The Get Ready For The Future Show

Miss one required withdrawal on an inherited IRA and the IRS can now hit you with a 25% penalty on top of the tax you already owe. On this episode: • The 10-year inherited IRA rule, finalized for 2025 — and exactly when annual withdrawals are required vs. optional • Why a Roth conversion can quietly double your Medicare premium two years later (IRMAA explained) • The life insurance gap costing 1 in 4 high-income households up to $400,000 in missing coverage • What to do with extra cash the month after your last debt payment — savings first, or invest? Have a money question? Email show@getreadyforthefuture.com and you could be our...

The S&P 500 just hit a record high of 7,758 — up 13% this year. So is it too expensive to buy now? Here's what 37 years of data actually says happens after the market hits a new high, why Warren Buffett has never cared about the S&P's record, and the one dot-com era example that shows why abandoning your plan over a headline can cost you more than the "expensive" market ever would. In this episode: - What history shows about buying at record highs (1988–2024) - Why the S&P's P/E ratio has investors watching valuations - The $10,000 investment from the 2000 peak...

Waiting until RMDs force your hand could cost you a tax bracket you'll never see again. 💰 On this episode of The Get Ready for the Future Show, the GenWealth team tackles these four listener questions: • Should you do Roth conversions before RMDs kick in — even in a "low" bracket? • Why the first 5 years of retirement matter more than your average return • Is 60% of your net worth in one company stock too risky? • Do you need life insurance in your 20s with no kids or mortgage yet? Straight answers, no jargon. Got a money question? Email show@getreadyforthefuture.com — you could be our Question

Retirees fear running out of money more than they fear death. That's not an exaggeration — it's what's driving a massive gap between what retirees have saved and what they're actually willing to spend. A married 65-year-old couple withdraws just 2.1% of their retirement savings a year. A single retiree: 1.9%. Meanwhile, 71% of workers say they'd be reluctant to touch their savings at all in retirement. There are two reasons for this "Just in Case" retirement mindset — and only one in five retirees have the one document that fixes it: a written retirement income plan. Scott Inman breaks down why the number you shou...

When should you and your spouse claim Social Security — and could getting it wrong cost you six figures over your lifetime? In this episode of The Get Ready for the Future Show, we answer two listener questions: 🔹 A couple heading into retirement can't agree on when each of them should start claiming Social Security — and why coordinating as a household (not two separate filings) can be worth well over $100,000 over a lifetime. 🔹 A couple weighing whether long-term care insurance is worth the cost — and why waiting to decide can end up costing far more than the coverage itself. Plus: a preview of o...

For two years, AI stocks meant one thing: who's spending the most to build it. That's changing. Wall Street's asking a new question — who can actually turn AI into revenue? Alec breaks down the shift from AI infrastructure to AI monetization, and why it matters for the next phase of this market theme.

Your will might not decide as much as you think. This week on The Get Ready for the Future Show: a remarried caller learns his old 401(k) still names his ex-wife as beneficiary — and his will can't override it. We break down why beneficiary forms win every time, and what a five-minute account check could save your family from a costly mistake. Also this episode: a couple weighing whether to help their adult son with a house down payment without derailing their own retirement, a job-changer deciding what to do with an old 401(k), and a newlywed figuring out joint vs...

Governments are quietly deciding who controls the resources within their own borders — and it's already moving markets. It's called resource nationalism, and according to LPL's Head of Macro Strategy Kristian Kerr, it rarely stops with the commodity itself. It reshapes trade policy, capital flows, and the broader macro landscape. Since COVID, export bans have surged as countries abandoned decades of globalization to protect their own supply chains. In this episode of The Fastest Four Minutes in Finance, Scott Inman breaks down: • What resource nationalism actually means • Why commodity prices and energy/materials stocks could benefit • Why Latin America could see the bigg...

