The Get Ready For The Future Show
Straight talk about retirement, investments and your money. The Get Ready for the Future Show is Arkansas’ longest running and most listened to financial talk show.
All Episodes
GRFTFS: Is Waiting Until 70 for Social Security Always the Right Move?
When does waiting until 70 to claim Social Security backfire? John Shrewsbury and Janet Walker break it down. Call us at 866-653-PLAN (7526) or text 501-381-5228 to talk through your own situation. Listener questions: - Ellen (Van Buren): Does the 3–6 month emergency fund rule change once you retire? - Faith (Springdale): Does our old will still hold up after moving to a new state? - Douglas (Jonesboro): What should I look at in my deferred compensation payout options? - Bailey (Bryant): I paid off my last credit card — should the $300/month go to savings or investing? Helping you discover, protect, and share true financial independence.
Fastest Four: What Does the First Fed Rate Hike Since 2023 Mean for You?
What does the Fed's first rate hike since 2023 mean for your savings, your debt, and your portfolio? The Federal Reserve raised the federal funds rate by 0.25% at its September meeting, the first hike since 2023, and Fed members signaled one more hike is possible before the end of 2026. Here's who feels it: - Credit cards and home equity lines of credit: borrowing costs typically rise almost immediately - Fixed-rate mortgages: your monthly payment doesn't change - Savers and retirees: yields on savings accounts, CDs, and money market funds tend to rise. For investors, LPL Research found that in five of the last six hiking cycles since 1994, stocks pulled back in the first month and were positive 12 months later. Bonds followed a similar pattern. 2022 was the exception, and we explain why today looks different: inflation near 3.5% versus over 9% then, and much higher starting yields. If you're living on investment income or rethinking your cash and bond mix, this is worth a conversation before the Fed's next move.GRFTFS: Can You Actually Retire on the Average Social Security Check?
Scott Inman and Teresa Arrigo are answering your questions on the Get Ready for the Future Show: - Is a continuing care community worth the cost? - How do you set up a special needs trust for a grandchild with autism? - HELOC or refinance for a home renovation — which makes sense? - Does a new grad with no dependents actually need life insurance? If any of these hit close to home, this is worth a conversation before you decide on your own. Call us at 866-653-7526 or email info@getreadyforthefuture.com to talk through your own situation.Fastest Four: Is There Really a 10% Chance AI Wipes Out Humanity?
AI insiders say there's a greater than 10% chance advanced AI could wipe out humanity — so why didn't the market even react? This week, AI whistleblowers went public with warnings that future AI systems carry more than a 10% chance of ending humanity. It's a heavy headline — and markets shrugged it off almost entirely, staying focused on inflation data, rate hikes, and the conflict with Iran instead. That's not the market being naive. History shows nobody predicts the future right, at the right time — not once in over a century has a "this changes everything" prediction actually ended the game. The common mistake is treating a doomsday headline as a reason to abandon a plan that's built on facts, not fear. If this week's AI headlines have you second-guessing your strategy, that's worth a conversation before you make any moves based on fear rather than a plan.