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With interest rates at historic lows, many of our listeners and clients have been asking about refinancing their mortgages.  Today, Shanna Tingom from Heritage Financial tackles some of these questions. What are the different loan types? Primary Fixed Second or Second HELOC Also a Second mortgage What happens to my 2nd or HELOC if I refinance my primary loan? 2nd or HELOC will need to be subordina...

For our first podcast of 2021, Shanna picks up her conversation with Atlas Point's Carrie Nelson.  Carrie is an expert in the fields of behavioral finance and character science.   "Financial Virtues" correlate to your personality and how you feel about money. The three virtues that matter, with relation to money, are  humanity, wisdom, and courage.  And all of these are subject to bias, as Carrie...

Today, Heritage Financial's Shanna Tingom is joined by colleague Carrie Nelson of Atlas Point. Carrie takes us through her background, a 20 year career that included stops at EY and Experian.  She realized that it was important to have more meaningful financial conversations, particularly between advisors and clients.  Atlas Point began looking at the psychology of money, and how to overcome chall...

Today, Shanna Tingom introduces us to the newest member of the Heritage Team, Alden Rowe.  Alden joins us having worked with Heritage's broker dealer, Cambridge Investment Research. Alden explains the decision to move to the advisor side of the industry and his desire to help clients with their financial futures, from a 360 degree perspective. Alden and Shanna share a passion for a financial plann...

At the time of this recording (Monday,  November 9th), Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have become the President and Vice-President Elect of the United States. And it's very likely that there will be a Democratic House and Republican Senate. Today, we look at what this could mean for your financial future.  Shanna Tingom explains what markets have done historically, both under Democratic administratio...

As dog lovers, Shanna and Jon could talk about pets all day, but today we are focused on the financial piece of being a pet owner. Before you bring in a four-legged family member, it's important to consider costs, including: Specialists Emergency Room Visits Regular Vet Visits Food Grooming and more! We look at pet insurance, financing offered by many vets, and having a "sinking fund" of cash on h...

Today's episode is released on September 18, which happens to be Shanna and her husband Eric's 15th wedding anniversary! You would think that a Financial Planner and an accountant would have an easy time when it comes to money matters, but that's not necessarily the case. Like most couples, money can be a challenging topic, particularly when you have two professionals with strong opinions! Shanna...

Today, Shanna and Jon are covering all things social security, including the very important decision of when to begin collecting it. We look at the options of collecting social security early at 62, waiting until your full retirement age (and figuring out what age that is), or delaying until age 70. There are also penalties for working after collecting in some cases, the ability to pay back your b...

We were hoping that by the time we recorded this episode, a deal on a new stimulus package would have been reached in Washington. But as of our August 13th recording, it hasn't happened yet. Today we break down where new stimulus legislation is, as well as the executive actions taken by President Trump with regard to the economy.   The important thing to note is that many of these actions result i...

Quite often, investors make bad decisions and kick themselves over it. But it's important to remember that we are all human, and we should look forward, not back.  Even a professional like Shanna Tingom makes mistakes.  Today she tells us about the stock she wishes she'd invested in when she had the chance. Shanna and Jon also discuss Robin Hood and other apps that let you invest on your own.  The...

There's been a lot of talk lately about recessions, depressions, and economic recoveries.  Today, Shanna Tingom and Jon Gay discuss what each of these mean for your investments. We explain the differences in "Letter" recoveries - what L-shaped, V-shaped, and W-shaped recoveries look like. We also cover what opportunities may exist for investors at this time. Shanna's Contact Info: Website: https:/...

Today, Shanna is re-joined by collaborator Amy Walls of Thimbleberry Financial in Portland, Oregon, for a discussion around being "Financial Planning First" advisors. A Financial Planning First advisor starts with planning and a general understanding of your financial situation, before worrying about your investments.  In the first meeting with Shanna or Amy, you may be asked questions you weren't...