Growing your income without adjusting your tax strategy can cost you tens of thousands of dollars you didn't have to lose — plus three more retirement questions from our listeners this week. This week on Get Ready for the Future: ✅ RMDs at 73 or 75? Why the "right" age depends on your birth year, not a flat rule ✅ Does the month you retire actually matter? (Yes — here's why) ✅ S-corp vs. cash balance plan: the tax strategy combo growing businesses miss ✅ Why a Roth IRA is the smartest move in your first "real" job Have a money question? Email show@getreadyforthefuture.com — you could be next week's...

Governments are quietly deciding who controls the resources within their own borders — and it's already moving markets. It's called resource nationalism, and according to LPL's Head of Macro Strategy Kristian Kerr, it rarely stops with the commodity itself. It reshapes trade policy, capital flows, and the broader macro landscape. Since COVID, export bans have surged as countries abandoned decades of globalization to protect their own supply chains. In this episode of The Fastest Four Minutes in Finance, Scott Inman breaks down: • What resource nationalism actually means • Why commodity prices and energy/materials stocks could benefit • Why Latin America could see the bigg...

Will your Medicare premium jump because of what you withdrew two years ago? 😳 This week's mailbag tackles the IRMAA surcharge trap, plus three more real questions from our listeners. In this episode: ✅ The Medicare premium increase most retirees don't see coming — and how IRMAA can add hundreds a month for high earners ✅ Should you claim Social Security at 62? The math married couples can't afford to skip ✅ The backdoor Roth pro-rata rule that can quietly wipe out your tax savings ✅ Building an emergency fund AND investing at the same time — yes, you can do both Got a question for the show? Email show@getr...

Could the AI trade be entering a riskier new phase? LPL Research's 2026 Mid-Year Outlook keeps the bull case for stocks — but flags a real shift in the AI buildout. The five hyperscalers are set to spend $750 billion this year, and for the first time, they're not just paying with cash. Bond issuance from the group could hit $300 billion in 2026, up from $110 billion in 2025. LPL says that means the AI trade's next act won't be built on promise — it'll be judged on results. Scott Inman breaks it down.

With no pension in sight, millions of Americans are making a costly annuity mistake — and most don't know it until it's too late. This week we answer four listener questions: ✅ No pension? When an annuity actually makes sense — and when it doesn't. ✅ Your parents have a will from the 1980s. Here's why that could cost your family everything. ✅ One spouse is a spender. One is a saver. How do you retire together? ✅ What if you can afford to retire — but you're afraid you'll get bored? Real questions. Honest answers.

It was a war America wasn't supposed to win. 250 years ago this week, a handful of colonists with no army, no navy, and no real plan took on the most powerful empire on earth — and somehow won. What came after wasn't guaranteed either: limited government, individual liberty, the idea that rights come from God, not rulers. All of it had to be fought for first, and figured out after. Warren Buffett has said America's poor today live better than the richest man in the country did in his own childhood. That's not an accident — it's 250 years of decisions, sacrifice, and free...

Don't choose your retirement zip code based on weather alone — state taxes, healthcare costs, and Medicaid rules can quietly add $10,000 a year in expenses you didn't plan for. This week on Get Ready For The Future Show: 🔹 Penny's retirement relocation checklist — what to vet financially before you commit to a new state 🔹 Portfolio rebalancing: how years of drift can shift your 70/30 allocation to 85/15 without you noticing 🔹 No heirs? Jeffrey learns how to build a meaningful legacy through smart estate and charitable planning 🔹 Roth vs. Traditional 401(k): what SECURE 2.0 just changed that could affect which you choose Disclosure: Traditional IRA account owners have cons...

6% of Americans made hardship withdrawals from their 401k in 2025 — a record high, and it's been climbing for 5 straight years. At the same time, participation rates hit 86% and average contributions are up. So why are so many people pulling money out? Scott breaks down the Vanguard 2025 How America Saves report — what the numbers actually mean, and the one question you should stop asking about your retirement savings.

