Here, we are featuring the top 5 retirement questions we received in 2021. Watch to learn more about how you can prepare financially for 2022.

Best of #5: How Do I Spend My Retirement Savings Without Triggering A Tax Penalty?

Tax planning is a huge part of retirement planning. It’s not just about how much money you have, but also where it makes the most sense to take that money from once you retire. The general rule, under normal circumstances, is you don’t want to spend your retirement money before the age of 59 and half. I say, general, because this is not everyone, but it’s most everyone.

Best of #4: Should I Retire Early?

If you’re asking yourself the question, “Should I retire early?”, explore what you want to do. Forget about what you can do first and figure out do you really want to retire? Why do you want to retire? Then we can sit down with you and figure out what things you need to make sure are in place so you don’t run out of money and can maintain your lifestyle in retirement.

Best of #3: When is the Best Time to Convert to a ROTH?

As a general rule, if you’re going to be in a higher tax bracket when you pull money out of a retirement account than you are now, it makes sense to possibly convert over to a Roth. Remember, as always, that there are a lot of other factors involved. I personally like the idea of having flexibility in retirement where I can have Roth money and I can have traditional IRA money and I get to decide where to take the money from each year.

Best of #2: What Are Some Tax Strategies for Retirement Income?

So many retirees and investors focus on getting a higher a rate of return. At the same time, they’re losing maybe a third or more of their return to taxes. What if instead of chasing a higher rate of return, you get the same rate of return but get to keep more of it? This is very important. Doesn’t that make sense? It’s not about what you earn, it’s about what you get to keep.

Best of #1: What Types of Investments Should A Retiree Use?

Should I invest differently when I’m retired versus when I’m working? That’s a very insightful question because you’ll read a lot of commentary on one of the best mutual funds and the best stocks to own today. But those articles don’t take your unique situation into account.