Safe Money Retirement

10/16/2026

In this episode, Tim is joined by Mitzi and Kevin to discuss why retirement planning has to fit your actual life, not just a formula. They start with couples who have a significant age difference and explain how that can affect lifetime income, health insurance, Social Security, and whether retirement plans should be structured jointly or individually. Tim also answers a listener question about tax-deferred retirement accounts, explaining why the balance you see in a 401(k) may not represent what you actually get to spend and how withdrawal timing and Roth conversions can play a role in building a more tax-efficient retirement strategy.
Later, the conversation goes beyond money to the emotional and physical side of retirement. Tim talks about replacing the structure and connections that disappear when work ends, staying active and engaged, and knowing what you actually want retirement to look like. The episode closes with a reminder that strong markets don’t last forever and that the money you truly need for retirement should be protected as part of a larger plan.

Get a FREE copy of Tim's book "Safe Money Retirement: Your Game Plan for Success" at https://www.SafeMoneyRetirement.com and check out his webinar at https://www.SafeMoneyRetirementWebinar.com

Join Certified Financial Fiduciary®, Retirement Income Certified Professional®, and bestselling author Tim Wood each week to discuss protecting your retirement dollars, guaranteeing your lifetime income, wisely planning for taxes, and more. Visit us online at www.SafeMoneyRetirement.com for more information, to join us for this week's webinar, or to get a FREE copy of Tim's bestselling book.

Safe Money Retirement® - Insuring Your Retirement Dreams

In this episode, Tim is joined by Mitzi and Kevin to discuss why re...

10/14/2026

Here’s something a lot of people don’t really think about until retirement gets close:
Once the paycheck from your job stops, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲.
And with traditional pensions becoming less common, that means you need a plan for where dependable income is going to come from month after month.
That’s why I talk so much about guaranteed lifetime income, income that neither you nor your spouse can outlive.

10/12/2026

Happy to be sponsoring the ‘Hit It to Win It’ contest at the Johnson City Chamber of Commerce golf tournament today.

10/12/2026

When you inherit money, it’s easy to focus only on the dollar amount.
But I always tell people to ask a different question: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝘁?
Would they want you to pay off your home? Get rid of debt? Take your spouse on that trip you’ve always talked about? Or put some of it toward your own retirement?
An inheritance isn’t just about money. It’s about family, intentions, and making a decision you can feel good about later.

10/10/2026

Most people have heard of the 4% rule: take out 4% of your retirement savings each year and, in theory, your money should last.
But that rule was built using financial data from decades ago, before the internet, before today’s markets, and before the retirement challenges we’re dealing with now. Retirement planning has changed, and your strategy needs to change with it.
Don’t assume an old rule of thumb is still the right answer for your retirement.

10/09/2026

In this episode, Tim is joined by Mitzi and Kevin to talk about how quickly the world changes and why retirement strategies need to change with it. Using everything from AOL discs and pagers to old retirement rules as examples, they discuss why strategies like the traditional 60/40 portfolio and the 4% withdrawal rule may no longer fit today’s retirement landscape. Tim also explains, sequence of returns risk, inflation risk, the importance of protecting a portion of your assets, and why retirement plans should be reviewed and adjusted over time.
The conversation also covers how retirees without pensions can create their own predictable income stream, when it may make sense to delay Social Security, and why guaranteed lifetime income can help replace the paycheck that disappears in retirement. Later, Tim and the team discuss inheritance and estate planning, including how clear expectations and choosing the right executor can help reduce surprises and family conflict. The key message: retirement planning is not something you set once and forget, it needs to evolve with your life, the markets, and the world around you.
In this episode, Tim is joined by Mitzi and Kevin to talk about how quickly the world changes and why retirement strategies need to change with it. Using everything from AOL discs and pagers to old retirement rules as examples, they discuss why strategies like the traditional 60/40 portfolio and the 4% withdrawal rule may no longer fit today’s retirement landscape. Tim also explains, sequence of returns risk, inflation risk, the importance of protecting a portion of your assets, and why retirement plans should be reviewed and adjusted over time.
The conversation also covers how retirees without pensions can create their own predictable income stream, when it may make sense to delay Social Security, and why guaranteed lifetime income can help replace the paycheck that disappears in retirement. Later, Tim and the team discuss inheritance and estate planning, including how clear expectations and choosing the right executor can help reduce surprises and family conflict. The key message: retirement planning is not something you set once and forget, it needs to evolve with your life, the markets, and the world around you.

