Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020, life has been challenging for everyone. However, signs of normal life are returning. Businesses reopening, travelers on airplanes, masks coming off faces. Still, there is much uncertainty. Fears of rising inflation, interest rates, and taxes have investors on edge, worried that the economic and market boom we're seeing now will fall apart. In this episode, we share some of the most common questions we've received from clients and listeners and provide some perspective on what's happening.

If you've ever traveled to Alcatraz Island, you likely came face to face with Al Capone, or at least the cell he is believed to have lived in during his incarceration. One of the most notorious gangsters in US history, Capone was engaged in many illicit and illegal enterprises. None of these took him. What ultimately did was tax evasion. Yes, it took the IRS to take down Scarface. However, while tax evasion is illegal, tax avoidance and reduction is not. In fact, our voluminous tax code encourages it. All you need to know is how to use it. In this episode, we share why Warren Buffett's tax rate is probably lower than yours, why you should avoid that big tax refund each year, and why the plan for spending your money could be more important than your plan for saving it.

Think about all the services you rely on to get things done. Auto repair, restaurants, doctors, hair dressers, dry cleaners. While very different, they all have one thing in common. They cater to your very specific needs. Shouldn't your financial advisor as well? In this episode, we highlight why there is no such thing as "One Size Fits All" in retirement planning.

There is no such thing as the perfect retirement plan, because there is no one alive who can plan perfectly. Everyone has made or will make a financial mistake. There is no shame in making mistakes and there are few mistakes you can make that you cannot recover from. The real key is making sure you don't repeat them. In this episode, we share some financial mistakes we've helped people recover from, Social Security myths people believe that lead them to make poor decisions, and 401(k) mistakes that can cost you thousands of dollars.

You spend most of your life saving money in an employer retirement plan like a 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), and TSP. Regardless of the numbers and letters, they all have one key thing in common - they are tax deferred retirement plans. You reduce your taxable income today and set money aside to live on later. As popular as these plans are, they can be tricky and confusing to handle. In this episode, we discuss how your 401(k) should change as you get closer to retirement, your options after you retire, and the nightmare that could be hiding inside.

When we ask someone "How prepared are you to retire?", the answer we typically hear is, "I feel like I've saved enough, but I'm not sure." Having enough money to live on is certainly key to surviving retirement. However, it's not the only key, and possibly not even the most important. Are you emotionally prepare to retire? Have you thought about how you'll spend your time? What will you do? Whom will you see and spend time with? In this episode, we share 8 questions you should ask yourself to assess your emotional readiness for retirement.

With trillions of dollars being spent by our federal government to fight COVID-19 and expectations for significant growth in demand as the economy reopens, fears of rising hyper-inflation are growing. However, how real is the threat of a major spike in inflation in 2021 and beyond? In this episode, we examine what's driving inflation fears, why it might not happen, and how you can prepare for whatever the market and economy might throw your way.

It is April, which is usually tax time. Due to the ongoing impacts of COVID 19 and winter storms, the IRS has extended the tax filing deadline for 2021. However, we still have to talk taxes, because they run through everything, everyday. There are a handful of sneaky tax traps that can kill your retirement plans you if you don’t know how they are triggered and how to fight back. In this episode, we explore how taxes and penalties can affect your Social Security benefit, what can cause your Medicare costs to skyrocket, and how inheriting wealth can leave you with an unexpected tax bill.

Did you know that 60% of retirees in the U.S. do not believe they have saved enough money for retirement? Clearly, the fear of running out of money is the #1 fear of all retirees, including you. This means you will need to tap into your most valuable and powerful superpower - generating income. In this episode, we share why income planning is so important and how to get started with your own plan. Our special guest, Vernon Walker, CPA, will share some important tax deadlines that have changed and shed some light on the taxation of unemployment benefits and COVID stimulus payments.

The US Government has spent more than $5 trillion to fight the COVID-19 virus. This is equal to 25% of our annual economic output in a year. With so much spending, fears of rampant inflation triggering rising interest rates, and the threat of higher taxes, have a lot of investors looking for alternatives. Where do you invest your money when the stock market is too risky? In this episode, we examine some alternative investments that range from totally protected to more risky that could provide a hedge against the volatility of the stock market.