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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?  

In today's podcast, I want to take a few minutes to look back on 2025…and then use what we learned to prepare for 2026.  

Gold is up more than 50% year-to-date. Costco has been selling gold bars that fly off the shelves. The Discovery Channel's hit show Gold Rush draws millions of viewers. And central banks around the world have been buying gold at record levels. Demand is high—and the price reflects it. So in today's podcast, I want to dive into all things gold: what it is, what makes it valuable, why people invest in it, and my own philosophy about owning it. To find links and resources mentioned in today's podcast, visit SoundRetirementPlanning.com and click on episode #464. The Retirement Budget Calculator is an intuitive tool that promises ease and accuracy. However, like any tool, user error could potentially lead to costly mistakes. To avoid this, let the experienced advisors at Parker Financial LLC guide you. When you hire our team, we offer a comprehensive review of your current investments, taxes, and the data in the Retirement Budget Calculator. We will ensure your plan's completeness and accuracy, helping you create an investment strategy, assist with tax planning, and monitor your plan to maximize your retirement journey. At Parker Financial we offer a well-crafted retirement investment strategy, deeply rooted in academic data and financial science which can be the key to a prosperous retirement. Don't leave your future to chance. Take the first step towards a sound retirement. Schedule your complimentary discovery session now by visiting Parker-Financial.net let us help you make the most of your retirement years.      

In today's podcast, I want to talk about the new Enhanced Senior Deduction that was passed and signed into law on July 4th, 2025. If you are 65 years old or older—or will be turning 65 sometime between 2025 and 2028—you'll want to understand how this works and how it could impact your retirement plan.  If you are not yet 65 but you know someone who is, be sure to send them a link to this episode. For articles links and resources mentioned in todays show visit https://soundretirementplanning.com/ and click on episode 463

I'm really excited about today's episode because I want to speak directly to the anxiety that so many of you are feeling — and that you've been sharing with me lately. The title of today's show is "Is a Market Crash Coming?" It's a question I hear often, and I completely understand why. The headlines can be overwhelming, the markets feel unpredictable, and it's easy to wonder what's next. In today's episode, I want to talk about what you can do when you start to worry about how the market is going to perform — and, more importantly, what actions you can take to protect your peace of mind and your financial future. To find links, resources and the transcipt mentioned in today's podcast, visit SoundRetirementPlanning.com and click on episode #462. The Retirement Budget Calculator is an intuitive tool that promises ease and accuracy. However, like any tool, user error could potentially lead to costly mistakes. To avoid this, let the experienced advisors at Parker Financial LLC guide you. When you hire our team, we offer a comprehensive review of your current investments, taxes, and the data in the Retirement Budget Calculator. We will ensure your plan's completeness and accuracy, helping you create an investment strategy, assist with tax planning, and monitor your plan to maximize your retirement benefits. At Parker Financial we offer a well-crafted retirement investment strategy, deeply rooted in academic data and financial science which can be the key to a prosperous retirement. Don't leave your future to chance. Take the first step towards a sound retirement. Schedule your complimentary discovery session now by visiting Parker-Financial.net let us help you make the most of your retirement years.        

So I've met a lot of people over the years who have over prepared for retirement, and I've met others where I had to say, I'm sorry, you need to keep working. Unfortunately, I've seen good hardworking people, people who have saved, invested, and tried their best. They're still unable to retire, and the question's why? Today, I want to share the 4 biggest traps that keep people from retiring… and how you can avoid them. To find links and resources mentioned in today's podcast, visit SoundRetirementPlanning.com and click on episode #461. The Retirement Budget Calculator is an intuitive tool that promises ease and accuracy. However, like any tool, user error could potentially lead to costly mistakes. To avoid this, let the experienced advisors at Parker Financial LLC guide you. When you hire our team, we offer a comprehensive review of your current investments, taxes, and the data in the Retirement Budget Calculator. We will ensure your plan's completeness and accuracy, helping you create an investment strategy, assist with tax planning, and monitor your plan to maximize your retirement benefits. At Parker Financial we offer a well-crafted retirement investment strategy, deeply rooted in academic data and financial science which can be the key to a prosperous retirement. Don't leave your future to chance. Take the first step towards a sound retirement. Schedule your complimentary discovery session now by visiting Parker-Financial.net let us help you make the most of your retirement years.        

