Our 2 Cents

We are back with another new episode of Our 2 Cents! Today we are discussing the rate increase for Social Security that might be coming your way, the dangers of procrastinating on your retirement planning and answering a question from one of our loyal listeners. Click below to listen in now! Social Security Raise Ahead in 2023 : Current assumptions show a huge jump in 2023 due to inflation. Just h...

On this week's podcast episode, Steve and Gabriel give a synopsis of the proposed Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and how the various innerworkings of the Act could potentially impact you. Next, they'll discuss times that they've found themselves "going against the grain" in terms of their financial planning advice. Join us now for this discussion! The Inflation Reduction...

Welcome back for another new episode of Our 2 Cents! We're talking about winning big in the lottery, another round of rate hikes by the Fed, and then we're having a lot of fun providing our perspectives on the advice of some well-known industry experts. Tune in now, and let us know what grade you'd give to some of these gurus. The Mega Millions Jackpot Surges: What should you do if...

This week's episode of Our 2 Cents covers an interesting topic impacting many Americans over recent years. What to do if you find yourself unexpectedly without a job? Whether layoffs hit your department, or you just decided you've had enough at your current job, we're discussing the challenges and opportunities that exist when you're in between work.  Then, we're spending...

It's time to sharpen your pencils and get ready for our retirement planning pop quiz! We'll give you the questions below, but be sure to listen in to this week's episode to hear the multiple choice options and to see if you can answer them correctly! Plus, keep listening until the end for another "Getting to Know Steve and Gabriel" question! Retirement Planning Pop Quiz: A...

Welcome back for another episode of the Our 2 Cents podcast! We're helping you spot "red flags" when interviewing potential financial advisors, or even when reviewing your current advisor. Then we're answering some very thoughtful listener questions today. Listen in now! Financial Advisor "Red Flags": Biases and the way advisors think Not getting what you need from wh...

Storms were brewing here in Chicagoland and on Wall Street this week, and we're back to discuss it all on a new episode of Our 2 Cents! From the Fed's rate hike decision, to the current Bear Market, we're covering all the major events that took place this week. Plus, we're sharing some local "quick hits" and answering listener questions. Join us now! The Fed's Ai...

Welcome back to Our 2 Cents! This week's podcast takes a different view of retiring that is not often discussed: the pitfalls that can come with retirement. It's not all sunshine and rainbows every day of your golden years and we'll share some of the realities you may face when you retire, as well as some ways to avoid these problems. Then we're talking about levels of risk in...

We start off with some fun on this week's episode of Our 2 Cents by drawing the names of our three raffle winners, congratulations to you all! Then, we're posing a few questions to see what "side of the fence" Gabriel and Steve are on. Next we take a look at some priorities to keep in mind as you approach retirement, and finish up by answering a question from one of our listene...

We've officially recorded 100 episodes of Our 2 Cents and we're so happy you're here to celebrate with us! Not only did we record the podcast for you to listen to this week, we also recorded a video of the episode so you can get a sneak peak at what happens behind the scenes! Watch the episode on our YouTube channel! On today's episode, we take a look back at the most popular e...

The stock market has been very active and challenging lately so that is our sole focus of today's podcast episode. There are many questions that are top-of-mind for people right now mainly because we haven't seen a market quite like this in awhile. Gabriel and Steve are answering some of these questions for you, so listen in now! Answering Some of Your Questions: "What should I do w...

Gabriel and Steve kick off today's episode by discussing some of the issues that are plaguing the markets right now. Then they cover some things you might be wasting money on, and wrap up by answering a couple "get to know you" questions! We're Living in Turbulent Times: Two things you need to do when investing in the stock market How to successfully navigate the persistent vol...

We've got another great episode of the Our 2 Cents podcast for you this week! Gabriel and Steve are sharing parallels between heathy eating and financial planning. Then they cover some financial terms and their meaning, before wrapping up with a listener question. Fixing Unhealthy Financial Habits: What are the empty calories that could be in your financial plan. How added sugar in your plan...