Most people think their In-Plan Roth Rollover is set once the money moves over. It's not — and the 5-year rule works differently than you think. This week on Get Ready For The Future Show, the GenWealth team answers four real viewer questions: 🔹 Why your budgeting app isn't moving the needle — and what behavior change actually does 🔹 In-Plan Roth Rollover rules: does each $25K conversion start its own 5-year clock? (You asked — we answered) 🔹 Paid off your home at 60 — should that freed-up cash go to investments or savings? 🔹 I'm 50 and want to retire at 60. What exactly should I be doing for the next 10 years? G...

Will Social Security still be there when you retire — or will it be 22% less than you're counting on? The 2026 Social Security Trustees' Report moved the trust fund depletion date up to 2032 — one year sooner than last year's estimate. A nonpartisan watchdog says it's the worst shape the program has been in since 1983, with the 75-year funding shortfall now at its highest level since 1977. The fixes have been on the table for decades. But the longer Congress waits, the more painful they get — a 34% payroll tax hike today, 40% if they wait until 2034. And the current administration has no specific plan. Your retire...

Don't let a single accident — in your pool, on your trampoline, or on the road — undo everything you've worked for. This week: four viewer questions every family needs answered. ✅ Does everyone actually need a trust — or is your sister overreacting? ✅ How much home and auto liability do you really need when cars cost $100,000? ✅ You inherited farmland in Arkansas — sell, lease, or hold it? ✅ Remarried with kids from a previous marriage? Here's how to protect them in your estate plan. Plus: umbrella policies, earthquake insurance, and the coverage gap small business owners almost always miss.

Did you know your 401(k) could hold up to $70,000 in annual contributions — not just $23,500? The Mega Backdoor Roth is one of the most powerful retirement tools available inside a workplace plan, and most employees have no idea it exists. This week, Crystal found out her employer just added it — we break down exactly what it is, who it's right for, and what to watch out for. Also this episode: how to simplify an overwhelming investment portfolio without losing performance, how to budget for international travel in retirement, and what adult children need to know when helping aging parents with finances and...

Only 1 in 3 stocks is actually beating the market right now — and history says that's a red flag. The S&P 500 is up 18% in just 39 trading sessions, and Q1 earnings are tracking at a massive 28% year-over-year growth rate. But LPL Chief Equity Strategist Jeff Buchbinder is flagging a warning sign buried inside the rally: stock outperformance levels are approaching historic lows. The last few times this happened, large-cap value and small-cap stocks outperformed over the next 1, 3, and 6 months — meaning the stocks leading today may not be leading tomorrow. If your portfolio is concentrated in big tech, this one's for you.

Is $900,000 enough to retire at 62? Most people focus on the savings number. The questions that actually matter are harder — and this episode answers four of them. • $900k saved, no debt, age 62 — can you retire next year? We run the real numbers, including the healthcare gap most people never see coming. • DIY taxes getting complicated? How to know when hiring a CPA pays for itself. • Annuitize your IRA or keep it invested? What you're actually trading away. • Charitable giving before retirement — why QCDs beat regular donations for most retirees. Submit your question: show@getreadyforthefuture.com

Dating in America just got a lot more expensive — and it's revealing something bigger about the state of personal finances in this country. The average cost of a first date has climbed to $189 in 2026, up 12.5% from last year — outpacing overall inflation. Millennials are spending an average of $252 per date, and social media is making expectations even more extreme. Meanwhile, the U.S. personal savings rate has dropped to 3.6% — the lowest since COVID — household debt sits at $18.8 trillion, and credit card balances have hit $1.25 trillion. Your personal finances are personal. Don't let social media make your money decisions for you.

