Your Retirement Elevated Podcast with Scott Dougan

The Hidden 401(k) Feature That Could Change Your Retirement

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Retirement, as we know it, is a modern invention. But the very system designed to protect your future might now be holding you back. In this episode, Scott uncovers a powerful yet often hidden feature inside many 401(k) plans that can give you greater control, flexibility, and professional management, without moving a single dollar out of your account. Discover how unlocking it could completely change your retirement strategy.
Here’s what we cover in this episode:
🏛️ Retirement History: how saving for retirement has evolved
🏦 From Pensions to 401(k)s: shifting responsibility to individuals
⚠️ 401(k) Limitations: why most plans restrict your options
🔍 Hidden Feature: Discovering the Self-Directed Brokerage Accounts (SDBA)
🧾 Smart Oversight: how to manage an SDBA effectively
 
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📚🛠️ Check out Scott's book, Exceptional Retirement, and Retirement Toolkit
Download here 👉 https://keap.page/bu413/exceptional-retirement-youtube.html
 
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3 Investment Worlds: Finding the Right Balance for You

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When it comes to investing for retirement, not all dollars belong in the same place, or even in the same world. In this episode, Scott explains the concept of the Three Investment Worlds: Protection & Savings, Growth & Potential, and the Hybrid space that bridges the two. By the end, you’ll better understand how to position your money across these worlds based on your goals, timeline, and risk tolerance.
 
Here’s what we cover in this episode:
💵  Protection & Savings: safety-first options like banks, treasuries, and fixed annuities
📈  Potential & Investments: market-based assets offering higher returns with more risk
🌉 Bridge Between Protection & Potential: hybrid and indexed annuities that balance safety with growth
🧩 Customizing Retirement Plans: blending the three worlds to match your goals and comfort level
🚀 Increasing Potential: how to seek higher returns through calculated risk and longer timeframes
 
📞 Call us: 913-393-4724
🌐 Visit our podcast website:  https://listentoscott.com/
📚🛠️ Check out Scott's book, Exceptional Retirement, and Retirement Toolkit
Download here 👉 https://keap.page/bu413/exceptional-retirement-youtube.html
 
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📰 Read our latest articles on Kiplinger:
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5 Steps for Tax-Free Roth IRA Distributions

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You’ve worked hard to build up your Roth IRA, but one small mistake could turn “tax-free” income into a tax surprise. In this episode, Scott walks through the five essential steps to make sure your Roth IRA withdrawals remain completely tax and penalty-free. Follow the rules, track your timelines, and your Roth can become one of the most powerful tax-free tools in retirement.
Here’s what we cover in this episode:
💡 Tax-Free Roth Rules: understanding how Roth IRA withdrawals really work
🔄 Aggregation Rule: how the IRS treats all Roth accounts as one
💰 Withdrawals & Penalties: what you can access penalty-free and when conversions get tricky
⏳ The Five-Year Rule: why timing determines whether earnings stay tax-free
🧾 Tax Planning Tips: coordinating Roth withdrawals with your overall strategy
 
📞 Call us: 913-393-4724
🌐 Visit our podcast website:  https://listentoscott.com/
📚🛠️ Check out Scott's book, Exceptional Retirement, and Retirement Toolkit
Download here 👉 https://keap.page/bu413/exceptional-retirement-youtube.html
 
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📰 Read our latest articles on Kiplinger:
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Social Security’s 2026 COLA: What It Means for Your Retirement Income

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This October, the Social Security Administration is expected to announce a 2.7% cost of living adjustment for 2026 now that sounds like good news, until you see what it really means in dollars and cents. Today, Scott breaks down what the new Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) really means for you, and why rising Medicare premiums, taxes, and inflation can easily cancel out your “raise.”  
Here’s what we cover in this episode:
💵 The Real Raise: average benefit increase is only about $54 a month
🏥 Medicare Impact: higher premiums can erase much of that gain
💰 Smart Retirees Plan Ahead: strategies for what you can do right now
🧾 Check Your Estimate: review benefits on SSA.gov and update your plan
🤝 Take a Team Approach: financial + tax + healthcare planning under one roof
 
📞 Call us: 913-393-4724
🌐 Visit our podcast website:  https://listentoscott.com/
 
📚🛠️ Check out Scott's book, Exceptional Retirement, and Retirement Toolkit
Download here 👉 https://keap.page/bu413/exceptional-retirement-youtube.html
 
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📰 Read our latest articles on Kiplinger:
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This Changes EVERYTHING About Retirement Spending

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A groundbreaking JP Morgan study just revealed something that could completely change the way we plan for retirement. Scott breaks down three of the biggest surprises revealed by new data from 280,000 households, showing that retirement spending doesn’t rise in a straight line, but bends, dips, and shifts over time. Planning for real life and ditching the outdated assumptions will help you create more freedom and confidence in retirement.
Three New Spending Surprises, JP Morgan 2025 Study: https://listentoscott.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Retirement-Spending-Suprises-JP-Morgan-2025.pdf 
Here’s what we cover in this episode:
📊 New Data Drop: JP Morgan’s study on 280,000 households
💸 Spending Curve: Why expenses rise, fall, and shift with age
⚖️ Inflation Myth: Real spending grows slower than expected
🔁 Partial Retirement: How working longer affects spending
💰 Smart Strategy: Buckets, cash reserves, and liquidity for curveballs
 
