The Rob Berger Show

Resources in EpisodeMorningstar: https://go.robberger.com/morningstar/...Fidelity Article: https://www.fidelity.com/viewpoints/r...Kitces Article: https://www.kitces.com/blog/retiremen...Spend Safely in Retirement Article: https://robberger.com/spend-safely-in...Fidelity HSA App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fidelit...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

This week in Five Question Friday (FQF): mega IPOs, sequence of returns risk, RMDs from a bonds-only IRA, Roth conversions after 59 1/2, and VT versus VTI plus VXUS.Question 1: Will the giant IPOs coming in 2026 drain money from the market and depress stock prices?Question 2: Is 20% to 30% in bonds enough protection against sequence of returns risk?Question 3: If you move your IRA entirely into bonds, will RMDs force you to sell bonds when they're down?Question 4: If you're over 59 1/2, why not make every IRA withdrawal a Roth conversion?Question 5: Is "VT and chill" costing you 0.7% a year compared to holding VTI and VXUS separately?Resources mentioned in the video:SpaceX IPO pricing: https://www.npr.org/2026/06/11/nx-s1-...S&P 500 buyback data: https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/cor...Money market fund assets: https://www.ici.org/research/stats/mmfBengen's original 1994 paper: https://www.financialplanningassociat...Kitces/Pfau rising equity glidepath: https://www.kitces.com/blog/should-eq...IRS RMD FAQs: https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/...IRS Publication 590-B (Roth and IRA distribution rules): https://www.irs.gov/publications/p590bRMDs come out before conversions: https://irahelp.com/new-rule-all-ira-...The two Roth 5-year rules: https://www.kitces.com/blog/understan...The VT vs VTI/VXUS articles in question: https://princetonasset.com/2026/05/25...Elm Wealth on VT vs VTI/VXUS: https://elmwealth.com/vt-vs-vti-vxus/Bernstein on the rebalancing bonus: https://www.efficientfrontier.com/ef/...Foreign tax credit basics: https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Forei...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's video we discuss if we should try to find investments that consistently beat the S&P 500.Resources From Video   • You Can’t Win With Money While Your Life I...  https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/res...https://www.morningstar.com/funds/xna...https://www.morningstar.com/funds/xna...https://www.morningstar.com/etfs/arcx...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover these questions: 1. Is the market inevitably going to crash, and how to mitigate2. When to take SS and investing the early payments3. Should we even bother tracking portfolio performance?4. How to calculate how much money you need to retire comfortably5. Why retirees still need an emergency fundResources From VideoOpen Social Security: https://opensocialsecurity.com/FI Calc: https://ficalc.app/Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-fqfEmpower: https://go.robberger.com/empower/yt-fqfSnowball Analytics: https://go.robberger.com/snowball-ana...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) episode, we cover these questions: 1. Four golden rules for avoiding financial scams2. Finding and canceling forgotten subscriptions3. Sharing passwords and 2FA with your spouse4. Finding trustworthy help managing finances in old age5. Are debt consolidation services legitimate?Resources From VideoFTC Avoiding and Reporting Scams: https://consumer.ftc.gov/scamsReportFraud.ftc.gov — If you encounter a scam, report it here to help law enforcement stop scammers.IdentityTheft.gov — If you think a scammer has your personal information, this site walks you through recovery steps.Rocket Money: https://go.robberger.com/rocket-money...Monarch Money: https://go.robberger.com/monarch-rob5... (Use code ROB50 for 50% off the first year's subscription)1Password Families: https://go.robberger.com/1password/yt-AADMM Find a DMM Directory: https://secure.aadmm.com/Nolo's Guide to Daily Money Managers: https://www.nolo.com/legal-encycloped...NFCC Agency Finder: https://www.nfcc.org/agency-finderConsumer Financial Protection Bureau - Credit Counseling Guide: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-c...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's episode, we discuss the following:1. ChatGPT for Finances2. A free version3. Whether this is the end of budgeting appsResources From VideoChatGPT Prompt: Create a beautiful dashboard that shows me my spending by category, a pie chart that I can click on to show which transactions make up that category, and identify any suspicious transactions and also any recurring expenses. Really make the dashboard really pretty.Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover these questions: 1. How many years of "safe funds" should you hold beyond guaranteed income?2. Reducing portfolio risk in retirement when returns aren't needed3. Budgeting app that syncs the Sam's Club Mastercard4. Does the 4% rule account for pre-tax vs. after-tax assets?5. Should you only sell stocks when the market is at record highs?Resources From VideoBudgeting Apps: https://robberger.com/best-budgeting-...Monarch Money: https://go.robberger.com/monarch-rob5... (Promo code: ROB50)https://www.wallstreetcourier.com/spo...https://www.morningstar.com/economy/w...https://www.monarch.com/connection-st...https://robberger.com/research/asset-...https://www.kitces.com/blog/the-impac...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's video, we answer the following question: Can the bucket strategy help you generate income and grow your wealth in retirement, even as you're spending money to live on?Retirement Manifesto ArticlesFirst Article: https://www.theretirementmanifesto.co...Second Article: https://www.theretirementmanifesto.co...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover these questions: 1. Floor & Enjoy Retirement Strategy2. Target Date Funds3. Paying Taxes on Roth Conversions4. Vanguard’s New BondBuilder ETFs5. Boldin vs. EmpowerResources From VideoEmpower: https://go.robberger.com/empower/yt-fqfBoldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-fqfhttps://longevity.stanford.edu/wp-con...https://robberger.com/spend-safely-in...https://fundresearch.fidelity.com/mut...https://fundresearch.fidelity.com/mut...https://advisors.vanguard.com/tax-cen...https://investor.vanguard.com/investo...