Can you leave a child out of your will, and if so, how do you do it without creating a family war later? In this segment, Ken and Jeremy break down the practical reality behind disinheriting a child, why communication matters, and what can trigger contestation after you are gone. They also explain why some families use trusts instead of relying only on a will, and why state rules can change the strategy.

If you are reviewing your estate plan or thinking about changes, this is a must watch before you update beneficiaries, rewrite documents, or make an emotional decision you may regret later.

Explore more retirement and planning resources at rpoa.com.

00:00 Why communication matters before you make changes
01:05 A real example of how not to handle it
02:05 Is it legal to disinherit a child
03:05 The big risk: contestation and court fights
04:05 How to reduce ambiguity if you do it
05:15 Why a trust can be harder to contest than a will alone
06:35 State law issues and forced heirship
07:55 Emotional fallout: guilt, conflict, and family dynamics
09:20 How to frame the conversation so it is clear, not a debate
10:40 The goal: avoid surprises and prevent a blowup later
12:05 Wrap up and next steps in the series

RPOA Advisors, Inc. (d/b/a Retirement Planners of America) (“RPOA”) is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration as an investment adviser is not an endorsement by securities regulators and does not imply that RPOA has attained a certain level of skill or training.
This podcast has been prepared for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, personalized investment, financial, tax, or legal advice. RPOA does not provide tax or legal advice. You should consult your own tax and legal advisors before engaging in any transaction or strategy.
Opinions expressed are those of RPOA as of the date of publication and are subject to change. Investing involves risks, including possible loss of principal. Diversification and asset allocation do not guarantee a profit, nor do they eliminate the risk of loss. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Getting ready for retirement is a lot easier when you use a checklist. In this episode, Ken Moraif walks through a practical retirement planning checklist that helps you organize the big decisions before you stop working, so the transition feels smoother and your plan is built around real life costs.

You’ll hear why where you live can be the biggest driver of your cost of living, how to think about what you’ll do after you retire, why many retirees aim to reduce debt and review investment risk, and how to avoid gaps in healthcare coverage. Ken also explains a simple way to think about budgeting without turning it into a household argument, plus timing tips for Social Security and an overview of when a 401(k) rollover to an IRA may be worth considering - and when staying in an employer plan might make more sense.

If you’re over 50 and planning your next chapter, share this with a friend who’s also getting close to retirement.

0:00 Retirement checklist intro, why checklists work
0:40 Step 1: Decide where you plan to live
2:10 Step 2: Plan what you’ll do in retirement
3:35 Step 3: Pay off your mortgage and reduce debt
4:55 Step 4: Consider reducing investment risk near retirement
6:05 Step 5: Know your retirement income sources
7:25 Step 6: Healthcare planning, avoid gaps in coverage
8:45 Step 7: Budgeting without the household argument
10:10 Shark story: why expenses adapt to the “pool size”
11:25 Step 8: Apply for Social Security three months early
11:55 Step 9: Consider a 401(k) rollover to an IRA, case by case
12:25 Wrap-up and next steps

RPOA Advisors, Inc. (d/b/a Retirement Planners of America) (“RPOA”) is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration as an investment adviser is not an endorsement by securities regulators and does not imply that RPOA has attained a certain level of skill or training.
This podcast has been prepared for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, personalized investment, financial, tax, or legal advice. RPOA does not provide tax or legal advice. You should consult your own tax and legal advisors before engaging in any transaction or strategy.
Opinions expressed are those of RPOA as of the date of publication and are subject to change. Investing involves risks, including possible loss of principal. Diversification and asset allocation do not guarantee a profit, nor do they eliminate the risk of loss. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

If you own an IRA, a few simple mistakes can quietly create bigger problems later, including unnecessary taxes, penalties, and outdated beneficiary choices. In this episode, Ken Moraif and Jeremy Thornton walk through seven common IRA mistakes they see over and over and explain how to avoid them with better habits and better planning.

They cover the mistakes retirees and pre-retirees make most often, including missing contribution limit increases, forgetting spousal IRA contributions, taking early withdrawals without understanding your options, leaving beneficiary designations outdated, mishandling trusts as IRA beneficiaries, missing required minimum distributions (RMDs), and not planning for how an IRA may affect heirs.

If you are over 50, retired, or retiring soon, this is a practical checklist episode to help you stay organized and avoid costly errors.
Like and subscribe for more retirement planning episodes.

