Hey friends, Roger here, and I want thank you - truly THANK YOU - for being a part of the Retirement Answer Man community. My greatest hope is that the information I share on this podcast enables you to retire happily and wisely so you can make the most of your future. I kind of consider this episode to be a “star studded” episode because I’m featuring two powerful guests who you should get to know if you don’t know them. First, in the “hot topic” segment I have a great conversation with Joe of “Stacking Benjamins” who has some important updates about changes in federal laws regarding social security benefits and then, in the main topic segment I chat with Chris Hogan of the Dave Ramsey group about his upcoming book, “Retire Inspired.” You’re going to hear some great information on this episode, so stick around.
 
Many people have taken advantage of a Social Security loophole… but it’s soon going away!
 
The recently passed Budget Reconciliation Act is like your typical legislation - there’s pages and pages of stuff that is irrelevant to the average citizen. But down deep in the verbiage is a section that addresses some loopholes in Social Security law that made it possible for retirees to get as much as $60,000 more from their SS retirement than if they didn’t use it… and that issue is changed in the legislation. It’s going to make a big impact on retirement planning from here on out so it would do you good to hear the details… and thankfully, I’ve got Joe from “Stacking Benjamins” with me to go over the specifics.
 
There is a difference between retiring and retiring inspired.
 
In my main segment today I’m thrilled to have Chris Hogan with me. Chris is one of the big shot guys at Dave Ramsey’s organization and he specializes in the area of retirement. He’s got a new book coming out in January 2016, “Retire Inspired.” He’s trying to make sense of the retirement scene with the same clarity and life inspiring challenge that is characteristic of the Ramsey group, so I’m eagerly awaiting his book’s debut. In this episode we cover some of the topics he addresses in his book and chat about why it’s important to aim for a specific number, not a specific  year for your retirement. What’s that all about? You’ll have to listen to get the specifics.

One of the biggest tips for retiring inspired…
 
Don’t go it alone. There are probably hundreds of thousands of people who simply put their cash into a 401K or IRA and expect that they’ve done the best they can do toward their retirement. But the reality is that very few of us are a retirement expert so our efforts, however good or well intentioned they may be, are likely going to fall quite a bit short of what is possible. As a result we won’t maximize our retirement through better investments, better strategies, or better planning. It may sound like a simple thing (and it is on one level) but it’s one of those simple things in life that makes a huge difference. Chris Hogan spells out that issue for us on this episode of The Retirement Answer Man and gives practical tips on how you can take advantage of the expertise of others to help you retire inspired.
 
If you’ve not maximized your retirement planning and you’re getting up in years, it’s not too late.
 
In this conversation with Chris Hogan, of the Dave Ramsey group, I had a great time hearing his thoughts on the place many people find themselves: They’re past 55 or even 65 and haven’t done a very good job of planning for retirement. As a result it looks like they may not get to retire at all. Chris gives a very encouraging example of a woman he worked with who discovered (through his counsel) that she could put aside an extra $600 every month toward her retirement, which created a very positive snowball effect to build her retirement quickly and effectively. It’s just one example, and of course, every situation is different. But it serves to show that if you take a close look at your situation with the right kind of help, you can car