Don't let financial habits from 10 years ago determine your wealth today. From outdated long-term care policies to untapped HSA power - small blind spots compound into big losses. This week on Get Ready For The Future Show: • Helping your adult kids invest in their 20s WITHOUT enabling bad habits • Walter's LTC policy hasn't been reviewed in 15 years - here's why that's a problem • Is your HSA secretly your most powerful retirement account? (Most people get this wrong) • Small business owner at 48 with no retirement plan? Here's exactly how to catch up Originally aired 5/23/2026

The doomsayers say stocks are overvalued. The data says something very different. As of May 8th, 447 S&P 500 companies reported Q1 earnings — 84% beat estimates, with average earnings growth of 26.8%. Meanwhile, the forward P/E ratio actually dropped nearly 4%, meaning stocks are cheaper today than they were at the start of the year. LPL Research Portfolio Strategist George Smith breaks down why the relationship between price and earnings is the most important dynamic in markets right now — and what it means for your long-term investing plan. The facts don't lie. Tune out the noise.

What if spending too little in early retirement is the real mistake? 👀 This week, four listeners asked the questions most people are afraid to bring up: ✅ Is spending more while you're healthy reckless — or just good planning? ✅ My spouse won't meet with a financial advisor. How do I bring her on board? ✅ I'm 66, just widowed, and my husband handled all the finances. Where do I begin? ✅ We want to move into a retirement community early. How do we run the real numbers? If any of these sound familiar, this one's for you. 📩 Submit your question: show@getreadyforthefuture.com #retirementplanning #financialadvisor #personalfinance...

In this week’s episode of The Get Ready For The Future Show, we tackle a pressing question: Is the stock market on the brink of a dot-com-level crash? Join me, Scott Inman, as I compare the current AI boom to the explosive growth of the internet in the 1990s. We’ll delve into the similarities and differences between these two tech revolutions and what they mean for investors today. Drawing insights from LPL Research, I’ll highlight key factors like stronger leadership, grounded valuations, and rational IPOs that differentiate the AI landscape from the past. While volatility is expected, I’ll e...

Are you in your 50s and still on autopilot with a target-date fund? You might be taking on more risk than you think — and missing the income plan you'll actually need. This week on The Fastest Four Minutes in Finance: ✅ Target-date funds — what they get right, and where they quietly fail after 50 ✅ Deferred compensation at 60: tax tool or future headache? ✅ No kids, no heirs — how to make sure your estate funds what matters most to you ✅ Two retirement dates, one household — how couples plan when timelines don't match "At some point, your portfolio stops being a scoreboard and starts being a paycheck." — t...

Oil prices are down — so why is the physical market telling a completely different story? 🛢️ Since mid-March, actual barrel prices have been running significantly higher than futures prices. The Strait of Hormuz has seen barely 1.5 days of normal oil flow since March 1st. Japanese refiners started buying U.S. crude. Chinese buyers drove Vancouver shipments to record highs. Indian refiners grabbed whatever Venezuelan crude they could find. When sophisticated traders stop negotiating on price and just need barrels — that's not a Wall Street story. That's a supply crisis. Plus: the "death of the petrodollar" headlines are everywhere right now. We slow down...

In this episode of The Get Ready For The Future Show, I dive into the essential topics of insurance, life policies, and the unique challenges of going solo in retirement. As the financial landscape evolves, it's crucial to stay informed about how your insurance policies can impact your retirement planning. I discuss the significance of life insurance, the intricacies of universal life policies, and the importance of assessing your coverage as you approach retirement age. Additionally, we explore strategies to manage your financial future effectively, ensuring you are well-prepared for the realities of retirement living. Join me for insights that...

Americans say you need $1.46 million to retire comfortably in 2026 — up $200,000 from last year. But is that number real? 🤔 Here's the problem: 60–70% of your net worth is locked in your home, inflation has cut the dollar in half since the '90s, and your retirement number isn't the same as your neighbor's. In this week's Fastest 4 Minutes in Finance, Scott Inman breaks down: ✅ Why the $1.46M "magic number" is misleading ✅ The home-equity trap hiding in your net worth ✅ Why $1 million today ≠ $1 million 30 years ago ✅ The income question that actually decides retirement There is no magic number. But there IS one that works for you. #r...

