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/