In this episode, Tim is joined by Mitzi and Kevin to talk about how...

10/04/2026

Great stuff here…

83% of workers want guaranteed income in retirement. 59% are worried about outliving their savings. Meanwhile the share who think they are on track for retirement just dropped from 68% to 58% in a single year.

That is new research from Goldman Sachs Asset Management, and it is not a story about people being careless with money. 70% delayed a major financial goal. More than 60% took a second job. Housing, healthcare, and childcare are getting paid first. Article in the first comment.

Workers are not asking for a better return. They are asking for a paycheck they cannot outlive. Optimize for income, not just assets.

10/02/2026

What if living longer creates retirement challenges most people never see coming? In this episode, Tim and Mitzi Wood discuss how increasing life expectancy can affect retirement income, market risk, inflation, healthcare costs, and long-term planning. They explore the importance of creating a flexible retirement strategy, managing debt, evaluating Roth opportunities, and preparing for unexpected events that could impact retirement. The conversation also highlights why retirement planning should address more than investments alone, including legacy goals, lifestyle choices, and the realities of a retirement that could last decades.

Join Certified Financial Fiduciary®, Retirement Income Certified Professional®, and bestselling author Tim Wood each week to discuss protecting your retirement dollars, guaranteeing your lifetime income, wisely planning for taxes, and more. Visit us online at www.SafeMoneyRetirement.com for more information, to join us for this week's webinar, or to get a FREE copy of Tim's bestselling book.

Safe Money Retirement® - Insuring Your Retirement Dreams

In this episode, Tim is joined by Kevin McAlpin and a new voice on ...

09/26/2026

Worth a quick read from Tom…

The Federal Reserve just published its 2026 survey on the financial well being of American households, and the retirement numbers deserve your attention. Only 35 percent of non-retirees say their retirement savings plan is on track, a figure that has barely moved since 2024.

It is an improvement over 2022 and 2023, but it is still well below the 40 percent who felt on track back in 2021. Five years of headlines about record markets, and fewer than four in ten working Americans feel confident about where they actually stand.

This is not a survey from an insurance company or an investment firm with something to sell. It comes straight from the Federal Reserve, based on its Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking

Article in the first comment. Copy and paste into your browser.

Confidence tracks something real, and what it is tracking is uncertainty about how a portfolio will actually convert into a paycheck that lasts as long as you do. A retirement plan built entirely around hoping the market cooperates for thirty straight years is not really a plan.

The fix is not complicated, even if it is rarely explained clearly. Combine what Social Security already guarantees with an additional layer of guaranteed lifetime income, and you convert uncertainty into a number you can actually plan around. Where does your number stand right now? Ask your advisor to show you, in writing, and tell me in the comments what surprised you most.

09/25/2026

What happens to a retirement plan when life doesn't go according to plan? In this episode, Tim Wood discusses the importance of preparing for the unexpected, from the loss of a spouse to rising healthcare and long-term care costs. He explores how retirement planning differs from simply managing investments, why income planning matters, and the questions couples should be asking before retirement arrives. Along the way, Kevin McAlpin shares stories from his baseball broadcasting career and offers a unique perspective on how professional athletes approach life and finances after their playing days end.

Join Certified Financial Fiduciary®, Retirement Income Certified Professional®, and bestselling author Tim Wood each week to discuss protecting your retirement dollars, guaranteeing your lifetime income, wisely planning for taxes, and more. Visit us online at www.SafeMoneyRetirement.com for more information, to join us for this week's webinar, or to get a FREE copy of Tim's bestselling book.

Safe Money Retirement® - Insuring Your Retirement Dreams

In this episode, Tim sits down with co-host Kevin McAlpin to share ...