Retirement Roadmap Radio: Market-Proof Your Retirement Income Strategies for Any Market

May 10, 2025

Clients were coming into my former firm and just not knowing what to do because every day we’d come into the office and the market was down again and down again and down again and maybe a bump up and then down again for the next 5 days. And it’s not just the fact that they were watching their accounts dwindle. I think S&P lost 56% over about an 18-month period, but it was the fact that many of them were taking money from those accounts. And as they’re taking money from those accounts and they’re losing money, they were in a position to probably never be able to recover. 

MARK FRICKS

ATLANTA – The traditional rules of retirement planning have changed dramatically in recent decades, calling for new strategies to generate plans for reliable income regardless of market conditions. Increased market volatility since 2000 has rendered the old “4% rule” obsolete, now reduced to 2.8%, while tax implications, sequence of returns risk, and the shift from pensions to 401(k)s create additional challenges.

• Market volatility has increased significantly: 1980-1999 averaged 17.75% returns vs. just 6.06% from 2000-2020
• The 4% withdrawal rule has been reduced to 2.8%, which means larger portfolios are needed to generate the same income
• Withdrawing from market-based accounts during downturns locks in losses that may never recover
• Most 401(k) balances are pretax, meaning you must subtract 20-40% to account for taxes
• Creating a “bucket strategy” with different accounts for different purposes can provide stability
• Guaranteed income sources like properly structured annuities can replace the pension leg of retirement
• Consider using precious metals as “wealth insurance” that often performs well during market uncertainty
• Delay Social Security when possible in hopes of maximizing guaranteed lifetime income
• Work with a fiduciary who understands income planning, not just accumulation strategies

Call 770-980-9262 or visit masterplanretire.com to schedule a complimentary consultation to review your retirement income strategy.

Kimmer: Will Republicans Unite Before It’s Too Late?

May 9, 2025

These Republicans are no more ethical than the damn Democrats. At least Democrats will tell you to your face they want to destroy things! 

PETE DAVIS

ATLANTA – Are Republicans prioritizing personal gain over the future of the country? The stakes are too high to ignore, and today, Pete Davis and The Kimmer expose weak, selfish Republicans who have little interest in furthering President Trump’s agenda, but plenty more in lining their own pockets!

#PoliticalPriorities #Election2024 #GOP

Janelle King: Understanding the Conflict in the Congo with Furaha Mussanzi

May 7, 2025
Former members of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) and police officers who allegedly surrendered to M23 rebels arrive in Goma, Congo, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)

ATLANTA – In this episode as we dive deep into the ongoing war in the Congo. We’ll explore how we got to this point, what the conflict is truly about, and why it matters to Americans today. Our special guest, Furaha Mussanzi, originally from the Congo, brings her unique perspective and personal experience to the discussion. Furaha is dedicated to shedding light on the complexities of the conflict and its impact on the global community.

Over 8000 people have been killed in the last three months, and millions of people have been displaced. The humanitarian crisis, I think that’s what hits me. It’s the fact that people in Congo are living in the most horrific conditions in refugee camps in their own countries. 

FURAHA MUSSANZI

Checking the Tape: Biden’s First 100 Days vs. Trump’s

May 5, 2025

Much is being said about Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office. Certainly, you didn’t expect the media to be positive about a president they didn’t and don’t want in the White House, but if you search hard enough, you find some statistics that look pretty good. 

NEAL BOORTZ

ATLANTA – Everyone in the media is abuzz over President Trump’s first 100 days in his return to office and his accomplishments. Predictably, Trump is getting poor scores from the Democrats and leftist media, but do they have any room to criticize after the poor handling of the nation under Biden?

Today, Boortz contrasts the first 100 days of President Trump’s 2nd presidential term and compares the stats to Biden’s first 100 days. To say that the numbers don’t lie would be an understatement.

Retirement Roadmap Radio: Retiring in Turbulent Markets – Is 2025 Still Your Year?

May 3, 2025
PHOTO: pexels.com

ATLANTA – Market volatility in 2025 doesn’t have to derail retirement plans if you’ve properly structured your income sources and diversified your investments. Proper retirement planning involves creating stable income buckets that aren’t totally dependent on market performance, allowing retirees to weather economic storms with confidence.

• Sequence of returns risk can pose a significant danger when withdrawing from declining investments
• Traditional retirement income approaches like dividend stocks or bonds may only yield 2-4% and can lack stability
• Professional retirement planning should involve creating guaranteed income streams of 5-6% regardless of market conditions
• Having income buckets prepared before retirement can eliminate the stress of watching markets daily
• Catch-up contributions allow those over 50 to save up to $31,000 in 401(k)s and $8,000 in IRAs annually
• Working slightly longer or part-time can significantly improve retirement security
• Review investment fees, insurance policies, and subscriptions to potentially uncover hidden savings opportunities
• Emotional preparation for retirement can be as important as financial readiness
• Diversification in retirement means more than just different market sectors—it includes stable income sources

Schedule a complimentary consultation to receive personalized retirement planning guidance at masterplanretire.com or call 770-980-9262.