0:00 Intro: Why avoiding mistakes matters
0:55 The “tennis” mindset: win by making fewer errors
2:10 Mistake 1: Not tracking IRA contribution limit increases
4:05 Mistake 2: Forgetting spousal IRA contributions
6:00 Mistake 3: Early withdrawals and avoidable penalties
8:05 Mistake 4: Outdated IRA beneficiary designations
11:10 Mistake 5: Naming a trust incorrectly as IRA beneficiary
14:30 Mistake 6: Missing RMDs and penalty risk
18:00 Mistake 7: Not planning for heirs and inherited IRA strategy
22:10 Wrap-up: Simple habits to prevent costly IRA mistakes

RPOA Advisors, Inc. (d/b/a Retirement Planners of America) (“RPOA”) is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration as an investment adviser is not an endorsement by securities regulators and does not imply that RPOA has attained a certain level of skill or training.
This podcast has been prepared for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, personalized investment, financial, tax, or legal advice. RPOA does not provide tax or legal advice. You should consult your own tax and legal advisors before engaging in any transaction or strategy.
Opinions expressed are those of RPOA as of the date of publication and are subject to change. Investing involves risks, including possible loss of principal. Diversification and asset allocation do not guarantee a profit, nor do they eliminate the risk of loss. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

If you are considering retiring early or you need income before age 59½, the IRS 72(t) rule (also called SEPP, Substantially Equal Periodic Payments) may allow you to take distributions from a traditional IRA without the 10% early withdrawal penalty.

In this episode, Ken and Jeremy break down what an IRA is, who 72(t) can help, the three calculation methods, and the most common pitfalls that can trigger penalties if you change or break the plan. You will also hear an example using a $1,000,000 IRA and a planning strategy that may help you match the income you need.

00:00 Intro: the 10% early withdrawal penalty problem
01:10 What an IRA is (traditional vs Roth)
03:05 What is 72(t) SEPP and who it is for
05:00 The big rule: duration and no changes allowed
07:10 Method 1: RMD method (flexible, recalculates)
10:20 Methods 2 and 3: amortization vs annuitization
13:40 Example, interest rate limits, and top mistakes to avoid

At Retirement Planners of America, we help people retire when they want to and stay retired.

Visit us at rpoa.com to learn more.

Like, subscribe, and share for more retirement and investing insights from Ken Moraif and the RPOA team.

RPOA Advisors, Inc. (d/b/a Retirement Planners of America) (“RPOA”) is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration as an investment adviser is not an endorsement by securities regulators and does not imply that RPOA has attained a certain level of skill or training.
This podcast has been prepared for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, personalized investment, financial, tax, or legal advice. RPOA does not provide tax or legal advice. You should consult your own tax and legal advisors before engaging in any transaction or strategy.
Opinions expressed are those of RPOA as of the date of publication and are subject to change. Investing involves risks, including possible loss of principal. Diversification and asset allocation do not guarantee a profit, nor do they eliminate the risk of loss. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Are you accidentally sabotaging your investments?

In this episode, Ken Moraif breaks down the 7 Deadly Sins of Investing and explains how common behaviors like emotion, greed, impatience, disorganization, and fear can hurt your long term financial outcomes.

If you are retired, retiring soon, or planning for retirement, this is a must watch conversation about how to make smarter investment decisions and avoid costly mistakes.

0:00 Intro: The 7 Deadly Sins of Investing
0:34 Sin 1: Emotion
1:20 Sin 2: Disorganization
2:08 Sin 3: Myopia (missing the big picture)
3:06 Sin 4: Impatience and FOMO
4:02 Sin 5: Greed
5:05 Sin 6: Arrogance
6:12 Sin 7: Cowardice
7:35 Why working with an advisor can help
8:10 Closing thoughts

At Retirement Planners of America, we help people retire when they want to and stay retired.

Visit us at rpoa.com to learn more.

Like, subscribe, and share for more retirement and investing insights from Ken Moraif and the RPOA team.

RPOA Advisors, Inc. (d/b/a Retirement Planners of America) (“RPOA”) is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration as an investment adviser is not an endorsement by securities regulators and does not imply that RPOA has attained a certain level of skill or training.
This podcast has been prepared for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, personalized investment, financial, tax, or legal advice. RPOA does not provide tax or legal advice. You should consult your own tax and legal advisors before engaging in any transaction or strategy.
Opinions expressed are those of RPOA as of the date of publication and are subject to change. Investing involves risks, including possible loss of principal. Diversification and asset allocation do not guarantee a profit, nor do they eliminate the risk of loss. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Can you leave more to one child than another without creating lifelong resentment? In this episode, Ken Moraif explains why heirs often interpret inheritance as “love units” and how unequal distributions can trigger family conflict, will contests, and years of hurt feelings. The solution is not just legal, it’s relational: communicate your plan ahead of time.

Subscribe for more retirement planning, investing education, risk management, and market insights.

