The Patti Brennan Show

Do you have a "simple" estate plan? That might be the most expensive mistake you make. Patti sits down with legendary estate attorney Martin Shenkman, 44 books and over 1,000 articles deep, for a no-fluff conversation on why documents are not the same thing as a plan. Here is what it may look like as a part of an estate plan: 📌 A Spousal Lifetime Access Trust, or SLAT, is one of the most powerful...

Make no mistake... no one wants to have this conversation.   But when someone dies, the decisions start immediately, and they do not slow down. In this episode, Patti Brennan walks through the complete "When Someone Dies" checklist, organized by urgency, so no one has to figure it out alone in the middle of grief.   Here is what needs to happen: 🚨 Within 24 to 72 hours: notify institutions, secur...

If you have been putting off getting an estate plan and think it's something you still have to do, here's the thing: it's already been done. The state wrote it for you. And it has no idea who you are, what you built, or who you love. It does not know about the estranged sibling, the child with special needs, or the spouse who would be left with far less than you think. It just follows the formula....

In this episode, Patti walks through the complete retirement checklist available on the Key Financial website, using the seasons framework to help you think ahead, not react later. She covers: Why the "winter before freshman year" is the most critical planning window before you retire The pools of money strategy and how it protects you from having to sell investments at the wrong time The Goldiloc...

The middle years of a financial journey can feel anything but simple. Between managing debt, building wealth, and planning for a future that still feels far away, it's easy to wonder if you're doing enough or missing something important. Smart Debt Management: Not all debt is created equal. Learn what's good debt, what's not, and how to prioritize and leverage it strategically. Investment Vehicles...

Medicare isn't just complicated - it's full of traps that can cost you thousands if you're not careful. In this episode, Patti Brennan sits down with Rich and Jill Oler, known as Mr. & Mrs. Medicare, for straight talk on everything you need to know before you enroll. From the 20% gap nobody warns you about, to the drug plan penalties hiding in plain sight, they cover the myths, the mistakes, and t...

Did you know 60% of individual stocks are net wealth destroyers? In Part Two, Patti and Eric break down what really causes major market drops, the odds of losing money over time, and four smart strategies for managing a concentrated stock position. Key Financial, Inc. is a federally registered investment advisor with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Securities offered through...

In this episode of The Patti Brennan Show, Patti is joined by Eric Fuhrman, Chief Planning Officer at Key Financial, to tackle one of the most misunderstood – and potentially dangerous – issues in investing: concentration risk. Using powerful statistics, real-life stories, and 100 years of market data, Patti and Eric break down why having "too many eggs in one basket" can lead not just to portfoli...

Most financial plans cover the numbers, but what about everything else? In this episode, Patti Brennan welcomes Frank McAleer, Key Financial's new Vitality Planning specialist, to introduce a concept that goes far beyond the balance sheet. Drawing on his personal caregiving experience and years of longevity planning at Raymond James, Frank explains why being financially prepared is only half the e...

Most people don't think about their home… until something goes wrong. A fall. A surgery. A moment that forces fast decisions. And suddenly, you're dealing with time pressure, unexpected costs, and emotional stress that could have been avoided. In this episode, Patti Brennan sits down with Occupational Therapist and Aging-in-Place Specialist Dawn Heiderscheidt  to break down what it actually takes...

Most people think they only have one balance sheet — the financial one. In this episode, Patti Brennan and Chief Planning Officer Eric Fuhrman explain why that's only half the story. Together, they explore the concept of "The Tale of Two Balance Sheets": the traditional financial balance sheet (assets and liabilities) and the personal balance sheet that reflects the real drivers of your financial...

Social Security is one of the biggest financial decisions in retirement — yet it's often misunderstood. In this episode, we break down what the latest projections really mean, how claiming timing impacts your lifetime income, and how benefits are calculated, taxed, and adjusted over time. Episode Highlights: - Will it be there? What the 2033–2034 projections mean and how payroll taxes fund the sys...

