TIAA Simplified for HigherEd

In this episode, Greg talks about one of his most successful (financially) clients and how he achieved the status of multimillionaire without a huge salary. Since this clients passing, Greg shares with you his successes and missteps for you to avoid. Listen as you'll hear that his client remained humble in the sense that he understood he wasn't smarter than the stock / bond market and that it paid...

(Formally HigherEd Retire Podcast) Lucky episode for you - 2 in one. Not sure why I did 2 short episodes, but figured each were too short to stand alone. First part, listen as I share with you why I'm a self-proclaimed hypocrite when it comes to TIAA Traditional fixed account. I'll share with you why I've change my mind for now, but also why you need to be very careful if deciding to proceed with...

(Formally HigherEd Retire Podcast) In this episode, you'll learn the differences between the 403b and the 457b. Listen as Greg shares with you a couple features of the 457b account that has become more attractive since the rule changes a couple years ago. Most higher ed employees aren't even aware of this account in their retirement plan. Jump on Greg's calendar to see about improving your TIAA si...

In this episode, Greg brings up a topic discussed in an older podcast episode - BrokerageLink. Maybe the "stay at home" phase of the pandemic was the catalyst to more interest in the stock market? Maybe there's just more education around the BrokerageLink feature? Whatever the case, there's been a lot more interest in this awesome feature in higher ed retirement plans across the country. Listen as...

In today’s episode, I talk about a little known strategy I’ve used for clients accounts over the last number of years. This strategy, if done correctly, could save you investment related expenses and expand the number of investment choices. Actually, It’s a strategy I’ve never seen a university employee implement on their own. Not because they couldn’t do it alone, it’s the fact tha...

(Formally HigherEd Retire Podcast) Back by popular demand - Roth 403b topic! In this episode, Greg continues the conversation started in the last episode titled "Roth 403b" where he deconstructed what a Roth 403b is and gave 2 client scenarios that were advantageous when using the Roth feature in their higher ed retirement plan. The Roth 403b topic spurred a lot of questions not answered in the fi...

In this episode you'll learn how to use the best of TIAA AND Fidelity in the same retirement plan. Most higher ed employees have the choice of using TIAA or Fidelity. For those employees, did you realize you can use BOTH TIAA and Fidelity. Why you ask? I'll answer that very question in this episode. Some things TIAA does better and some things Fidelity does better, why not combine the 2 to get the...

(Formally HigherEd Retire Podcast) In this episode, Greg Shepard will unpack the Roth 403b for you to decide if it's a good option for you. Most likely, your plan now gives you the option of contributing to a Roth 403b through your employer retirement plan. In this episode, Greg will go over.... What is a Roth 403b? How the Roth 403b compares to a traditional 403b Who might benefit from a Roth 403...

This podcast, hosted by Greg Shepard, piggybacks on a previous episode regarding the word "fiduciary" and the role it plays in your higher ed retirement plans. Specifically, Greg dives into 2 real-life stories from clients of his. You'll learn how to recognize a true fiduciary that acts in your best interest and why the reps from TIAA and Fidelity (other vendors as well) aren't your best answer. L...

(Formally HigherEd Retire Podcast) In this podcast, Greg Shepard, speaks about 2 real-life situations regarding clients of his that had unfortunate experiences with their TIAA Traditional account. You'll learn why you NEED to know the restrictions and parameters around your TIAA Traditional account before it's too late. Greg shares a story about a lady in higher ed that did a fantastic job saving...

In this episode you'll learn about a retirement strategy that many miss out on - Taking an In-Service Withdrawal when your older than 59 1/2. It's a strategy that many wish they had taken advantage of immediately after they were eligible. Greg Shepard will share with you 5 reasons you should consider this strategy. Jump on Greg's calendar to see about improving your TIAA situation. More episodes f...

Scared of a market downturn? Who isn't, right? In this episode, Greg Shepard will share with you how to identify how much risk is in your portfolio and what you can do to lessen the risk and make your portfolio more efficient. Gone are the days where one just arbitrarily agrees to a 70/30 or 60/40 mix of stocks and bonds. With the evolution of technology in the investment advisory world, one can i...

(Formally HigherEd Retire Podcast) In this podcast, your host, Greg Shepard, will discuss rolling over your 403b to an IRA. This accounts for other higher ed accounts as well, such as 457b's and 401a's. You'll learn the following in this podcast... Scenarios as to when you’d want to rollover your 403b to an IRA…. Old employer plan Retired 59 ½ yr old rule How you go about doing the rollover. Greg...

In this episode, Greg Shepard will dive into the ins-and-outs of Target Date Funds. Probably unbeknownst to you as an employee, this is most likely where your monthly contributions default to every contribution period. Here, you'll learn What a Target Date Fund is Is there a conflict of interest? What other options you have What options you should choose Greg Shepard, and advisor at S&A Financ...

If you're a KU (University of KS) employee that qualified and will take advantage of the VSIP later this year, then you MUST listen to this podcast episode. In this episode, you'll learn strategies about the VSIP retirement plan that you wont find anywhere else - including at TIAA or ING. Make sure you're armed with all the information before you make irrevocable choices to your retirement plan. J...

If you’ve ever thought about hiring an advisor or you currently have an advisor you’re working with you may be trying to figure out if they’re doing the right thing or if you even hired the right person. You just generally don’t know how or where to find out this kind of information. If this has crossed your mind, then this podcast will be for you.  You'll learn... What fee you...

Today i’d like to piggyback off of a previous podcast I’ve done regarding brokerage link accounts. The reason behind this podcast is that I'd like to share with higher ed employees how to invest in certain sectors of the market within their retirement plan. All higher ed employees have the "core" retirement plan where they'll have maybe 10 - 30 investment choices in their Voluntary Retirement...

In this podcast, you’ll learn about the most underutilized feature in your university retirement plan and, in my opinion, the most beneficial. You’ll learn which retirement plan vendors offer these features (not all of them do). Every higher ed employee should be implementing this strategy in their retirement plan if their plan allows it. Bonus, if you happen to have a 401(a), I’ll...

In today’s episode, I’ll be talking about the most common question I receive – “Greg, I have 4 or 5 different retirement plan vendors in my plan – which one do I choose?” Pretty simple question, right? But, it’s not as straight-forward as you may think. I’ll share with you what I do for clients in order to help them make the right decision. You’ll learn an easy 4-step process in order to make...

In today’s episode, I’m thrilled to share with you some news that one of the largest university retirement plan vendors has lowered their expenses on many of their mutual fund choices. I’ll discuss which vendor it is and how you can access these investments. I’ll share with you how I came about finding this information out – hint, it was on accident during a client meeting. If I ask...

In today’s episode, I’ll discuss if it makes sense to higher an independent financial advisor to help you out with your university retirement plan. This podcast actually stems from a recent lunch I had with a client of mine and his colleague that tagged along with us. I’ll get into the discussion I had with this professor and how he ended up becoming a client of mine – still a client tod...

The word "Fiduciary" is a funny and often times misused word in my industry. In today's Podcast, Greg Shepard will inform you as to why TIAA / ING / Fidelity just can't act as a true fiduciary. Learn how an ex-client of mine made a mistake in believing she was making the right decision in going with TIAA directly. In this episode you'll learn how to determine if your financial advisor is a true fi...