2020, what feels like the longest year in history, is finally coming to an end. We know that many of us have been impacted by the pandemic in many ways and are tired of talking about it, so let’s talk about some positive things we can accomplish before the end of 2020.

Before the year is over, make sure you look at your finances to see if there are opportunities to save money in both the short and long term. We’re not talking about stashing more money away, we’re talking about saving more money on your taxes. Join us in this podcast to take home tax savings strategies for 2020 and even carry some with you for future years to come.

Here’s what we cover:

1. Gifting – both charitable giving and transfers to your loved ones. There are some benefits here if done right, and a bonus rule for 2020 only!

2. Protecting more of your money from future taxes, today.

3. Taking advantage of any losses you might have. Yes, you may be able to benefit from losses.

4. How to know if you should itemize your taxes next year and what to do now.

So you did it! You are not only retired, but you are confident in your own plan to live the life you want moving forward. Throughout your retirement years there are some minor adjustments to make once your plan is in place, and we tackle them here. In this episode we talk about the best ways to PROTECT your assets. We will cover how to:

• Minimize taxes in retirement

• Know if you have the right insurance

• Take care of your loved ones upon passing

The day has finally come…your retirement date. Now what?

In episode two of our three part retirement series, we talk through all the facets of financial preparation that go into this long awaited transition. It’s finally time to turn away from your paycheck and turn on your faucet of income – we like to think of it like chess. There are a lot of moving pieces with tiered levels of importance that in order to win the game, must work cohesively together. In this case, the game is not running out of income.

The Mortgage Boom. Our special guest today, an expert who has 20 years of experience in the mortgage industry and who is the President of Aplos Mortgage, believes that is the best term to represent the state of the industry today. Whether you or someone you know is refinancing or purchasing a home, now is a great time to do so.

If you’re reading this in the future, don’t click away just yet. Though the going rates may look much different when you’re reading this than they did in November of 2020, the foundational knowledge we cover in this podcast may help you or someone you know in better understanding the home financing and refinancing process. Here are our main takeaways:

Retirement. Whether we are near or far from it, we have been trained since we were young to keep this goal at the forefront of our minds. Though you always hear retirement being referenced as a universal goal, it can look vastly different for everyone. With our 40 years of combined experience working closely with retirees, we have observed the many implications retirement has on people’s lives each step of the way…that’s why we’ve split it into three different areas and three separate podcasts: adjusting for retirement, adjusting at retirement, and adjusting in retirement.

It’s not all about preparing financially, it’s about adapting mentally and giving yourself the proper time and planning to make a healthy adjustment. In this series, we share some valuable insight we’ve learned and provide guidance to help you navigate through each phase. If you or anyone you know is approaching that retirement phase, this is a must listen.

2020 has been an unprecedented year in many ways, including the amount of questions we have received from our clients regarding how the market may react to the outcome of the 2020 Presidential Election. In today’s episode, we focus on trying to find some answers to those questions.

It is quite apparent that the political climate in the U.S. is incredibly polarized right now. That makes it difficult to answer these questions using economic forecasts, cable news, or current market conditions. As such, we have attempted to use historical data from past elections to help our listeners find some insight as to how to potentially navigate this one.

Our Chief Investment Officer, John Smith, joins us today to shed some light on the current state of the markets along with possible market movements resulting from the 2020 election.

For a variety of reasons, there are times when a family is forced to live on one income only. That can happen
when a spouse dies or the parents divorce. It also happens with job loss.

For families with children, sometimes one parent will decide to stay at home to raise the children. And for those who are single, one income has always been a fact of life.

Going from two incomes to one almost always forces a reassessment of wants and needs.

In this episode, Ed and James offer some practical help on how to make the transition to one income. It’s not always easy, but with a modicum of discipline, moving from two incomes to one is possible, while still saving for the future.

It was up for years. And then in March 2020, the stock market collapsed.

Now it’s back up, but inevitably, the stock market will go down again. How should you as an investor think about a down market?

And what should you do, if anything, when it happens again?

In this episode, Ed and James offer four sound investment tips when the market is down. One of those ideas is a concept called “tax loss harvesting.” Click on the link below to listen to the episode.

Tax loss harvesting is not for every situation when the market drops, and you need to talk to your advisor or accountant first, but at times, the idea can help an investor take a loss now and offset taxes on both gains from investments and from income.

That’s one of only four tips in this episode. Listen now and let us know what you think!

When the market cratered in March 2020, it was hard not to wonder if this time the market would never recover. Maybe this was the apocalypse. It was nearly impossible to manage one’s emotions in a volatile market like the recent drawdown.

In this episode, Ed and James talk openly about the challenges facing every investor during this time in human history. They offer some stories about those who did it right – and those who let their emotions get the best of them. This is a practical episode to help you stay true to your financial plan.