Get plugged into the conversations shaping today’s markets and retirement strategies on the Money Matters Podcast with Wes Moss and Connor Miller. This week’s episode packs timely economic insights with practical planning concepts to help you approach financial decisions with clarity and confidence.

• Examine key economic signals ahead of the Federal Reserve’s upcoming meeting and consider potential effects from shifting interest rates.

• Compare the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI) to better understand what current inflation data may indicate for household budgets.

• Interpret the VIX “Chill-ometer” to understand today’s market volatility readings and their possible implications for investors.

• Assess how tariffs can influence inflation and why certain price changes could be temporary.

• Follow the path of rising producer costs to the checkout counter with clear, everyday examples.

• Review which categories—such as groceries, utilities, and textbooks—are experiencing the largest price increases this year.

• Outline the pillars of income investing, including multi-asset approaches, withdrawal rates, dividend growth, the dry powder principle, and tax efficiency.

• Discuss the 4% withdrawal guideline as one possible framework within retirement planning.

• Highlight how dividend growth may contribute to increasing income potential over time, including the concept of “yield on original cost.”

• Explain the role of dry powder, or safety assets, in navigating market downturns.

• Explore portfolio approaches that take tax efficiency into account, such as asset location and tax-loss harvesting.

Stay informed with the Money Matters Podcast, where current market developments meet practical retirement planning perspectives. Listen now and subscribe to keep up with the conversations that can shape your financial thinking.