Grow Your Business and Grow Your Wealth

Carrie Harrington says her favorite topics to talk about are death and taxes. She says it with a sense of humor as she tries to make clients comfortable speaking about the topics and reminding them that having conversations and creating a plan is better than nothing, even if it’s not perfect.

Carrie, Partner and Chair of the Trust & Estates Group, Levenfeld, Pearlstein, was named Illinois Super Lawyers, Rising Star 2017-2021 and Emerging Lawyer, Leading Lawyer Network. She has been a member of the Chicago Estate Planning Council since 2014.

In her practice, Carrie provides estate plans, generation-skipping trusts, gift planning, real estate transfers, and several other estate planning tools and options. She also assists financial institutions with trust and estate administration.

In our conversation, Carrie gives valuable insights on things to consider with your estate planning. We discuss:

·        If there are multiple children, just pick one for decision making.

·        The difference of a beneficiary to what’s stated in a will.

·        How to avoid probate.

·        Understanding trusts and determining if it’s right for your situation.

·        Resources for finding an attorney for trusts and estates.

·        Portability of tax exemptions and keeping up with Congress.

Enjoy the show!

Connect with Carrie:

Website: https://www.lplegal.com/home

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrieaharrington/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/levenfeld-pearlstein/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lplegal1

Connect with Gary:

Website: sbadvisors.cc/

Facebook: facebook.com/SmallBusinessAdvisors

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gary-d-heldt-jr-388a051/

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Matthew Bourhis, attorney at Bourhis Law Group, represents claimants in disability, homeowners, and business insurance. He frequently writes about disability insurance and bad faith, with his articles appearing in the L.A. Times, Daily Journal and other media outlets. 

Matt believes that the law in an incredibly powerful tool and it’s his responsibility and privilege to use the law to help individuals that are being ripped off by insurance companies. Prior to joining Bourhis Law Group in 2017, Matt served the California Supreme Court, where he handled habeas corpus petitions and death penalty cases.

In our conversation, Matt clearly states that currently there is a relationship between policyholders and insurance companies that should not require the intervention of a lawyer. He wants to create a fair insurance system and empower people with education so they do not have to hire legal representation. 

In this episode, we discuss:

·        Insurance companies have limitless resources and informational advantages.

·        The kinds of questions about fees that clients should ask.

·        Resources to find good representation.

·        Persistence in disability cases always pays off.

·        Trying to make the insurance industry fair for ordinary policyholders.

Enjoy the show!

Connect with Matt:

Website: http://www.raybourhis.com/

Connect with Gary:

Website: sbadvisors.cc/

Facebook: facebook.com/SmallBusinessAdvisors

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gary-d-heldt-jr-388a051/

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Julian Morris, Principal and Founder Concierge Wealth Management, was the first to coin the term concierge when he started the company. He is passionate about educating the public, as well as those who present themselves as financial advisors, that there is an enormous difference between investment advice and integrated financial planning.

Prior to starting concierge Wealth, Julian, a Certified Financial Planner, was a Franchise Owner and Senior Financial Advisor at American Express Financial Advisors, now Ameriprise Financial. Julian is a lifelong learner who continues to recognize cognitive finance and how people make decisions based on behavior. 

Julian shares how he approaches serving his clients, including:

·        Looking for opportunities to invest Roth IRA money.

·        Making progress towards the client’s goals and dreams, not rates of return.

·        The importance of using a professional.

·        Understanding the different facets of the financial plan.

·        Bring in the team including the tax professional, estate planner and others.

·        Educating clients daily on LinkedIn.

Enjoy the show!

Connect with Julian:

Website: https://www.conciergewm.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ConciergeWM/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianbmorris/?advisorid=73004541

Connect with Gary:

Website: sbadvisors.cc/

Facebook: facebook.com/SmallBusinessAdvisors

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gary-d-heldt-jr-388a051/

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The first job out of college for Taylor Jessee was working at a Big 4 accounting firm with ultra, high-net worth clients in the ten-million dollar plus club. Jesse holds a BBA and Master’s Degree in Accounting from Baylor University. After working for three years, Taylor knew he wanted to be in the personal finance industry where he could really make a difference in helping people, especially those just starting their careers.

