The Retirement Planners of America Podcast

Can you leave more to one child than another without creating lifelong resentment? In this episode, Ken Moraif explains why heirs often interpret inheritance as “love units” and how unequal distributions can trigger family conflict, will contests, and years of hurt feelings. The solution is not just legal, it’s relational: communicate your plan ahead of time. Subscribe for more retirement planning, investing education, risk management, and market insights. 0:00 Intro 0:20 The estate attorne...

Gold is up big and the headlines are everywhere. Is gold an inflation hedge, a fear asset, or something else entirely? In this episode, Ken Moraif and Jordan Roach break down what is driving the move in gold, why central banks matter more than most people realize, and how to think about gold, silver, and crypto in a retirement focused portfolio. We cover why gold often moves on fear and geopolitics, how major events can push demand, why institutional flows can amplify price moves, and what r...

Medicare can be confusing when phone calls, mailers, and pop-up offers ramp up. In this episode, Ken Moraif and Medicare specialist Lynn Timm explain practical ways to protect yourself: how unsolicited plan “switch” calls happen, why beneficiary forms and provider networks matter, how Part D changes can affect prescriptions, and why your safest move is working with a trusted, licensed professional who knows your needs and doctors. We cover common missteps that lead to higher premiums, lost d...

Medicaid headlines can be confusing—and costly. In this episode, Ken talks with benefits expert Lynn Timm about how fraud can slip into large public programs and what states are doing to strengthen oversight. We also discuss practical steps families can use to keep paperwork current and avoid unintended gaps in coverage and in future episodes we'll give you tips to avoid being a victim of Medicare and Medicaid scams. Subscribe for weekly, plain-English financial education. Visit rpoa.com to ...

Buy-and-hold has a place—but retirement brings new risks like sequence-of-returns, required withdrawals, and tax considerations. In this conversation, Ken and the team break down how market downturns can affect lifetime income, why diversification alone may not limit losses, and where a rules-based “sell discipline” can fit into a retirement plan. We cover: • Sequence-of-returns risk and why early losses can sting in retirement • Where diversification helps—and where it doesn’t • The role of...

Will your savings reliably support you through your retirement years? In this episode of the Retirement Planners of America podcast, Ken Moraif and co-host Jeremy Thornton walk through their Retirement Cash Flow Plan framework — a practical way to think about income, withdrawals, taxes, inflation, and bear markets when you’re in (or approaching) retirement. Using a real-world style example, they discuss: Separating pre-tax and after-tax accounts for smarter withdrawal decisions How Social...

Inflation eats into purchasing power—especially once pay raises stop. In this episode, Ken and Jeremy cover practical, level-headed ways retirees can plan for inflation without hype: from choosing where to keep cash, to timing Social Security, budgeting with intention, and setting the right mix of stocks versus safer assets. We keep it simple, educational, and actionable so you can feel more confident about your retirement plan. If you’d like a personalized review or a second opinion, connec...

Many families are surprised to learn that while life insurance proceeds are generally income-tax free, they can still be included in your taxable estate if ownership and premium rules aren’t handled correctly. In this episode, Ken and Jeremy break down when a policy may be pulled into your estate and how a properly structured Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT) can help. We also cover the three IRS “ownership/incidents/premiums” tests, the “three-year rule,” and why Crummey notices matter...