Fortress Blog
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The Retirement Risks That Can Matter More Than a Market Crash
A market downturn can be unsettling, but it may not be the biggest threat to retirement. Here is a practical look at the risks that can quietly do more damage over time, including inflation, taxes, longevity, and lifestyle creep.
When the Market Drops, Your Financial Plan Still Matters
Market headlines change fast, but a sound financial plan should not. In this written companion to Retire & Thrive Episode 41, Dan outlines how diversification, risk management, and regular portfolio reviews can help investors stay focused during uncertain markets.
How to Handle Market Volatility Without Derailing Your Retirement Plan
When global conflict and unsettling headlines rattle the markets, many investors feel pressure to react fast. The better response is usually slower, more disciplined, and rooted in a long-term financial plan. Here is how to think clearly about volatility, risk, retirement, and portfolio decisions when uncertainty rises.
Retirement Planning Is More Than a Number
Many people think retirement planning comes down to hitting a number. In reality, the real question is whether your income, taxes, withdrawal strategy, and lifestyle goals all work together. Here is a practical look at how to think about retirement with more clarity and intention.
Retiring Soon? Common Questions People Ask a Financial Advisor
Retirement is not just a number. It is a lifestyle shift. Here are the questions I hear most often, plus practical ways to think through purpose, spending, Social Security, and family conversations before you retire.
Designing Retirement Strategies for Confident Spending
Retirement is not just about having enough. It is about using your money well. Here is a practical way to spend more with confidence by planning for phases, taxes, and market uncertainty.
The Hidden Tax Bill Behind Sport’s Biggest Moments.
Big paydays make headlines. The tax mechanics behind them rarely do. Here’s what multi-state “travel taxes,” NIL income, Olympic bonuses, and deferred contracts reveal about real-world planning.
3 Retirement Spending Mistakes That Could Derail Your Plan (And How to Avoid Them)
Overspending early, underspending out of fear, and ignoring inflation can quietly derail retirement. In Episode 35 of Retire and Thrive, Kamie Blair and Dan Langworthy break down the three mistakes, explain sequence of returns risk, and share practical ways to spend with confidence.
How to Turn Your Retirement Savings into a Reliable Monthly Paycheck
Transitioning from accumulation to decumulation is the most stressful part of retirement. Learn the math behind deferring Social Security, how to calculate your specific "Income Gap," and the withdrawal strategies needed to turn your savings into a reliable monthly paycheck.
3 Retirement Tax Traps to Avoid: RMDs, Social Security & Medicare IRMAA (Episode 33)
RMDs at 73, taxable Social Security, and Medicare IRMAA surcharges can all raise your tax bill in retirement. In Episode 33, I break down the three traps and what to watch for.
3 Retirement Tax Moves That May Result in Paying Less
Kamie and Dan break down three practical ways retirees can lower taxes: control where income shows up, use Roth money strategically to avoid bracket creep, and give smarter with DAFs and QCDs—plus what snowbirds should know about residency and state income taxes.
Why So Many Retirees Are Blindsided by Taxes, and How to Work to Avoid It
Taxes can rise in retirement for people who saved well. Here’s how to build tax flexibility and avoid common surprises before RMDs begin.
