Don Sowa's MoneyTalk

The HELOC is one of the most popular types of home equity loan due to its flexibility, but many who are carrying old balances on their variable rate HELOCs are struggling with unmanageable payments due to our high interest rate environment. Donna and Nathan discuss options for managing variable rate home equity loan balances, and strategies for paying down other forms of high interest debt. Also on MoneyTalk, Stock Trivia: Two Truths and a Lie.

Hosts: Donna Sowa Allard, CFP®, AIF® & Nathan Beauvais, CFP®, CIMA®; Air Date: 4/4/2024. Have a question for the hosts? Visit sowafinancial.com/moneytalk-radio to join the conversation!

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Donna pulls from the MoneyTalk Listener grab bag to answer questions from listeners like you, including: How does IRMAA impact my Medicare premium? What are some of the biggest regrets of todays retirees? And, how do you adjust your retirement plan if you are a senior going through a divorce?

Host: Donna Sowa Allard, CFP®, AIF®; Air Date: 4/1/2024. Have a question for the hosts? Visit sowafinancial.com/moneytalk-radio to join the conversation!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We try our best to be intentional and calculated with how we manage our money, but until we acknowledge those involuntary forces behind our decisions, it’s hard to succeed in meeting our money goals. As a tribute to recently passed and highly regarded economist and writer, Daniel Kahneman, Donna and Nathan discuss his contributions to behavioral finance, and his insights about the biases that drive our decisionmaking around money.

Hosts: Donna Sowa Allard, CFP®, AIF® & Nathan Beauvais, CFP®, CIMA®; Air Date: 3/28/2024. Have a question for the hosts? Visit sowafinancial.com/moneytalk-radio to join the conversation!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

March has been a big month for IPOs, with Reddit defying expectations out of the gate and Trump Media’s SPAC receiving an inexplicable $8 billion valuation. Donna and Nathan discuss the disconnect between the public euphoria around IPO launches and their intrinsic value. Also on MoneyTalk, how conservative should you be in retirement? And, Stock Trivia: Two Truths and a Lie.

Hosts: Donna Sowa Allard, CFP®, AIF® & Nathan Beauvais, CFP®, CIMA®; Air Date: 3/26/2024. Have a question for the hosts? Visit sowafinancial.com/moneytalk-radio to join the conversation!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donna opens up the MoneyTalk listener grab bag to answer questions directly from you, including: What is the tax treatment of life insurance? How are annuity payments taxed? What do I have to do if my 401(k) provider changes? What are the current IRA income and contribution limits? And, how do I choose which pension distribution option to take?

Host: Donna Sowa Allard, CFP®, AIF®; Air Date: 3/25/2024. Have a question for the hosts? Visit sowafinancial.com/moneytalk-radio to join the conversation!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Investments can be packaged and presented in a variety of ways, and understanding your investments requires an equal understanding of the vehicles that carry them. Nathan offers an in depth look at ETFs and other investment vehicles. Also on MoneyTalk, how to measure risk and uncertainty in investing, and key takeaways from Hans Rosling’s book, “Factfulness: Ten Reasons Why We’re Wrong About the World - and Why Things Are Better Than You Think”.

Host: Nathan Beauvais, CFP®, CIMA®; Air Date: 3/22/2024.

Have a question for the hosts? Visit sowafinancial.com/moneytalk-radio to join the conversation!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Choosing your financial advisor is a decision that should not be taken lightly, because any professional relationship that could span decades is worthy of a formal vetting process. Donna and Nathan discuss the questions you should ask when shopping around for a new financial advisor.

Hosts: Donna Sowa Allard, CFP®, AIF® & Nathan Beauvais, CFP®, CIMA®; Air Date: 3/21/2024.

Have a question for the hosts? Visit sowafinancial.com/moneytalk-radio to join the conversation!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 529 account is a wonderful tool for saving for your child’s education, but often times those funds end up going unused, forcing account holders to incur taxes and penalties on the interest earned. Donna explains an exciting new provision of The SECURE Act 2.0 allowing a portion of unused 529 funds to be rolled over to a Roth IRA under certain circumstances. Also on MoneyTalk, Donna covers more changes introduced in The SECURE Act 2.0, including employer matching contributions for student loan salary deferrals, and pension linked emergency savings accounts.

Host: Donna Sowa Allard, CFP®, AIF®; Air Date: 3/18/2024.

Have a question for the hosts? Visit sowafinancial.com/moneytalk-radio to join the conversation!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many people think of their home as their biggest investment, and while that may be true on some level, the emotional connection we have to our home separates it from other traditional investments in several important ways. Nathan explains why you should treat your home differently than the other investments in your portfolio.

Host: Nathan Beauvais, CFP®, CIMA®; Air Date: 3/15/2024.

Have a question for the hosts? Visit sowafinancial.com/moneytalk-radio to join the conversation!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We often talk about how retirement is changing, and for those retiring soon, it may be a good idea to revisit some of those assumptions that you made during the early days of your retirement planning. Donna and Nathan discuss current trends in retirement, including living longer than expected, retiring earlier than planned, working part time in retirement, expanding 401(k) options, and more. Also on MoneyTalk, the exponential impact of auto escalation of 401(k) contributions.

Hosts: Donna Sowa Allard, CFP®, AIF® & Nathan Beauvais, CFP®, CIMA®; Air Date: 3/13/2024.

Have a question for the hosts? Visit sowafinancial.com/moneytalk-radio to join the conversation!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.