The Complete Retirement Planner Blog
Physical Health And Financial Health Go Hand In Hand
Whether you desire to be physically healthy and/or financially healthy, both require the same type of behavior. Watching what you eat (being aware of calories, serving sizes, ingredients), and exercising regularly (calories burned, steps, rotating muscle groups), requires the same type of commitment and habits as being financially sound (watching your budget, monitoring investment performance, planning for retirement). In both cases, being successful requires you to set realistic goals based on what you’re trying to accomplish, monitor your results, and then adapt as needed to stay on track. Just as you establish a regular plan to stay physically healthy, a...
The 2025 Complete Retirement Planner!
The 2025 version of The Complete Retirement Planner (TCRP 2025) has just been released!As always, this update includes the most recent tax code changes, 401k/IRA and HSA contribution limits, and Medicare premiums. Several new features have also been added that will further solidify TCRP's reputation as being one of the most comprehensive retirement planning tools available (and still at an unbeatable price!). But don't let the low price fool you - it is not because TCRP is lacking in any way, we do it because we CAN, and because it makes a significant difference for households across the country. Our...
Should You Pay Off Your Mortgage Before Retirement?
Paying off your mortgage before retirement has long been considered a smart financial move. But is it always? The long standing rule of thumb is that you want to reduce expenses as much as possible before retirement so that it takes less money to live on. In theory, this will help your savings to last as long as possible. But if your mortgage does not reach the end of its term by the time you retire you have a decision to make. Either you pay off the balance using your savings, or you continue to maintain the mortgage. Since a...
Plan Your Own Path And Pay No Attention To The People Behind The Curtain.
As we approach the end of another year, and another election cycle, it is a good time to separate out all of the information swirling around us (good and bad), and strive to see the forest for the trees. How can we be sure to have only the most accurate information, disregard all of the other the "noise", and use that information to its best advantage to help us to learn, grow, and ensure that we are aware of all of our options for reaching our goals?In terms of financial planning (what did you think I was writing about? ☺)...
Auto-Savings in TCRP - Use It, Don't Lose It.
When using any financial planning tool, it is important to make sure that it is capable of considering as many variables as possible (or at least those that apply to your specific situation) so that it can generate the most thorough and accurate results. For the purposes of this post, we will discuss what happens if annual income exceeds what is needed to pay expenses (including taxes). Some planning tools, believe it or not, do not account for any excess income. The Fidelity planning tool (nothing against Fidelity, but their planning tool is a good example in this case) states...