in academic research and financial science — designed to give you clarity, confidence, and freedom as you move into and through retirement. Don't leave your future to chance. Take the first step toward a sound retirement. Schedule your complimentary discovery session today by visiting Parker-Financial.net. Let us help you make the most of your retirement years.

I just got back from a trip to Maui with my wife and daughter… and it hit me— My wife and I are about to become empty nesters. For the first time in 29 years… life is about to change in a really big way. And this trip gave me some perspective that I didn't expect… about money, about being present, and about what really matters as we move into the next phase of life. To find links and resources mentioned in today's podcast, visit SoundRetirementPlanning.com and click on Episode #472. When you work with Parker Financial, our advisors use the Retirement Budget Calculator — a powerful retirement planning tool developed by our firm — to design, test, and refine your retirement plan. It's now used exclusively within our advisory process to help deliver more precise and personalized outcomes. At Parker Financial, we build well-crafted retirement and investment strategies grounded in academic research and financial science — designed to give you clarity, confidence, and freedom as you move into and through retirement. Don't leave your future to chance. Take the first step toward a sound retirement. Schedule your complimentary discovery session today by visiting Parker-Financial.net. Let us help you make the most of your retirement years.

Today we're going to talk about your net worth, a number that everyone has but very few really know what it is and even fewer people truly understand what it means when it comes to retirement. This episode gets us back on track with the 2026 Retirement Challenge. Each episode in this series focuses on one step you can take to determine whether you're ready to retire in 2026. If you're already retired, this is still a valuable exercise to make sure your plan is on track.  And if you're a client of Parker Financial, you can rest assured—we're already doing this work for you. To find links and resources mentioned in today's podcast, visit SoundRetirementPlanning.com and click on Episode #471. When you work with Parker Financial, our advisors use the Retirement Budget Calculator — a powerful retirement planning tool developed by our firm — to design, test, and refine your retirement plan. It's now used exclusively within our advisory process to help deliver more precise and personalized outcomes. At Parker Financial, we build well-crafted retirement and investment strategies grounded in academic research and financial science — designed to give you clarity, confidence, and freedom as you move into and through retirement. Don't leave your future to chance. Take the first step toward a sound retirement. Schedule your complimentary discovery session today by visiting Parker-Financial.net. Let us help you make the most of your retirement years.

I'm going to take a short break from our theme for the year—the 2026 Retirement Challenge—because I want to address a concern I'm hearing from many people right now: the fear about war and how it might impact their investments. To find links and resources mentioned in today's podcast, visit SoundRetirementPlanning.com and click on Episode #470. When you work with Parker Financial, our advisors use the Retirement Budget Calculator — a powerful retirement planning tool developed by our firm — to design, test, and refine your retirement plan. It's now used exclusively within our advisory process to help deliver more precise and personalized outcomes. At Parker Financial, we build well-crafted retirement and investment strategies grounded in academic research and financial science — designed to give you clarity, confidence, and freedom as you move into and through retirement. Don't leave your future to chance. Take the first step toward a sound retirement. Schedule your complimentary discovery session today by visiting Parker-Financial.net. Let us help you make the most of your retirement years.

This is the first exercise of the 2026 retirement challenge that most people actually enjoy.  The first episode was all about purpose and understanding why you will retire.  The second episode was about spending.  I've discovered that most people really don't like the word budget. Today we're going to add up how much guaranteed income you will have in retirement. To find links and resources mentioned in today's podcast, visit SoundRetirementPlanning.com and click on Episode #469. When you work with Parker Financial, our advisors use the Retirement Budget Calculator — a powerful retirement planning tool developed by our firm — to design, test, and refine your retirement plan. It's now used exclusively within our advisory process to help deliver more precise and personalized outcomes. At Parker Financial, we build well-crafted retirement and investment strategies grounded in academic research and financial science — designed to give you clarity, confidence, and freedom as you move into and through retirement. Don't leave your future to chance. Take the first step toward a sound retirement. Schedule your complimentary discovery session today by visiting Parker-Financial.net. Let us help you make the most of your retirement years.

If there were no spending, there would be no need for investments. No portfolios. No Monte Carlo simulations. No withdrawal strategies. No Social Security timing debates. Because the entire purpose of money in retirement is spending. To find links and resources mentioned in today's podcast, visit SoundRetirementPlanning.com and click on Episode #468. When you work with Parker Financial, our advisors use the Retirement Budget Calculator — a powerful retirement planning tool developed by our firm — to design, test, and refine your retirement plan. It's now used exclusively within our advisory process to help deliver more precise and personalized outcomes. At Parker Financial, we build well-crafted retirement and investment strategies grounded in academic research and financial science — designed to give you clarity, confidence, and freedom as you move into and through retirement. Don't leave your future to chance. Take the first step toward a sound retirement. Schedule your complimentary discovery session today by visiting Parker-Financial.net. Let us help you make the most of your retirement years.

In this episode, Jason shares an important announcement about the future of the Retirement Budget Calculator. He explains why the tool will no longer be available to new public users, what this means for existing users and Parker Financial clients, and the lessons learned from nearly a decade of building retirement planning software. Jason also reflects on how this decision supports a renewed focus on delivering deep planning and investment management for the families he serves.

We are going to start the  year off with a podcast series called "The 2026 Retirement Challenge".  The idea is that each podcast I am going to bring you one thing to work on so that by the end of the series you will know if you are ready to retire and if the numbers will work. Most retirement planning starts with a number. "How much do I need?" "When can I retire?" "Am I going to run out of money?" Those are important questions — and we'll get to all of them in this retirement challenge. But today, I want to start somewhere else. Because here's what I've seen after years of working with retirees: Retirement isn't just a financial transition, it's a life transition. That's why the first step in the 2026 Retirement Challenge isn't about Social Security, taxes, or investments. It's about your why. Why are you retiring? What are you retiring to? And what kind of life do you actually want to design?