📞 Call us: 913-393-4724
🌐 Visit our podcast website:  https://listentoscott.com/
📚🛠️ Check out Scott's book, Exceptional Retirement, and Retirement Toolkit
Download here 👉 https://keap.page/bu413/exceptional-retirement-youtube.html
 
🎥 Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more retirement insights!
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📰 Read our latest articles on Kiplinger:
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The Retirement Equation: Control What You Can, Plan for What You Can’t

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Do you know which parts of your retirement plan are in your control, and which ones you’re leaving to chance? In this episode, Scott breaks down the “retirement equation,” a framework that helps you separate what you can control, what you can influence, and what’s completely out of your hands.
Here’s what we cover in this episode:
➗ What the “retirement equation” really means
📊 Asset allocation & location, how to get them right
🕰️ The role of work duration and phasing into retirement
🏃‍♂️ Longevity: what you can and can’t influence
📉 Market returns and tax laws: why they’re outside your control
 
📞 Call us: 913-393-4724
🌐 Visit our podcast website:  https://listentoscott.com/
📚🛠️ Check out Scott's book, Exceptional Retirement, and Retirement Toolkit
Download here 👉 https://keap.page/bu413/exceptional-retirement-youtube.html
 
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Why Diversified Sources of Retirement Income Matter More Than You Think

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Saving for retirement is only half the battle, but the real challenge is turning those savings into income you can actually spend. The type of accounts you use will impact your taxes, your Social Security, and even your Medicare premiums. In this episode, Scott explains how spreading money across different account types can give retirees more control, more flexibility, and less tax stress.
Here’s what we cover in this episode:
📊 How diversified buckets reduce taxes and create options
📉 Every dollar taken out can trigger ripple effects
 🏥 HSAs and the triple-tax advantage
💰Pre-tax vs Roth: taxed later or tax-free
🚨 91% of retiree savings sit in pre-tax accounts—and why that’s risky
 
📞 Call us: 913-393-4724
🌐 Visit our podcast website:  https://listentoscott.com/
 
📚🛠️ Check out Scott's book, Exceptional Retirement, and Retirement Toolkit
Download here 👉 https://keap.page/bu413/exceptional-retirement-youtube.html
 
🎥 Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more retirement insights!
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📰 Read our latest articles on Kiplinger:
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Fishing vs. Playing Tackle Box: How to Stop Over-Planning and Start Enjoying Retirement

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Imagine standing at the water's edge, eager to fish but instead obsessing over organizing your tackle box. Many retirees do the same with their finances, constantly adjusting their plan but never truly enjoying the fruits of their labor. In this episode, Scott explores a common pitfall many retirees fall into: the "tackle box trap." Over-planning might feel comfortable, but it often delays the very experiences you’ve been saving for.
Here’s what we cover in this episode:
🧳 Signs you’re wasting time over-planning
🔑 How to build a plan you can trust and enjoy peace of mind
🌄 Don’t wait for “perfection,” embrace adventure now
🤝 Confidence often comes from having expert guidance, so don’t DIY
 
📞 Call us: 913-393-4724
🌐 Visit our podcast website:  https://listentoscott.com/
 
📚🛠️ Check out Scott's book, Exceptional Retirement, and Retirement Toolkit
Download here 👉 https://keap.page/bu413/exceptional-retirement-youtube.html
 
🎥 Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more retirement insights!
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📰 Read our latest articles on Kiplinger:
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The 5 Must-Do’s In Year One of Retirement

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Well, you’re retired. Now what? Some people subscribe to the “first year rule” which says that the majority of your best retirement months will all take place in the first year of retirement. So how can you be strategic during that first year and set the tone in the right way, both emotionally and financially? In this episode, Scott breaks down the five must-do’s in year one of retirement that go far beyond just managing your portfolio.
Here’s what we cover in this episode:
✈️ Balance enjoyment with financial responsibility in the “go-go years”
💸 Set up a retirement paycheck, not just random withdrawals
🧭 The importance of routines, hobbies, or volunteering
💪 Assess and Strengthen Your Health
 
📞 Call us: 913-393-4724
🌐 Visit our podcast website:  https://listentoscott.com/
 
📚🛠️ Check out Scott's book, Exceptional Retirement, and Retirement Toolkit
Download here 👉 https://keap.page/bu413/exceptional-retirement-youtube.html
 
🎥 Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more retirement insights!
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📰 Read our latest articles on Kiplinger:
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The $3 Million ERISA Trap: Are You Making This Retirement Mistake?

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Most people assume their beneficiary form tells the whole story when it comes to retirement accounts. But for 401(k)s and other ERISA-governed plans, one little known rule can completely override your wishes, and in one case, it shifted $3 million away from the intended heirs. This story is a powerful reminder that overlooking the fine print can cost your family dearly.
Here’s what we cover in this episode:
⚖️ The Martinez case as a cautionary tale
💔 Remarriage without updates can redirect 401(k)
🚨 Common assumption: “Beneficiary forms trump everything” isn’t always true
🔄 Life changes are a good time for a beneficiary review
🛡️ Difference between IRAs and ERISA plans
 
📞 Call us: 913-393-4724
🌐 Visit our podcast website:  https://listentoscott.com/
📚🛠️ Check out Scott's book, Exceptional Retirement, and Retirement Toolkit
Download here 👉 https://keap.page/bu413/exceptional-retirement-youtube.html
 
🎥 Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more retirement insights!
🔔 http://youtube.com/@erg-kc?sub_confirmation=1 
 
📰 Read our latest articles on Kiplinger:
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