Today's podcast has three parts: first, a simple question to help you gain clarity; second, a common financial mistake we see—and how to fix it; and third, practical investing moves you can take right now. To find links and resources mentioned in today's podcast, visit SoundRetirementPlanning.com and click on episode #460. The Retirement Budget Calculator is an intuitive tool that promises ease and accuracy. However, like any tool, user error could potentially lead to costly mistakes. To avoid this, let the experienced advisors at Parker Financial LLC guide you. When you hire our team, we offer a comprehensive review of your current investments, taxes, and the data in the Retirement Budget Calculator. We will ensure your plan's completeness and accuracy, helping you create an investment strategy, assist with tax planning, and monitor your plan to maximize your retirement benefits. At Parker Financial we offer a well-crafted retirement investment strategy, deeply rooted in academic data and financial science which can be the key to a prosperous retirement. Don't leave your future to chance. Take the first step towards a sound retirement. Schedule your complimentary discovery session now by visiting Parker-Financial.net let us help you make the most of your retirement years.      

You're listening to episode number 459. The title is. 68 New Adventures at 68 Anne's Bold Retirement, and I'm so excited to bring this podcast interview to you. One of my favorite things about the work that we do is that we get to meet so many incredible people and we hear their stories. We get to see the how the decisions that they make impact their lives. How do they live full out? What makes for a good life? And I can say that my life is better as a result of getting to walk life with. Amazing people. In today's podcast, I'm gonna introduce you to Anne, who has been retired for seven years. Not only will you get to hear her story about her journey to retirement, but you'll also get to hear about this exciting goal that she has for this year, and it's a way to cut through the routines and the mundane and create new and exciting experiences to live fully. I like the quote from Eleanor Roosevelt who says. The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out, eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience. To find links and resources mentioned in today's podcast, visit SoundRetirementPlanning.com and click on episode #459 The Retirement Budget Calculator is an intuitive tool that promises ease and accuracy. However, like any tool, user error could potentially lead to costly mistakes. To avoid this, let the experienced advisors at Parker Financial LLC guide you. When you hire our team, we offer a comprehensive review of your current investments, taxes, and the data in the Retirement Budget Calculator. We will ensure your plan's completeness and accuracy, helping you create an investment strategy, assist with tax planning, and monitor your plan to maximize your retirement benefits. At Parker Financial we offer a well-crafted retirement investment strategy, deeply rooted in academic data and financial science which can be the key to a prosperous retirement. Don't leave your future to chance. Take the first step towards a sound retirement. Schedule your complimentary discovery session now by visiting Parker-Financial.net let us help you make the most of your retirement years.      

In today's podcast, I want to talk about the new One Big Beautiful Bill Act, recently passed and signed into law by the President on July 4th of this year. This legislation is significant for a couple of key reasons. First, it makes permanent one of the largest tax cuts in history—the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), originally passed in 2017 and previously set to expire at the end of this year. Second, the bill itself spans more than 300 pages, packed with new provisions, many of which will create planning opportunities for retirees and pre-retirees alike. To find links and resources mentioned in today's podcast, visit SoundRetirementPlanning.com and click on episode #458. The Retirement Budget Calculator is an intuitive tool that promises ease and accuracy. However, like any tool, user error could potentially lead to costly mistakes. To avoid this, let the experienced advisors at Parker Financial LLC guide you. When you hire our team, we offer a comprehensive review of your current investments, taxes, and the data in the Retirement Budget Calculator. We will ensure your plan's completeness and accuracy, helping you create an investment strategy, assist with tax planning, and monitor your plan to maximize your retirement benefits. At Parker Financial we offer a well-crafted retirement investment strategy, deeply rooted in academic data and financial science which can be the key to a prosperous retirement. Don't leave your future to chance. Take the first step towards a sound retirement. Schedule your complimentary discovery session now by visiting Parker-Financial.net let us help you make the most of your retirement years.      

As we celebrate the 4th of July, I want to explore a topic that doesn't get nearly enough attention—how to withdraw money from different types of retirement accounts. Specifically, we'll look at sequential vs. proportional withdrawals, and how your strategy can impact your taxes, your legacy, and your long-term retirement success. We'll walk through a hypothetical scenario to compare the outcomes, and the good news is—you can run this kind of analysis for yourself using the new Withdrawal Strategy Scenario in the Retirement Budget Calculator. To find links and resources mentioned in today's podcast, visit SoundRetirementPlanning.com and click on episode #457. The Retirement Budget Calculator is an intuitive tool that promises ease and accuracy. However, like any tool, user error could potentially lead to costly mistakes. To avoid this, let the experienced advisors at Parker Financial LLC guide you. When you hire our team, we offer a comprehensive review of your current investments, taxes, and the data in the Retirement Budget Calculator. We will ensure your plan's completeness and accuracy, helping you create an investment strategy, assist with tax planning, and monitor your plan to maximize your retirement benefits. At Parker Financial we offer a well-crafted retirement investment strategy, deeply rooted in academic data and financial science which can be the key to a prosperous retirement. Don't leave your future to chance. Take the first step towards a sound retirement. Schedule your complimentary discovery session now by visiting Parker-Financial.net let us help you make the most of your retirement years.        

