Savings and Sense

Logan Gilland is joined by Michele Daniher to discuss a critical financial planning topic that many people overlook: disability insurance. While most families focus on life insurance, retirement accounts, and investments, the conversation highlights the financial risk of losing income due to an illness or injury during your working years. They explain the differences between employer-provided and...

Logan Gilland and Allie Howard discuss the latest market developments surrounding inflation, interest rates, and the continued impact of global events on investors. They break down why Federal Reserve decisions matter, how rising rates affect businesses and the broader economy, and what investors are watching as the year progresses. The conversation then shifts to the practical side of personal fi...

Allie Howard and Katelyn Felker discuss the importance of periodically cleaning up your financial life, much like pruning a garden before a new season of growth. They explore practical ways to reduce financial clutter, including reviewing subscriptions, negotiating bills, consolidating old accounts, updating insurance coverage, and revisiting outdated financial plans. The conversation emphasizes t...

Logan Gilland and Allie Howard discuss the forces currently driving markets, including interest rate expectations, inflation concerns, and the impact of rising Treasury yields. They then shift to a conversation about the Great Wealth Transfer and what families should be doing today to prepare the next generation. The discussion covers beneficiary designations, estate planning considerations, gifti...

Allie Howard and Daniel Czulno break down the fundamentals of estate planning and why having the right documents in place is an important part of any financial plan. They discuss wills, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and beneficiary designations, explaining what each document does and why keeping them updated matters. The conversation highlights the importance of coordinating with both...

Logan Gilland and Allie Howard break down one of the most important decisions investors face: saving in traditional retirement accounts versus Roth accounts. Using simple examples, they explain the tradeoffs between paying taxes now or later, how future income and tax brackets influence the decision, and why the timing of your savings can dramatically impact long-term results. The conversation als...

Logan Gilland and newly minted CFP® professional Katelyn Felker break down one of the most common questions in financial planning: how much life insurance do you need and what type makes the most sense? They explain the differences between term life, whole life, and universal life insurance, discuss when each strategy may be appropriate, and explore the tradeoffs between combining insurance and in...

Logan Gilland and Allie Howard discuss one of the most important retirement topics: the mental and emotional transition from working to living off your savings. They explore the challenge of moving from accumulation to distribution, planning for large expenses in retirement, managing taxes efficiently, and finding confidence in spending money you've spent decades saving. The conversation highlight...

Logan Gilland and Allie Howard discuss some of the most common ways people unknowingly miss financial opportunities. They cover the importance of taking full advantage of employer 401(k) matches, using high-yield savings accounts for emergency funds, and regularly reviewing subscriptions and spending habits. The conversation highlights how small financial decisions compound over time and why payin...

Logan Gilland and Allie Howard break down a difficult week in the markets by discussing earnings from major technology companies, the impact of rising oil prices, and growing concerns about inflation and interest rates. More importantly, they step back from the headlines to focus on the foundational principles of successful investing: proper allocation, diversification, regular rebalancing, and st...

Logan Gilland and Allie Howard break down a challenging week in the markets as semiconductor stocks pull back despite strong earnings, inflation data continues to influence Federal Reserve expectations, and investors weigh the impact of rising interest rates. They also take a deep dive into the new Trump Accounts, discussing who qualifies for the government-funded contribution, how the accounts wo...

Logan Gilland and Allie Howard take a halftime look at 2026, reviewing the biggest themes that have driven markets through the first half of the year. They discuss the ongoing impact of the Iran conflict, the Federal Reserve's evolving approach to interest rates, continued strength in technology and AI-related companies, and the market's reaction to major IPOs like SpaceX. The conversation focuses...

Logan Gilland and Daniel Czulno discuss the transition from Joule Financial to Bluespring Wealth and what the change means for clients. They explain how the partnership expands resources, planning expertise, and collaboration while keeping the same local team and client experience intact. The conversation also explores the role of the Federal Reserve, interest rates, and economic data, highlightin...

Allie Howard and Andy Durant take a step back from market headlines to talk about what financial planning actually looks like in real life. They share how their perspective has evolved from focusing on investments to understanding the importance of behavior, psychology, and the bigger picture that includes taxes, estate planning, and risk management. The episode highlights why there is no one size...

Logan Gilland and Katelyn Felker break down the smartest ways to save for children and how to avoid common mistakes along the way. They walk through the differences between 529 plans, custodial accounts, and flexible brokerage accounts, highlighting the tradeoffs between tax benefits and control. The conversation focuses on building a strategy that fits your family’s goals, teaching financial resp...

Allie Howard and Daniel Czulno break down one of the biggest headlines of the week with the highly anticipated SpaceX IPO and what it means for everyday investors. They explain how IPOs work, why hype and demand can drive early volatility, and the risks of chasing short term winners without a clear strategy. The conversation also connects current market themes like AI, inflation, and interest rate...

Allie Howard and Katelyn Felker break down the idea of “what is your number” and why retirement planning is about much more than hitting a dollar amount. They walk through how spending, lifestyle goals, healthcare, taxes, and income sources like Social Security all shape what retirement actually requires. The conversation highlights why two people with the same savings could have very different ou...

Logan Gilland and Allie Howard walk through the most common financial missteps they see from clients in their 20s through retirement. They cover everything from failing to build saving habits early on, to normalizing debt in your 30s, chasing returns in your 40s, missing tax strategies in your 50s, and treating retirement like a finish line instead of an ongoing plan. The conversation highlights h...

Logan Gilland and Allie Howard break down the key pieces of Medicare and what you actually need to know as you approach age 65. They walk through Parts A, B, C, and D, explain common mistakes around enrollment timing, and highlight how supplemental coverage and income based adjustments can impact your costs. The conversation focuses on simplifying a complex system and helping listeners make inform...

Allie Howard and Kaitlyn Felker walk through one of the most important starting points in any financial plan: building and maintaining an emergency fund. They explain why liquidity matters even when markets are performing well, how to think about three to six months of expenses, and why having accessible cash can prevent costly financial decisions. The episode highlights how small planning habits...

Logan Gilland and Allie Howard discuss another volatile week in the markets, including the impact of rising oil prices, Iran tensions, consumer sentiment data, jobs reports, and what the Fed may do next with interest rates. Then they dive into one of the most important retirement planning decisions: investment allocation. They break down how advisors determine the right mix of stocks and bonds, wh...

Logan Gilland and Katelyn Felker break down another busy week in the markets, including Magnificent Seven earnings, AI competition heating up, interest rate developments from the Fed, and ongoing oil market tensions. Then they shift into one of the most important financial planning basics: estate planning. From wills and powers of attorney to beneficiary designations and trusts, they explain the k...

Logan Gilland and Andy Durant continue the Back to the Basics series by breaking down how retirees turn accumulated savings into sustainable income. They walk through common distribution strategies, explain the differences between brokerage accounts, traditional retirement accounts, and Roth accounts, and highlight why flexibility and tax planning matter most in the early years of retirement. The...

Logan Gilland and Allie Howard continue their Back to the Basics series by walking through key Social Security planning considerations for those approaching or already in retirement. They cover when to file, how longevity affects claiming decisions, how taxes and continued work can impact benefits, and why spousal strategies matter. The discussion emphasizes using Social Security as part of a broa...

Logan Gilland and Allie Howard return to the core purpose of financial planning and walk through what it really means to plan through retirement, not just to it. They break down foundational concepts including risk tolerance, using money as a tool rather than a scoreboard, and why retirement planning should be driven by goals and lifestyle design instead of account balances. The conversation empha...