Secure Your Retirement

Can We Retire Early With 2 Million?

In this Episode of the Secure Your Retirement Podcast, Radon and Murs discuss the real-life complexities behind early retirement planning and what happens when couples don’t agree on retirement goals. Using a recent MarketWatch article as a springboard, they explore whether a couple with $2 million can truly retire early while juggling differences in spending expectations, lifestyle priorities, and retirement risk management. This episode offers valuable retirement planning tips for anyone asking “can I retire with 2 million?”, “can I retire at 55?”, or how to secure your retirement when spouses have competing visions for their future. Listen in to learn about how emotions, career stress, financial planning for couples, and the FIRE movement retirement mindset affect early retirement decisions. Radon and Murs break down Medicare retirement considerations, Social Security timing challenges, retirement income strategy development, and the hidden dangers of day trading risks and options trading risks when someone tries to “make early retirement work” through high-risk investing. If you're navigating retirement planning at 50 or planning retirement with a partner who’s not on the same page, this conversation offers clarity, humor, and a practical retirement checklist to help you move forward confidently. IN THIS EPISODE, FIND OUT: ·     How couples can resolve conflicting retirement goals when one wants to retire early and the other wants to maintain lifestyle freedom. ·     Why understanding the real reason behind wanting early retirement is essential to planning retirement effectively. ·     The major financial risks of relying on day trading or options trading to fund retirement income. ·     How to build a retirement income strategy that supports Medicare retirement costs, travel goals, and long-term financial security. ·     Why the Peace of Mind Pathway helps couples retire comfortably and plan for retirement with less stress and more clarity. TWEETABLE QUOTES: “Retirement Planning isn’t just about math—it's also about emotions, goals, and making sure both spouses feel secure in the plan.” — Radon Stancil “If early retirement adds more stress than your job does, then it’s not truly helping you secure your retirement.” — Murs Tariq RESOURCES: If you are in or nearing retirement and you want to gain clarity on what questions you should be asking, learn what the biggest retirement myths are, and identify what you can do to achieve peace of mind for your retirement, get started today by requesting our complimentary video course, Four Steps to Secure Your Retirement! To access the course, simply visit POMWealth.net/podcast.

Don’t Let Scammers Steal Your Peace of Mind

In this Episode of the Secure Your Retirement Podcast, Radon and Murs discuss how financial scams are coming from every direction—phone calls, email phishing scams, text message scams, social media, and even door-to-door encounters—and why a little healthy skepticism is now a key part of scam prevention. They share real-world scam alert examples hitting their community right now, especially senior scams, and explain how staying cautious can protect both your money and your mindset as you work to secure your retirement. Listen in to learn about how to avoid scams by slowing down when urgency hits, verifying sources before clicking anything, and recognizing the red flags behind gift card scams, IRS scam calls, and the increasingly convincing threats of AI voice cloning scams and deepfake scam tactics. These practical cybersecurity tips also support smart identity theft prevention—an important part of retirement planning for anyone who wants to keep retiring comfortably on track. IN THIS EPISODE, FIND OUT: ·     How gift card scams exploit the holiday rush and why “pay with gift cards” is a major scam alert ·     Why IRS scam calls and “official” threats (like unpaid penalties) are designed to trigger fear and urgency ·     How a jury duty scam can use phone number spoofing to appear like it’s coming from a real sheriff’s department ·     The best ways to avoid clicking links in email phishing scams and text message scams, even when they look legitimate ·     How emerging tech (like AI voice cloning scams and deepfake scam videos) is changing the landscape of senior scams and financial scams TWEETABLE QUOTES: ·     Radon Stancil: “If you ever get a call from a police department or sheriff’s department saying you have a warrant for your arrest or you missed jury duty—it’s a scam. Hang up.” ·     Murs Tariq: “If there’s urgency, weird payment methods like gift cards or crypto, or they want you to click right now—pause and ask why.” Resources: If you are in or nearing retirement and you want to gain clarity on what questions you should be asking, learn what the biggest retirement myths are, and identify what you can do to achieve peace of mind for your retirement, get started today by requesting our complimentary video course, Four Steps to Secure Your Retirement! To access the course, simply visit POMWealth.net/podcast.

Market Update and Strategies for Volatility

In this Episode of the Secure Your Retirement Podcast, Radon and Murs discuss the November market update and how recent events have shaped the stock market volatility investors have experienced. From a tense government shutdown to missing economic data, rising interest rates, and uncertainty around inflation and investing, November brought no shortage of challenges. Radon and Murs break down what happened—and why staying grounded in long-term strategy is crucial when navigating volatile markets. This episode sets the stage for understanding not just what moved the markets, but how to approach managing market risk with confidence. Listen in to learn about the ripple effects November’s disruptions had on the economy, the rapid swings in AI stocks, and what the Federal Reserve is considering as we move toward year-end. You'll also hear how a well-structured retirement portfolio—especially one built on bucket strategy investing—can help you plan for retirement, stay calm, and retire comfortably even when volatility spikes. With long term retirement planning always top of mind, Radon and Murs share insights that promote clarity, stability, and a path to secure your retirement. In this episode, find out: * How the November market review was influenced by the extended government shutdown and delayed economic data. * Why interest rates, inflation numbers, and Federal Reserve uncertainty added to stock market volatility. * What drove turbulence in the technology sector—especially surrounding AI stocks and concerns over an AI bubble. * How volatile markets can impact your retirement portfolio and why understanding retirement investing strategies is essential. * The importance of a structured Bucket Strategy for managing market risk and creating predictable income in retirement. Tweetable Quotes: Radon Stancil: “One thing that ends up being good can lead us right back to something that causes worry—that’s why having a strategy matters, regardless of what the markets are doing.” Murs Tariq: “Volatility is triggered by moments inside and outside the stock market, which is why a well-designed retirement plan must be built to withstand the unexpected.” Resources: If you are in or nearing retirement and you want to gain clarity on what questions you should be asking, learn what the biggest retirement myths are, and identify what you can do to achieve peace of mind for your retirement, get started today by requesting our complimentary video course, Four Steps to Secure Your Retirement! To access the course, simply visit POMWealth.net/podcast.