Today, Taylor is the Director of Financial Planning at Taylor Hoffman in Richmond, Virginia. One of his exciting projects is working on an app aimed at young professionals to help them get access to investment experts and financial planners. An app like this helps to democratize the system of being able to reach financial professionals who may not pay as much attention to those just entering the market or have a barrier to entry.

Highlights from our conversation include: 

·        Why clients should ask about financial advisor’s fees.

·        Why you should not sit on all your cash.

·        How to determine what cash you should have on hand.

·        Investing and the gift of time for people in their twenties.

·        The new iPhone app in development-Vetus.

Enjoy the show!

Connect with Taylor:

Website: https://taylorhoffman.com/

Learning Center: https://taylorhoffman.com/learning-center/

Waitlist for Young Professionals App: https://taylorhoffman.com/avidus/ 

Connect with Gary:

Website: sbadvisors.cc/

Facebook: facebook.com/SmallBusinessAdvisors

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gary-d-heldt-jr-388a051/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Throughout the US, corporations understand how American investors and organizations are requiring businesses to take on more social awareness issues and be sustainably attractive. Individuals are actively looking for investment opportunities to align with their personal values.

George Gay, CEO of First Affirmative Financial Network, is an investment industry disruptor, and is known as the father of Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance Investing (ESG), starting in the 1980s. 

First Affirmative’s unique tools maximize returns and multiply client’s impact with Sustainable Investment Solutions. Their proprietary AffirmativESG platform enables advisors to work with their clients to assess their financial and impact goals through the socially responsible filters of their choice. 

In our conversation, George shares how ESG investing is catching on fast and other topics, including:

·        People don’t realize their investments can match their values.

·        Definitions of ESG and Sri investing.

·        A person’s value is reflected in their checkbook.

·        Questions people should ask about who is acting in a fiduciary relationship.

·        How Robo products work, and why a human advisor is helpful.

·        The responsibility of teaching others to be more than what they are.

Enjoy the show!

Connect with George:

Website: https://www.firstaffirmative.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/first-affirmative-financial-network/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FirstAffirmative

Twitter: https://twitter.com/first_affirm

Connect with Gary:

Website: sbadvisors.cc/

Facebook: facebook.com/SmallBusinessAdvisors

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gary-d-heldt-jr-388a051/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While playing football at Florida State University, Ross knew he had a talent in finances and so did his personal financial advisors at Strategic Wealth Specialists. Ross then became a financial advisor himself and has been with the company for 11 years.

Today, Ross concentrates on serving dentists, physicians and business owners across the country looking to maximize their earning, investing, and wealth potential while minimizing risk and possibility for loss. 

Ross encourages his clients to look at their financial health’s big picture and then identifies opportunities to optimize their priorities. He also helps his clients to prepare for life’s curveballs, grow their balance sheets and get an optimal rate of return for their current and future goals.

In our conversation, Ross gives advice that every investor needs to consider, including: 

·        Knowing that saving is actually more important than the rate of return.

·        The misinformation of 401Ks.

·        Knowing how retirement money is taxed.

·        Diversifying taxes-tax free, taxable and tax deferred.

·        What financial planning really entails and coordination of your team.

·        How people in the U.S. get rich.

Enjoy the show!

Connect with Ross:

Website: https://rossbrannon.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossbrannon/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RossBrannonFA/

Connect with Gary:

Website: sbadvisors.cc/

Facebook: facebook.com/SmallBusinessAdvisors

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gary-d-heldt-jr-388a051/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aviva Pinto, Managing Director of Wealthspire Advisors in New York, with 11 offices across the US, is a wealth advisor who guides people in transition to get on the correct financial track. She’s a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst who helps people navigate the financial aspects of the divorce process, and a Financial Analyst who advises those who just sold their business, have received an inheritance, or may face a lifestyle change because of a partner’s passing.

Aviva’s mission is to help people get back to the basics of figuring out how much money is needed for the entire length of one’s life and then setting up a budget for clients to follow.

Aviva is direct, honest and has the patience to educate her clients while also partnering with a client’s team, including a divorce attorney, accountant and others.