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In this Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover these questions: 1. How to teach your significant other to manage the investments? (The Spouse Financial Survival Kit)   1. Start with a One-Pager      a. Accounts      b. Key Professionals      c. Withdrawal Order      d. Financial Overview Doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1W...   2. Financial Love Letterhttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1q...  3. Review the documents once a year2. When to Take RMDs?    1. Timing doesn’t change amount (the amount is based on balance at end of last year)    2. RMDs must come before Roth conversions        a. https://obliviousinvestor.com/rmd-tim...   3. Take QCDs first if you plan to have them count toward RMDs   4. If needed for spending, take as needed (monthly or quarterly)   5. If not, wait until later in the year3. How can I see the stocks owned by a target date retirement fund?    Morningstar Investor: https://go.robberger.com/morningstar/4. How do you keep track of HSA expenses?https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...5. Why haven’t I done a Roth conversion yet?Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In this episode, I'll answer the following question from a viewer:"I would like to ask if you can do a video on the current specific funds you are invested in? You did a video a while back about your 6 funds, but now you mentioned in a recent video that you simplified and are down to 3 or 4 funds. I was thinking of mirroring your 6 fund plan but now I see you have simplified, which is why I am asking if you can do a new video going over your new 4 fund plan."Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover these questions: 1. Where is the best place to park cash today?2. Should you invest or pay off student loans?3. Are Schwab’s Target Date Retirement Funds a solid option?4. When should you start spending your IRA money?5. Should a TIPS ladder be part of a retirement portfolio?Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In this episode,  we cover my Ultimate Retirement Checklist:1. Healthcare2. Start learning about Medicare3. Understand IRMMA brackets4. Track Expenses5. Calculate Your Burn Rate6. Calculate Your Guaranteed Income Ratio7. Plan for large expenses8. Plan when to take Social Security9. Cash10. Create a Tax-Efficient Withdrawal Strategy11. Understand how investment withdrawals are taxed12. Consider Roth conversions13. Plan how to spend down your HSA14. Simplify Accounts15. Simplify Investments16. Consider your asset allocation17. End of Life Documents18. Consider how to use your home equity19. Consider using retirement planning tools20. Protect your online accounts (financial, email, social)Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover these questions: 1. How do you protect your portfolio as you near retirement?2. How does asset location work if you must draw from taxable accounts?3. Should you automatically reinvest dividends?4. How can I diversify away from the S&P 500?5. What is the safe withdrawal rate for a 20 year retirement?Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover these questions: 1. What Happens To Bond Funds When the Fed Cuts Rates?2. Where to Invest If Stocks Are a No-go3. How are Mutual Fund Sales Taxed?4. Should Annuities Replace Bonds?5. Brokerage Account vs Roth IRAResourcesSnowball-Analytics: https://go.robberger.com/snowball-ana...10 Year Treasury & Fed Fund Rate: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/T1...VTINX: https://investor.vanguard.com/investm...FTBFX: https://fundresearch.fidelity.com/mut...Vanguard LifeStrategy Funds: https://investor.vanguard.com/investm...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In this 2025 Year-End Investment Portfolio Review we cover the following topics:1. Asset Allocation    a. Diversification / changes    b. Rebalancing2. Simplification3. Beneficiaries4. Performance5. Tax Loss or Gain Harvesting6. Fees    a. Fund fees    b. Advisor fees7. Evaluate Your Performance    a. Did you buy/sell anything    b. What worried you during the yearJoin the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we look at these five topics:1. 10% yield on bonds2. Where to hold bonds3. Co-signing a mortgage4. Paying taxes on a Roth conversion5. Asset allocation of real estate investmentsBonus: Cost of long-term care calculatorResources:https://www.carescout.com/cost-of-careJoin the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we look at these five questions:1. Have we been lied to about our Social Security break-even age?2. Is it ok to restart the 4% rule if the market goes up in early retirement?3. I am nervous about the run up in AI stocks . . . Could it be a good idea to consider diversifying from VTI to an “equal-weighted index fund like Invesco S&P Equal Weight ETF or others like it?4. I’m 64 and I would like to begin annual Roth conversions from my traditional IRA’s.  Can you review the rules surrounding these conversions in one’s retirement years?  I would like to know how soon I can withdraw converted funds and their associated earnings penalty free and tax free.5. You’ve mentioned in the past that you transitioned from a six-fund portfolio to a simpler three-fund setup. I’m curious — was that change mainly about reducing complexity and streamlining your investments, or did it reflect a stage of investment maturity and confidence in a more minimalist approach?Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover these questions:1. How to invest $15 million?2. For the 4% withdrawal rate devised by Bill Bengen, what measure of inflation did he use?  Are there other measures that you think might be more appropriate?3. If you have a retirement portfolio with a 6% yield does the 4% rule apply?4. Is a 7-year MYGA a better deal than a 7-year Treasury?5. If the yield from a High Yield Savings account is paying out 3.8 to 4.0%, why would it ever be a good investment to buy bonds or bond ETFs with their recent volatility?Bonus Question: Can you explain more about your choice to practice Bikram Yoga over other types of Yoga?Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover this questions:1. Can you recommend a detailed tax estimator?2. How to plan Roth conversions without a fancy retirement planner?3. Should you pay off a mortgage early or invest the money?4. Are identity theft protection services worth the cost?5. How does reinvesting vs spending dividends affect return assumptions for retirement planning?    Resources2025 Tax Calculator: https://www.efile.com/tax-return-calc...*Note*: eFile is still updating some aspects of the calculator for 2025 tax laws.Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-fqfVanguard Roth Conversion Calculator: https://advisors.vanguard.com/tax-cen...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

