Your Life Simplified: A Financial & Wealth Management Podcast

Women often take a backseat when it comes to long-term financial planning. They're busy juggling family, career and professional goals, but it's imperative that women take charge of their financial futures too. Jana Shoulders of Mariner Wealth Advisors joins us to discuss the importance of women being educated about their finances and finding a wealth advisor that holistically supports them.

Divorce can be a very difficult time, and with emotions running high, it can be beneficial to have someone advocating for you when it comes time to look at how to split your finances. We invite Megan Brozowski of Mariner Wealth Advisors to discuss how having an advisor, and specifically a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst®, can alleviate the burden of making those decisions on your own as well a...

Since their introduction, opioids have been an effective tool in pain management for many. Unfortunately, they have also been the path to powerful addiction for others. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 130 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose. Dr. Chris Jenson, a former ER doctor who spent time with the CDC and is now an educator, joins the podcast to discuss...

As we grow older, we will all need to make choices regarding senior living. Whether you're making decisions for your parents, a spouse, yourself or other loved ones, it is important to have a clear understanding of the housing options available. Choices can range from facilities with assisted living services or memory care to continuing care retirement communities (also known as life plan communit...

It's no secret higher education tuition costs are rapidly rising. So when it comes to college planning your mind likely goes right to dollar signs. But there's more to planning for college than just finances. Cozy Wittman of College Inside Track goes beyond loans and scholarships for an in-depth discussion on college planning considerations you may not be thinking about. 

Many of us have heard the adage about location being everything when it comes to real estate, but what else should you be thinking about? We invite real estate agent Mike O'Dell on to the show to discuss key decision points from both the buying and selling side. From strategic approaches on coming in with an offer on the buy side, to how to handle lowball offers on the sale of your home, Mike shar...

When it comes to filing your taxes, the rate at which your income is taxed can vary based on the state in which you live, or where your domicile is. In this episode, we invite Adam Kotz of Mariner Wealth Advisors to discuss how the IRS determines your domicile and things to keep in mind when you move to a different state. Additionally, we dive into what this means for individuals who own homes in...

New tax season, new tax laws. How do you decide whether you should choose a tax preparer or a tax consultant to help you file? Along with discussing the key differences in this selection, Ryan Drake and Erin Alexander of Mariner Wealth Advisors break down how filing has changed in the first year after the tax law update, and how that may impact the way you file and your refund. In addition, they d...

Financial windfalls come in a variety of forms, from winning the lottery to receiving an inheritance or even selling a business. Regardless of the sort of windfall received, there are some key pieces to keep in mind. On this episode, we ask Suzanne Wheeler of Mariner Wealth Advisors to share what she feels to be important considerations when handling new-found wealth. After taking a moment to step...

We know that it is sometimes difficult to stick to those New Year's resolutions, whether they be related to diet and exercise or saving and spending. So, we have invited George Fernandez and Andy Garrison of Mariner Wealth Advisors to have a conversation about what they are thinking about when planning financial goals for the year. Those planning topics include saving for your retirement, creating...

According to Game Plan Experts, there are, on average, 76,000 people killed and 174 billion dollars in average annual losses because of natural disasters every year. These numbers are so high because many people are not prepared for emergency situations like hurricanes, fires, tornadoes, flooding, earthquakes and other extreme weather. Today we invite Shawn Tipping to share his insights and speak...

Throughout the life of our podcast, we have been asking you to send in any questions or thoughts you might have that you would like us to cover. In a segment we're calling Mariner Mail, we have gone through some of these financial questions and invited Scott Voss and Jadin Winberg from Mariner Wealth Advisors to help answer them. Questions answered today include: We pay our daughter to do chores a...

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, American households spend approximately $500 a month on their automotive transportation. Over a 60-year period of time, that equates to roughly $360,000 – not a small expense by any means. And, let's face it, buying a car can be overwhelming. In this podcast, our guest expert, John M. Vincent , an automotive consumer advice writer with U.S. News & World...

One in eight people are related to someone with special needs, according to Pew Research Center . There is a broad definition of special needs and it does not discriminate. If you have a family member with special needs, it's important to adapt your financial plan. Depending on the severity of the special needs, parents may need to not only plan for their lifetime, but also that of their child or...

We are all impacted by cybersecurity. This podcast includes answers to questions we have received, to help ensure your personal information is kept safe. Many firms spend a great deal of money to protect your data, but are you following steps to protect it too. With the recent data breaches of Facebook, Uber and Equifax, among others, it's more important than ever to understand cybersecurity and p...

The goal of this episode is to educate you on life insurance – why you need it, the role it can serve in your financial plan, the differences in types, and more. Most importantly, we want to simplify the context of life insurance so you can make an informed decision about your own wealth plan. According to the Life Insurance Market Research Association (LIMRA) and LifeHappens.org, three in five ad...

For years, Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) were thought of as "the cheap insurance" because consumers paid more out-of-pocket expenses, which resulted in lower premiums for both the consumer and the employer. How do you know if an HSA is a good fit for your medical insurance needs? First, analyze your medical spending habits. Are you a relatively healthy person, or a minimal spender on healthcare?...

Shanna Hutcheson , a registered dietitian, talks about how you can improve your health through what you put in your body. She breaks down the pros and cons of the "fad" diets and detox methods out there today, such as Atkins, Keto, cleanses and Paleo, and why she doesn't endorse any of them. She also explains that "carb" is not a four-letter word, the right carbs to eat daily and why it's importan...

The good news is that whether you realize it or not, you already have an estate plan. Every state in the union provides a process that will pass on your assets upon your death, unless you've planned otherwise. The bad news is that it may not be the one you want. In our podcast, Simplifying the Estate Planning Process , Brian Leitner and George Fernandez from Mariner Wealth Advisors break down how...

Research indicates that people will spend more time planning a vacation than they do their retirement plan. Why not make it easier? In our podcast, Travel Hacks To Simplify Your Life , guest Shiraz Dalal, a commercial pilot and a travel consultant, shares with host Brian Leitner travel tips and hacks that everyone should be aware of when planning their next vacation. These tips can save you time,...

In our podcast, Can Money Buy Happiness? , host Brian Leitner and guest Dr. Elizabeth Dunn , a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia, explore the research behind how you spend money and the impact that may have on your happiness. Dr. Dunn will give tips to "happier spending" as well as how to get the biggest happiness bang for each dollar you spend. If you have questions or...

Host Brian Leitner welcomes Kristen Christian and Lisa Foley , the owners of Bee Organized , to this week's podcast. Lisa and Kristen share tips on how being organized can not only help you simplify your life, but also bring peace-of-mind and a calmness to your family or yourself. They offer tips on: How to determine if you need more organization in your life How to take the first step How to be s...

At the end of 2017, President Trump approved the 2017 Tax cuts & Job Act (TCJA). The new law includes some of the largest tax changes since 1986 in an effort to simplify the tax code. What does this mean for you and your 2018 filings? This podcast covers the biggest changes and their impact to tax payers, how you should take advantage of the changes, and what you need to be thinking about now when...

Our goal, at Mariner Wealth Advisors , is to help you live your best possible life. The Your Life, Simplified podcast will discuss topics that will not only help you make more informed financial decisions, but also address topics that could improve your life in other ways. This might be by hearing from doctors, nutritionist and other professionals. Or, by hearing about favorite travel hacks, how t...