Ep. 1953: Worst Case, Ready

Financial Physics rule five asks the uncomfortable question every investor should answer: what is the worst that could happen? Don and Tom revisit leverage in 1929, the crashes of 2000, 2008, and 2020, and the practical defenses that keep a bad market from becoming a ruined plan.Then the questions turn to retirement planning: managing IRMAA while considering Roth conversions, weighing long-term-care insurance against self-insuring, and judging whether a $1.6 million portfolio can support a modest withdrawal despite a pricey advisor.Finally, they untangle the five-year rule when Roth 401(k) money moves to a Roth IRA—and confirm that Tom, not Don, is the resident grump.00:39 Financial Physics rule five: prepare for the worst04:35 Leverage, crashes, and the lost decade06:27 Risk near and in retirement12:23 IRMAA brackets and Roth conversions16:46 Long-term-care insurance or self-insure?22:30 Retirement withdrawals and advisor fees24:34 Roth 401(k) rollovers and the five-year clockQuestions? Comments? Click!