"My wife and I both have pensions. How should we coordinate those with our Social Security and investments?" We’re answering YOUR questions on this week’s Get Ready For The Future Show! ✅ I’m 55 and still have $30,000 in student loans. Should I pay them off or focus on maxing my 401(k)? ✅ We’re retiring next year and wondering how much we should keep in cash vs. invested. What's a good rule of thumb? ✅ We’ve never tracked our expenses, but we know we’re spending more than we should. How do we start budgeting without getting overwhelmed? All this straight talk and...

In this episode of The Get Ready For The Future Show, titled "Fastest Four: Why 90% of Americans Overpay Taxes — And How to Stop," I delve into the critical role of tax planning and its impact on your financial future. With the tax deadline now behind us, I discuss strategies to avoid overpaying taxes and ensure you don’t deplete your savings just to settle your tax bill. From adjusting your W-4 to maximizing retirement contributions and utilizing health savings accounts, I cover essential tips that can lead to significant tax savings. Join me for this concise yet informative episode, where I em...

"We’ve always had separate accounts and we’re both retiring next year. Is it time to combine, or should we keep things separate?" We’re answering YOUR questions on this week’s Get Ready For The Future Show! • I inherited my dad’s IRA last year and I’m confused about the 10-year rule. Do I have to take distributions every year or just by the end? • I’m in my early 60s and have never worked with a financial advisor. How much does it typically cost, and what should I expect from that relationship? • Our adult son is struggling financial...

The Iran-US ceasefire just sent shockwaves through global markets — and your portfolio could be affected. In this week's Fastest 4 Minutes in Finance, Scott Inman breaks down what the preliminary ceasefire agreement means for oil prices, stock valuations, inflation, interest rates, and your long-term investment strategy.

Are retirement taxes the biggest threat to your financial future? A new study shows that 70% of Americans are worried about taxes in retirement, and for Gen X, that number jumps to 80%. If you’re relying on a 401(k) or IRA, this is a conversation you can’t afford to ignore. In this episode of Fastest 4 Minutes in Finance, we break down: • Why withdrawals from tax-deferred accounts can push you into higher tax brackets • How your income could increase Medicare premiums by thousands • The hidden risk of waiting too long and getting hit with Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) • Smart strategies like Roth convers...

“I’m 65 and still working. I have a large traditional IRA and I’m worried about RMDs later. Should I start Roth conversions now?” We’re answering YOUR questions on this week’s Get Ready For The Future Show! We have $150,000 in a savings account earning almost nothing. What are our options for getting better returns without taking on big risk? I’m 70 and want to gift some of our money to our grandkids now while we’re alive. How do we do that smartly? Our home has skyrocketed in value. Should we downsize now and invest the proceeds, or ride it out long...

“I’ve heard the first few years of retirement are the most financially vulnerable. Why is that, and what can I do about it?” We’re answering YOUR questions on this week’s Get Ready For The Future Show! • I’m 50 and recently divorced. I split retirement assets in the divorce, but now I’m not sure if I’m still on track. How do I rebuild with a 15-year timeline? • We’re both 62 and wondering if it’s better to take Social Security now or wait until 67. The break-even math is confusing. • Our financial advisor is retiring soon. What should we look for when ch...

Is the U.S. dollar really collapsing, or is this just another wave of fear-driven headlines? In this week’s Fastest 4 Minutes in Finance, we break down what’s actually happening with the dollar after it hit a 4-year low following a 10.7% decline in 2025 and why the story isn’t as simple as it sounds.

An inheritance can be a gift — or a burden. We’re answering YOUR questions on this week’s Get Ready For The Future Show! ✅ We just inherited my parents’ house. Should we sell it now or hold it as a rental? ✅ I have several IRAs from different jobs. Should I consolidate them into one account? ✅ We’re retired and have plenty invested. Do we still need a separate emergency fund? ✅ We’re in our early 70s. Is a reverse mortgage ever a good idea — and what should we watch out for? We’ll break down the pros, cons, and planning considerations behind ea...