📞 Ready to take the next step?

Connect with the Peterson Financial team here 👉 https://petersonfg.com/

Could you be wealthier than you realize once all your accounts and assets are tallied? Many pre-retirees and retirees underestimate the financial strength they’ve already built, creating unnecessary stress. In this episode, Eric shares five clear signs that you’re on stronger financial footing than you might think. If you’ve ever worried, “Do I really have enough?” this conversation could change the way you see your retirement future.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

🛟 Emergency funds = first line of defense

💰 Living below your means creates freedom

🌱 Compounding growth beats quick wins

🔑 Diversifying income streams can reduce risk

🧠 The psychology of spending in retirement

Get in touch with the Peterson Financial team: https://petersonfg.com/

📞 Ready to take the next step?

Connect with the Peterson Financial team here 👉 https://petersonfg.com/

Planning a great vacation takes time, effort, and a little bit of strategy. So why do so many people put more thought into a week-long trip than into a decades-long retirement? In this episode, Eric uses the fun (and sometimes stressful) process of vacation planning to show how you can prepare for a smoother, more enjoyable retirement. If you wouldn’t dream of “winging it” on a big trip, you definitely shouldn’t wing it with the rest of your life.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

🎟 Finding free or low-cost activities to stretch your budget

🍽 How your lifestyle choices affect long-term cash flow

🚨 Planning for the unexpected, from health issues to home repairs

🗂 Making sure loved ones know where to find key documents

💵 Building flexibility into your retirement plan

Get in touch with the Peterson Financial team: https://petersonfg.com/

We all have those personality quirks: a car full of fast-food napkins, forgetting names mid-conversation, or insisting on carrying all the groceries in one trip. But what if those small, relatable habits say something deeper about how we handle money, risk, and retirement planning? In this episode, Eric brings humor and insight to the table as he explores how everyday behaviors often mirror our financial tendencies.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

🧾Accounting for Social Security’s uncertainty in your retirement strategy

💬 The “name forgetting” trick and what it says about overlooked financial details

📉 Why many overestimate their comfort with market risk

🤷‍♂️ Why people procrastinate retirement planning and what that costs them

Get in touch with the Peterson Financial team: https://petersonfg.com/

What do smoking sections, kids' menus, and combo meals have to do with retirement planning? More than you might think! In this episode, Eric serves up financial wisdom using a creative "retirement restaurant" metaphor. He explains how appearances can be deceiving when it comes to diversification, why some strategies that helped you build wealth may not be the same ones that preserve it, and how oversimplified financial plans can leave retirees underprepared for life’s curveballs.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

🍽️ What an old restaurant teaches us about investing

🚬 Smoking vs. Non-Smoking = Diversification myths

📦 Why mutual funds often overlap more than you think

🥗 Liquidity, safety, and growth- pick two

📊 Adapting your financial strategy as you get closer to retirement

Get in touch with the Peterson Financial team: https://petersonfg.com/

Should you use your emergency fund, dip into your IRA, or just finance a new car in retirement? How can someone fresh out of college start saving for the future without putting life on hold? And is $500,000 really enough to retire comfortably at 65? In this listener mailbag episode, Eric dives into three real-world questions that highlight the complexity and nuance of personal financial planning.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

🚗 Considerations for funding a new car in retirement

🎓 Saving tips for young workers balancing life and the future

💰 The myth of the $1 million retirement target

Get in touch with the Peterson Financial team: https://petersonfg.com/

In this mailbag episode, Eric answers real questions from listeners navigating big life transitions. First up, a soon-to-be retiree wants to take the whole family to Disney World, but how do you plan a big trip like that without derailing your retirement timeline? Eric breaks down how to stress-test your retirement plan for one-time expenses and offers tips for budgeting a major vacation while keeping your future goals intact.

Next, Eric tackles two more questions that hit close to home for many: how to turn a $500,000 nest egg into reliable retirement income, and what to do when you're leaving a job with benefits to go full-time self-employed.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

🎢 Budgeting for a big Disney trip without derailing retirement

💸 Creating reliable monthly income after retirement

📉 The role of annuities and CDs in income planning

🏥 Navigating health coverage when leaving a job with benefits

💻 Where to explore affordable individual insurance options

Get in touch with the Peterson Financial team: https://petersonfg.com/

DIY works great for fixing up the house or building a bookshelf, but does it hold up when you're planning your retirement? In this episode, Eric unpacks the pros and pitfalls of do-it-yourself financial planning, especially as you transition from the "saving" years to the "spending" years. It's one thing to manage your portfolio when you're working and have time to bounce back from a mistake. But once that paycheck stops, the financial game changes fast.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

🛠️ Why DIY works during the accumulation phase

⚠️ The hidden risks of doing it alone in retirement

📉 How poor timing and emotion can wreck a solid plan

📊 What most DIYers miss when it comes to taxes

🎯 The importance of a Retirement Readiness Review

Get in touch with the Peterson Financial team: https://petersonfg.com/

Turning 62 isn’t just another birthday, it’s a milestone that kicks off some big retirement decisions. In this episode, Eric breaks down what reaching this age really means, from deciding when (or if) to claim Social Security to navigating income limits that could reduce your benefits. We’ll also explore how your health, family longevity, and lifestyle goals should influence that decision.

Beyond Social Security, you’ll hear strategies for covering the tricky gap before Medicare kicks in at 65, why this is the perfect time to review your legal documents, and more!

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

⏳ Should you claim Social Security at 62 or wait?

💼 How working in retirement impacts your Social Security benefits

🩺 Bridging the gap to Medicare with affordable health insurance

📜 Why updating legal documents and beneficiaries is critical at this stage

🧠 Using early retirement as a chance to reduce future tax burdens

Resources for this episode:

Ehealth Calculator: https://www.ehealthinsurance.com/resources/affordable-care-act/subsidy-calculator

Get in touch with the Peterson Financial team: https://petersonfg.com/