Are you losing sleep over your retirement plan? You’re not alone, and this episode breaks down the most common financial pain points keeping retirees up at night. Mark shares the five biggest fears he sees in his own practice, from outliving savings to the crushing cost of long-term care. But more importantly, he offers clear, realistic strategies to turn worry into confidence and overwhelm into action.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

🚫 Avoiding running out of funds in retirement

🧾 Smart tax planning = more money in your pocket

🏥 How long-term care could drain your savings

💲 The fear of walking away from a steady paycheck

📉 How market crashes can hurt your retirement (and what to do about it)

Want to get in touch with Mark?

https://retirementhuddle.com/
mark@howardfinancialgroup.com
888-511-7526

Retirement isn’t just a financial transition, it’s a complete lifestyle transformation. It marks the beginning of a new chapter that should be filled with purpose, connection, and well-being. In this episode, Mark draws inspiration from The Five People You Meet in Heaven to highlight the five essential people you should meet before you retire. These aren’t just helpful contacts, they’re the difference-makers who can profoundly shape your experience in retirement.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

📊 Why your advisor should offer more than just investment advice

📜 The estate planning checklist most retirees skip

🛡️ Health insurance gaps & the Medicare maze

🏌️‍♂️ The connection between movement, mood & meaningful aging

🤝 How mentorship can give your retirement purpose

Want to get in touch with Mark?

https://retirementhuddle.com/
mark@howardfinancialgroup.com
888-511-7526

Retirement is meant to bring peace of mind, but that’s hard to achieve when your plans are based on ideas that aren’t completely true. Too many people head into retirement relying on outdated assumptions they’ve heard for years, without realizing the risks they carry. These myths can create a false sense of security, leaving critical gaps in your plan you won’t notice until it’s too late. In this episode, Mark debunks some of the biggest retirement misconceptions that could quietly sabotage your financial future.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

🦍 A zoo hoax becomes a metaphor for retirement myths

📄 Why bulky financial plans often mean less, not more

💔 The dangerous myth about surviving spouses needing less income

💊 Medicare’s hidden gaps

📉 Are stocks still right for you in retirement?

Want to get in touch with Mark?

https://retirementhuddle.com/
mark@howardfinancialgroup.com
888-511-7526

Most people approach retirement planning with a list of questions in hand, but what if you're asking the wrong questions? In this episode, Mark unpacks why traditional thinking about retirement often leads people astray. If you’ve ever fixated on your “magic number” for retirement or chased high returns, Mark will show you how those concerns might be holding you back and what to do instead.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

💰 Why a magic “retirement number” is a myth

🏥 Smarter ways to plan for long-term care

🧾 The one document your advisor should be asking for—but probably isn’t

🧠 Better questions to ask than “How much do I need?”

Want to get in touch with Mark?

https://retirementhuddle.com/
mark@howardfinancialgroup.com
888-511-7526

In this mailbag episode, Mark tackles two listener questions from opposite ends of the retirement spectrum. One faces a potential layoff, and the other dreams of seeing the world. Different situations, same goal: a secure, flexible retirement. Mark shares clear, practical strategies for both, including how to build financial resilience, strengthen your emergency savings, and fund global adventures without derailing your long-term financial plans.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

🚨 What to do if forced into early retirement

📦 Building a financial cushion for career uncertainty

✈️ Creating a sustainable travel lifestyle in retirement

🧾 Why you need a written income plan

Want to get in touch with Mark?

https://retirementhuddle.com/
mark@howardfinancialgroup.com
888-511-7526

In this listener Q&A episode, Mark answers some of the questions that keep people up at night, from long-term healthcare without the monthly drain to how much to actually have in your emergency fund. We walk through strategies like Roth conversions, qualified charitable distributions, and alternative ways to cover long-term care costs, all with the goal of keeping more money in your pocket and building a retirement plan that works for your life.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

📉 How to shrink your future RMD tax bill

💸 Emergency fund strategy: 3 months, 6 months, or more?

🛡️ Smarter alternatives to traditional long-term care insurance

🔍 Why your unique situation drives your financial strategy

🧭 Planning retirement with purpose and vision

Want to get in touch with Mark?

https://retirementhuddle.com/
mark@howardfinancialgroup.com
888-511-7526

For many, the dream of retiring before the traditional age of 65 is appealing, but it comes with its own set of challenges and considerations. In this episode, Mark explores the nuanced challenges of early retirement, from financial preparedness to managing longevity risk and the often-overlooked emotional aspects of leaving the workforce.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

🏥 Healthcare before 65 is one of the biggest planning hurdles

📉 Sequence of returns risk can derail early retirees without proper planning

🎯 Retiring is one thing—staying retired with purpose is another

🔥 The F.I.R.E. strategy: How some retire in their 40s (frugal lifestyle and eating a lot of rice and beans)

Want to get in touch with Mark?

https://retirementhuddle.com/
mark@howardfinancialgroup.com
888-511-7526

Monopoly, Battleship, Risk, and even Candyland. All of these are board games that you may have played with your family or friends at some point or another. But did you know they also hold valuable lessons for your financial life?

From avoiding emotional attachment to your investments to managing risk, these games can teach us a lot about making smart money moves. Tune in as Mark connects the dots between your favorite board games and a winning financial strategy!

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

📊 Not getting too attached to any one fund or stock in your portfolio.

📅Why comprehensive retirement planning is critical.

🤦️Avoiding the overconfidence that can lead to poor decision-making.

📉 Managing risk in your portfolio.

Want to get in touch with Mark?

https://retirementhuddle.com/
mark@howardfinancialgroup.com
888-511-7526