How to Build an Income That Lasts in Retirement

In this Episode of the Secure Your Retirement Podcast, Radon and Murs discuss how to approach retirement income planning with confidence so you can retire comfortably and secure your retirement. With people living longer, dealing with market volatility, navigating retirement income and taxes, and planning around retirement and inflation, creating a strategy that works for decades is more essential than ever. They break down how to create retirement income that can last 30–40+ years while maintaining peace of mind in retirement. Listen in to learn about the simple yet powerful Retirement Bucket Strategy—cash, income safety, and growth—and how each piece works together to help you plan for retirement at 50, retirement planning at 55, or retirement planning at 60. You’ll also learn how different tax buckets (pre-tax, taxable, and tax-free) impact your retirement withdrawal strategy and long-term retirement planning strategies so you can build an income in retirement that keeps up with life, goals, and inflation. In this episode, find out: * How to structure your money using the Retirement Bucket Strategy to create retirement income that lasts. * Why market volatility, taxes, inflation, and longevity must be factored into every retirement income plan. * The difference between pre-tax, taxable, and tax-free retirement buckets—and how each impacts your long-term plan for retirement. * How fixed index annuities, cash reserves, and growth investments can work together within a retirement income planning framework. * A real-life scenario showing how to build a retirement withdrawal strategy across multiple buckets for long-term stability. Tweetable Quotes: “When you structure your retirement income the right way, you remove anxiety and gain true peace of mind in retirement.” — Radon Stancil “Diversifying across investment buckets and tax buckets is what makes a retirement income plan strong, flexible, and built to last.” — Murs Tariq Resources: If you are in or nearing retirement and you want to gain clarity on what questions you should be asking, learn what the biggest retirement myths are, and identify what you can do to achieve peace of mind for your retirement, get started today by requesting our complimentary video course, Four Steps to Secure Your Retirement! To access the course, simply visit POMWealth.net/podcast.

4 Tax Strategies to Lower Your 2025 Tax Bill

In this Episode of the Secure Your Retirement Podcast, Radon and Murs discuss four powerful tax strategies you can start looking at now to lower your 2025 tax bill and create more long-term flexibility in retirement. They unpack the difference between simple tax filing and true tax planning, walking through how proactive tax projections, IRA tax planning, and coordinated strategies can help reduce taxes over your lifetime—not just this year. You’ll hear how their team uses a comprehensive tax checklist and planning process to help you secure your retirement and avoid costly surprises. Listen in to learn about practical ways to reduce taxes, from Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) and Donor Advised Funds to Tax Loss Harvesting inside a Direct Indexing strategy, and long-term Roth conversion planning. Whether you’re focused on charitable giving strategies, concerned about Medicare IRMAA surcharges, or just looking for tax savings tips and ideas on how to save on taxes in retirement, this episode will help you think beyond April 15 and build a smarter, more intentional retirement tax plan. IN THIS EPISODE, FIND OUT: ·     The key difference between tax filing and true tax strategy—and why tax moves to lower your 2025 bill must be done before December 31. ·     How Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) can lower your taxable income, satisfy Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs), and help you avoid Medicare IRMAA surcharges. ·     Ways a Donor Advised Fund can “bunch” charitable giving, turn what you were already going to give into a bigger deduction, and enhance your overall charitable giving strategies. ·     How a Direct Indexing strategy with ongoing Tax Loss Harvesting can create “tax alpha,” making your brokerage account more tax-efficient and reducing capital gains over time. ·     Why a multi-year Roth conversion plan—guided by tax projections—can dramatically lower lifetime retirement taxes for you and your heirs, and support a more confident retirement planning and retiring comfortably strategy. TWEETABLE QUOTES: “Real tax planning is not about what happened last year—it’s about using tax projections and tax strategies today so you can decide how and when you want to pay taxes over your lifetime.” — Murs Tariq “When you combine tools like Qualified Charitable Distributions, Donor Advised Funds, tax loss harvesting, and Roth conversions, you’re not just checking a tax box—you’re building a coordinated tax plan that can help you save on taxes and truly secure your retirement.” — Murs Tariq RESOURCES: If you are in or nearing retirement and you want to gain clarity on what questions you should be asking, learn what the biggest retirement myths are, and identify what you can do to achieve peace of mind for your retirement, get started today by requesting our complimentary video course, Four Steps to Secure Your Retirement!" To access the course, simply visit POMWealth.net/podcast.