Get free guidance on Medicare from Chapter, a company I've partnered with, by calling 410-220-5494. If you call Chapter, please let me know about your experience.It's Not That Complicated https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Hqs4v7wLCjhh5ohWVVSNTs2HsGz9nufD/viewJoin the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In this episode, we'll walk through resources you can use to get free help with Medicare. The Resources are broken into three categories:1. Free online educational content2. Free Medicare guidance from SHIP3. Free Medicare guidance from insurance brokersResourcesMedicare: https://www.medicare.gov/CMS: https://www.cms.gov/KFF: https://www.kff.org/topic/medicare/SHIP: https://www.shiphelp.org/JAMA Study on SHIP: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama...Chapter: 410-220-5494Federal Lawsuit: https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/139...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...Get free guidance on Medicare from Chapter, a company I've partnered with, by calling 410-220-5494. If you call Chapter, please let me know about your experience.

In this episode, we'll walk through 7 things you must know about Medicare's annual open enrollment period.ResourcesIt's Not That Complicated (pdf): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Hqs4...Medicare & You 2026 (pdf): https://www.medicare.gov/publications...2025 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-she...Medicare Part A Costs: https://www.medicare.gov/basics/costs...Medigap Plans: https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-...KFF Medigap Article: https://www.kff.org/medicare/key-fact...Can I Change Medigap Plans? https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-...Compare Medicare Plans: https://www.medicare.gov/plan-compare...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...Get free guidance on Medicare from Chapter, a company I've partnered with, by calling 410-220-5494. If you call Chapter, please let me know about your experience.

