Mr. Stillman's Opus

We all have one. You can usually find it in the kitchen in one of the bottom drawers. It's that place where we toss rubber bands, paper clips, batteries, chip clips, and any other random item we don't have any other place for. It's our junk drawer and we'd rather avoid it then trying to get it organized. Believe it or not, our financial portfolio has a junk drawer filled with old 401(k) plans, old life insurance plans, and other products we bought years ago but haven't done anything with since.  In this episode, we'll look at some of those items you'll find in your financial junk drawer and give you some options for where to move the investments to better fit your needs.  You can read more about this show by clicking here.

There are many similarities between planning for retirement and a game of chess. In this episode, John makes the comparison by explaining which investment option is each chess piece on the board and how they can be used to maneuver you through the game of retirement. 

Remember your senior yearbook that included superlatives like 'Most Popular' and 'Class Clown'? Well, we're taking that idea and applying it to the financial world by picking out the investment options that are 'Most Overrated', 'Most Underrated', 'Most Popular', and 'Most Likely to Disappoint.'  Check out the show notes by clicking here.  Today's rundown: [1:03] – Class Superlatives at the School of Financial Strategies [1:33] Most Underrated: Roth IRA  [3:05] Most Overrated: Expensive Cars  [5:24] Most Likely to Disappoint: Whole Life Insurance Policies [7:05] Most Popular: 401(k), 403(b), TSP (Thrift Savings Plan) [9:20] – Possible Winner Overthrow? Could the Roth take over as Most Popular?  [10:10] – Teachers Pet: The Variable Annuity

Most people have a basic knowledge of Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) but few understand how they pertain to IRAs and 401ks, as well as the intricate timing details that are essential to preparing to withdrawal for tax payments. For a better understanding of the best times to withdrawal as well as avoiding penalties, join John and Ron as they discuss a letter Ron recently received shortly after a big birthday. Check out the show notes here: https://mrstillmansopus.com/retirement/getting-your-rmd-ducks-in-a-row/ 0:45 - RMDs for 401(k)s 2:45 – RMDs for IRAs 4:35 – Here’s an example: 5:34 – When do you have to make a withdrawal? 7:00 - In what scenarios would I carry it over? 7:58 - Avoid a loss in penalties! 9:04 – Another Octave 

If you think about it, planning for retirement is a bit like going to the grocery store. You need to know what you need, you need to know what you're paying, and at times, you need to purchase the more expensive product. These are just a few of the similarities. Join us as we unpack this analogy and help you shop for a meaningful retirement. Click the link for more in-depth reading in a recent blog post: https://mrstillmansopus.com/investing-strategy/the-retirement-grocery-store/

We often see people justifying their poor financial decisions by making excuses. We'll identify these excuses and explain why they lead to poor judgement. Click the link for more in-depth reading in a recent blog post: https://mrstillmansopus.com/retirement/four-dangerous-excuses/

March Madness is upon us, and everyone's excited for the upsets, buzzer beaters, and Cinderella stories. As a fan, it's an emotional time of year, and believe it or not, March Madness can teach us a thing or two about retirement. Click the link for more in-depth reading in a recent blog post: https://mrstillmansopus.com/lifestyle/lessons-from-march-madness/

Our clients often ask us whether they should accelerate their house payments in order to pay off their house early. Join us as we explore the pros and cons of this strategy. Click the link for more in-depth reading in a recent blog post: https://mrstillmansopus.com/real-estate/this-ones-on-the-house/