A Note from Marguerita Cheng, CFP® Pro — I invite you to tune in for this week's episode of my podcast and video show, Margaritas with Marguerita, where for 15 minutes each Friday at 5 pm EST, women learn from industry experts how to flex their financial muscles live on Facebook.

Meet our guest: Malik Lee of Felton and Peel

Today's topic: Everyone has a giving heart!

Rita and Malik discuss: 

Why are legacy and charitable giving are important to you?

In your experience, what prevents advisors from discussing the importance of giving?

What is your advice to other advisors?

What do you want clients to know about the importance and value of charitable giving?

About Malik: "As the founder of Felton & Peel Wealth Management, I’m proud to utilize my nearly two decades' worth of experience and expertise to help change people’s financial lives for the better. I do what I do because I love people and numbers. It brings me great joy to be able to utilize my natural talent for finances combined with my experience and professional designations to help deliver a uniquely personal and affordable financial planning service that elevates the lives of people from differing backgrounds and walks of life. Nothing makes me happier than listening to people’s stories of what made them the successful person they are today. Throughout my career, I have had the benefit of working with some of the greatest minds in financial planning insurance and investments at some of the largest and most reputable financial institutions in the world. By creating this firm, I have taken those experiences to give our clients what I believe is an extremely well-balanced and thorough financial experience." Learn more at feltonandpeel.com.

Join us every Friday at 5 pm EST on Facebook Live: facebook.com/hopekatzgibbs

Watch all of our episodes: MargueritaCheng.tv

A Note from Marguerita Cheng, CFP® Pro — I invite you to tune in for this week's episode of my podcast and video show, Margaritas with Marguerita, where for 15 minutes each Friday at 5 pm EST, women learn from industry experts how to flex their financial muscles live on Facebook.

Meet our guest: Peter Neuwirth, author, Money Mountaineering: Using the Principles of Holistic Financial Wellness to Thrive in a Complex World and What’s Your Future Worth: Using Present Value to Make Better Decisions

Today's topic: Money Mountaineering — The 6 foundational principles of Holistic Financial Wellness, including practical things people can do to achieve and maintain financial wellness.

Rita asks Peter: 

Money Mountaineering lays out 6 principles to achieve and maintain financial wellness. Can you tell us what they are and why they are important?

Your principle #3 says that individuals should get financial advice from experts who are "100% on your side". Is that possible these days, and how do you do it?

Your book was named as one of the 12 best business books of 2021for advisors. Which of the other 5  principles you describe would you say are the most important for Financial Planners to keep in mind as they develop financial strategies for their clients?

I understand you have a new webinar in development around how to plan for retirement in today's complex and uncertain world. can you tell me a little bit about it?

You talk about  3 tools to put in your backpack. How do those 3 relate to the "3 legged stool" that many of us used to use in talking to our clients about retirement income strategies?

About Peter: Peter Neuwirth has been an actuary for more than 40 years and after decades of having been asked too many times, “What is an actuary exactly?” he has decided to go beyond answering that question to answer another: “How does an actuary think and why does it matter?”

Peter’s work is well known in actuarial circles. He is a frequent speaker at professional conferences and has been quoted in both the mainstream and industry press on actuarial matters. He is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a Fellow of the Conference of Consulting Actuaries.

Peter has consulted with dozens of the largest corporations in the world around the Retirement Plans they sponsor and pay for. This experience has provided him with a deep practical understanding of three of the fundamental concepts (time, risk, money) that shape our world. Many of those insights are shared in Peter's books and essays.

Peter's first book, "What's Your Future Worth" provides an accessible, step-by-step guide to using the powerful concept of Present Value—which allows readers to determine the value today of something that might happen in the future—to evaluate all of the outcomes that might arise from choosing one path as opposed to another.

In "Money Mountaineering," Peter explores the world of money and provides his views on its nature and the challenges we all face as we try to survive, even thrive, in this complex, uncertain, noisy, and sometimes irrational wilderness. This is a book designed to help readers understand what kind of advice they truly need—to gain a better understanding of the financial world they must live in and what they must do to make their way through it.

With a reputation among his peers as being a creative, knowledgeable, and experienced actuary with a penchant for both problem solving and thinking “outside of the box” Peter is also a storyteller who believes that story of the actuarial perspective is one that needs to be told.

Pete lives in Santa Rosa, California. You can visit his website and read his essays at peterneuwirth.com.

Join us every Friday at 5 pm EST on Facebook Live: facebook.com/hopekatzgibbs

Watch all of Rita’s episodes: MargueritaCheng.tv

A Note from Marguerita Cheng, CFP® Pro — I invite you to tune in for this week's episode of my podcast and video show, Margaritas with Marguerita, where for 15 minutes each Friday at 5 pm EST, women learn from industry experts how to flex their financial muscles live on Facebook.

Meet our guest: Greg Furer, CEO of Beratung Advisors, beratungadvisors.com

About Greg: Before founding Beratung Advisors, Greg spent 10 years in the financial services industry with PNC Investments, Park Avenue Securities, and Guardian Life, his passion for financial planning and financial education compelled him to start Beratung [ba-rah-tung], which is German for advice, guidance, and consultation.

