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Americans are more pessimistic than ever about the economy – what now?

June 5, 2023

A new survey has found that Americans are more pessimistic than ever about the economy.  CNBC’s Steve Liesman says the poll numbers are the worst ever…do feelings like this and times like this make people sit still, or take action?  Is that the right decision?

Then, a year ago, I Bonds captured a lot of attention.  The U.S. Savings Bonds that are tied to inflation paid a 9.6% interest rate last May.  Six months later, the rate went down to 6.89%.  And beginning this month, I Bonds will pay a lower rate of 4.3% for the next half year.  For those who previously plowed money into I Bonds, are they now better off putting their cash elsewhere?  

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Tune in with Steve Aul for “The Aul Financial Hour” every Saturday at 10 a.m. on KMOX News Radio 1120!

May 22, 2023

What are the key dates in retirement?  For starters, those age 50 and older can begin making “catch up” contributions to 401(k)s and IRAs. Do you remind clients of these important dates?  Any others you want to add to the list?, One of the big concerns about growing older is whether we’ll need long-term care at some point.  Microsoft News did a story listing the pros and cons of buying long-term care insurance, but it didn’t really answer the question for me.  How do you help clients who worry about the risk of needing long-term care?

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Tune in with Steve Aul for “The Aul Financial Hour” every Saturday at 10 a.m. on KMOX News Radio 1120!

May 8, 2023

The money you’ve saved for retirement is meant to make that part of your life happy.  But, with the biggest fear being running out of money, it tends to give people FEAR of spending during retirement.  Hear how Steve creates a planned budget showing you how you can spend your hard-earned money the right way in retirement and NOT run out of money.  

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Tune in with Steve Aul for “The Aul Financial Hour” every Saturday at 10 a.m. on KMOX News Radio 1120!

April 24, 2023

We’ve talked before about the benefits of annuities.  They not only provide a guaranteed stream of income in retirement but can also serve as a hedge against inflation, market volatility and running out of money in retirement.  But there are so many different types of annuities.  How do you go about picking the right one? Steve explains!

This week marks the 47th anniversary of Apple Computer.  It was co-founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and a third guy you probably have never heard of.  Ronald Wayne held a 10% stake in the company but sold it just 12 days later for $1500! So, he didn’t want to take the risk (even though his investment today would be worth $250 billion!).  Of course, in retirement planning, there’s a certain amount of risk and everyone is not the same.  How do you check for their risk tolerance in a portfolio?

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Tune in with Steve Aul for “The Aul Financial Hour” every Saturday at 10 a.m. on KMOX News Radio 1120 and every Sunday at 6 a.m. on 101 ESPN!

March 13, 2023

Back in 2019, we had a lot of fun discussing billionaire Ray Dalio’s statement that “Cash is Trash.”  Recently Ray flip flopped on that, telling CNBC that “Cash is a better investment than stocks and bonds.” Steve, do you agree? Isn’t this a great example of why we need a financial advisor because the economy is constantly changing… and so should our investments? Deciding whether to retire now during an economic downturn can be a scary decision.  It might force someone to put off leaving the workforce.  T. Rowe Price has researched something it calls a “pre-tirement” strategy, in that you delay the retirement date but not the gratification.  Is this a good plan for someone who’s sitting on the fence?  

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Tune in with Steve Aul for “The Aul Financial Hour” every Saturday at 10 a.m. on KMOX News Radio 1120 and every Sunday at 6 a.m. on 101 ESPN!

February 27, 2023

Massive layoffs in the tech world have been grabbing headlines lately. Companies like Google, Meta and Amazon are letting workers go by the thousands. Just a few years ago, many were looking at finishing their careers with these jobs. If someone is close to retirement – and that ‘forever job’ is becoming less stable – what can they do now to prepare for an unplanned retirement and still get guaranteed income?

Then, once you turn 73, Uncle Sam makes you withdraw money from your tax-deferred retirement accounts so the government can collect its taxes. It’s called a Required Minimum Distribution or RMD. But what if it’s forcing you to take out more than you actually need? Is there a way to work around this?

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Tune in with Steve Aul for “The Aul Financial Hour” every Saturday at 10 a.m. on KMOX News Radio 1120 and every Sunday at 6 a.m. on 101 ESPN!

February 13, 2023

What would you say to a 4 day workweek? CBS News says a recent survey shows more than 90% of American workers favor the idea.  Until this becomes more of a reality, most of us are still working five-day weeks.  That often leaves little time to set up time to talk about more serious matters, like retirement planning.  Steve shares his process to help YOU get closer to that retirement finish line STRESS FREE! 

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Tune in with Steve Aul for “The Aul Financial Hour” every Saturday at 10 a.m. on KMOX News Radio 1120 and every Sunday at 6 a.m. on 101 ESPN!

December 5, 2022

The newest iPhone has a cool feature called “crash detection.”  Just like it sounds, the phone detects various types of car crashes, then automatically calls 911.  But some riders of roller coasters are discovering that all the herky-jerky movements are also triggering calls to 911.  The whole thing can be avoided by putting the phone in airplane mode.  It made me wonder – with all the bad economic news that’s bombarding us – is it time to put the sources of that information on “airplane mode” for a while? 

Then, “Snowbirds” travel to warmer climates in the winter.  But Dave Portnoy, founder and president of Barstool Sports, is leaving New York for Florida for a different reason.  Hear how Steve can help lower your tax burden in retirement! 

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Tune in for “The Aul Financial Hour” every Saturday at 7 a.m. on KMOX News Radio 1120 and every Sunday at 10 a.m. on NewsTalkSTL 101.9FM and 94.1FM!