Money & Taxes from Bb to XYZ

In this episode of Money and Taxes from Bb to XYZ , Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, unpack what "investment risk" really means and why it goes beyond simply watching account values rise and fall. They explain the difference between risk tolerance, or how much risk you’re willing to take, and risk capacity, or how much risk your financial circumstances can support. The con...

In this episode of Money and Taxes from BB to XYZ , Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, discuss what to do when a mid-year income boost — like a raise, bonus, RSU vest, or ESPP benefit — creates new tax planning opportunities. They explain why more income can mean more taxes, but also more ways to strategically reduce taxable income and redirect cash flow. The conversation co...

In this episode of Money and Taxes from BB to XYZ , Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, explain why mid-year tax planning can be just as or even more valuable than year-end planning. With many 2025 tax returns now filed and many months left in the 2026 tax year, they discuss how listeners can use last year’s return to identify planning opportunities while there’s still time t...

In this episode of Money and Taxes from BB to XYZ , Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, focus on three key types of personal insurance protection: life, disability, and long-term care insurance. They explain how each type of coverage fits into a broader financial plan, when different policies may make sense, and why insurance should be used intentionally. The conversation cov...

In this episode of Money and Taxes from BB to XYZ , Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, go back to basics on property and casualty insurance: what it covers, why it matters, and how it fits into a broader financial plan. They explain the difference between property and liability protection, common policies like homeowners or renters, auto, and umbrella insurance. The conversa...

In this episode of Money and Taxes from BB to XYZ , Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, walk through the key questions to ask when choosing or re-evaluating a financial planning professional. They explain why titles, designations, and services can vary widely across the industry. They also review why it’s important to understand a planner’s qualifications, fiduciary status, p...

In this episode of Money and Taxes from Bb to XYZ , Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, explore the idea of a digital safe deposit box: a secure, organized system for storing important personal, financial, and estate-related information in digital form. They explain the difference between physical originals that still need to be protected offline and the digital copies that c...

In this episode of Money and Taxes from Bb to XYZ , Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, walk through estate planning from a financial planning standpoint. It's important to note that neither Jason nor Regina is an attorney, and the information provided in this episode is not legal advice. They explain why it's crucial to work with a licensed attorney to create and update esta...

In this episode of Money and Taxes from Bb to XYZ, Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, break down the IRS’s annual "Dirty Dozen" list of tax scams and schemes to watch out for during tax season. They cover common threats like IRS impersonation by text, email, and even AI-generated phone calls, along with fake charities, misleading tax advice on social media, ghost preparers,...

In this episode of Money and Taxes from Bb to XYZ, Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, step inside Jason's "tax bunker" to break down the sometimes seemingly overwhelming world of tax documents. From W-2s and 1099s to K-1s and 1098s, they explain what forms to expect, why some arrive later than others, and why filing too early can sometimes create more problems than it solves...

In this episode of Money and Taxes from Bb to XYZ, Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, dive into the subtle but powerful impact of lifestyle creep and inflation on your financial plan. They explore how rising income, combined finances, or even small “reward” spending habits can gradually increase your cost of living, often without you noticing. Jason and Regina highlight the...

In this episode of Money and Taxes from Bb to XYZ , Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, explain why February — not January — is the ideal time to reset your budget and cash-flow plan. With holiday spending behind you and a clearer picture of your real monthly expenses available from January, February offers the opportunity to make meaningful, realistic adjustments early enoug...

In this episode of Money and Taxes from Bb to XYZ , Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, focus on retirement planning in 2026. They discuss how small, intentional decisions early in the year can have a big, long-term impact. Using real-life examples, they discuss the importance of prioritizing tax-advantaged accounts like Roth IRAs, HSAs, and 401(k)s while still maintaining a...

In this episode of Money and Taxes from BB to XYZ , Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, kick off the new year by exploring why January often feels like the perfect time for a fresh financial start — but isn't the only right time to revisit your plan. They discuss the difference between building a brand-new financial plan, doing a full plan refresh, and simply "polishing" spec...

In this special holiday episode of Money and Taxes from BB to XYZ, Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, reflect on a year of growth — both for the podcast and for clients at FPFoCo — while helping listeners prepare for what’s ahead in 2026. They share key milestones from the past year, including client successes, expanded planning services, in-house tax preparation, team educa...

It’s getting close to year-end, and Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, are here to explain what Roth IRA conversions are, why they can be a powerful long-term tax-planning tool, and when they make the most sense. They’ll walk through situations where converting traditional IRA funds to a Roth IRA can reduce lifetime taxes — especially when current tax rates are low or future...

Listen in as Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, break down the most important year-end tax planning strategies for 2025. We'll explain gift tax limits, upcoming 401(k) catch-up contribution changes, and how the expanded SALT deduction cap could help more taxpayers benefit from itemizing instead of taking the standard deduction. We'll also cover smart opportunities for Roth c...

'Tis the season for tax planning — and considering charitable giving! In this episode, Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, dive into how charitable contributions could impact your taxes in a positive way. As year-end approaches, they explain who might benefit from giving before December 31, how deductions work with the 2025 standard deduction, and what’s changing in...

Why would Regi need life insurance? Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, passes the pop quiz at the beginning of this episode. Then he and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, talk about why some people generally need life insurance — and why others don’t. Listen in to better understand whether you might want to purchase a policy — or not — and how it could benefit those you leave behind. Have a money...

It’s time to get your health insurance in order! Open enrollment is right around the corner for many, whether you get your coverage through your employee benefits or a health care exchange. Are you confused about health insurance jargon and how it relates to the plan you choose? Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, are here to help. Listen in as they explain premiums, deductibles, co...

You’ve probably heard of a will. But what makes up a full estate plan? Regina Neenan, CFP®, and Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, review the high points of creating a real estate plan. From beneficiary designations to using technology tools to build a basic estate plan or working through everything with an estate attorney, they’ll discuss why it’s important and what goes into it from a financial perspecti...

When is the most optimal age to begin Social Security, how much can you expect, and how much of your expenses will it cover? Regina Neenan, CFP®, and Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, discuss how to time when to begin your benefit, ideas for individuals and couples, and more. Plus, Jason shares his opinion on whether Social Security will even be around in the future (hint: they both strongly believe that...

If Regina Neenan, CFP®, uses Monarch and Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, uses YNAB, why do the majority of FPFoCo’s cash-flow tracking clients use Monarch? Learn the answer — and get a step-by-step walk-through of how Regi sets Monarch up on behalf of FPFoCo clients. Plus, make an easy-to-use tool even simpler as you follow along to set up your Monarch account, too! Looking for that Monarch Money discou...

How well do you know your own cash flow — and how much does Jason really know about Regi’s? In this episode, Regina Neenan, CFP®, shares their biggest spending categories. Then  Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, chats with them about how to appropriately track expenses as a cornerstone of an accurate and effective financial plan. Looking for that Monarch Money discount code? It’s right here ! Ha...

We’re back with more One Big Beautiful Bill Act updates. With tax cuts come some potential pitfalls that could affect you, from reduced federal health care spending to limited tax deductions, eliminated credits, and more. Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, are here to highlight some so you know what to watch out for — and what you might want to be ready for come tax time.&nbsp...