Life ebbs and flows. If you look back on the last 10 or 20 years of your life, surely there were many events that had the potential to disrupt your financial life! When a curveball comes our way, we may need access to money and the question then becomes, where do I get it? Listen to Adam and Ben discuss the dos and don’ts of accessing certain types of accounts and taking certain kinds of loans.

Our clients going through different phases of planning requiring different advisor focuses over time. There are times when we need to help “fix” problems and other times when we work behind the scenes to make sure the plan is intact while you’re feeling “fine.” There’s a third, less discussed phase though. Listen to Adam and Ben discuss the milestone “flourish” meeting – a special time when clients have the financial and emotional capacity to reimagine what’s possible after working hard to get to a place of contentment.

While there’s no perfect way to go about investing, Adam and Ben believe that investing before going through a financial planning process is like firing before taking aim. Listen as they share insights on how the tenants of financial planning inform what investment choices make sense for each client. From cash flow, to taxes, to managing fears and managing expectations – they lay out why planning is a pre-requisite for investing in any new relationship.

It’s far too often that investment and financial planning jargon get in the way of clearly articulating what someone’s investment plan looks like. And we aren’t talking about using terms like alpha or sharpe ratios either. Something as simple as saying “short-term bucket” and “long-term bucket” is still fairly met with “but what does that REALLY mean to me?!” Listen to Adam and Ben break down their Three Bucket Theory into a more tangible discussion, by highlighting how clients can view these buckets, not just in concept, but in practice, based on their own individual financial plan. They’ll even challenge you to share your own ideas for how you would retitle these buckets of savings, based on how you think and feel about money and its role in your life.

Aging is a part of life. While we enter this world under the care of parents, we often times need to return the loving favor by caring for them as they enter their twilight years. Needing care can have many financial repercussions for your parents, and for you. Listen to Ben and Adam dive into 5 important topics that need to be reviewed if you want to help your aging parents be efficient with their resources and protect the family’s assets as much as possible. From taxes to investments to gifting strategies to important documentation, they leave no stone left unturned in this important (and often emotional) topic.

People work hard to save for retirement. Then they retire and – the balancing act begins. Do they value preserving assets throughout retirement? If so, they might hold fast to their saving habits and continue to be frugal. Others may value their freedom of time and want to enjoy experiences by spending, spending, spending! But what if someone values both? Listen to Ben and Adam share how they help their clients navigate the emotions around spending in retirement.

A lot of financial planning clients require the services of a tax professional. Then there are others whose phase of life and financial situation don’t necessarily require that level of help. But what about those who might be somewhere in the middle? Tune in to hear 5 different personal and/or financial situations where Adam and Ben suggest their clients outsource tax prep services to a qualified professional.

In this episode of AB Conversations, Ben and Adam delve into the financial planning concept of living off the income of savings and not cutting into the principle by comparing one’s savings to a "Golden Goose Laying Golden Eggs." They discuss scenarios where this concept applies, such as in retirement planning and when making major purchases or paying off debt, emphasizing the need to balance emotional decisions with rational financial choices. The hosts stress the importance of maintaining flexibility for long-term planning and offer strategies to consider when navigating various financial scenarios.

📈 Navigating the financial landscape in 2024! 📉 Ben and Adam discuss the impact of market recovery and the common question that comes up in conversation at the beginning of a new year: "should I change my investment strategy?" Tune in for valuable financial planning perspectives and market insights.

💡 In the latest episode of A/B Conversations, Ben and Adam discuss different types of relationships with financial planners. 🤝 Are you seeking advice or a collaborative partner in your financial journey? Tune in to explore the nuances and find what aligns with your needs!

What happens when things go sideways in your financial journey? From market fluctuations, healthcare costs, and unexpected expenses, Ben and Adam talk about how we plan for worst-case scenarios. This allows clients to feel prepared no matter what life throws at them and they can continue living the life they want to live 📈💼🤔

Planning for retirement? Discover the power of 'likelihood of success' in mapping out your financial future. Learn from Benjamin Haas & Adam Werner as they share real-life scenarios and trade-offs in our latest podcast episode.