Medicare is one of the most important—and most misunderstood—financial decisions people face as they approach retirement. And for many, the confusion doesn't come from a lack of effort, but from a system that isn't intuitive and comes with rules, deadlines, and consequences that aren't always clear until it's too late. In this episode of The Patti Brennan Show , Patti is joined by Eric Fuhrman, Ch...

In this annual economic outlook episode, Patti Brennan is joined by Chief Investment Officer Brad Everett to break down what's really driving markets as we head into 2026. They cut through headlines to examine market concentration, the true scale of today's largest companies, and why earnings—not hype—matter when evaluating risk and so-called "bubbles." The conversation spans U.S. versus internati...

What You'll Learn Why certain conversations resonate year after year — what the most-shared episodes reveal about the questions people consistently care about when making complex financial decisions. How to think clearly in uncertain environments — lessons from leadership, market volatility, and long-term planning that emphasize clarity, flexibility, and disciplined decision-making over prediction...

In Episode 175 of Dear Patti: Longevity , Patti explores what it really means to plan for a long life—financially, physically, and emotionally. This episode reframes longevity as more than just living longer, focusing instead on how today's choices shape independence, health, and quality of life in the decades ahead. Patti breaks down the key pillars of longevity planning, from aligning money with...

Required Minimum Distributions play a significant role in year-end planning. In this episode, we outline the general rules around RMDs for 2025, including recent updates, key timing considerations, tax-related factors to be aware of, and common issues individuals may encounter when taking their distributions. This conversation is intended to provide a broad overview of the topic and help listeners...

The window for the most powerful charitable tax strategy of the decade is closing—and 2025 may be the final year to fully capitalize before major tax law changes take effect. In this episode, Patti Brennan sits down with Tim Sylvester of Ren Incorporated to break down why donor-advised funds, appreciated securities, and strategic "bunching" are creating the single biggest charitable giving opportu...

What happens when "we" suddenly becomes "me"? In this episode, Patti Brennan and Chief Planning Officer Eric Fuhrman sit down to discuss one of life's most difficult transitions — becoming suddenly single. Whether through loss or divorce, this chapter brings both emotional and practical challenges that can feel overwhelming. Patti and Eric talk about the "fog of trauma," the importance of giving y...

Join Eric Fuhrman and Brad Everett as they unpack GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and why it matters for your retirement. Released ahead of the Q3 GDP announcement, this episode breaks down what GDP measures, its four main components, and the surprising disconnect between GDP growth and stock market returns. Eric and Brad discuss how trade policies are impacting recent data, why productivity and labo...

In this hands-on workshop episode, psychotherapist Amy Bloom is back with actual scripts and word-for-word examples you can use. Amy reveals why tone matters more than words (it's the music people remember, not just the lyrics), how to fall on your sword to put others at ease, and the critical difference between being clear and being kind but vague. Whether you're an adult child trying to understa...

Psychotherapist and bestselling author Amy Bloom returns to tackle the conversations most families avoid: talking about money, inheritance, and legacy. Amy reveals why these discussions are so hard and shares the crucial first step (hint: it's not actually talking). From family businesses and vacation homes to choosing trustees and handling sentimental items, learn how to navigate these emotionall...

In this episode, Patti Brennan and Eric Fuhrman break down the Value Acceleration Methodology they recently learned through the CEPA program. They share why most businesses don't sell for what owners expect, the critical role of intangibles like culture and customer relationships, and how business owners can unlock massive value by de-risking their companies. Whether you're a business owner, emplo...

In this episode, Patti Brennan sits down with Joy Perry of Wellington Management to explore why infrastructure is becoming one of the most important opportunities of our time. From utilities and grids to energy, transportation, and data centers, Joy explains how these long-term, contract-driven businesses are powering everything from AI to the global energy transition. Discover why this underappre...