0:00 Intro
0:20 The estate attorney story
1:15 The “love units” concept
2:05 Why unequal inheritances create resentment
2:55 The “reading of the will” drama problem
3:35 The best way to do it: talk in advance
4:25 Wrap up and closing

RPOA Advisors, Inc. (d/b/a Retirement Planners of America) (“RPOA”) is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration as an investment adviser is not an endorsement by securities regulators and does not imply that RPOA has attained a certain level of skill or training.
This podcast has been prepared for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, personalized investment, financial, tax, or legal advice. RPOA does not provide tax or legal advice. You should consult your own tax and legal advisors before engaging in any transaction or strategy.
Opinions expressed are those of RPOA as of the date of publication and are subject to change. Investing involves risks, including possible loss of principal. Diversification and asset allocation do not guarantee a profit, nor do they eliminate the risk of loss. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

When you invest, you are in the risk game. The question is not whether you have risk, it is whether you are managing it on purpose.

In this episode of the Retirement Planners of America Podcast, Ken Moraif breaks down four practical ways to manage investment risk, especially if you are within five years of retirement or the first five years of retirement.

We Talk About:

Diversification: building an optimized portfolio where different investments can behave differently

Asset allocation: why your stock and bond mix matters more than most people realize

Dollar cost averaging: how consistent investing can reduce timing risk

A sell strategy: why buy and hold alone can be incomplete for retirees, and how downside risk management can help

If you are retired or retiring soon and want help building a plan that supports your lifestyle, visit rpoa.com.

Subscribe for more retirement planning, investing education, risk management, and market insights.

0:00 Intro
0:45 You are in the risk game
1:35 1 Diversification
2:55 2 Asset allocation (the 40 percent idea)
5:00 3 Dollar cost averaging
7:10 4 Have a sell strategy (avoid big bear markets)
9:55 Recap and closing thoughts

RPOA Advisors, Inc. (d/b/a Retirement Planners of America) (“RPOA”) is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration as an investment adviser is not an endorsement by securities regulators and does not imply that RPOA has attained a certain level of skill or training.
This podcast has been prepared for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, personalized investment, financial, tax, or legal advice. RPOA does not provide tax or legal advice. You should consult your own tax and legal advisors before engaging in any transaction or strategy.
Statements regarding the ‘Invest and Protect’ strategy (formerly 'Buy, Hold, and Sell') or recommendations made prior to 2011 refer to strategies collectively employed and recommendations collectively made by RPOA’s principals while employed at Eagle Strategies, LLC. RPOA was created in 2011 and uses the same exit strategy. Like all investment strategies, the Strategy is not guaranteed. It is possible that the sell signal can incorrectly predict a bear market, and affected investors would not participate in gains they could have realized by remaining invested. Implementing the Strategy may also result in tax consequences and transaction costs
Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Please make sure you fully understand the risks involved before trading cryptocurrencies.
Opinions expressed are those of RPOA as of the date of publication and are subject to change. Investing involves risks, including possible loss of principal. Diversification and asset allocation do not guarantee a profit, nor do they eliminate the risk of loss. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Gold is up big and the headlines are everywhere. Is gold an inflation hedge, a fear asset, or something else entirely? In this episode, Ken Moraif and Jordan Roach break down what is driving the move in gold, why central banks matter more than most people realize, and how to think about gold, silver, and crypto in a retirement focused portfolio.

We cover why gold often moves on fear and geopolitics, how major events can push demand, why institutional flows can amplify price moves, and what risks show up when an asset gets crowded. If you are retired or retiring soon and you are wondering whether to chase the gold rally, this conversation will help you frame the decision with risk first.

Like & subscribe for weekly retirement insights.

00:00 Gold is up big so whats driving it
02:05 Gold is not a pure inflation hedge its more about fear
04:25 Ukraine and rising geopolitical risk as a catalyst
07:10 Central banks and institutional money move gold prices
10:35 Retail investors and the risk of buying late
13:10 Silver and the gold to silver ratio
16:05 Gold vs crypto and how retirees should think about position size

RPOA Advisors, Inc. (d/b/a Retirement Planners of America) (“RPOA”) is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration as an investment adviser is not an endorsement by securities regulators and does not imply that RPOA has attained a certain level of skill or training.
This podcast has been prepared for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, personalized investment, financial, tax, or legal advice. RPOA does not provide tax or legal advice. You should consult your own tax and legal advisors before engaging in any transaction or strategy.
Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Please make sure you fully understand the risks involved before trading cryptocurrencies.
Opinions expressed are those of RPOA as of the date of publication and are subject to change. Investing involves risks, including possible loss of principal. Diversification and asset allocation do not guarantee a profit, nor do they eliminate the risk of loss. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.