Baby Steps to Retirement

About Baby Steps to Retirement

Plan Your Kaiser Retirement is the podcast for Kaiser Permanente employees in California who want clarity and confidence about retiring. Each episode breaks down your Kaiser pension options, 401(k) strategies, Social Security timing, Medicare, and California taxes—in plain English—so you can answer “When can I retire?” and turn your savings into a reliable monthly paycheck. Whether you’re in your 40s planning ahead or in your 50s preparing to exit, you’ll learn how to coordinate pension + Social Security, use the Roth window (59½–70), avoid IRMAA surprises, and choose benefits with confidence. Hosted by Sacramento-based financial advisor Bereket Kelile, with deep family ties to Kaiser, this show is built for healthcare professionals who want a clear plan—not generic advice. Retire with clarity. Retire on purpose.

Publisher

Bereket Kelile

Category

business · education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

21 Nov 2023

Latest episode

17 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

26 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   17 Sept 2026

   Retiring from Kaiser Soon? 4 Ways to Make Better Decisions About Your Pension, 401(k), Social Security, and Healthcare

   Uncertainty Is the Entry Fee to Retirement Decisions Bereket, a financial planner in the Sacramento area who helps Kaiser Permanente employees plan for retirement, explains how to move forward when retirement feels foggy and every decision seems high stakes. He lays out a practical way to handle uncertainty by planning with numbers, breaking decisions into smaller pieces, building margin, and using past resilience as evidence that you can handle this transition.We discuss why uncertainty is normal, why it should not be confused with danger, and how to shift from trying to predict the future to creating a workable plan. This episode is especially useful for anyone retiring in the next couple of years and feeling stuck on pension, 401(k), Social Security, Medicare, or healthcare bridge decisions. Key topics Bereket says the first mistake is planning by guesswork instead of using actual numbers and scenarios. He recommends building a plan around inputs like 401(k) balance, pension, Social Security, expenses, and target retirement year. He breaks retirement planning into smaller decisions, such as lump sum vs monthly pension, investment allocation changes, and healthcare bridge options. He warns that many retirees have little cash margin and are one emergency away from serious stress. He suggests building an emergency fund of 6 to 12 months of living expenses when retirement is near. He also discusses carving out a few years of living expenses in lower volatility, fixed income investments for near term spending needs. He emphasizes using insurance tools like life insurance, disability insurance, and long term care insurance when appropriate. He reframes uncertainty as a normal response to unfamiliar transitions, not proof that something is wrong. He argues that uncertainty and opportunity are linked, especially in markets where reward only exists because outcomes are not guaranteed. He closes by urging listeners to stop waiting for certainty and instead ask who can help, what can be controlled, and what action can be taken next. Action items Replace guessing with a scenario based retirement plan. Decide on one specific retirement question instead of trying to solve everything at once. Build cash reserves if you are close to retiring. Review whether you need a healthcare bridge, insurance protection, or lower volatility income reserves. Ask someone who has already solved the same problem for guidance. Identify one decision you have been delaying because you want certainty first. Check out these bonuses: Kaiser 90-Day Retirement Guide: [Download your free copy (https://90day.retirefromkaiser.com/)] Kaiser Retirement Calculator: [Get your estimate (https://calculator.retirefromkaiser.com/)] Pension decision guide (monthly vs. lump sum?): [Download Here (https://pension.retirefromkaiser.com/)] Book a Kaiser retirement planning call: [Chat with Bereket (https://calendly.com/bereketkelile/kaiser-planning-with-bereket-kelile)] Keywords retirement, retirement planning, budget, personal finance, money, dave ramsey, investing, financial planning, baby steps, smartvestor pro, social security, roth, ira, stock market, wealth, financial advisor, kaiser, kaiser permanente, rn, registered nurse, nursing Best, Bereket Kelile President, Rehoboth Financial Planning, Inc. Investment Advisory Services are offered through Rehoboth Financial Planning, Inc., a registered investment adviser. Insurance products and services are offered and sold through individually licensed and appointed agents in all appropriate jurisdictions. Please remember that securities cannot be purchased, sold or traded via e-mail or voice message system. Likewise, insurance coverage cannot be bound, altered, or cancelled via e-mail or a voice message system. This email transmission and any documents, files or previous email messages attached to it may contain information that is confidential or legally privileged.  If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you must not read this transmission and that any disclosure, copying, printing, distribution, or any action or omission of this transmission is strictly prohibited.  If you have received this transmission in error, please immediately notify the sender by telephone at (916) 282-3221 or return and delete the original transmission and its attachments without reading or saving in any manner. CA Life Insurance #4044979

2. 