In this episode, we'll walk through the key differences and pros and cons of Original Medicare vs Medicare Advantage plans.ResourcesIt's Not That Complicated (pdf): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Hqs4...Medicare & You 2026 (pdf): https://www.medicare.gov/publications...2025 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-she...Medicare Part A Costs: https://www.medicare.gov/basics/costs...Medigap Plans: https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-...KFF Medigap Article: https://www.kff.org/medicare/key-fact...Compare Medicare Plans: https://www.medicare.gov/plan-compare...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...Get free guidance on Medicare from Chapter, a company I've partnered with, by calling 410-220-5494. If you call Chapter, please let me know about your experience.

A viewer asked me to suggest some tools he could use to evaluate his investment portfolio and asset allocation. So in this video we looked at three of my favorite investment tools:1. Empower: https://go.robberger.com/empower/yt-3...2. Kubera: https://go.robberger.com/kubera/yt-3-...3. Google Sheets: https://robberger.com/investment-trac...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover the following questions:1. What are the best finance apps for those with a learning disability?2. Is 3% SWR the new 4%?3. How do you model tax-free income in Boldin?4. In what account type should you hold cash you plan to spend in the first few years of retirement?5. What inflation rate should you assume in retirement?ResourcesMonarch Money: https://go.robberger.com/monarch-yt/y... (Use Promo Code ROB50 for 50% off the first year)Simplifi: https://go.robberger.com/simplifi/yt-fqfBoldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-fqfFidelity article: https://www.fidelity.com/learning-cen...Shiller PE: https://www.multpl.com/shiller-peKitces article: https://www.kitces.com/blog/the-ratch...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's video, we discuss how Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) payments are calculated and 8 strategies to reduce or even eliminate the payments.Resources from the VideoReddit Forum Post: / strategies_to_reduce_irmaa_costs_medicare  2025 IRMAA Brackets: https://www.humana.com/medicare/medic...IRMAA MAGI Calculation: https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0...SSA-44 Form: https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-44.pdfBoldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-irmmaProjectionLab: https://go.robberger.com/projectionla...Join the Newsletter to get a 10% discount code off of ProjectionLab:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF), we cover five great questions and one tax calculator:1. What is the Tax Triangle? (Traditional, Roth, and taxable accounts)2. Is the Withdrawal Amount in FICalc the same as spending?3. When should you sell an investment that's at a loss?4. How far into the future should we plan?5. When and how quickly should you change asset allocation as you near retirement?Tool: Retirement Tax-Friendly States: https://smartasset.com/retirement/ret...ResourcesBlackrock Asset Return Map: https://www.blackrock.com/corporate/i...FICalc: https://ficalc.app/Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-fqfPerplexity Result: https://www.perplexity.ai/search/what...Perplexity Tax Triangle: https://www.perplexity.ai/search/what...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

A viewer recently asked about bracket filling:"I haven't heard you or other financial advisors say much about "bracket filling" in retirement. Is it reasonable to think that in retirement I should be filling a tax bracket up with pre-tax accounts, then using after-tax accounts for withdrawals that reach into the higher bracket? Is there a way to model this in Bolden?"It's a great question that we cover in this video.Resources Mentioned in VideoBoldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-EN...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

The passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act has brought us a number of changes to the tax laws. Some changes are "permanent," meaning it would take an act of Congress and the President to change them. Some are "temporary," meaning they expire at some point in the future. Almost all of them can affect how we plan for retirement, particularly when it comes to Roth conversion strategies, tax-gain harvesting, and even traditional retirement account distributions.In this video, I walk through the key tax provisions of the OBBBA, and then cover how they may affect retirement planning.NOTE: ProjectionLab has updated its software to account for the OBBBA tax changeshttps://robberger.com/tools/projectio...ResourcesAndy Panko's article: https://static.twentyoverten.com/5d25...U.S. Bank Tax Bracket article: https://www.usbank.com/wealth-managem...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