“I believe that every person should have a comprehensive financial plan to help pursue their life goals,” insists Gregory, who has long held the belief that the educated client is his best client, and he strives to educate every client about the strengths and challenges of their financial plan.

Gregory is also passionate about leadership and serving others. He has served in many leadership roles over the years, including 7 years as a Township Supervisor in Buffalo Township in Butler County, Church Council at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Freeport, and President of East Suburban Networkers. At the time of his election as Township Supervisor, he held the distinction as the youngest elected official in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Born and raised in Buffalo Township, PA, Gregory graduated from Freeport Area High School and went on to graduate from the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in accounting. He has an Executive Certificate in Financial Planning from Duquesne University. Among his many industry accomplishments, he holds a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification from CFP Board, the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor from College for Financial Planning, and the Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA).

He has served as Chair of the Bethesda Foundation for Children in Meadville PA, Board Member of Bethesda Children's Home in Meadville PA, Financial Planning Association of Pittsburgh Board Member, Authorized Lay Minister in the North American Lutheran Church Mid-Northeast Mission District, Volunteer Coordinator of Howard International Ministries, Special Deputy Sheriff in Butler County, and Guest Blogger with L3 Leadership in Pittsburgh.

Gregory resides in the historic Deutschtown Neighborhood of the Northside of Pittsburgh with his wife Amanda, daughter Abigail, and their dog Remington. They attend Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church in Glenshaw. In his free time, Gregory enjoys volunteering, preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, reading success books, shooting sporting clays and skeet, boating, dining out, and attending Pittsburgh Pirates and Pittsburgh Panthers games. Learn more at https://www.beratungadvisors.com

Join us every Friday at 5 pm EST on Facebook Live: facebook.com/hopekatzgibbs

Watch all of Rita’s episodes: MargueritaCheng.tv

A Note from Marguerita Cheng, CFP® Pro — I invite you to tune in for this week's episode of my podcast and video show, Margaritas with Marguerita, where for 15 minutes each Friday at 5pm EST, women learn from industry experts how to flex their financial muscles.

Today's guest: Attorney Lyle Solomon

The topic for today's show: How you can think differently about money — and save more!

About Attorney Lyle Solomon: A member of the State Bar of California, Lyle has extensive litigation experience and has helped over 6,000 people become debt-free. He has also contributed articles to top-notch websites on debt, credit, consumer laws, bankruptcy, and more.

Check out the nationally recognized attorney’s latest book on Amazon to get 48 tips to save your hard-earned money: Think Different! Save More!

Click here to meet Lyle on YouTube.

Scroll down to discover Lyle's comprehensive plan to deal with debt problems and financial challenges.

Join us every Friday at 5pm EST on Facebook Live for Margaritas with Marguerita Cheng, CFP® Pro: facebook.com/hopekatzgibbs

Watch all of our episodes: MargueritaCheng.tv

A comprehensive plan to deal with debt problems and financial challenges

By Attorney Lyle Solomon

Debt comes with a lot of challenges, including:

You face problems when qualifying for a new loan.

Even if lenders accept your new loan application, they ask you to pay high-interest rates.

You have to pay late fees and fines.

You have to deal with pesky debt collection calls.

You may have to deal with lawsuits and wage garnishments.

Your credit score goes down every month.

You have very little money in your bank account.

Stress causes you to lose precious sleep at night.

With a comprehensive plan, you can overcome these challenges, pay off debt, and get the financial stability you want.

How to overcome financial challenges and debt problems

If you are struggling to secure your finances by paying off debt, you can use the following financial plan with minor adjustments. Follow basic budgeting rules: When you are in debt, you need financial discipline. That’s the cardinal rule. If you are facing financial challenges because of debt problems, you first need to follow the basic rules of budgeting.

Some of the basic rules of budgeting include:

Tracking your income and expenses.

Allocating 50% of your income towards your needs.

Allocating 30% of your income towards your wants.

Allocating 20% of your monthly income towards your savings.

Here's how: 

Stick to the budget plan no matter what happens in your life. Evaluate your current budget after a month to check your progress. If you find that the current plan is not working, you can change it as needed. Don’t change your budget just because you cannot spend as much as you would like to. Make minor modifications to your budget if you can’t save a specific amount at the end of the month.

You can even install a budget app on your smartphone to track your income and expenses.

Spend less than what you earn. If you spend more than what you make, you can never get out of debt. Ask any expert on how to get out of debt and they will tell you only one thing: spend less than what you earn to save money. Then you can use that money to get out of debt. If you keep using credit cards to buy what you can’t afford, you will always be in financial trouble. No matter how much you are tempted to buy new things, you have to stop making impulsive purchases until you are debt-free.