In our conversation, Aviva spoke about some mistakes people make during the divorce process and advice people in transition should consider, including:

·        Financial consideration with assets, such as a house or stocks, in the divorce process.

·        The formula for figuring out expenses and accounting for inflation.

·        The importance of a budget.

·        Look at the historical market performance verses making quick decisions during fluctuations.

·        Helping clients determine their net worth.

Enjoy the show!

Connect with Aviva:

Website: https://www.wealthspire.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avivapinto/

Connect with Gary:

Website: sbadvisors.cc/

Facebook: facebook.com/SmallBusinessAdvisors

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gary-d-heldt-jr-388a051/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeffrey Loyd is Co-Owner & Mortgage Broker, Mortgage Acuity Team. He started his career as a mortgage broker 18-years ago but left the industry to work in senior roles managing banking Loan Officers working in retail and asset management. After working at JP Morgan Chase, HSBC, and Bank of America, Jeffrey branched out to re-enter the mortgage industry, this time with a focus on homeowners and homebuyers.

Jeffrey has knowledge in all aspects of real estate and especially enjoys working on the details of financing and problem solving. 

In our conversation, we covered several topics including:

·        People should pick mortgages based on their overall financial goals.

·        How the mortgage industry has changed throughout the years and because of Covid.

·        How Jeffrey’s company differs from other mortgage brokers.

·        Preparing customers and managing expectations for mortgages.

·        Managing attention and being productive.

·        Educating clients and real estate investment advice.

Enjoy the show!

Connect with Jeffrey:

Website: http://mortgageacuity.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreyloyd/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MortgageAcuityJeff

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeffreyALoyd

Blog: jeffreyloyd.medium.com/follow

Connect with Gary:

Website: sbadvisors.cc/

Facebook: facebook.com/SmallBusinessAdvisors

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gary-d-heldt-jr-388a051/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are only 350 Certified Exit Planners, CExP, in the country and Chris Kampitsis is one of them. He is also a Certified Family Business Specialist which allows him and his SKG Team, a team within the Barnum Financial Group to provide specialized advice. His team of eight advisors and eighteen support members caters to corporate leaders and small business owners, helping them with their personal and corporate planning.

Chris has spent most of his career focused on educating individuals through financial literacy workshops inside of Fortune 500 institutions and other large corporations. And through his experiences he knows how to help his clients overcome fears, mistakes and obstacles as they plan to exit their business.

In our conversation, Chris shares his insights and advice including:

·        Find an advisor that is a fiduciary and aligns with your values.

·        Do an analysis first to learn how and when you can retire.

·        Question retirement goals and build a plan around that.

·        How Covid and technology have changed the financial environment.

·        Selling a business may have a different timeframe than the owner expects.

·        Putting together your financial team including CPA, insurance professional, attorney and wealth manager. 

Enjoy the show!

Connect with Chris:

Website: https://www.skgbarnum.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriskampitsis/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skgbarnum

Connect with Gary:

Website: sbadvisors.cc/

Facebook: facebook.com/SmallBusinessAdvisors

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gary-d-heldt-jr-388a051/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Todd Bryant, Founding Partner with Signature Wealth Advisors, LLC., leverages the support of a large and well-established organization, while still offering an intimate environment to work with clients to achieve their financial goals.

Todd started his career in finance as a Financial Representative at Northwestern Mutual. Over the years, he continued his financial education and is a Certified Financial Planner™ Practitioner CFP®, Accredited Investment Fiduciary AIF®, Chartered Financial Consultant ChFC®, and Chartered Life Underwriter CLU®. He holds the Series 6, 7, 63, and 65 investment licenses and the 215-insurance license.

In our conversation, Todd share insights on his journey including:

·        The story that propelled him to help people.

·        Unique approaches to marketing.

·        The urgency of planning for retirement that people overlook.

·        The mistake of thinking selling a business will be the retirement plan.

·        The process of preparing for retirement.

·        How working with a professional keeps people’s financial goals on track.

Enjoy the show!

Connect with Todd:

Website: https://www.signaturewa.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddabryant/

Connect with Gary:

Website: www.sbadvisors.cc/

Facebook: www/facebook.com/SmallBusinessAdvisors

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gary-d-heldt-jr-388a051/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices