McNamaraOnMoney

Alyssa McNamara Reed and insurance expert Everett Henderson discussing the current state of the insurance industry. The conversation centers on the unprecedented 35% premium increases small businesses are facing and the overall lack of competition within the health insurance market. Henderson explains how the Affordable Care Act and rising medical costs have contributed to these financial pressure...

Financial advisors Justin and Michael McNamara talk about the "One Big Beautiful Bill," a substantial piece of legislation that significantly alters the United States tax code. The hosts highlight key changes, such as making certain income tax brackets permanent and increasing the standard deduction to simplify filings for many households. They also explain new benefits for specific groups, includ...

In this episode, host Mike McNamara takes a clear-eyed, plain-spoken look at the financial pressures facing Americans right now — and what they mean for everyday families. Using current data, Mike breaks down why a $38 trillion national debt isn’t just a headline number, but a real force shaping higher interest rates, tighter budgets, and fewer safety nets for younger generations. He walks through...

In this episode, hosted by Alyssa McNamara Reed and her father, Mike McNamara, they discuss retirement savings strategies and the difficulty in answering how much a person needs for retirement, as "it depends" on various factors like marital status, existing pensions, and desired lifestyle. A significant portion of the program features a call-in segment with a listener named Marge, a retiree who a...

In this episode, Mike McNamara and his son Justin discussing several pressing financial topics facing American families and the economy. A major portion of the discussion focuses on education, with Mike arguing that too many young people attend college without a specific career goal, resulting in debt and poor job prospects, especially when compared to the highly lucrative and desperately needed s...

In this episode, host Mike McNamara, Ph. D., sits down with Michael Burns for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about the societal and ethical stakes of Artificial Intelligence. Together, they confront some of the biggest fears surrounding AI’s rapid rise: the threat of widespread job displacement across nearly every industry, the explosion of deep fakes and high-tech fraud, and the quiet erosio...

Join host Alyssa McNamara Reed and guest Everett Henderson as they discuss the current state of the insurance market, particularly focusing on the dramatic rise in costs during the open enrollment period. The central theme revolves around the soaring premiums for health insurance, with the host citing a shocking 35% increase in her small business plan, reflecting a wider trend of double-digit rate...

This week, join guest host Patrick Haraden, from Lockton Companies in Boston, and his guest, Andrew Dawson, the Chief People Officer at BVI, as they explore the evolution of the human resources profession. Dawson first shares his unique path from the UK military and recruitment to eventually leading HR teams at major international pharmaceutical and biotech companies. The conversation heavily focu...

In this episode of McNamara On Money, host Mike McNamara is joined by Bob Melo from a local technical high school to explore an increasingly relevant question: Do all paths to success require a college degree? Together, they dive into the growing opportunities in skilled trades—plumbing, electrical work, carpentry, and more—and discuss why these professions are not just essential but also financia...

This week, join Alyssa McNamara Reed, CFP® and her guest Peter D. Stoner of AHIP (American Health Insurance Plans) a Certified Medicare Consultant/Licensed Broker (MA & NH) for a discussion about Medicare Pricing and Considerations. The discussion centers on Medicare coverage, including the different Parts A, B, and D, detailing eligibility, costs, deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums. A signif...

Join Justin McNamara, CFP® and Michael J. McNamara, Ph. D., CFP® who discuss recent changes to the United States tax code under a piece of legislation they informally call the "one big beautiful bill." The conversation focuses heavily on year-end tax planning and the permanent establishment of existing tax brackets and the standard deduction, which was scheduled to sunset. They address major tempo...

This week, David Tourtillot of Mutual of Omaha Reverse Mortgage, featuring guest Dr. Wade Pfau, an esteemed economist and retirement researcher. The discussion focuses extensively on reverse mortgages, exploring their mechanics, benefits, and common misconceptions as a retirement planning tool. Key topics covered include the strategic use of the growing reverse equity line of credit as a buffer as...

