Money on Your Mind

If estate planning is filed in your brain somewhere under “Stuff I should probably do” or “Things I’ll deal with later,” you need to hear this. Michael Liersch is joined by financial planner Ted Borowiak for an honest conversation about why estate planning is so easy to put off, what’s often missing when people finally get started and how to move forward without feeling ashamed or overwhelmed. Tog...

Will the delicate Iran ceasefire hold? When geopolitical tensions dominate the headlines, it’s hard not to wonder what it means for the future you’ve been planning. In this special episode, host Michael Liersch is joined by Edelman Financial Engines Chief Investment Officer Neil Gilfedder to help make sense of what’s happening and how it connects to the bigger picture. Together, they explore how m...

If you’ve ever looked back at a financial decision and thought, “ Why did I do that?”  — this episode is for you. Even smart, successful people make money moves they later question, and the reason has less to do with intelligence and more to do with being human. In this solo episode, host Michael Liersch breaks down five powerful behavioral finance concepts that quietly shape how we save, invest a...

If you have a second home or rental property you’re ready to sell, listen to this first. Too often, people head into a sale focused on the payoff – only to get blindsided by the fine print later on. Financial planner Heather Vavra joins host Michael Liersch to unpack the “hidden gotchas” in this situation, including a tricky surcharge called the Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount that could ...

Want to keep more of your money every year? Pay attention to how taxes impact your finances, especially if you’re within 10 years of retirement. Too many people treat tax planning as a once-a-year event every April, but it’s a year-round task. In this episode, Dr. Michael Liersch talks with financial planner Doug Ulrich to clear up this common misconception and explain why tax planning is so impor...

An explosion in the availability of financial information has changed the way people are planning. Access to financial news and advice has made everyone more curious and engaged, but what are you supposed to do next? In this episode, Dr. Michael Liersch welcomes financial planner Kaliko Veiseh, who has decades of experience helping clients understand the first steps to developing their financial p...

Are you one or two years out from retirement? This episode is for you. You’ve operated with a savings mindset for decades, but for many, approaching retirement means facing an entirely new world of financial and emotional challenges. And entering this next chapter with a positive attitude could be the difference between enjoying the rewards of your hard work – or worrying your way through it. In t...

We’re monitoring developments in Iran and the Middle East closely through market data and geopolitical reporting. In the meantime, our Chief Investment Officer Neil Gilfedder and Chief Investment Strategist Katie Klingensmith are addressing your concerns about what this headline event could mean for your plan, your portfolio and your personal economy. In this special episode, we’re covering how we...

Between headlines about tariffs, Bitcoin and gold – there’s a lot to digest right now. So, we’re trying something a little different this week. In this episode, Dr. Michael Liersch is joined by our Chief Investment Strategist, Katie Klingensmith, for her take on the topics making a lot of investors reconsider their plans. Here's Katie’s expert breakdown of what tariffs are, why you’re hearing...

You’ve seen the email: benefits deadline approaching, action required. Between meetings and family commitments, how are you supposed to know what to do – especially when stock is vesting, bonuses are coming and tax forms are piling up? In this episode, Dr. Michael Liersch talks with financial planner Ryan Cahill about the quiet overwhelm a lot of us are facing when it comes to this personal admin...

Part two of our conversation with EFE Financial Planner, Laela Erickson. It’s tempting to become financially conservative in uncertain times – but you have other options, too. Laela shares the practical strategies she uses with her own clients, including the "bucketing approach" that matches your money to your timeline and helps you think of your finances as a tool, not a source of anxie...

Ever find yourself awake at 3 a.m., wondering what yourfinances really look like? Many of us carry the weight of financial stress in our heads, without ever putting the full picture on paper. In part one of this two-part episode, Dr. Michael Liersch, Chief Planning Officer at Edelman Financial Engines, sits down with EFE financial planner Laela Erickson toexplore how to break the cycle of “mental...

Clients are wondering how, in their financial planning, they can chart a path forward when the road ahead is foggy. In this episode, Dr. Michael Liersch, Chief Planning Officer at Edelman Financial Engines, sits down with EFE financial planner and Chartered Mutual Fund Counselor™ Matt Hickes to address that unstable feeling – and how revisiting your tax strategy may be the way to better peace of m...

Clients of all ages are still waiting for the next shoe to drop, hoping for a pre-2020 sense of stability. Many feel a growing disconnect between markets that keep rising and the everyday strain of higher prices. In this episode, Dr. Michael Liersch, Chief Planning Officer at Edelman Financial Engines, talks with EFE financial planner Jaci Iannello about why this disconnect is so common, how to ma...

Uncertainty is uncomfortable, especially when it affects your money. It hits the hardest when you don’t have a plan, or you’re unsure if your plan even works anymore. In this episode, Dr. Michael Liersch, Chief Planning Officer at Edelman Financial Engines, talks with EFE financial planner Ron Sisk about what’s causing uncertainty and worry among clients right now – including AI bubble fears, a re...