The 9Innings Podcast

On this weeks Facts Over Feelings Episode on the 9innings Podcast Station... A couple earning $150,000 may be living on closer to $102,500, not the full amount a retirement calculator might tell them to replace. This episode breaks down where the rest goes, from taxes and retirement savings to health benefits, and shows why two households with the same income can have very different retirement needs. It also examines expenses that may disappear, how Medicare can change healthcare costs, and why retirement spending often rises, falls, then climbs again later in life. The takeaway: plan around your real spending, Social Security, and portfolio withdrawals, not a one-size-fits-all income replacement percentage. 00:00 – The Biggest Retirement Income Myth 02:41 – Why You Don't Need to Replace Your Gross Income 06:31 – Expenses That Disappear in Retirement 10:07 – Healthcare Costs: What Really Changes? 14:09 – Calculating What You Actually Need to Retire NEWSLETTER (WHAT NOW): https://substack.com/@9icapital?r=2ei... Follow Us: youtube: / @9icap Linkedin: / kevin-thompson-ricp%c2%ae-cfp%c2%ae-74964428 facebook: / mlb2cfp Buy MLB2CFP Here: https://www.amazon.com/MLB-CFP%C2%AE-... Website: http://www.9icapitalgroup.com Hit the subscribe button to get new content notifications. Corrections: Editing by http://SwoleNerdProductions.com Disclosure: https://sites.google.com/view/9idiscl...

A business owner may be financially ready to retire, but what happens when their spouse is a decade younger and still needs health insurance? In this episode, I'm joined by Andy Panko of Tenon Financial to discuss the costly and often complicated road to Medicare. We explore how employer-sponsored health insurance can mask the true cost of coverage, the challenges of retiring before 65, and the decisions retirees face when choosing between Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare. We also dive into Social Security's earnings test, the uncertainty surrounding Roth conversion projections, and one of the biggest challenges in retirement that has little to do with numbers: having enough money to retire but still being afraid to stop working or spend what you've spent decades saving. 00:00 – Introduction 01:37 – Andy Panko Joins the Conversation 02:36 – Retiring Before 65: The Health Insurance Gap 09:00 – The Hidden Cost of Employer Health Insurance 13:26 – Social Security's Earnings Test Explained 18:17 – Medicare Advantage vs. Traditional Medicare 29:04 – Roth Conversions: Less Math, More Judgment 31:34 – Why Retirees Struggle to Stop Working and Spend Their Savings NEWSLETTER (WHAT NOW): https://substack.com/@9icapital?r=2eig6s&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page Follow Us: youtube: / @9icap Linkedin: / kevin-thompson-ricp%c2%ae-cfp%c2%ae-74964428 facebook: / mlb2cfp Buy MLB2CFP Here: https://www.amazon.com/MLB-CFP%C2%AE-90-Feet-Counting-ebook/dp/B0BLJPYNS4 Website: http://www.9icapitalgroup.com Hit the subscribe button to get new content notifications. Corrections: Editing by http://SwoleNerdProductions.com Disclosure: https://sites.google.com/view/9idisclosure/disclosure

In this episode of the 9innings Podcast: GDP is growing, yet September added just 29,000 jobs, and households are spending more even as real disposable income stays roughly flat. In this Econ 101 episode, Kevin looks beneath the headline numbers to trace how lower savings and rising consumer credit may be helping sustain spending, and why that could become a strain if incomes don’t catch up. He also considers the brighter explanation: businesses may be producing more with the same workforce as technology boosts productivity. The takeaway isn’t a recession call, but a closer look at the gap between economic output and household financial health, and the four figures that could show whether that gap is widening. Employment Growth and Labor-Force Participation (00:01:04) GDP Growth and Productivity (00:03:33) Savings, Credit, and Household Finances (00:09:02) How Credit Can Shift Future Consumption (00:10:21) Productivity as a Positive Explanation (00:13:03) A Mixed Picture of Economic Health (00:14:15) Four Indicators to Watch (00:15:36) Conclusion: Look Beneath the Headline Numbers (00:17:05) NEWSLETTER (WHAT NOW): https://substack.com/@9icapital?r=2eig6s&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page Follow Us: youtube: / @9icap Linkedin: / kevin-thompson-ricp%c2%ae-cfp%c2%ae-74964428 facebook: / mlb2cfp Buy MLB2CFP Here: https://www.amazon.com/MLB-CFP%C2%AE-90-Feet-Counting-ebook/dp/B0BLJPYNS4 Website: http://www.9icapitalgroup.com Hit the subscribe button to get new content notifications. Corrections: Editing by http://SwoleNerdProductions.com Disclosure: https://sites.google.com/view/9idisclosure/disclosure

In this episode of Facts of Our Feelings, Kevin Thompson expands on five topics he was recently quoted on in major publications. He explores why loosening credit standards won't solve housing affordability, how declining insurer competition is reshaping Medicare Advantage plans, and why Social Security COLA increases aren't necessarily good news given rising retiree costs. He also explains how ultra-wealthy families use private placement life insurance for tax-efficient investing, and why financial advisors need solid succession plans to protect clients. His key takeaway: always look beyond the headlines for the real story. Housing Affordability Challenges (00:01:10) Changes in Medicare Advantage (00:03:48) Social Security COLA Isn't Always Good News (00:05:10) How the Ultra-Wealthy Use Life Insurance (00:07:49) Your Financial Advisor's Succession Plan (00:10:02) Conclusion: Look Past the Headlines (00:13:36) NEWSLETTER (WHAT NOW): https://substack.com/@9icapital?r=2eig6s&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page Follow Us: youtube: / @9icap Linkedin: / kevin-thompson-ricp%c2%ae-cfp%c2%ae-74964428 facebook: / mlb2cfp Buy MLB2CFP Here: https://www.amazon.com/MLB-CFP%C2%AE-90-Feet-Counting-ebook/dp/B0BLJPYNS4 Website: http://www.9icapitalgroup.com Hit the subscribe button to get new content notifications. Corrections: Editing by http://SwoleNerdProductions.com Disclosure: https://sites.google.com/view/9idisclosure/disclosure

In this episode of Econ 101, I break down the Federal Reserve’s latest 25-basis-point rate hike, bringing the federal funds target range to 3.75%–4.00%, and what higher interest rates actually mean for you. From credit cards and car loans to mortgages and business investment, higher rates are designed to slow spending and cool the economy. But there’s another side to the story: massive investment in AI and technology continues to help drive economic growth. What happens if the Fed keeps hitting the brakes while the sector helping keep the economy moving starts to slow? Let’s talk about it. 00:00 - The Fed Is Hitting the Brakes 03:56 - How Higher Rates Hit Your Wallet0 8:54 - How Rate Hikes Slow the Economy 11:06 —-AI Investment, Circular Financing & the Domino Risk NEWSLETTER (WHAT NOW): https://substack.com/@9icapital?r=2eig6s&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page Follow Us: youtube: / @9icap Linkedin: / kevin-thompson-ricp%c2%ae-cfp%c2%ae-74964428 facebook: / mlb2cfp Buy MLB2CFP Here: https://www.amazon.com/MLB-CFP%C2%AE-90-Feet-Counting-ebook/dp/B0BLJPYNS4 Website: http://www.9icapitalgroup.com Hit the subscribe button to get new content notifications. Corrections: Editing by http://SwoleNerdProductions.com Disclosure: https://sites.google.com/view/9idisclosure/disclosure