Take Back Retirement

"Every single thing in my life that has ever terrorized me and terrified me, and I avoided like nobody's business, when I finally either had no place else to run, or I chose to turn around and face it, it has never been as bad as I thought it would be. It has never been as shameful as continuing to avoid."   Our hosts Stephanie McCullough of Sofia Financial and Kevin Gaines of American Financial M...

"It's not a line that you are either academic or creative, or you are either scientific or creative, or you are either mathematical…They're not separate." -Claire Waite Brown   Ever felt like your creative spark got lost in the shuffle of life? Our hosts Stephanie McCullough of Sofia Financial and Kevin Gaines of American Financial Management Group sit down with Claire Waite Brown, the host of the...

"I first ask this question: What is the number to make you feel successful? You and no one else. It might be a scary number. There's nothing wrong with fear." -Ella Glasgow   Ever felt the anxiety-inducing pressure of pinning a price tag on your brainchild? Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines break that down with guest Ella Glasgow, who's not only a virtual event maestro and vocalist b...

"If they're only worried about that current year, then that's what they're going to focus on. Let your accountant know, 'I'm interested in what my tax bill's going to be three, five years down the road. So, if there's something we need to be doing, let's have a conversation.'" Tax season is among us. Or as Kevin would sing, "It's the most wonderful time of the year!" Whether you share Kevin's sent...

"If you're looking at the costs of medical expenses over time, they've actually historically grown faster than regular inflation. Healthcare is expensive, and it goes up faster than the rest of your spending; don't overlook it."   Listen in as our hosts, Stephanie McCullough of Sofia Financial, and Kevin Gaines of American Financial Management Group tackle the critical yet often underestimated top...

"If you know about a certain scam, you're 80% less likely to engage with it. So, please tell everybody you know." -Kathy Stokes   Could your loved ones be vulnerable to a $9 billion wave of deception? Kathy Stokes from AARP joins our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines to unravel the complexities of fraud that's sweeping the nation, hitting older adults the hardest. With victims often bear...

"People tend to underestimate both how long they'll live and how long they'll spend in retirement. That's something that we really need to be realistic about." - Heather Schreiber   Have you ever wondered how the labyrinth of Social Security intricacies might be uniquely affecting your retirement plan? Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines sit down with Heather Schreiber, a Social Securi...

Ever feel like you're wading through murky waters when it comes to retirement planning? You're not alone. Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines of Sofia Financial and American Financial Management Group illuminate the path with their expertise, debunking pervasive myths that cloud the judgment of many investors.   They kick things off by setting the record straight on investment growth, cutting th...

"You'll start seeing some things that are really helping you in life and some that are hurting you. And when you don't have an outlet or a way to review these things, we stay to our consistent habits just like with our diet."   Dive into the world of financial therapy with our guest, Erika Wasserman. Fully 81% of Americans were taught not to talk about money, and that has a profound impact on emot...

"You have a choice about everything, and not choosing is still a choice. Prioritize yourself and ask for what you need." - Emi Kirschner   What if you were told that self-care isn't just an indulgence, but a key player in achieving personal and professional success? Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines chat with Emi Kirschner, a seasoned investor, serial entrepreneur, and coach to women...

"The account you inherit as far as the IRS is concerned, it's not your retirement account. You are just receiving the money from it. It's still the original owner's retirement account."   Have you ever considered the complexities that come with inheriting retirement accounts? They can be a minefield of rules and regulations that, if not handled with care, can result in irreversible mistakes. Our h...

"The thing you've got to start with is what does life cost you? What does it cost to be you in this world?"   Listen in as our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines tackle some big questions in this episode of Take Back Retirement, like "Do I need to go back to work after retirement or a divorce?" and "What kind of financial considerations should I have?" They walk through how to evaluate yo...