Today, Shanna is joined by collaborator Amy Walls of Thimbleberry Financial Portland, Oregon.  Shanna and Amy met at a conference several years ago and became accountability partners. They became fast friends, despite a hiccup at the beginning of the relationship that they explain. First, Shanna and Amy were tasked with creating a "Disaster Recovery Plan" - what to do in the event of a natural dis...

In our previous episode, we spoke about the fresh perspective Coronavirus has given us with regard to insurance.  Sadly, is has also forced us to think about planning for the future if we are not here. Documents   Will or trust - what's the difference? POA - Power of Attorney - for Health Care and Mental Health Issues HIPPA form - granting others access to your medical information You should revie...

The epidemic of COVID-19 has provided us with some sobering perspective about ourselves. Nobody is immune from getting sick, or worse.  Today, we look at the types of insurance that you should be sure to have. Health Insurance This is the obvious one. Most Americans have health insurance tied to their jobs. When they lose one, they lose the other.  We examine the different ways to get health insur...

In our previous episode, Shanna Tingom explained how the recently passed Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act will affect individuals.  Today, we take a closer look into how it will affect businesses. We'll cover: The Economic Injury Disaster  Loan Grant The Paycheck Protection Program Which payouts will become loans and which will become grants More resources available to ge...

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed into law at the end of March.  Today, Shanna Tingom breaks down the effects this new legislation will have on individuals. Stimulus Checks Retirement Contributions Resources: Stimulus Check Calculator Heritage Financial Website Call Heritage Financial at: (480) 397-1184

Today, Shanna Tingom from Heritage Financial explains market volatility, We start with an explanation of terms, including The Market, correction, and bear market .  We also look at historical data when it comes to market volatility and other disease epidemics. Finally, we get into the psychology of market volatility and why you often need to fight your instincts, and not sell when the market drops...

Financial advisors have many, many different types of compensation structures. Shanna and Jon explain the questions you should ask an advisor to get a better understanding of how they are paid. And don't be afraid to ask tough questions if you don't understand an answer! Transparency is key, and Shanna breaks down her fee structure at Heritage Financial. Resources: Heritage Financial Website Call...

RSU's, or Restricted Stock Units, are often used as an incentive to recruit - and keep - top talent. In this episode, Shanna and Jon walk us through RSUs, the key dates involved with them, and their tax implications. Resources: Heritage Financial Website Call Heritage Financial at: (480) 397-1184

Today we cover what you can do for your grandchildren, your children, and of course your spouse. These include making arrangements for: 529 Plans Roth IRAs (hint: you can start one for your kids/grandkids) Estate Planning Trusts Life Insurance Advance Directives Resources: Heritage Financial Website Call Heritage Financial at: (480) 397-1184

Important aspects of the new SECURE Act: IRA Contributions Required Minimum Distributions Legacy Retirement Accounts (for your heirs) Implications for Small Businesses 529 College Savings Plans Shanna Tingom of Heritage Financial breaks down each of these areas of the SECURE Act. Resources: Heritage Financial Website Call Heritage Financial at: (480) 397-1184

Last episode, we looked at New Year's Resolutions.  As we begin 2020 though, now is a great time to take a longer view of your financial situation.  This may include: Reviewing beneficiaries on accounts and life insurance Making sure you have enough life insurance coverage and checking the expiration date Checking the investments of your retirement accounts Reviewing your estate plan Reviewing you...

Happy New Year! Today, Shanna Tingom and Jon Gay break down New Year's Resolutions. Why do 80% of them fail? What are some good resolutions (goals) to set? What strategies can we employ to keep them? Make Them Tangible Make Them Obvious Keep Believing You Can Do It Build In Accountability Resources: Heritage Financial Website Call Heritage Financial at: (480) 397-1184

For people going through the divorce process, a common question is, "Should I hire a divorce attorney?"  Today, Shanna Tingom explains why the answer might not  be as  obvious as you think.. We cover the different ways to get divorced in Maricopa county, as well as more challenging situations, such as a spouse living in another state or being deployed. Resources: Second Saturday Divorce Resource W...