#99 - Five Reasons to be Thankful Interest Rates are Going Up

Welcome, welcome, welcome - to another episode of The Retirement Answer Man. My name is Roger Whitney and I am your host, companion, and guide to this episode, where we are going to navigate the farthest reaches of retirement theory and financial planning to help YOU create the retirement and future of your dreams. (Wow, that was a lot). On this episode I’ve got a bunch of good stuff for you, including the definition of a VERY important term (maximum drawdown), my take on the decision the FED made to raise interest rates, and I also get the great honor of introducing you to this year’s participants in my Retirement Plan Live event - James and Linda (not their real names). It’s packed, as you can see… so let’s get into it! What in the HECK does “maximum drawdown” mean?  One of the features I’ve added to the Retirement Answer Man podcast recently is the “What Does That Mean” segment, where I explain sometimes complicated and other times boring terms that you really do NEED to know in order to plan wisely for retirement. This week, at the suggestion of a listener (Thank you, Rocky), I’m going to unpack the term “maximum drawdown.” You’ll not only hit the “stop” button at the end of this episode having learned what the term means, you’ll also know why it’s important in thinking through your retirement planning strategy when it comes to risk. Well they finally did it. The Federal Reserve raised interest rates.  It’s been an unprecedented time of low interest rates for far longer than is normal, but just recently that came to an end as the FED finally decided to raise rates. It’s bad news for homebuyers but for everyone else it could actually be some very good news? Why? I’m going to tell you why. In fact, I’ve got 5 reasons for you to consider the interest rate hike a very good thing. It’s on this episode of the Retirement Answer Man, along with a lot of other goodies, so make sure you set aside the time to give it a listen. This year’s participants in the Retirement Plan Live event are… (drumroll, please)  James and Linda! This couple has graciously agreed to lay their financial lives bare before the world as we do a few weeks of live planning sessions using their real numbers and situation. It’s an opportunity for them to get help and for you to learn a ton as I take them step by step through the things they’re looking to do towards retirement, saving for their children’s college educations, and supplementing an aging mother’s income. It’s a load of stuff and I’m eager to get into it with them. You can join us by doing your own planning right alongside… and you can get free resources to help you in the process. Give this episode of The Retirement Answer Man a listen so you can find out how to get the resources and when you can join us for the RPL sessions. Instead of a New Year’s resolution, how about a whole life challenge?  Since New Year’s resolutions typically don’t stick, how about trying something different. Beginning in January I’m going to be taking part in a “whole life challenge,” a methodic way to intentionally work toward improvement in a handful of life areas. I’ve done this particular program before and found it very helpful. I’d like to invite you to join me this year as I start the program again. It’s a paid program (I’m paying, too), but I think you’ll discover that the support and accountability of doing it together will make it more than worth the cost. If you want to find out more… listen to my explanation of it near the end of this episode of The Retirement Answer Man. OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN  [0:24] Roger’s introduction to this episode.[0:40] What to expect from Linda and James, this year’s Retirement Plan Live participants.[1:35] Get your own resources to work alongside this year’s Retirement Plan Live (it’s free). WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? SEGMENT  [3:58] Why Roger is talking about “maximum drawdown” - a listener question from Rocky.[5:47] What IS maximum drawdown? HOT TOPIC SEGMENT [9:50] The FED has finally raised interest rates…what’s it mean for you?[11:06] Reason #1 to like the rate hike: We now KNOW what’s happening.[11:52] Reason #2: The economy is progressing.[12:56] Reason #3: Savings accounts will yield more interest.[14:13] Reason #4: Corporations may begin to merge or acquire other companies.[14:46] Reason #5: This could be a benefit to quality companies.[16:09] BONUS REASON: The more they raise rates, the more we’ll be able to fight an economic shock in the future.PRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT [17:14] Roger’s introduction to Linda and James, this year’s Retirement Plan Live participants.[17:34] Why Linda has agreed to have her financial life exposed on the podcast.[18:45] What Linda’s hoping for through her participation.[19:17] Linda’s biggest fears regarding her involvement.[19:47] What Retirement Plan Live is going to look like.[20:09] Linda and James’ situation: what they’ll be dealing with in RPL.TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT [23:01] Why Roger doesn’t want you to make any resolutions this year.[24:02] Would you like to be a part of the Whole Life Challenge with Roger?  THE “BE HAPPY” SEGMENT [25:16] Finding your own path to happiness.[26:34] Happiness for you is different than it is for another person. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE  www.RogerWhitney.com/RPL - Find out more about retirement plan live! Contact Roger: http://www.rogerwhitney.com/retirementanswers/ Roger’s retirement learning center: www.RogerWhitney.com/learn The Retirement Answer Man Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/RetirementAnswerMan The Whole Life Challenge Website