On this week's new episode of the Our 2 Cents podcast, the guys are recapping Steve's recent appearance on WGN 9 news where he shared helpful tips for tax filing procrastinators. Then they outline 5 useful ways to include life insurance in your financial planning that isn't just about the death benefit. Listen in now! The Looming Tax Filing Deadline: Filing an extension - why it mat...

Breaking down a recent USA Today article, on today's episode Steve and Gabriel are discussing issues that are increasing the difficulty in retirement planning. They also talk about the current state of the bond market and share some great getaways across the U.S.! Murky Issues in Retirement Planning: How much income or asset growth is needed to offset inflation? How much income will Social Se...

Spring training is top-of-mind on today's episode of Our 2 Cents! Sit back and enjoy the baseball analogies for thinking about your investments. Next, the guys jump into some listener questions and then there's another question to get to know Steve and Gabe at the end of the show! How to Plan Your Retirement Like a Game of Baseball: Should your lineup consist of only home run hitters, or...

Welcome back for another episode of Our 2 Cents. Steve and Gabriel jump right in by talking about some hidden voices you may have in your head that influence your money decisions. Then they cover the world of designations and credentials and how to detect which are important. They wrap up with a fun question, too! Listen in now! The "Money Voices" in Your Head: How are we influenced by t...

On today's podcast episode, Steve and Gabriel begin by discussing the Russia-Ukraine conflict's impact on the stock market and economy. Then they share some hidden biases that cost investors money and how to spot them within yourself. Last, they wrap up with a thought-provoking question from one of Gabriel's clients. The Market Reacts to the Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Broadly speaking,...

Steve and Gabriel are covering a lot of great topics on this week's podcast episode. They're sharing ways to plan ahead for the unknown, and how doing so can bring you some peace-of-mind in retirement. Plus, steer clear of these expensive cities and financial scams in retirement! How Can You Plan for These Unpredictable Events?: When is the next market crash going to happen? What will he...

Welcome back to a fresh new episode of Our 2 Cents! On the podcast this week we are discussing a few economic projections that we think might be possible this year. Next, we talk about the findings from a recent study on investors. Then we wrap things up by saving a great listener question for last. Economic Predictions for this Year: GDP Growth Forecast - do we see a recession on the horizon? Hou...

We've been following playoff football (even without the Bears) and it got us thinking about the "Retirement Red Zone" and why it's critically important to not make a financial fumble when you're so close to the finish line. Next, we had Steve and Gabriel separately fill in the blanks on some financial potpourri, we'll compare their answers and see why they chose what...

It's a new year and we have fresh new show topics to look forward to on the Our 2 Cents podcast! First we're diving into "The Great Resignation" movement and what to keep in mind if you're planning on joining this phenomenon. Plus, we're starting a new monthly planning tip segment in 2022 and we share the very first planning tip today. Listen in now to join the fun! &...

Your Our 2 Cents podcast co-hosts Steve and Gabriel are back this week to round out their list of 22 money resolutions for 2022. Tune in to hear what's left on the list! Plus, the guys will share one of their non-financial resolutions they're setting for themselves in the new year. 2022 Money Resolutions List - Part 2 of 2: There's no shortage of ways to consider making money improv...

2022 Money Resolutions List - Part 1 of 2: With dozens of money goals to consider, we're sharing common improvements and changes we've seen clients want to make over the years. From behavioral changes to mindset shifts, we're covering it all when it comes to money goals for the new year. Do you have any specific financial goals heading into next year? Reply to this email and let us...

Before the holiday break, Steve and Gabriel recorded a great episode of the Our 2 Cents podcast. To kick off the show, Gabriel shares a great analogy about retirement planning and the ways in which the fundamentals of building a retirement plan resemble those of building a house. Next, the guys answer some thoughtful listener questions and wrap things up with some updates that will be coming to Me...