The Green Zone

Picture this: your child is graduating and venturing into the real world. Do you feel confident that they’re financially prepared? In this episode of The Green Zone Podcast, co-hosts Jeff Green and Lauren Smith share their top financial tips that they feel young adults need to understand by age 25. Together they discuss: The importance of financial literacy and starting good money habits early The...

Are you nearing retirement and worried about navigating the complexities of taxes? Join Jeff Green and Lauren Smith, financial advisors at Green Financial Group, as they tackle the often-overlooked, but crucial, topic of taxes in retirement. While visions of pickleball and leisure may dance in your head, Jeff and Lauren warn that failing to plan for taxes can be a real "gut punch" to your nest egg...

Does your portfolio feel as dusty as an unopened box of chocolates? Do investment meetings only happen when it's time to "buy, buy, buy"? If your financial advisor's idea of love is the occasional market update email, it's time to ask yourself: is this all there is? In this special Valentine's Day episode of The Green Zone Podcast, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith dig deep into the hallmarks of a truly...

Do you feel financially fit? Do you even know what that means? If not, you’re in luck. In this episode of The Green Zone Podcast, hosts Jeff Green and Lauren Smith guide you through the key elements you’ll need to ensure your financial well-being in the coming year. You’ll hear about everything from long-term investments to retirement goals to ways you may want to consider to protect your assets. ...

In this episode of The Green Zone Podcast, hosts Jeff Green and Lauren Smith take a moment to reflect on Green Financial Group’s progress and key milestones achieved during 2023. Together they discuss: Celebrating GFG’s 15th Anniversary and 1st year in our new office How our team has grown and changed this year, including two great new additions with Dylan Daggett and Laura Garza Our new GFG Blog,...

In this special episode of The Green Zone, hosts Jeff Green and Lauren Smith are joined by members of the Green Financial Group team as they share their favorite holiday gifts to both give and receive. If you have been on the fence about what to buy for a loved one this holiday season – or what to put on your own list! – this episode is for you. Tune in to see why these following items made the cu...

In this inspirational episode of The Green Zone Podcast, hosts Jeff Green and Lauren Smith sit down with Shelly Kirkland, CEO of Boot Campaign, an organization dedicated to supporting veterans and military families. Shelly, who comes from a family with a strong military background, shares her passion for serving those who have served and discusses the incredible work Boot Campaign does to make a d...

The dream of retirement has probably been sitting in the back of your mind for years. You have an idea of what you want it to look like. You’ve saved for it. You’ve talked to financial professionals. And all of that is great… but have you done any research and planning about how to avoid common retirement mistakes? In this episode of The Green Zone Podcast, hosts Jeff Green and Lauren Smith share...

When you think about long-term investments, you probably focus on stocks, bonds, real estate, funds, and the like. But what about cash? In this episode of The Green Zone Podcast, hosts Jeff Green and Lauren Smith cover some of the key considerations you should be making if you’re pondering the pros and cons of long-term investments in cash. Together, they discuss: The reason some folks are priorit...

A new bull market is underway, but potential recession, heavy inflation, increasing interest rates, war and more are casting dark shadows. You may be more confused than ever about what is going on in the markets and economy and if you feel that way, don’t worry – you’re not alone. In this episode of The Green Zone Podcast, host Jeff Green discusses: What’s going on in the U.S. economy and markets...

Your financial advisor is someone you need to trust. Someone who you know has your best interests front and center. Green Zone Podcast hosts Jeff Green and Lauren Smith want you to find the best advisor for you and your unique financial situation. In this episode, they share some of the biggest mistakes people tend to make when vetting financial advisors and highlight a few best practices for your...

Are you gearing up to travel or take a vacation in the near future? If so, you might want to brush up on a few hacks to ensure a smooth and stress-free trip. In this episode of The Green Zone Podcast, hosts Jeff Green and Lauren Smith share their top tips for traveling that will help save you time, money and frustration – and of course, travel in style. Together they discuss: Leveraging TSA PreChe...