"In the world of the IRS, if it's not documented, it's not real."   Get set for a value-packed journey as our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines tackle the critical topic of keeping financial records in this latest episode of Take Back Retirement. But they don't go it alone. They invite two clients - Steve and Doug - and two experts – Enrolled Agent Marianne Borneman and CPA Sonya Pappas...

"This could be the most loving gift you could ever give your children. The most loving way of spending your time to give them this gift, it's priceless. Preparation leads to peace. It absolutely does."   Imagine a world where your family isn't left with a mountain of your disorganized documents and possessions after your death. Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines chat with Angie Hyche,...

"Once you are aware of your top risks that you will likely face later on, it's amazing how your brain just starts to automatically think about, 'Well that's interesting, I wonder if I could live that way.' Or 'I wonder if I could pick up that exercise. I wonder if I could start walking a mile a day just to start getting in better shape. I wonder if I could change my diet instead of eating this coo...

"It's not about deprivation. It's about balance. It's about taking care of your today self and your future self."   Join our hosts, Stephanie McCullough of Sofia Financial and Kevin Gaines of American Financial Management Group, as they simplify the world of financial planning, starting with understanding cash flow. They tackle how to monitor the inflow and outflow of your money, without yet worry...

"Conversations around money should be: what do you want? Who do you want to be? And how do we help you get there? Not only you individually, but your collective. Your collective is your family, your community, and beyond"   Imagine a world where the language of money is universal, inclusive, and aligns with your life's purpose and passion. That's exactly the world Kim Curtis, CEO of Wealth Legacy...

Get ready for an inspiring conversation with tech retiree and podcast host, Gretchen Schoser. Gretchen, aka G-Rex, invites us into her world to talk about trading tech for a mic, her journey toward retirement, and the mental health battles she's faced along the way. Tune in as she unpacks her new podcast, "Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads," which she co-hosts with Dirty Skittles, and how it acts as...

"The human brain is actually wired to trip us up, to shoot ourselves in the foot when it comes to money and investing. A little bit of self-examination can help pull us out of these knee-jerk reactions."   Prepare for a knowledge voyage as our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines redefine retirement for women, bringing insights from behavioral finance, a fascinating field that explores how...

What if you discovered that the typical American is on track to have only 78% of the income needed for retirement expenses? Brace yourself, because that's exactly what our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines are about to unpack.   Talking about retirement planning can be daunting, but it's never too late to start. Our hosts share some fascinating findings from a recent survey, like men's o...

"[A wise money decision is] one that honors yourself. And to really honor yourself, you need to know yourself, to know who you are and what your values are, and know that your self is not one set entity or one personality set in stone."   With over 18 years of experience as an executive coach, Stacey Stern joins Take Back Retirement to share her unique approach to navigating life transitions and f...

"We are supposed to view aging as a privilege, but we are shamed for showing visible signs of it. How absurd. And because we live in a society where our outward beauty equates to worth and value, we automatically feel that our value is going down and our worth, and we see that our visibility is going down."   Are you embracing your midlife growth spurt or feeling overwhelmed by it? Join our hosts...

"I've heard everything at this point, meaning nothing would surprise me. I've heard all sorts of versions of shame, anger, sadness, anxiety, family stories - beautiful and painful, and betrayal and embarrassment."   Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines had a fascinating conversation with Financial Therapist Bari Tessler, founder of The Art of Money, about her unique methodology that int...

What if the secret to a long, healthy life i s not expensive programs, supplements or equipment, but actually the free actions you take every day ? In this episode, functional medicine-trained health strategist Dr. Laura DeCesaris joins the podcast to explore the importance of prioritizing health span over lifespan.   Stephanie, Kevin, and Laura explore essential health habits that contribute to l...

Given the recent headlines and failure of two banks, Stephanie and Kevin felt is was time for a high-level overview on the government insurance programs that serve as backstops by protecting you from the potential failure of financial services companies.   Listen in as they break down the most important acronyms within the alphabet soup of federal government agencies.   They discuss the FDIC insur...