In this episode, host Alyssa McNamara and guest Lara Shea, the CEO of Rivermead Retirement Community. The discussion centers on the financial and social challenges of aging and long-term care in the United States, particularly for the large baby boomer generation. Key topics explored include the misconceptions about Medicare and Medicaid coverage for long-term care, the increasing difficulty of pl...

Join host Justin McNamara and guest Julie Shields Rutyna from the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEIFA), discussing the annual topic of paying for college. The conversation covers significant, recent changes to federal financial aid and loan landscapes, including the simplified Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process, new limits on Parent PLUS and Graduate PLUS loa...

In this episode, Mike McNamara, Ph. D., CFP® advises parents to proactively guide their high school and middle school children in making career decisions to ensure future financial stability and happiness. McNamara argues that a significant percentage of recent college graduates are underemployed or unemployed, suggesting that college is not the only viable path and may not be worth the cost for m...

On this episode, Mike McNamara, Ph. D., CFP® discusses the complexities of taking income from investment portfolios during retirement. He focuses on the need for a withdrawal plan to manage expenses, taxes, and market downturns, emphasizing the importance of matching the withdrawal rate to the portfolio’s expected earnings. The discussion features a call from a successful 89-year-old listener, Ed,...

In lieu of a regular show, McNamara on Money is taking a pause this week to honor and remember one of our own: Kirk Buchanan Reed—known to many as “Duke” or “K Money.” Kirk was a Certified Financial Planner practitioner at McNamara Financial Services in Marshfield. After a brave and tough three-year battle with cancer, he passed away peacefully on August 29, 2025—his 45th birthday. Kirk spent 20 y...

On this episode, hosted by Mike McNamara, we focus on personal finance and wealth management. Mike McNamara underscores the importance of living within one's means, which he defines as spending less than one earns and consistently saving at least 10% of income for retirement. He supports this advice with concerning statistics about Americans' financial preparedness, particularly for retirement, hi...

In this episode, Alyssa McNamara Reed, CFP® , and attorney Ben Cody of Cody Law Group, discussing essential estate planning concepts. They define estate planning broadly, covering decisions about money, investments, insurance, mortgages, taxes, estate planning, living within one's means, and retirement. The conversation primarily focuses on the distinctions between wills and trusts, the probate pr...

Hosts Justin McNamera and Eric Sarinin discuss the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation. They explain that a CFP is a generalist financial professional with a broad understanding across six core financial planning modules: financial planning principles, insurance, income tax planning, retirement planning, investments, and estate planning. The hosts emphasize the fiduciary duty of CFPs to...

In this episode, guest host Patrick Haraden, from Lockton Companies in Boston, interviews guest Diana Maserati, a senior manager of global benefits and well-being. The discussion focuses on the complexities of managing employee benefits and HR functions for a large, global company. Key topics include the challenges of compliance with diverse state and federal leave laws, the strategic decisions be...

In this episode, Mike McNamara, Ph. D., CFP®, offers an in-depth discussion on several financial topics. He defines what constitutes a true investment, contrasting it with speculative assets and illustrating his point with examples like farms and businesses. He then examines the current state of the US housing market, highlighting the affordability crisis stemming from increased prices, high mortg...

This episode features financial advisor Justin McNamara and insurance specialist Guy Ziriak discussing the critical role of **income protection through insurance**. They **explore the differences between short-term and long-term disability insurance**, including how they are typically offered (employer-based vs. individual policies), their coverage periods, and the impact of premium payment on tax...

Episode Title: Planning for Aging and Long-Term Care with Lara Shea Description: Alyssa McNamara is joined by Lara Shea, CEO of RiverMead Retirement Community and adjunct professor at Franklin Pierce University, for a deep dive into the complex realities of aging, long-term care, and healthcare planning. They discuss the misconceptions around Medicare and Medicaid, the rising costs of care, the de...

College, Careers, & Common Sense This week on McNamara On Money, host Mike McNamara, Ph. D., CFP®, dives into a candid conversation about college, career planning, and making smart financial choices in an increasingly challenging world. Whether you’re a student, a parent, or a grandparent, this episode is full of practical wisdom—and a reality check—about the cost of education, the value of the tr...