Cruisin’ for a Bruisin’

May 1, 2025

So, if you plan a cruise, and it’s a lovely way to go on a vacation, check the statistics. Last year Carnival, more than any other cruise line, had the highest number of incidents, including assaults, serious bodily injury, sexual assaults, and rapes. More than any other major cruise line. 

NEAL BOORTZ

Video: X (Twitter)

ATLANTA – Here we go again! Another mob of out-of-control thugs has unleashed their violent madness at a Galveston, TX Carnival Cruise Lines terminal, and Boortz aint having it! Get The Talkmaster’s take on this growing trend of violence on cruises, what he believes is the main reason we keep seeing more of these incidents, and what you should do to avoid finding yourself in the middle of a brawl on the Lido Deck!

Ben Burnett: The Pope Passes, Hegseth Harassed

April 30, 2025
The coffin of Pope Francis is carried into St Peter’s Square for his funeral, at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

I think that a lot of Catholics in recent days, especially ones that prescribe to being more conservative leaning, didn’t really appreciate the last guy. They didn’t like everything that he had to say. But it was also interesting, you know, “climate change,” “inclusivity, ” they’re not, like, hallmarks of the Republican Party in America. And I’m not saying that that’s like a good thing or a bad thing, but I think that a lot of people who go to Catholic churches have kind of struggled with some of that and I think that some of that is fair. 

BEN BURNETT

ATLANTA – Ben’s on top of the biggest stories of the week, and the death of the Pope Francis is at the top. Get Ben’s take on the life of the Pontiff, his religious and political legacy, and what’s next for the Catholic Church in the search for a new Pope.

Pete Hegseth, President Trump’s Defense Secretary, is taking massive amounts of flak from the leftist, mainstream media, but why? And why does it seem that the media is going out of their way to focus their attention on Hegseth in particular versus Trump’s other appointees? Ben has some ideas why they have Hegseth in the crosshairs, and he shares them here.

Get sane, sober, and entertaining analysis of this and more in today’s edition of “The Ben Burnett Show!”

Boortz on Trump’s First 100 Days

April 29, 2025
Man Standing against the Mexico / USA southern border wall in Naco, Sonora, Mexico. The sign “Bad Muro” painted on the wall translates to “Bad Wall.” (PHOTO: pexels.com)

We’re coming up on 100 days of the presidency of Donald Trump, most of it in my impression, has been good, some of it not so good. I particularly like his actions in getting undocumented… oh, excuse me, Illegal aliens, the hell out of this country. 

NEAL BOORTZ

ATLANTA – Boortz reviews Trump’s first 100 days of his second term and grades him on his response to illegal immigration, DOGE’s audit of the government, the trade tariffs with China, elite universities losing government funding, and MORE!

Retirement Roadmap Radio: Unconventional Retirement Strategies

April 27, 2025
Maybe your retirement plans include something less conventional, like a tiny house as a primary residence. (PHOTO: pexels.com)

ATLANTA – What if your dream retirement looked nothing like the standard Florida condo and golf course scenario? Evan and Mark dive into wildly unconventional retirement strategies—some absurd, some surprisingly practical—that could transform how you envision your golden years.

The conversation begins with AI-generated oddball ideas like starting hobby-based cults and living in haunted houses before evolving into legitimately viable alternatives many retirees already embrace. From converting school buses into solar-powered tiny homes to living year-round on cruise ships (which may actually cost less than nursing homes), these alternatives challenge conventional retirement wisdom while possibly offering unique advantages.
Whether you’re intrigued by alternative retirement lifestyles or simply want to expand your thinking beyond traditional paths, this episode offers inspiration and practical considerations for creating a retirement uniquely suited to your dreams.

Schedule a complimentary consultation to receive personalized retirement planning guidance at masterplanretire.com or call 770-980-9262.

China & America at War

April 24, 2025
FILE – In this June 29, 2019, file photo, U.S. President Donald Trump, left, meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Osaka, western Japan. Xi has an ambitious goal for China: to achieve “national rejuvenation” as a strong and prosperous nation by 2049, which would be the 100th anniversary of Communist Party rule. One problem: Trump wants to make the United States great again too. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

We are in a full-blown economic war, which means that we need to prepare. It means that there may be backlash anytime any country goes into war of any sort. We as people need to make sure that we are prepared that we are doing things now during the quiet period so that when things rev up, should they rev up, we are not thrown or caught off guard. 

JANELLE KING

ATLANTA – There’s no doubt we are at war with China… an economic war. For far too long, China has engaged in intellectual property theft, currency manipulation, and other trade abuses that have directly affected countries around the world, especially the United States. Now, President Trump has taken steps to end those practices with massive tariffs on Chinese-manufactured products and it has China’s President Xi fuming.

How is this trade war going to affect the average American consumer? Janelle will guide us through what we can expect should trade issues between China and America grow worse, and what we can do to prepare for this while things are “quiet” for the moment.

She also has some revealing news from within China about how Trump’s Tariffs are affecting them, and how Xi plans to counter them to the bitter end.

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