Do you ever think about what your life might have been like if you knew then what you know now? So many life choices might have been different when you look at things in hindsight – and that includes financial decisions.  In this episode of The Green Zone Podcasts, hosts Jeff Green and Lauren Smith candidly share the financial advice they would tell their younger selves if they could.  Together, t...

Financial planning is not the same for everyone, and those differences are particularly distinct between men and women. Interestingly, according to Raymond James, more than 51% of the personal wealth in this country is controlled by women – and that number is growing. But women often feel less comfortable with their financial independence and even face financial challenges their male counterparts...

March is Women's History Month, a time when we commemorate the social, political, economic and cultural achievements of women. And those big accomplishments have to start somewhere… perhaps it’s at SheSpace, a women’s co-working space and community located in Houston, Texas. Jeff Green and Lauren Smith recently sat down with Stephanie Tsuru, Co-Founder of SheSpace, to learn more about the humble b...

Inflation is here and it’s no joke. Prices are going up. Returns in the market seem to be going down. And it can be confusing to know how to set yourself up for success. In this episode of The Green Zone Podcast, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith discuss what’s going on with inflation and how each of us as individuals may want to consider approaching our finances during this time. Together they discuss:...

Do you understand how the changes to the Secure Act will affect you?  Don’t worry, we won’t ask you to read the 4,155-page document to find out.  Instead, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith will discuss some of the key takeaways of the Secure Act 2.0 and how it may impact you in this episode of The Green Zone Podcast. Together they discuss:  What the Secure Act is and who it applies to  The updated age f...

In this episode of The Green Zone Podcast, Jeff and Lauren discuss the importance of setting simple yet effective financial goals and resolutions – including how to ensure you pick the ones that are right for you. Together, they discuss ways to:  Intentionally set aside and save more money  Leverage credit card points and benefits  Improve your credit score  Set and maintain a realistic budget  Co...

In this special episode of The Green Zone, hosts Jeff Green and Lauren Smith are joined by members of the Green Financial Group team as they share their favorite holiday gifts to both give and receive. If you have been on the fence about what to buy for a loved one this holiday season – or what to put on your own list! –this episode is for you. Tune in to see why these following items made the cut...

This episode of The Green Zone podcast is part of a special series to raise awareness of several non-profits that support special populations and their families. Hosts Jeff Green and Lauren Smith hope that once you've heard these stories, you may choose to recognize the work being done with your time and your dollars. In this episode, Jeff and Lauren learn about and discuss:  The PTSD Foundation o...

This episode of The Green Zone podcast kicks off a special series to raise awareness of several non-profits that support special populations and their families. They hope that once you've heard these stories, you may choose to recognize the work being done with your time and your dollars. In this episode, Jeff and Lauren learn about and discuss:  The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation  Interview with Cour...

Earlier this year, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith interviewed Sharon Birkman, the CEO of Birkman International, about finding your “why” using their proprietary social and psychological assessment, the Birkman Assessment. Since then, Jeff and Lauren have each taken the Assessment and personally debrief with Sharon. In this episode of The Green Zone Podcast, Jeff, Lauren and Sharon come back together...

2022 has been a volatile, tumultuous year for the market. As we move into the final quarter, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith offer up their opinions on what’s going on and how to think about that based on the timing of market and economic cycles. Together they discuss: Why they believe we’re not currently in a Recession (and when it may be coming) What types of investments that are generally strategic...

Your retirement is one of the most important things you’ll ever plan for. And because of that, the thought of any risks can weigh heavily on our minds. Do you know the top risks to consider as you approach retirement? In this episode of The Green Zone Podcast, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith discuss what they feel are the top six financial and retirement risks that folks need to think about – and have...

October is Cybersecurity Month. Most of the time when we are talking about cybersecurity in the financial services and retirement planning industry, we are thinking about financial fraud, identity theft, and other scams that might affect the elderly. But what about our children and teenagers we know, who lead very public digital lives and are just as susceptible – maybe more – to nefarious things...