John H. Curry's Secure Retirement Podcast

On this week's episode, we speak about properly planning your secure retirement based on your personal financial situation. John explains the four FRS options, what they mean, and how each is designed to suit a specific situation.The discussion, while aimed specifically at members of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), gives valuable insights to anyone in the process of planning their retirement.

This week’s episode of The Secure Retirement Podcast marks the beginning of a special series focused on the specific concerns of members of the Florida Retirement System. However, the key topics covered in this series will still relate, in principle, to any retiree, regardless of whether they are a member of the FRS.

We don’t know with any kind of certainty what tax rates will be in the future, which means that planning your finances into retirement can be both stressful and intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. This week, John and April discuss tax diversification and how a wide range of investments now will afford you more choices later in life.

Retirement can come with an amount of financial uncertainty attached, even for people who have taken the time to plan. This week, John and April aim to alleviate some of the stress that comes along with retirement planning by discussing the five biggest financial risks in retirement and how best to avoid them. Together, they have over 50 years of combined experience in helping clients plan for retirement and use that practical knowledge to illuminate what works and doesn’t work during the planning process.

On this week’s episode of the Secure Retirement Podcast, we speak with my good friend, Bill Landing, a retired professor from Florida State University who is currently studying environmental chemistry and chemical oceanography. Bill has over 50 years of experience as a scientist and joins us to talk about the facts and fictions surrounding the pandemic.

COVID-19 is the hot topic in the news right now, and in this special episode we give our own take on the situation. There’s no special guest today, but we do think this episode is needed amid the chaos out there in the world. Specifically, we take time to reflect on other hard times in the past and discuss how we got through them, along with speculating what the future may hold.

In today’s episode, we chat with retired teacher Elizabeth Gladden. After grieving the death of her husband, Elizabeth was inspired to go back to teaching as she craved the normalcy and routine of going back to school. “There were some days when you think ‘I just can’t face the world.’ And I think that’s perfectly normal to have days like that,’” says Elizabeth while remembering what it was like in the months after her husband’s death while she was trying to get back to living her life.

For something so important for our retirement, it’s a shame that there is so much confusion and misinformation about social security out there. As a result, many people are sabotaging their social security benefit… and receiving much less than they could… because they make bad decisions during their retirement planning process.

John Dunwoody returns for a preview of his upcoming boating adventure on the Down East Loop and shares highlights of his eight-month trip on the Great Loop, which traverses some of the country’s most iconic inland waterways. Journeys of this length take some real planning and preparation, and John shares how he gets himself and his boat in shape for long voyages. He also talks about the places he’ll visit on the way… and how he chooses where he docks for the night.

Everybody’s idea of a dream retirement is different. It could include cruises and vacations, volunteer work, more time with the grandkids… But whatever you’re looking forward to… you have to take some precautions now to make sure your golden years are protected from things like inflation, taxes, healthcare costs, and more. We outline some solid strategies to make sure your financial and personal freedom stays secure.

They say that there are two certain things in life: death and taxes. And when it comes to your retirement accounts, taxes definitely come into play. You may have thought you were saving big-time on taxes with this method. But here’s the thing: required minimum distributions mean you really only deferred those taxes. And when it comes time to pay, the amount could be surprisingly high.

Like any government program, especially one involving millions of people, Medicare is complicated. What’s covered? What will it cost? When should you sign up? Which “part” should you join? Where can you seek medical care? Those are just some of the questions those reaching eligibility age are asking. And the thing is, the answers are different for each individual. But there are some guidelines to consider as you make your decisions.

There is so much wrong and misguided information – not to mention confusion – out there about social security. As a result, people make bad decisions that sometimes can be very hard to recover from. We tackled the most common questions about social security, how it affects retirement planning, and what you should be doing now to prepare for a happy and healthy future with a steady income that meets your needs.

It started with a segment on a TV show many years ago… and Becky Hollis was hooked. Since then she’s been crazy about bears. Yes, those furry woodland creatures. What does that have to do with retirement? Well, in your Golden Years you’re not working – so what do you do instead? If you don’t have a good answer – an activity you truly enjoy – you’ll be worse than bored… it can actually negatively impact your mental and physical well-being.

As its president, Dominic Calabro, puts it, Florida Tax Watch has been the watchdog for the state’s taxpayers for the last 40 years. A lot has happened in that time, including the transformation of Florida into one of the most important states in the union.

In the retirement planning world, Moshe Milevsky, author, professor at Toronto’s York University, and consultant, is known as someone who takes some stances that go against the grain, to put it mildly. But it’s not just for the sake of being controversial. He thinks deeply about ways people can live their best lives when they retire. And he says the current system, not to mention conventional wisdom, actually makes it more difficult than it has to be to reach that goal… and he says the problem is getting worse.

Robert and Sonia Koudelka have a philosophy that guided them in their careers, second careers (you read that right), and what they do in retirement: “Get off your butt and do it.” Whether it’s playing golf five times a week, cruising through the Caribbean, making memories with the grandkids, or taking up a new hobby later in life, Robert and Sonia are enjoying their Golden Years to the fullest.

If you have a special needs child or even a relative, this is a can’t-miss episode. Lou and Cal Ogburn share the story of their daughter and how she has been able to live a fulfilling and independent life. It’s thanks to their love and determination to secure her the federal and state benefits she qualified for – not to mention her great attitude and friendly personality.

We put John Curry in the hot seat and have business consultant - and longtime friend - Steve Gordon grill him on how attitudes towards retirement are changing and how it could impact your plans. Most people don’t have a real vision of their retirement, says John. And that can be very dangerous to their physical and mental health. We unpack what “vision” really means and how you can find fulfillment in your Golden Years – and it’s definitely not just about financial security.

Lynda Dickens had worked 43 years for the State of Florida. But she wasn’t ready to retire until a fateful trip changed her mind. And a new hobby she picked up soon after her retirement convinced her to never go back to work. In fact, she says it’s become an addiction. Now she’s more active than ever with lunches out with friends, card games, and all sorts of hobbies.