Focus on the Things You CAN Control in Your Retirement, Ep #101

<p>Too many people spend their time worrying about what they can’t control. But you have to focus on what you can control and disregard the rest. We are where we are today because of the decisions and choices we’ve made in the past. As you look ahead at your future retirement, you’ll be where you are because of the decisions you make now. </p> <p>There are things you can’t control like the economy, who’s in the white house, the war in Ukraine, and more. You’re wasting your time if you spend it thinking, “If only things were different.” So in this episode of Retirement Made Easy, let’s step back and focus on what we can control: What decisions can you make that will have an impact on your retirement? </p> <p> <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<PLAYER CODE GOES HERE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> </p> <h2>You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...</h2> <ul> <li>[4:55] Check out RetirementMadeEasyPodcast.com for FREE resources!</li> <li>[7:37] Focus on What You CAN Control—ignore what you can’t</li> <li>[10:55] You get to control your retirement accounts</li> <li>[13:56] You get to control your pension options</li> <li>[16:30] You get to control when you retire</li> </ul> <h2>What you can—and can’t—control</h2> <p>Journalists use inflammatory language like, “The Market Plunges” or “The Market Soars.” These tactics are meant to scare you and get clicks. The market goes up and the market goes down. You can’t control the nature of the market and what it does. But you can control your emotions and how you react. You can also control the risk that you’re taking in your portfolio. What else can you control? </p> <ul> <li>You can control how much debt you pay off</li> <li>You can control how much you pay in taxes and when you pay them</li> <li>You can control how your IRAs, 401ks, and retirement accounts are invested</li> <li>You can control how much is in your emergency fund</li> <li>You can control how much you contribute to your HSA and 401k</li> <li>You can control when you claim your social security benefit (and how much it pays out