It's time to rethink, renew and reimagine retirement! Retire Repurposed is dedicated to help people transition into fulfilling and purposeful retirements. Retirement is a big life-change! In fact, the two most dangerous years of a person's life are the year they were born and the year they retire. We believe retirement is not the end; rather, the beginning of what could be the most impactful season of a person's life. So, don't retire; become Repurposed.
Ben Taatjes, Financial Advisor
Stewards Planning Group | 1104 19th Ave SW Willmar, MN 56201
Securities offered through Cetera Wealth Services LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory Services offered through Cetera Investment Advisers LLC, a registered investment adviser. Cetera is under separate ownership from any other named entity.
The opinions contained in this material are those of the author, and not a recommendation or solicitation to buy or sell investment products. This information is from sources believed to be reliable, but Cetera Wealth Services, LLC cannot guarantee or represent that it is accurate or complete. Jonathan Shoffner, Financial Advisor.
Continuing last week's powerful conversation, Ben Taatjes goes deeper into what surrender actually looks like in retirement. Discover why people get off track and lose their identity by surrendering to the wrong things. Because the truth is, we're all surrendering to something. Learn how misplaced surrender creates idols and pulls you out of alignment, and why surrender isn't the endgame but a catalyst that creates space to do and become more. Ben explores what financial surrender looks like in practice and how it paves the way for a correct, viable retirement plan with genuine clarity. This episode reveals how proper surrender allows you to steward your resources effectively while maintaining purpose and vigor throughout retirement.
In this powerful first episode of 2026, Ben Taatjes explores his defining word from last year, surrender, and its crucial importance for retirees. Discover how surrender isn't about giving up or becoming passive, but about realignment with God's purpose. While realignment asks 'What's off?' surrender answers 'What am I clinging to?' Learn why surrender creates space for intentional living, brings more clarity (not less), deeper peace (not passivity), and better decisions (not fewer). Ben addresses why surrender feels especially difficult for retirees who already feel they've lost control, particularly around their finances, and reveals how releasing your grip actually opens you up for more action and greater impact in retirement.
In this convicting episode, Ben Taatjes addresses the subtle danger of complacency in retirement after noticing clients who seemed unusually tired and lacking energy. Drawing from Old Testament wisdom, Ben reveals how complacency isn't just about low motivation; it's actually a failure to make room for our need for God in our lives. Discover the critical difference between complacency and rest: while complacency drains us, genuine rest rejuvenates us for greater purpose. This episode challenges retirees to examine whether their tiredness signals misalignment and offers biblical insight for reigniting energy and purpose in retirement.
Building on last week's conversation about alignment, Ben Taatjes and Jerrid Sebesta guide listeners toward the next step in their retirement journey: intentional living. This hopeful and encouraging episode normalizes the feelings many retirees experience while moving them forward with practical wisdom. Discover the crucial difference between busyness and intentionality, and learn why activity doesn't automatically mean you're on the right track. Ben explores three major areas for living intentionally in retirement: how you invest your time, where you direct your contribution, and the way you steward your money. This calm, innovative conversation offers a roadmap for purposeful retirement without guilt or pressure.
As 2025 draws to a close, Ben Taatjes and Jerrid Sebesta reflect on a turbulent but transformative year. Jerrid commends Ben's bold decision to remove his name from his financial business, and Ben opens up about the personal alignment journey this represents. Discover the 'cost of alignment' - the reality that some will follow your journey while many won't. Learn why alignment is the essential path to deeper purpose and connection in retirement, even when it brings unexpected challenges and difficulties. This honest conversation reveals how feeling 'off' during transitions can actually be a gift that shapes you into who you're meant to become.
In this liberating episode, Ben Taatjes shares a recent encounter with a retiree friend who returned to work feeling he wasn't doing enough or living with sufficient purpose. Through this story, Ben addresses a critical misunderstanding many retirees face about purpose and action in retirement. Discover the difference between duty-driven striving and purpose that flows from wholeness. Learn why shame has no place in your retirement journey and how to understand the true relationship between being complete in God's work and taking meaningful action. This episode offers freedom for retirees caught between rest and restlessness.
Continuing the Thanksgiving theme, Ben Taatjes explores how gratitude transcends positive mental attitude to become a complete shift in your being. Discover why gratitude isn't just an annual celebration or journal exercise, but a transformative practice that creates contentment and godliness. Jerrid shares insights from his morning gratitude walks, explaining how gratitude functions like a muscle—requiring consistent exercise and practice over time. Learn how developing this gratitude muscle leads to a purposeful retirement rooted not just in relaxation and rest, but in deep fulfillment and divine alignment.
In this transformative episode, Ben Taatjes explores the powerful connection between gratitude and contentment—a fundamental goal at the heart of his mission. Discover how cultivating gratitude radically transforms your perspective on the three essential retirement resources: time, talent, and treasure. Ben provides three specific questions you can ask yourself daily to live with greater gratitude and purpose in your retirement years. This practical conversation reveals why gratitude isn't just a nice sentiment, but a powerful practice that unlocks contentment and fulfillment in retirement.
In this fun and experimental episode, Ben Taatjes does something different - a reaction video! After viewing President Trump discussing someone he knew whose retirement didn't go well, Ben shares his professional perspective on the commentary. Then Jerrid Sebesta reads through social media comments from the video - some pro-retirement, some against - and captures Ben's real-time reactions to various viewpoints. This entertaining yet insightful episode explores the cultural debate around retirement through the lens of viral social media content and reveals what people really think about these popular opinions.
In this insightful episode, Ben Taatjes addresses the common struggle of retirees caught between meaningful work they've left behind and a seemingly meaningless retirement ahead. Discover why so many retirees can't find their stride and how a lack of confidence in identity and direction keeps them stuck. Ben provides practical strategies for rediscovering who you are, relying on faith during uncertain transitions, and taking actionable steps toward a new reality filled with purpose and confidence in your retirement years.
Ben has been in the financial services industry for nearly two decades. He has worked alongside thousands of families and individuals while owning and operating Taatjes Financial Group, a retirement planning firm in west-central Minnesota. While Ben loves to work with retirees, his passion extends far beyond the numbers. This passion led to the publishing of his first book, Repurposed: The Untold Story of Retirement in America in 2017 as well as co-founding Retire Repurposed in 2019.
