The American Retirement Advisor
Retirement should feel like freedom, not a puzzle. The American Retirement Advisor is your daily dose of straight talk on the three decisions that shape every retirement: your healthcare, your income, and your inheritance plan.
Each episode is a short, focused read of our latest article, drawn from real conversations with real families at American Retirement Advisors in Scottsdale, Arizona. No jargon. No sales pitch. Just the kind of advice you'd want from a trusted friend who happens to do this for a living.
Hosted by Ian Schaeffer, author of Medicare Made 123Easy, COO of ARA, and founder of 123Easy Studios. Articles read by Betty.
American Retirement Advisors has served over 14,900 families since 2001. Featured in Forbes, a 4-time America's Select Financial Advisors honoree, a 3-time Inc. 500, and a Nextdoor Neighborhood Favorite.
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Read the full articles at https://news.americanretirementadvisors.com/
Episodes
98 episodes
Fiscal Fridays Episode 2: Things You Thought Were Protecting Your Family
A mom in a nursing home, an annuity that won't pay out, a timeshare that cost thousands and sold for zero, and a CD that was never designed for you. Episode 2 of Fiscal Fridays with David Schaeffer and Jason Tweet.
Why Your Medicare Agent Is About to Call You About Life Insurance
I'm watching it happen in real time from a conference floor in Dallas. Thousands of healthcare agents are adding life insurance to their playbook. Here's what that means for you.Read the full article:
The Unfair Advantage You Already Paid For
I was sitting in an airport lounge flipping through a magazine when a headline stopped me cold. 'The biggest advantage is control and certainty.' I put down my coffee. That's what we do.Read the full article:
The Stories We Lose When We Don't Talk About the Money
Grammy puts butter on her pancakes. A four-year-old asks why. Ian Schaeffer explores how the small family stories we forget to share are connected to the inheritance conversations we forget to have — and what happens when both disappear.
Grammy Flew to Boston. Her Retirement Plan Said Yes.
Ian Schaeffer shares the real story of his mother surprising her grandkids at The Langham hotel in Boston on Memorial Day weekend — and what it taught him about retirement travel budgets, permission to spend, and why the best income plans make roo...
The Lights Are On, the Cameras Are Rolling, and We Are Doing This Again
Episode 2 of Fiscal Fridays tapes today. Real clients, real questions, a live audience, and a new face at the table. Here's what's happening behind the scenes.Read the full article:
Your Monthly Budget Is Probably Wrong. Here's How to Fix It.
Most people guess what they spend each month. We don't guess. We pull the statements, go page by page, and do the math. What we find almost always surprises people.Read the full article:
You Already Won. You Just Forgot.
You saved for 30 years, did everything right, and now you're afraid to spend any of it. A quarter-point rate move ruins your Tuesday. Here's why the worry is the problem, not the money.Read the full article:
How to Talk to Your Parents About Inheritance (Before It's Too Late)
It's not about the money. It's about making sure the burden doesn't fall on whoever's left.Read the full article: https://ne...
3,672 People Already Made This Decision. Here's What They Said.
Choosing who to trust with your retirement is one of the hardest decisions you'll make. We built a site where you can hear from thousands of people who already made it.Read the full article:
You Have Enough Money to Retire. So Why Can't You Pull the Trigger?
They had more than enough saved. But they couldn't bring themselves to spend it. What they actually needed wasn't more money. It was a plan.Read the full article:
We've Got $1.1 Million, but Our Advisor Never Talks About Any of This
A wife wrote in to our live show with a question that stopped the room. Her advisor of 15 years had been brushing off every question that actually mattered.Read the full article:
My Father Made a Huge Mistake With His CDs
On our live show, my father admitted something most advisors would never say out loud. His accountant screamed at him. Here's what he got wrong.Read the full article:
3 Medicare Gaps That Catch Retirees Off Guard
Medicare doesn't cover dental, vision, or the income surcharge most retirees don't see coming. Here's how to fill the gaps.Read the full article:
He Had $500K at Vanguard and Thought He Was Fine
A caller on our live show said he had it all figured out. Then my father did what he does best. Here's what I watched happen.Read the full article:
The Hidden Cost of Medicare Plan Loyalty
Your Medicare supplement premium went up. Before you just pay it, do the math on what loyalty is really costing you.Read the full article:
Fiscal Fridays Is Here: A Live Retirement Show Like Nothing You've Seen Before
Tomorrow morning at 10:30 AM in Scottsdale, Arizona, we're doing something we've never done before: launching a live retirement show called Fiscal Fridays. David Schaeffer, who founded American Retirement Advisors over 25 years ago, is s...
How a Roth Conversion Affects Your Social Security Tax and Medicare Premium
A $150,000 Roth conversion saved one couple a fortune in future taxes. It also triggered $4,600 in Medicare surcharges they never saw coming.Read the full article:
The Math Most City of Scottsdale Employees Never Run Before They Retire
You've spent 20 years serving the city. But most Scottsdale employees never compare their ASRS group Medicare Advantage plan to what's available on the open market. The numbers surprise almost everyone.Read the full article:
The Inheritance Plan That Protects Your Kids From Themselves
Love your kids. Trust your kids. And still build a plan that protects them from a windfall they're not ready for.Read the full article:
The One Page That Overrides Your Entire Will
Your will doesn't control your largest assets. One page does. And you probably haven't looked at it in years.Read the full article:
Is Your Social Security Income Taxable? Here's How to Know
Up to 85% of your Social Security may be taxable. The thresholds haven't changed since 1993, and more retirees get hit every year.Read the full article:
Why the Smartest Investors Don't Pick One Strategy
When markets get rough, the instinct is to pick a side. But the clients who sleep best at night? They split the difference.Read the full article: