The Life Planning 101 Podcast

It is our job to help the individuals and families we work with imagine the worst. This is how we progress toward our mission to give our clients confidence in their financial future and life plan so that they may enjoy “Living Life on Purpose.”

If this were your last day on earth, where would you want to be, who would you want to be with, and what would you be doing? What about Spiritually? Mentally? Physically? Do you measure your wealth by the value of your assets or by your life's imprint?

CPA Blake Briscoe is our special guest this week on our Life Planning 101 podcast. Blake discusses the changes in Fair Labor Exempt Wage threshold as well as some last minute tax savings ideas to watch out for. If you would like more information about Mr. Briscoe, you can check out his website: http://briscoecpa.com/

In this historic victory that shocked the political establishment and global financial markets alike, Donald J. Trump will become the 45th president of the United States. Here are 5 ways Trump could move markets.

In a recent study, 35% of people experiencing relationship stress said money was the primary reason. This could help explain why some experts say financial problems are the #1 reason marriages fail. Fortunately, couples may be able to head off many of the problems money can cause in a marriage. Here are 10 tips for married couples.

On this week's edition of Life Planning 101, we discuss a brief history of the Republican and Democratic parties and we compare the Trump and Clinton healthcare and tax plans.

Your credit score is your financial reputation. It's a three-digit number that has a six-figure impact on your life. Fortunately, rebuilding your credit score is a lot easier than you think. Credit expert Philip Tirone has developed a step-by-step program to help you rebuild your credit score drastically.7 Steps to a 720 Credit Score exposes the rules of the credit game, giving consumers all the i...

The bottom line is that no matter who you want to pass the (economic crisis) buck to — the government, financial institutions, insurers, big business, regulators, etc — we all should take a close look in the mirror. We are a nation that lives beyond our means. It's time to quit living as if there’s no financial tomorrow, break the bad habits and take charge of our financial future.

What most Americans don’t know is that, to a certain extent, taxes are voluntary. A small business owner has 171 deductions available to him. Did you know the average business owner only takes 23 of these deductions?

If you haven’t thought about your own legacy, please do. In order to help you get off on the right foot, here are some things you need to consider. We call it the “Who, What, When, How, Sam and Plan Approach.”

Life insurance should be a staple in all households where possible, but it requires financial professionals educating families, individuals, and business owners on the correct insurance type and amount for their unique situation. 

Would it be okay if your investment portfolio went down $400,000? Absolutely NOT! This was a conversation we recently had with a couple we have just come to know. The reason? We stress tested their current investments against the Financial Crisis of 2008 and 2009, and this was the result.

Most people believe that if their spouse dies, they simply receive the higher of their benefit or their spouse's benefit.  In reality, this may not be the case and will depend upon multiple facts.

There are situations where paying down a mortgage makes perfect money sense. However,there is a good chance your situation is not one of these.

Naming the beneficiaries of your IRA, life insurance policy, annuity or any other contract property may not be as simple as choosing the ones you love to inherit the assets and writing those names down. Let me offer you a scenario: Suppose you name your two daughters as the...

For many of us we only get the chance to retire one time. This means we definitely don’t want to mess it up. In today’s economy, this can be downright scary and sometimes feel impossible. See if any of this sounds familiar: You decided you would like to retire and move to Colorado. You feared the current turmoil in the economy and the market; however, you knew you must keep up with inflation. So y...

The first thing that comes to everyone’s mind when you begin to discuss saving for your child’s future is…college savings. But what if your child does not go to college? What if they need a down payment to purchase their first home? What if they are faced with an unexpected hardship? There are countless what if’s in life and there are not two people that will face... 

Most of the people we talk with believe that “retirement planning” deals exclusively with money and this is true… to a certain point. Experience has taught me that effective retirement planning is about much more than money: it is about all areas of Life.

Don’t worry…you’re not the only one. Whether you’re planning for college in the very near future or in the not so near future, you probably have concerns…and why shouldn’t you? Today I would like to address these concerns and offer some alternative planning strategies that just might...

Will you stand to lose some of your hard-earned money,income or assets? Or will it be protected? Do you know for sure?   One evening while driving home, you glance down to adjust the radio. When you look back up, you are inches away from broadsiding a bus. Several passengers are seriously injured, resulting in a major law suit.   Again, will your assets...

Recently, I spent two days at a conference focused on income during retirement. I want to tell you a story I heard that you will probably think sounds familiar, but the tone I will set today may shed new light on it.   One of the speakers talked about his grandfather, who worked for the same company for 30 years, did everything by the book, and followed his... 

One of my fellow advisors related one of the most horrific stories I have heard in my professional life. I would like to share that story with you in order to help you understand the importance of business succession planning:   A young man in his early forties owned an extremely successful manufacturing business in Georgia, grossing approximately 

Well…if you have been a buy and hold investor, your portfolio will probably answer this with a resounding “No!” Though after reading the many headlines of any major financial news during late 2008, 2009 or 2010 you might think that...

There is a major issue today that has left a large number of Americans speechless and motionless: The issue of integrity. 2008 and 2009 were treacherous. It was bad enough that we witnessed the development of...

Tiny or not, economic bubbles don’t make anything feel fine, especially not your retirement plan. The problem is that most bubbles are difficult to identify. Consequently, they are only recognized in retrospect...