Good morning, Simply Retirement Community!

Welcome to the weekly newsletter that reminds us that..

Retirement is not the end of the road; it is the start of a new journey.

​​I’m excited to share some big news with our Simply Retirement community — our son, Eric Blake, has officially joined the Blake Wealth Management team.

Eric joins us as a Paraplanner, supporting the development of financial plans, assisting with investment research and portfolio management, and contributing to the tax-planning and financial planning work we do every day. He comes to the team with a strong background, holding a degree in accounting and spending the last four years with LMW Tax Solutions, where he gained hands-on experience preparing tax returns and helping clients navigate complex tax issues.

What makes this especially meaningful for our family — and for the future of our practice — is that Eric is now joining his sister Kaitlyn, who came on board in August. Seeing both of our kids aligned with the mission of helping families plan for retirement has been one of the most rewarding moments of my career.

Eric brings incredible work ethic, curiosity, and heart to this role. You’ll start seeing his fingerprints behind the scenes as he supports our planning process and client experience — and before long, you may even hear him on the podcast or see him involved in upcoming educational content.

Please join me in welcoming Eric to the team — and celebrating this next chapter for our family and our firm.

Investing in Retirement, Part 2: Changing the Way You Think About Retirement

💬 From Episode 81:

What if the way you’ve been told to protect your money in retirement is actually putting your future at risk?

In this episode, I continue our series on the seven essential strategies for successful investing in retirement. We tackle one of the most misunderstood aspects of retirement planning, defining the real purpose of your portfolio and reframing how you think about risk. This conversation is designed to shift your perspective from fear and preservation to growth and resilience.

Tune in to learn:

• Why “not running out of money” and “preserving principal” are often conflicting goals
• The impact of inflation and longevity on retirement income needs
• A real-life story about my grandmother’s retirement and long-term care costs
• How the financial crisis illustrates the value of having a retirement “war chest”
• Risk in retirement as “years of income” rather than portfolio percentages
• And more!

You can catch every episode of The Simply Retirement Podcast on the website - or on your favorite podcast app.

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Related Links & Resources

• 👉 Work with us!​
  ​
• 📄 Read
  • ​Episode 81 Transcript​
• 🎧 Related Episodes
  • ​#80 - Investing in Retirement - Part 1: It Starts with a Plan​
• 👩‍👩‍👧‍👦 Connect & Participate
  • ​Join the Simply Retirement Community Facebook Group​
  • ​Ask a Question or Suggest a Topic for the Podcast​
  • ​Subscribe to the Simply Retirement Newsletter(if this email was forwarded to you)

The Retirement Toolbox

👉 ​​What Issues Should I Consider During A Recession Or Market Correction?​

This checklist covers many of the issues to consider during a recession or market correction.

It addresses some strategies particularly useful when the valuations of the markets are low (such as Roth conversions and gifting strategies) as well as strategies to mitigate the negative impact (cash flow becoming tight).

This can help you pivot away fear of the future to utilizing strategies to take advantage of low valuations.

Have more questions about retirement planning? Just hit reply to this email. I read and respond to every message. 😃

Keeping Retirement Simple,

Eric Blake, CFP®

​Content here is for illustrative purposes and general information only. It is not legal, tax, or individualized financial advice; nor is it a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any specific security, or engage in any specific trading strategy.

All investing involves risk including loss of principal. Results will vary. Past performance is no indication of future results or success. Market conditions change continuously.

Information here is provided, in part, by third-party sources. These sources are generally deemed to be reliable; however, neither Blake Wealth Management nor RFG Advisory guarantee the accuracy of third-party sources. The views expressed here are those of Blake Wealth Management. They do not necessarily represent those of RFG Advisory, their employees, or their clients.

This commentary should not be regarded as a description of advisory services provided by Blake Wealth Management or RFG Advisory, or performance returns of any client. The views reflected in the commentary are subject to change at any time without notice.

Advisory services offered by Investment Advisory Representatives of RFG Advisory, LLC ("RFG Advisory" or "RFG") a registered investment advisor. Blake Wealth Management and RFG Advisory are unaffiliated entities. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where RFG Advisory and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. No advisory services may be rendered by RFG Advisory unless a client agreement is in place.

RFG Advisory is an SEC-registered investment adviser. SEC registration does not constitute an endorsement of RFG by the Commission, nor does it indicate that RFG or any associated investment advisory representative has attained a particular level of skill or ability.