Iowa Retirement Benefits & Solutions

09/02/2026

Nothing sneaks up on you like the final week of summer. Except maybe your RMDs.

09/01/2026

The 5-Year Window That Can Change Your Retirement -

Your paycheck stops. Social Security and Medicare decisions begin. Taxes change. And for the first time in decades, you may go from putting money into your investments to taking money out.

09/01/2026

Retirement isn't one decision. It's dozens of them-and they're all connected.

That's one of the biggest things we've learned over the last five years at Iowa Retirement Benefits & Solutions.

-When should you take Social Security?
-How should you create income from your investments?
-What can you do to manage taxes?
-How does Medicare fit in?
-Is your estate plan coordinated with everything else?

Making each of those decisions separately can leave gaps. That's why we believe retirement planning should look at the whole picture.

We recently shared more about what we've learned in our first five years in the Corridor Business Journal's Milestones: Celebrating Years of Success edition.

Five years has taught us a lot-and we're excited about what's ahead.

08/31/2026

When should you start Social Security? The answer isn't the same for everyone.

While you can start benefits as early as age 62, that doesn't necessarily mean you should. The right timing can depend on your retirement goals, whether you're still working, your health, spousal or survivor benefits, taxes, and the other income you'll have available in retirement.

Social Security is just one piece of your retirement income plan. The goal is to understand how it works alongside your investments, pensions, taxes, and other income sources.

At Iowa Retirement Benefits & Solutions, we help you look at the whole picture so you can make a Social Security decision that fits your overall retirement plan.

Not sure when you should start Social Security? Let's run the numbers.

08/27/2026

Americans with children under 18 make up the largest group of people without estate planning documents.

If you have young children, your estate plan isn't just about assets.

It's about making your wishes clear.

Things like:
-Guardianship
-Powers of attorney
-Healthcare directives
-Beneficiary designations
-A will or trust

Having these documents in place can provide clarity during one of life's most difficult moments.

08/26/2026

🐾 It's National Dog Day!

We couldn't let the day go by without sharing a few pictures of Ethan's boys with one of their favorite members of the family. ❤️🐶

Dogs have a pretty great way of turning ordinary moments into some of the memories you end up loving most.

Happy National Dog Day to all of the four-legged family members out there!

Now show us yours! Drop your favorite pet picture in the comments. 🐾

08/24/2026

MYTH: I'll automatically spend less in retirement.
REALITY: You might, but suddenly having 7 Saturdays a week can get expensive. 😄

08/20/2026

Five years ago, Iowa Retirement Benefits & Solutions started with a pretty simple goal: build the kind of retirement planning firm we'd want our own families to work with.

A lot has changed since 2021, but that hasn't.

We're excited to be featured in the Corridor Business Journal's Milestones: Celebrating Years of Success edition as we celebrate five years of IRBS!

We're incredibly grateful for the hundreds of families across Eastern Iowa who have trusted us with their retirement planning—and for the team that has helped us grow into what IRBS is today.

Five years down. And we're just getting started.

Thank you, Corridor Business Journal, for giving us the opportunity to share our story!

08/19/2026

Important estate planning conversations you're probably not having:

- Where are all your accounts?
- Where are your documents?
- Where is your estate plan?
- What are your passwords?
- Where is your insurance?

Your family should know how to find everything.

Most times there's a money spouse and a non money spouse.

Make sure the non money spouse is in the loop on all this.

08/17/2026