Here are the five questions we cover this week in Five Question Friday:1. Should we park cash in a money market fund or a t-bill ETF?2. Are Robo-Advisor Tax-Loss harvesting features worth it?3. What is the Retirement Spending Smile?4. What rate of return assumption should you use in retirement planning software?5. Which IRA account types can be combined?Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's Five Question Friday we look at the following questions:1. How should the $6,000 senior deduction affect Roth conversions?2. Are short-term bonds a reasonable alternative to intermediate-term bonds?3. Are tax-managed balanced funds ok in a taxable account?4. How should I invest money I'll use to pay the rent in retirement?5. Boldin vs ProjectionLab for Roth conversion analysis?Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

One of the challenges of the 4% Rule is what your initial safe withdrawal rate should be. While the name of the rule suggests one should start with 4%, there are countless reasons why that start point may not be right for you. For example, you may retiree early, you may not use the same asset allocation the rule was based on, you may have concerns about future stock market returns, inflation or both.Enter withdrawal strategies that don't require you to use 4% or any other initial safe withdrawal rate. In this video we'll look at three such strategies:1. Variable Withdrawal Percentage2. Spend Safely in Retirement Strategy3. Chance of Success StrategyResources mentioned in the videoFICalc: https://ficalc.app/Empower: https://go.robberger.com/empower/yt-3...Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-3-...VWP Article & Spreadsheet: https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Varia...Spend Safely in Retirement Article: https://robberger.com/spend-safely-in...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF), we look at the following questions:1. TIPS Funds vs Individual TIPS--which provides the better inflation protection?2. Is a 4% withdrawal each year with no inflation adjustment a reasonable withdrawal strategy?3. Can tax loss harvesting reduce IRMAA payments?4. How can you estimate the annual income of an investment portfolio?5. How do I track my net worth?Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

We look at the following questions in today's Five Question Friday:1. Are growth stocks best for Roth IRAs?2. How should you pay taxes on retirement account withdrawals?3. How should you invest in retirement if you are scared of the stock market?4. What's the ideal set-it-and-forget-it retirement portfolio?5. Should you withdrawal cash from investment accounts to create an emergency fund?Schwab RMD article: https://www.schwab.com/go-digital/rmdJoin the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's Five Question Friday video we cover these questions:1. Why has Bill Bengen gone from 4% to 5%?2. Is it ok to put Social Security bridge money in a money market fund?3. How do Fidelity's Zero Funds compare to Vanguard Index Funds?4. Should cash count towards your asset allocation?5. Should you convert Vanguard Mutual Funds to ETFs?Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

I viewer named Eileen asked about how her children, who are in their twenties, should invest. Here's her question: Can you do a video on constructing a retirement account (Roth) for my 20 year old kids? They are contributing 15%. I am thinking 10% VGSLX, 10% VSIAX, 30% VTIAX and 50% either VTSAX or VVIAX. Your thoughts please.In this video I'll walk through the 3 goals of long-term investing, evaluate Eileen's proposed portfolio, and look at one alternative.Empower: https://go.robberger.com/empower/yt-20Morningstar: https://www.morningstar.com/Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's Five Question Friday we look at these 5 questions:1. Does a Market Crash Change How to Use the 4% Rule?2. How do bond ETFs generate returns?3. Are Timothy Funds a good option?4. Is Fidelity HSA a solid account?5. What's better in retirement, Schwab Intelligent Portfolios or a TDR Fund?Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In this video, I share my experience attending a free dinner investment seminar. The seminar was allegedly to help investors handle volatility in the markets. Instead, it turned out to be a sales pitch for expensive, complex investing products like a leveraged options strategy.Here are links to the resources I mention in the video:SPIVA Report: https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/res...Concentration of SP500: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/sp/v...Vanguard Lont-Term Bond Fund: https://www.morningstar.com/funds/xna...Paper on Tax Loss Harvesting: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.c...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In this edition of Five Question Friday (FQF), we look at these five questions:1. My 401k is not employer matched, should I stop contributing to my employer 401k and open a Roth IRA instead?2. Where should we keep cash we'll need to spend in 12 to 18 months?3. Can you implement the bucket strategy in Boldin?4. SCHD + TIPS & Chill?5. Do Short-Term Treasury Bills provide the same inflation protection as TIPS?Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) we'll tackle the following questions:1. Is now a good time to change your asset allocation?2. Do target date funds force you to sell stocks in a down market?3. Does the IRS treat the withdrawal of dividends as taking out earnings or contributions from a Roth IRA?4. Is an 80% Chance of Success in Retirement reasonable?5. How much should you allocate to international stocks?Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-fqfProjectionLab: https://go.robberger.com/projectionla...FICalc: https://ficalc.app/Chance of Success Guardrail Articles:https://www.kitces.com/blog/monte-car...https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/ris...https://www.kitces.com/blog/probabili...https://www.morningstar.com/retiremen...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

