Keen on Retirement

Your phone buzzes with a text message that appears to be from your bank: "Did you authorize a purchase on your debit card at a local apparel shop today? Reply YES if you recognize this. Reply NO if you don't, and a fraud specialist will contact you." You reply, "No." A minute later, your phone rings. The man on the other end is calm, professional, and sympathetic. "I'm from the fraud department. I'm going to help you stop this unauthorized transaction. I sent a six-digit code to your phone. Just read it back to me." You do. He thanks you. The call ends. Minutes later, three transfers leave your bank account. You call your bank and manage to cancel one. But two transfers totaling thousands of dollars are gone permanently. And because you voluntarily provided the man on the phone with that six-digit code, the bank is likely not liable for your loss. This is a hypothetical example of what the FBI calls "takeover fraud." But the reality is that scams like this are targeting more and more seniors every single day. On today's show, we review the latest data from the FBI's 2025 Internet Crime Report and some best practices that can help keep your money and personal info safe.

Longtime Keen on Retirement listeners and friends of the firm are probably familiar with The Big Hat. Matt Wilson, our Chief Investment Officer and President, is the proud owner of an oversized Dow 100,000 cap that he wears on our show from time to time. And when folks visit our offices, such as during our annual Holiday Breakfast, they often spot Matt's hat in his office and have a bit of a chuckle about its pie-in-the-sky prediction. More than once, I've heard someone tell Matt, "Gosh, I'll never see that in my lifetime." But ... is the Dow hitting 100,000 really all that far-fetched? On our final show of 2025, we look to market history and current trends to give you a head start in your financial planning for 2026. I also share some stories from my big Hollywood red carpet debut as part of the Keen Wealth Foundation's charitable mission.

Does your financial team provide you with comprehensive tax planning, or just annual tax reporting? When you file your 2025 taxes next April, you're essentially just reporting your financial data from the previous year. At Keen Wealth, tax planning is a proactive, year-round process we use to put your annual report in the best shape possible before the ink dries and windows close. And when it comes to your 2025 tax return, some important windows are closing right now. Today, on our 250th episode, we explore some recent changes to tax law and potential moves that you need to discuss with your financial advisor before the end of the year.

"Risk" and "uncertainty" are similar concepts. But your financial plan has to be prepared to cope with both. I think that mix is what's making some folks a little uneasy right now. In addition to the typical risks that all investors accept, we're also dealing with uncertainty around the government shutdown and what the effects on the economy will be until our leaders get back to the negotiating table. And, despite strong market returns this year, some observers are uncertain about the outsized impact that big tech companies might be having on portfolios. On today's show, we try to clear away some of the fog around the shutdown and the latest market data so that folks can start clarifying their plans for 2026.

In 1988, William Post won $16.2 million in the Pennsylvania lottery. A year later, he was $1 million in debt. First, he splurged: houses, cars, a plane. Then a former girlfriend sued him for a third of his winnings. His brother was arrested and convicted for hiring a hitman to kill Post and his then-wife in hopes that he'd inherit a share. And after sinking money into a failing family business, Post spent time in jail for firing a gun over the head of a bill collector. In the end, Post said he was happier living quietly on $450 a month and food stamps than he was when he was rich. Post's story is an extreme example of the bad decisions and bad luck that leave so many lotto winners wishing they'd never won at all. But while you're more likely to be struck by lightning than hit the winning numbers, an inheritance, a promotion, a legal settlement, selling a business, and reaching retirement can all create significant windfall scenarios as well. On today's show, we offer some tips on how to manage life-changing money, including tax planning, dealing with friends and family, and the kind of team that can help you protect your assets.

Married couple "Mark" (62) and "Lisa" (60) want to retire together in the next year. They shared their financial plan and their goals with two financial advisors. One advisor said they could retire. The other said that they should keep working. So ... Who's right? On today's show, we try to split the tie and help Mark and Lisa set the best course for a successful retirement.

Last week, I discussed how Keen Wealth's comprehensive planning process might assess a multi-million-dollar nest egg. I think these hypotheticals, including some back-of-the-napkin math, are useful in illustrating how retirement planning can work, and also the limits of focusing exclusively on your numbers. However, in the Keen Wealth offices, we don't work with hypotheticals. We work with real people, their real savings, their hopes, dreams, worries, and goals for the future. Every day, we help hardworking folks navigate complex financial issues that touch every part of their lives. We're honored that our clients have entrusted us with the responsibility of managing assets they've spent decades earning, and we want them to feel confident about their path to retirement. On today's show, we explore the Keen Wealth Advantage in action as we help a couple answer one of life's most important questions: Can we retire?

Well ... we were wrong. During our previous discussion about The One Big Beautiful Bill, we predicted that the final law would probably pass with a different name. But, instead of the acronyms we're used to seeing lately, like the SECURE Act (Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement), President Trump and Congress stuck with the original title. For the most part, the final bill also maintains the big picture tax policy objectives that President Trump has been discussing since the start of his second term. On today's show, we focus on the portions of the One Big Beautiful Bill that could have the biggest impact on retirement planning.