   10 Sept 2026

   8 Retirement Decisions Kaiser Employees Don’t Want to Get Wrong

   Top Retirement Planning Questions Kaiser Employees Are Asking This episode covers eight real retirement planning questions from Kaiser employees, with a focus on taxes, benefits, health coverage, and what to do as retirement gets closer. Bereket Kelile walks through practical answers for both mid-career employees and those already at the finish line, so listeners can understand what decisions matter now and what to prepare for next. In this episode, you’ll hear about tax projections, Roth conversions, overseas retirement logistics, and how to build a retirement income plan before giving notice. Key topics Eight common retirement questions from Kaiser employees, including questions from both newer listeners and people with 30-plus years of service Whether you need to work your actual last day to collect final pay and benefits, and why vacation time often changes the real retirement date How to receive a pension check if you retire overseas or split time between the US and another country What to do if you live outside a Kaiser coverage area and how out-of-area care and reimbursement may work What Kaiser employees moving abroad need to know about taxes, including US worldwide income rules and California residency How in-plan Roth conversions work in the Vanguard 401k plan, and why taxes must be covered from outside the plan Why a Roth conversion cost depends on your current income, filing status, and tax bracket Where employees in their 50s should start, using a debt payoff, emergency fund, and 15 percent retirement savings approach What to focus on when you have 34 years of service and are ready to retire, including income planning, health insurance, and Social Security timing Action steps listeners can take now: tax projection, retirement income projection, joining office hours, and scheduling a one-on-one call Timestamps 00:00 - Action items to close the episode and reduce uncertainty 00:36 - Retirement questions from Kaiser employees this week 01:01 - Why tax projections and retirement projections matter now 02:49 - Question 1: Do you need to work your last day to get final pay and benefits? 03:45 - Question 2: How pension payments work if you retire overseas 05:10 - Question 3: Coverage options when you live outside KP service areas 06:35 - Question 4: Whether expats owe taxes on worldwide income 08:02 - Question 5: How in-plan Roth conversions work in the 401k 09:29 - Why a tax projection comes before any Roth conversion 10:56 - Question 6: The real cost of a $50,000 Roth conversion 12:23 - Question 7: Where to start if you have 11 years in service 15:31 - Why debt payoff and emergency savings come before aggressive investing 17:17 - Question 8: What to do when you have 34 years at Kaiser and are ready to retire 19:28 - Building a retirement income plan and using the retirement calculator 20:57 - The 90-day retirement guide and transition checklist 22:25 - Join the next office hours call and bring your questions 22:42 - Final action steps: tax projection, income projection, office hours, one-on-one help Key frameworks Baby steps approach Pay off consumer debt Build a six-month emergency fund Invest 15 percent of pay into retirement accounts Retirement readiness checklist Estimate retirement income Review health insurance options Decide on Social Security timing Use a 90-day transition plan before retirement notice Action items Run a tax projection for the year Check your withholding against expected tax liability Estimate retirement income before retirement Sign up for the next office hours call Schedule a one-on-one planning session if you want a deeper review Check out these bonuses: Kaiser 90-Day Retirement Guide: [Download your free copy (https://90day.retirefromkaiser.com/)] Kaiser Retirement Calculator: [Get your estimate (https://calculator.retirefromkaiser.com/)] Pension decision guide (monthly vs. lump sum?): [Download Here (https://pension.retirefromkaiser.com/)] Book a Kaiser retirement planning call: [Chat with Bereket (https://calendly.com/bereketkelile/kaiser-planning-with-bereket-kelile)] Keywords retirement, retirement planning, budget, personal finance, money, dave ramsey, investing, financial planning, baby steps, smartvestor pro, social security, roth, ira, stock market, wealth, financial advisor, kaiser, kaiser permanente, rn, registered nurse, nursing Best, Bereket Kelile President, Rehoboth Financial Planning, Inc. Investment Advisory Services are offered through Rehoboth Financial Planning, Inc., a registered investment adviser. Insurance products and services are offered and sold through individually licensed and appointed agents in all appropriate jurisdictions. Please remember that securities cannot be purchased, sold or traded via e-mail or voice message system. Likewise, insurance coverage cannot be bound, altered, or cancelled via e-mail or a voice message system. This email transmission and any documents, files or previous email messages attached to it may contain information that is confidential or legally privileged.  If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you must not read this transmission and that any disclosure, copying, printing, distribution, or any action or omission of this transmission is strictly prohibited.  If you have received this transmission in error, please immediately notify the sender by telephone at (916) 282-3221 or return and delete

3. 

   2 Jun 2026

   Kaiser Retirement Case Study: Can I Retire in 1–2 Years With $750k, a Pension, and Debt?

   A strong balance sheet doesn’t automatically translate into a safe retirement paycheck. In this episode, Bereket walks through a real-world case study: a 56-year-old Kaiser employee with $750,000 in a 401(k), a pension, a retired spouse with a state pension, and tight cash flow due to debt and family support. We break down how to evaluate retirement timing, choose between pension monthly vs. lump sum, and turn assets into reliable income—while avoiding tax traps like 401(k) loan surprises. You’ll learn: How debt (mortgage, 401(k) loan, car/personal loans) should shape your retirement date The right way to prioritize family support vs. accelerating debt payoff Pension decision framework: higher monthly benefit vs. lump sum coordination with investments Social Security timing trade-offs when pensions and phased work are in the mix A practical 12–18 month action plan to move from “good assets, tight cash flow” to “confident retirement paycheck” If you’re a Kaiser employee wondering, “Can I retire in 1–2 years?” this episode gives you a roadmap and concrete next steps. Applicable links Book a Kaiser retirement planning call: [Chat with Bereket (https://calendly.com/bereketkelile/kaiser-planning-with-bereket-kelile)] Kaiser Retirement Calculator: [Get your estimate (https://calculator.retirefromkaiser.com/)] Pension decision guide (monthly vs. lump sum): [Download Here (https://pension.retirefromkaiser.com/)] Social Security timing estimator (SSA): https://www.ssa.gov/estimator/ (https://www.ssa.gov/estimator/) Vanguard How America Saves 2024 (401(k) context): https://institutional.vanguard.com/insights/retirement/how-america-saves (https://institutional.vanguard.com/insights/retirement/how-america-saves) Fidelity 401(k) statistics (millionaire and balance benchmarks): https://www.fidelity.com/viewpoints/personal-finance/401k-millionaires (https://www.fidelity.com/viewpoints/personal-finance/401k-millionaires) Contact Bereket: [Email (mailto:%20hello@rehobothfinancialplanning.com)] | [Website (https://retirefromkaiser.com/)]

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Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

4 ratings

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