In this video, I'll run down several high-yield options for your cash. I'll also discuss where we are keeping our cash today.Bank Bonuses: https://www.allcards.com/best-bank-bo...CD Rates: https://www.allcards.com/cd-rates/Savings Rates: https://www.allcards.com/savings-acco...No-Penalty CD Rates: https://www.allcards.com/no-penalty-c...Vanguard Money Market Funds: https://investor.vanguard.com/investm...Schwab Money Market Funds: https://www.schwab.com/money-market-f...T-Bill Yields: https://home.treasury.gov/resource-ce...Nerdwallet T-Bill Account: https://www.nerdwallet.com/l/nerdwall... Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College recently surveyed financial advisors, asking what the major risks were to their clients' retirement. In this video, we'll look at the top 5 risks financial advisors identified, and compare them to the five biggest risks according to retirees.Here's the study: https://crr.bc.edu/wp-content/uploads...ProjectionLab (Use Code RBERGER-10 for a 10% discount): https://go.robberger.com/projectionla...Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

Here are today's Five Question Friday (FQF):1. Are financial apps safe?2. Can you help me understand the risk of bonds?3. How are mutual fund dividends taxed?4. How should we think about annuities for retirement income?5. Does Ben Felix hate index funds?Ben Felix video:    • The Problem With Index Funds  Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

Here are the five questions we'll cover in this week's edition of Five Question Friday:1. Is now a good time to do a Roth conversion? (John)2. Mutual Funds vs ETFs (Shane)3. Should we invest more in international stocks? (Phil)4. Is Gold a hedge against inflation? (Cathy)5. Has 2025 wrecked our retirement plans? (Doug)ResourcesBoldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-fqfProjectionLab: https://go.robberger.com/projectionla...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

Welcome to another edition of Five Question Friday (FQF). We actually have 6 questions today plus a free investment tracking tool:1. Do I send Facebook friend requests to viewers?2. Is this a good time to start investing?3. Is rebalancing in volatile times just market timing?4. If following the 4% rule, should the amount you pay in taxes be included?5. Should an emergency fund be part of your asset allocation?6. What is your opinion of using T-bills for cash instead of CDs or bonds? Investment Tracking Tool: https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/view...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

A viewer named John emailed me the following question: "I'm planning to build a 5yr TIPS ladder to provide some inflation protected income in the years before Medicare and SS.  How do I model that "account" in Boldin??"It's a great question, and it gives us the opportunity to look at an often overlooked feature of retirement planning software--pension income. Yes, a TIPS ladder can be modeled as pension income. We'll look at it in both Boldin and ProjectionLab.Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-ti...ProjectionLab: https://go.robberger.com/projectionla... (use code RBERGER-10 for a 10% discount)TIPSLadder: https://www.tipsladder.com/Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

Here are the questions for this week's Five Question Friday (FQF):1. Are savings accounts better than bond funds?2. Can you please explain nominal and real returns?3. Does it matter if the market is up or down if you do a Roth conversion?4. Will I be taxed twice on reinvested dividends?5. Do you really need more than one broker?Bonus Question: What camera and mic are you using?Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

Choosing between traditional and Roth 401k contributions is difficult. It forces us to make a guess about our taxes years or even decades from now. In this video, we'll discuss some of the factors that can affect this decision. And then, I'll share one strategy that may make the decision much easier.Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

Welcome to another edition of Five Question Friday (FQF). Here are the five questions we'll cover:1. Will fake inflation data destroy TIPS?2. How should a pension affect your asset allocation?3. Do advisors really add 3% to your returns?4. TIPS Ladder vs TIPS Fund5. Investing in a Roth vs Traditional Retirement AccountJoin the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...