In today's episode, we're diving into the latest press release from the Social Security Board of Trustees. The numbers this year look worse than last year—and that has real implications for your retirement. To find links and resources mentioned in today's podcast, visit SoundRetirementPlanning.com and click on episode #456. The Retirement Budget Calculator is an intuitive tool that promises ease and accuracy. However, like any tool, user error could potentially lead to costly mistakes. To avoid this, let the experienced advisors at Parker Financial LLC guide you. When you hire our team, we offer a comprehensive review of your current investments, taxes, and the data in the Retirement Budget Calculator. We will ensure your plan's completeness and accuracy, helping you create an investment strategy, assist with tax planning, and monitor your plan to maximize your retirement benefits. At Parker Financial we offer a well-crafted retirement investment strategy, deeply rooted in academic data and financial science which can be the key to a prosperous retirement. Don't leave your future to chance. Take the first step towards a sound retirement. Schedule your complimentary discovery session now by visiting Parker-Financial.net let us help you make the most of your retirement years.      

The number one question people ask as they approach retirement is: "Have we saved enough?" Can we retire confidently without running out of money? In today's podcast, we'll explore how having a solid retirement plan can help you understand your likelihood of success—and the probability of avoiding a catastrophic financial shortfall. To find links and resources mentioned in today's podcast, visit SoundRetirementPlanning.com and click on episode #455. The Retirement Budget Calculator is an intuitive tool that promises ease and accuracy. However, like any tool, user error could potentially lead to costly mistakes. To avoid this, let the experienced advisors at Parker Financial LLC guide you. When you hire our team, we offer a comprehensive review of your current investments, taxes, and the data in the Retirement Budget Calculator. We will ensure your plan's completeness and accuracy, helping you create an investment strategy, assist with tax planning, and monitor your plan to optimize your retirement benefits. At Parker Financial we offer a well-crafted retirement investment strategy, deeply rooted in academic data and financial science which can be the key to a prosperous retirement. Don't leave your future to chance. Take the first step towards a sound retirement. Schedule your complimentary discovery session now by visiting Parker-Financial.net let us help you make the most of your retirement years.        

One of the most common Social Security questions we get is this: "If my spouse starts her Social Security at age 62 and I wait until age 70 to start mine, can she receive a higher spousal benefit when I start?" When it comes to Social Security, most people know you can qualify for retirement benefits based on your own work history — the taxes you paid into the system over the years. But what many don't realize is that you might also be eligible for a spousal benefit, even if you didn't work enough to qualify on your own. That's right — even if you didn't pay into Social Security, you may still be able to receive a benefit based on your spouse's earnings record. To find links and resources mentioned in today's podcast, visit SoundRetirementPlanning.com and click on episode #454. The Retirement Budget Calculator is an intuitive tool that promises ease and accuracy. However, like any tool, user error could potentially lead to costly mistakes. To avoid this, let the experienced advisors at Parker Financial LLC guide you. When you hire our team, we offer a comprehensive review of your current investments, taxes, and the data in the Retirement Budget Calculator. We will ensure your plan's completeness and accuracy, helping you create an investment strategy, assist with tax planning, and monitor your plan to maximize your retirement benefits. At Parker Financial we offer a well-crafted retirement investment strategy, deeply rooted in academic data and financial science which can be the key to a prosperous retirement. Don't leave your future to chance. Take the first step towards a sound retirement. Schedule your complimentary discovery session now by visiting Parker-Financial.net let us help you make the most of your retirement years.      

In today's episode, I'm sharing a time-tested strategy that can boost your confidence when it comes to withdrawing money in retirement—the barbell strategy. Also known as the two-bucket approach, this method is designed to help you navigate market volatility while staying focused on long-term growth. I'll walk you through the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the barbell strategy—so by the end of this episode, you'll have a clear understanding of how it works and whether it's a fit for your retirement plan. Put simply, this strategy involves holding some of your retirement assets in low-risk, easily accessible accounts, while the rest remains invested for long-term growth. The goal isn't to predict the market—because no one can—but rather to create a structure that allows you to respond calmly and strategically, no matter what the market is doing.