So you received a bump in pay at work, a promotion, or some lump sum bonus. Maybe now you’re asking, “how do I handle this newfound money/income?” Listen in as Adam and Ben discuss this situation as an opportunity to involve your financial planner! Whether you’re creating a plan for the first time or reviewing an old plan to confirm it, these discussions on allocating savings are often far more important than a conversation on “how’s the market doing?!” Included are some reflections on how we think and feel about money as well as some logistics on what higher income may mean for a financial plan.
Being well-informed is a good thing. No one wants to make costly mistakes because they weren’t paying attention to important things or got bad intel along the way. But is it possible to have too much information? Listen to Adam and Ben discuss the fallacy of overreacting to the news media and headlines. Opinions and predictions aren’t important inputs into one’s financial plan. More often than not, we should just tune out the noise!
We all know that New Year’s Resolutions often fail. But studies always show how important goal setting can be. How can we set big goals and focus on big things when life feels hard and there are so many other fires in our lives that need to be put out? Ben tapped Best Selling Author, Speaker, and Life Coach Katie McKenna on the shoulder to come share some tools and resources for how to adjust one’s mindset, build space and time for reflection, and be kinder to oneself as we kick start a new year.
There’s a common question asked pre and post-election; “How will this affect investments?” It’s also that time of the year when we naturally reflect back on how the market’s performed this past year and what that may mean for next year. Put those two things together and “voila!” – you have a podcast! Tune in as Adam and Ben provide some historical context for post-election market movements and share some commentary for expectations going forward. Spoiler alert: investing for the long-term and staying diversified are highly recommended in this podcast.
When it comes to something as important as financial advice, choosing who to hire (or retain) is a huge decision. As life evolves, our needs and viewpoints can change repeatedly and there is no shortage of financial advisors and financial planners ready to throw their hat in the ring to have your business. So, how do you know if you found the right one for you? Listen in as Adam and Ben share their perspective on what they feel matters most in a client/planner relationship, and what mistakes you should try to avoid when choosing who you’ll trust to partner with you.
Old habits die hard. Did you sacrifice and save to get to retirement only to find you remain frugal, reluctant, or fearful to spend more freely in a new phase of life? Adam and Ben aren’t jedis and can’t wave their hand to simply make their clients believe that they can spend more in retirement. But they do share some tips and tricks around mental accounting and labeling of accounts to help their clients get over psychological hurdles. Listen in!
Money is an emotionally charged topic and it can sometimes ruin relationships. Savers vs. spenders. Planners vs. non-planners. How can a couple keep the money side of their relationship healthy? It starts by simply building the space and time to talk about it! Whether your relationship is new or mature, we encourage you to listen in as Adam and Ben discuss why it's so important to communicate about family finance with each other, how to go about it, and what those conversations should focus on.
Demand for senior living communities is growing due to an aging population, longer life expectancies, and increased awareness of the benefits of community living. But there are a lot of financial implications to making such a move. Whether "downsizing", "upgrading", or adding the benefits of having skilled care for potential needs later in life - retirement communities aren't cheap. Listen in as Adam and Ben share different planning considerations for retirees who may be looking to make a move.
We're a very polarized nation right now so for many, the stakes of the upcoming election season feel super high. Do your politics impact your planning though? In this podcast, Adam and Ben discuss to what degree the election results could impact financial planning topics like taxes and estate planning and how investment strategies may (or may not) change too. Listen in as they share their perspective and lean on some historical context to support their thoughts.
In its simplest form, financial success stems from having adequate income to cover expenses. The trouble is that even if income exceeds expenses now, that doesn’t mean it’ll always be that way. Retirement, job change, health event, premature death - life often throws us curveballs, many of them emotionally and financially stressful. As planners, we can often see the writing on the wall because certain situations or financial decisions have a high probability of leading to financial ruin. Listen to Adam and Ben share experiences and highlight the importance of education and planning along life’s journey.
While no one can know what the future brings, we know that certain things in life are inevitable like taxes and death. When a loved one passes and you’re in charge of settling the estate, the process and emotions can be overwhelming. Even the most organized and “simplest” of estates can feel cumbersome and complex. Listen in as Adam and Ben share stories and best practices to help you, the executor, prepare for your future role. Some education and proactive communication can go a long way to helping all parties.
Most people build their wealth inside tax-deferred retirement accounts. Deferring taxes sounds great – but at a certain age, the IRS comes calling and you can’t defer paying income taxes any longer on those accounts! Listen as Adam and Ben discuss the required minimum distribution (RMD) rules, how they have recently changed, and what strategies you might proactively consider so your future tax bill feels more like an income tax trickle and less like an income tax bomb.
