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Most people haven’t figured out yet that the government has raised the real retirement age in the U.S. As a result, American workers lose a small fortune in Social Security benefits by opting out of the rat race early.

It’s the end of the year, and that means it’s almost time to pay your taxes. Luckily, there are plenty of ways you can keep more of your hard-earned money in your bank account. This week, we’re looking back at three of Steve McDonald’s best Two-Minute Retirement Solution segments, in which he reveals some unique ways you can shield your money from the greedy hands of the bureaucrats in Washington.

Our guest today on the Two-Minute Retirement Solution is Lori Allen of Great Escape Publishing, and she’s here for the second installment in the one thing from our survey that everybody wanted to know from the coaching series, how to get paid to travel.

One of the best ways to lose what you have worked so hard to put away for retirement is known as churning. That’s when a broker or financial advisor does unnecessary or unauthorized buying and selling in your account, or buys investments that pay him well but aren’t in your best interests.

I mention this now because this is the time of year when “happy letters” are sent out from brokerages and banks. What’s a happy letter? Believe me, it has nothing to do with being happy.

It’s week one of Wealthy Retirement’s free Retirement Coaching Series. And the top item on viewers’ minds? Getting paid to travel.

Over the next few minutes, Steve McDonald interviews Barbara Perriello, who has made a lifelong career of traveling and getting paid for it. Barbara has several ideas as well as organizations that anyone can use to get involved in and to start living their retirement dreams.

First up, thanks to all of you who took the time to write in last week about the retirement coaching series. Your input was great, and we will start with the first one next week. Look for it in this spot.

The topic this week: Beating taxes on your RMDs.

The RMD (required minimum distribution) that hits everyone’s tax-deferred accounts – IRAs and 401(k)s – at age 70 1/2 can be a real problem and an expensive one, too, if you miss it or don’t plan for it.

The topic this week is retirement coaches. And I will be asking for some help from you folks with this one.

One of the aspects of retirement that I have tried to drive home is the idea that we cannot focus just on getting to retirement. Our planning must include getting through it as well… to and through retirement!

An article I read recently about maximizing your 401(k) contributions had some advice in it that was so wrong, so out of touch with reality, I had to tell you guys about it.

Most of the article was pretty standard stuff but one area just blew me away it was so bad.

I hope no one out there watching this is doing what was suggested.

The recent drop in oil prices is an early Christmas gift for retired investors and, on a smaller scale, reminds me of the market in early 2009.

Here’s what I was saying then.

This is the kind of market that makes millionaires. And if you don’t buy into the collapse, go to Walmart and buy a good pair of boots – you will need them. Because if you don’t buy this market, in five years, you will be kicking yourself in the butt.

A recent email from a Wealthy Retirement reader stated that bonds don’t pay enough to make them worth owning.

Most of you know I am the bond guy at The Oxford Club, and I’m sure you can imagine how generalizations like this drive me nuts!

To begin with, anytime you hear someone say bonds, they are talking about Treasurys. Not munis, corporates or anything else, just Treasurys. Because that’s the only thing the money press covers – Treasurys.