What do interest rate cuts, annuities, and dog bites have in common? They all impact your retirement more than you think. In this episode of The Retirement Referee, Brooks Berhnagen breaks down how potential Fed rate cuts could ripple through your portfolio, why annuities might be the risk buffer you didn’t know you needed, and how to keep Uncle Sam from taking a bite out of your nest egg. From Roth conversions to RMDs, Brooks shares strategies to help you protect your income and stay flexible in a shifting economy.

Ready to build your retirement plan? Visit https://brooksfg.com/ to connect with Brooks and his team today!

What do interest rate cuts, annuities, and dog bites have in common? They all impact your retirement more than you think. In this episode of&nbsp;The Retirement Referee, Brooks Berhnagen breaks down how potential Fed rate cuts could ripple through your portfolio, why annuities might be the risk buffer you didn&rsquo;t know you needed, and how to keep Uncle Sam from taking a bite out of your nest egg. From Roth conversions to RMDs, Brooks shares strategies to help you protect your income and stay flexible in a shifting economy.
Ready to build your retirement plan? Visit <a href="https://brooksfg.com/">https://brooksfg.com/</a> to connect with Brooks and his team today!

When your retirement gets down to game time, who do you want making the calls? Don’t settle for second-best – get the advisor that knows the rules.

The Retirement Referee, hosted by Brooks Financial Group founder Brooks Bernhagen, shows how to go by the rulebook and get the most out of your retirement. With experienced insights, weekly deep dives into the financial trends of the day, and the retirement tips you’re looking for, the Retirement Referee is always a podcast instant replay. Listen and subscribe today!

When your retirement gets down to game time, who do you want making the calls? Don’t settle for second-best – get the advisor that knows the rules.
The Retirement Referee, hosted by Brooks Financial Group founder Brooks Bernhagen, shows how to go by the rulebook and get the most out of your retirement. With experienced insights, weekly deep dives into the financial trends of the day, and the retirement tips you’re looking for, the Retirement Referee is always a podcast instant replay. Listen and subscribe today!

The Retirement Referee with Brooks Bernhagen

The Retirement Referee

The Sheepdog vs. The Rottweiler: Protecting Your Retirement from Uncle Sam

Only three out of one hundred Americans retire with a million dollars... so what does everyone else do? In this episode, Brooks Bernhagen breaks down why successful retirement isn’t about hitting a magic number but about building a strategy that stretches what you do have. From income planning and tax efficiency to Social Security timing and the power of bridging, Brooks explains how retirees with $400K–$800K can create stable, predictable income without feeling behind.

Listen to Brooks every Saturday at 7 a.m. on KOTA.

Ready to build your retirement plan? Visit https://brooksfg.com/ to connect with Brooks and his team today!

Only three out of one hundred Americans retire with a million dollars... so what does everyone else do? In this episode, Brooks Bernhagen breaks down why successful retirement isn&rsquo;t about hitting a magic number but about building a strategy that stretches what you&nbsp;do have. From income planning and tax efficiency to Social Security timing and the power of bridging, Brooks explains how retirees with $400K&ndash;$800K can create stable, predictable income without feeling behind.
Listen to Brooks every Saturday at 7 a.m. on <a href="https://www.kotaradio.com/">KOTA</a>.
Ready to build your retirement plan? Visit <a href="https://brooksfg.com/">https://brooksfg.com/</a> to connect with Brooks and his team today!

You Don’t Need $1 Million to Retire Well

What if one mindset shift could change how much of your retirement income you actually keep? In this episode, Brooks breaks down why the new $6,000 senior deduction is more than a tax-season perk... it’s a reminder that strategic, year‑round tax planning can meaningfully lower lifetime taxes. He explains the difference between reactive filers and proactive planners, how tools like Roth conversions, income timing, Social Security management, and capital‑gain harvesting work together, and why retirees can control more than they think.

Listen to Brooks every Saturday at 7 a.m. on KOTA.

Ready to build your retirement plan? Visit https://brooksfg.com/ to connect with Brooks and his team today!

What if one mindset shift could change how much of your retirement income you actually keep? In this episode, Brooks breaks down why the new $6,000 senior deduction is more than a tax-season perk... it&rsquo;s a reminder that strategic, year‑round tax planning can meaningfully lower lifetime taxes. He explains the difference between reactive filers and proactive planners, how tools like Roth conversions, income timing, Social Security management, and capital‑gain harvesting work together, and why retirees can control more than they think.
Listen to Brooks every Saturday at 7 a.m. on <a href="https://www.kotaradio.com/">KOTA</a>.
Ready to build your retirement plan? Visit <a href="https://brooksfg.com/">https://brooksfg.com/</a> to connect with Brooks and his team today!

The $6,000 Deduction Every Retiree Should Understand

Millions of Americans retiring at once are creating the perfect storm for financial predators... and most people don’t even realize they’re in the blast zone. In this episode, Brooks Bernhagen breaks down the red flags every retiree should watch for, from high‑pressure “act now” tactics to one‑size‑fits‑all plans and confusing jargon meant to keep you in the dark. He also reveals how today’s scams have evolved far beyond phone calls and mailers, with fake advisor sites, AI videos, and phishing traps pushing harder than ever. Learn what to question, what to ignore, and how to protect the nest egg you’ve spent a lifetime building.

Listen to Brooks every Saturday at 7 a.m. on KOTA.

Ready to build your retirement plan? Visit https://brooksfg.com/ to connect with Brooks and his team today!

Millions of Americans retiring at once are creating the perfect storm for financial predators... and most people don&rsquo;t even realize they&rsquo;re in the blast zone. In this episode, Brooks Bernhagen breaks down the red flags every retiree should watch for, from high‑pressure &ldquo;act now&rdquo; tactics to one‑size‑fits‑all plans and confusing jargon meant to keep you in the dark. He also reveals how today&rsquo;s scams have evolved far beyond phone calls and mailers, with fake advisor sites, AI videos, and phishing traps pushing harder than ever. Learn what to question, what to ignore, and how to protect the nest egg you&rsquo;ve spent a lifetime building.
Listen to Brooks every Saturday at 7 a.m. on <a href="https://www.kotaradio.com/">KOTA</a>.
Ready to build your retirement plan? Visit <a href="https://brooksfg.com/">https://brooksfg.com/</a> to connect with Brooks and his team today!

The Sheepdog vs. The Rottweiler: Protecting Your Retirement from Uncle Sam

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