Common Sense Financial Podcast

Emergencies and retirement. This is what we're taught to save for. But what if you created a different system, which allowed you to pay for the expenses you will incur between now and retirement age – without losing the ability to build wealth? Find out why you may need to rethink your financial planning approach and what you should do about the "Missing Middle." According to popular opinion, soun...

Retirement isn't a thing that happens. It's a time of life that needs to be planned for. When it comes to planning for retirement, there are a huge number of assumptions that people make about what's going to happen and when, but what if those assumptions are wrong? Find out why you may need to rethink your retirement plans. Most people envision retirement as a destination. A fixed point in time w...

Would you rather look back on the past and regret what happened or would you rather look to the future and make plans so that you can choose the outcomes you want? The latter of course! But when it comes to taxes, most people take the first option without even realizing there are better choices. Learn about the difference between tax preparation and tax planning, and how you can create a comprehen...

Social Security can be a maze of rules, exceptions, and formulas and can feel  almost impossible to navigate for most people. That's why Rich Grawer is back to talk about making sense of Social Security and the common sense guidelines that allow you to maximize your Social Security benefit and minimize your tax liability while in retirement. Social Security as the system is an income replacement s...

It's no secret that entrepreneurs and real estate investors are responsible for the majority of the wealth creation in the world, but did you know it's possible to take the same strategies they use and apply them to your own investments? Learn how to multiply your wealth through the power of leverage and how to use the idea of internal and external rates of return to acquire assets that not only a...

The sale or transition of a business is a messy, complex, and time consuming process. If you want to make sure it's a success and doesn't tear your family apart, you have to make sure it's done right. Randy Long reveals the biggest misconceptions around selling a business and how to make sure your children still want to eat Thanksgiving dinner together afterward. Randy is a lawyer by trade with a...

There is a key mindset shift that many people fail to make when they retire and it can cost them thousands of dollars from their investment portfolio. Hear about Hypothetical Helen and how her plan to pay off her mortgage with money from her 401k once she retires actually puts her further away from her goals, and what the most optimal solution for cash flow in retirement is.   Retirement in its pu...

Regret and retirement don't have to go together, but for many people they often do. Learn about the top five regrets people have in retirement and how you can set yourself up so instead of feeling like you should have done more, you can retire with confidence. When it comes to retirement, there are almost always things that you're going to regret. Investments you missed the boat on or investments...

Most people think about what investments they should be making or what stocks they should have in their portfolio when they approach retirement age, but they are going about it backwards. Brian Skrobonja breaks down the calculations you need to make in order to understand how ready you are for retirement and what your retirement plan needs to factor in to be truly financially free. How do you know...

How do you pick between a lump sum payment from your pension and an annuity? A lot of that decision depends, but if you want to have control over your financial assets, a lump sum is often the better option. Find out when you should take a lump sum option instead of an annuity, why insurance is one of the most important pieces of the puzzle, and how to ensure your family doesn't lose out either wa...

When it comes to investing for retirement, following the status quo investment advice is one of the worst things you can do. Most people are deferring taxes in their 401k, storing money in a bank, and working to pay off their mortgage, all without realizing that doing those things won't move them closer to what they really want in retirement. Find out how to ditch the status quo and build an inves...

Gold has been a source of wealth for thousands of years and a safe haven in uncertain times, but with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin coming onto the scene, is that about to change? Before we can answer that question, we need to understand the history of the US dollar and how gold has fared over the past 100 years to get an idea what the future may hold. Find out what makes Bitcoin so special and wh...

There is no silver bullet investment that's right for everyone, so beware of financial professionals recommending a particular investment or product without first understanding where you are in your life and what your money goals are first. That's essentially like prescribing a treatment before your doctor diagnoses your problem! Find out what questions you should be asking yourself and your finan...

Brian Skrobonja breaks down the myths and the mechanics of Infinite Banking and how this strategy allows you to take control of your cash flow and finance larger purchases while still allowing your money to earn dividends and interest. Learn how Infinite Banking works, why you need to forget what you think you know about whole life insurance, and whether this strategy is right for you.  In order t...

How much does an average rate of return matter? Or does it even matter at all? And what about your 401k? Is the way you're approaching it the right one? Listen to this episode to hear a few common myths being busted – and get all the positives that will come your way as a result. The other day, Brian came across a quote that read,'If things you thought were true were actually false, when would you...

Money is a HUGE part of our life, yet schools don't spend time teaching us how to manage it and most families don't share their experiences with one another. Without guidance and learning best practices to achieve success, we are set up for FAILURE before we even begin our relationship with money. It seems reasonable to believe that it would be a good idea to acquire some training on how to effect...

What should you know, consider, and do when it comes to your social security benefits? And what about Medicare? Join Social Security and Medicare expert Rich Grawer and Brian to learn about how to determine your retirement age, whether or not a non-working spouse can qualify for their spouse's benefit, understanding potential taxes on your social security benefits, and in which scenarios one can q...

What should you think about when positioning your 401k and pension assets? How can you avoid the pension trap many people fall into? Find out about the two main purposes of your money, the role your cash flow plays, and how to make the most out of your pension choices in this podcast episode. When you're accumulating money – when you're working and accumulating – you're not needing the money that...

The truth is that we all, as human beings, carry around this proverbial backpack of beliefs and emotions, and we carry it everywhere we go. And when we show up somewhere that's in a relationship and a conversation having to make a decision, we unpack the backpack. There's no hiding the backpack. It's with us all the time. It is full of of a lot of good things, but mixed in with it our limited beli...

What's the #1 thing successful investors are doing that average investors aren't? What are some of the traps people typically fall into when it comes to investing that prevent them from achieving growth and freedom? Find out about what you can learn from Yale endowments, and what you should do to become a successful investor. 'Nothing changes if nothing changes' is one of the mantras around Brian'...

Sorting out matters related to your retirement isn't something you should wait until the last minute to take care of. What can you do to make sure you're ready for retirement when time arrives? Learn about 6 things you can do right now to ensure that you're indeed ready for retirement. If you are within six months away from retiring, there are certain things you need to do now to help prepare your...

How can a mindset shift help you avoid one of the most common retirement planning mistakes? And how can you know assets you should set aside to generate the income needed to retire? Learn about the Five Minute Retirement Plan and why it's an invaluable resource to leverage as you're planning your retirement. The most common mistake people make when planning their retirement is assuming that the wa...

Most people think about what investments they should be making or what stocks they should have in their portfolio when they approach retirement age, but they are going about it backwards. Brian Skrobonja breaks down the calculations you need to make in order to understand how ready you are for retirement and what your retirement plan needs to factor in to be truly financially free. How do you know...

What can you do right now to make this year the best year financially that you've ever had? And what is the one thing that makes some people achieve financial freedom faster than others? Learn about the simple mindset shift that will change the way you think about financial freedom and a quick mental exercise you can do to make that shift right now. There is a hidden danger that most people don't...

The Chinese proverb "rags to rags in three generations" says that family wealth does not last for three generations. The first generation makes the money, the second spends it and the third sees none of the wealth.   The Chinese aren't the only ones who acknowledge this as a problem. In the U.S. it is referenced as "shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations," and in Japan it's "rice paddie...