Build an emergency fund. What will you do if your car breaks down tomorrow? What will you do if you find a leak in your water pipe? Well, these are unforeseen expenses, and you have to be prepared for them. Otherwise, you’ll have no choice but to use your credit cards to cover those expenses, increasing your debt load. Try to save at least 10% of your monthly income for building an emergency fund. Make a target to build an emergency fund t

A Note from Marguerita Cheng, CFP® Pro — I invite you to tune in for this week's episode of my podcast and video show, Margaritas with Marguerita, where for 15 minutes each Friday at 5 pm EST, women learn from industry experts how to flex their financial muscles live on Facebook.

Meet our guest: Julie Johnson, founder of XY Communication

About Julie: Julie Johnson started her career in 1996 as a rookie with Smith Barney in Denver. By 2007 she and her team managed over $1B in AUM. They moved their team and every client, including pensions, foundations, 401k’s, family offices, and ultra HNW individuals, to UBS in the Fall of 2007, and then came 2008.

Julie was named SVP with UBS, her team received Barron’s top advisor and top team awards during her tenure. On multiple occasions, she was invited to speak at national conferences and consult on practice management, sales, and business development as well as relationship management.

In 2016 Julie received her Behavioral Finance Certification and began her career as a full-time certified coach, consultant, public speaker, and author. She was engaged to consult with management, advisors, and teams, and speak at such esteemed national conferences as Barron’s and Fidelity, as well as several regional conferences, both in person and virtually with FPA, Forbes, Morgan Stanley, Wealth Management, UBS, Ameriprise, BNY Mellon, just to name a few. Learn more at www.xycommunication.com.

Join us Friday at 5 pm EST on Facebook Live: facebook.com/hopekatzgibbs

Watch all of our episodes: MargueritaCheng.tv

A Note from Marguerita Cheng, CFP® Pro — I invite you to tune in for this week's episode of my podcast and video show, Margaritas with Marguerita, where for 15 minutes each Friday at 5 pm EST, women learn from industry experts how to flex their financial muscles live on Facebook, as a podcast show on Inkandescent Radio, and as part of a video series on MargueritaCheng.tv.

Today's guest: Alina Liao, founder, and CEO of Zenit, a radical wellness company with the mission to make wellness accessible to everyone

Our topic: Thriving mind, body, spirit, and soul

Rita will talk with Alina about: 

What led her to start Zenit

How she's used journaling for my healing and wellness

What she has learned about starting a business and about herself

How Zenit helps others with their well-being

Don't miss it: Friday, Dec. 10, 2021 — Live on Facebook!

About our guest: Alina Liao is a proud daughter of immigrants and a resident of Washington, DC, which sits on Nacotchtank and Piscataway lands. As the founder and CEO of the radical wellness company Zenit, Alina is on a mission to make wellness accessible to everyone. Having struggled with mental health challenges and the belief that “wellness isn’t for me,” Alina is working towards a world where we can all feel pride and joy in taking care of our well-being, especially in communities of color. With Zenit, Alina makes customized journals and provides journaling workshops that make it easier for people to gain the mental wellness benefits of journaling. Alina has a background in trauma-informed, culturally responsive mental health coaching. She has over a decade of experience building teams and programs that have advanced the wellness of employees, customers, and communities. Alina is an avid practitioner and kids program teacher of capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art outside work. Learn more here: zenitjournals.com.

Learn all about Margeurita Cheng, CFP® Pro at MargueritaCheng.com. Don't miss an episode of her show at MargueritaCheng.tv.

A Note from Marguerita Cheng, CFP® Pro — I invite you to listen to this week's episode of my podcast and video show, Margaritas with Marguerita, where for 15 minutes each Friday at 5 pm EST, women learn from industry experts how to flex their financial muscles.

Today's guest: Esther Diaz, founder, The Piggy Box

The topic for today's show: Why it's never too late to start teaching your kids about money!

We'll see you Friday, Dec. 3 at 5 pm EST: www.Facebook.com/hopekatzgibbs

About Esther Diaz: The founder and creator of The Piggy Box, Esther has created an easy-to-use online piggy bank that is helping kids learn and practice intelligent money skills.  With more than 20 years of clinical and leadership experience in healthcare, Esther is keenly aware that positive behaviors start young.  She set out to help her kids and other kids develop healthy financial skills and habits.

Esther has been involved professionally and personally with the socio-economically under-resourced communities in Los Angeles.  She has been a volunteer mentor for programs that seek to help young girls succeed educationally and financially.

Join us every Friday at 5 pm EST on Facebook Live: facebook.com/hopekatzgibbs

Watch all of our episodes: MargueritaCheng.tv

Check out Esther's newest product: The Piggy Box Bus!

 

A Note from Marguerita Cheng, CFP® Pro — I invite you to listen to this week's episode of my podcast and video show, Margaritas with Marguerita, where for 15 minutes each Friday at 5 pm EST, women learn from industry experts how to flex their financial muscles live on Facebook.

Meet our guest: Dana Wilson, founder, and CEO of CHIP (Changing How Individuals Prosper)

About Dana: An experienced financial professional with more than 15 years spent in the financial services industry, Dana graduated from North Carolina Central University with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA). She is currently an Executive MBA candidate at Penn State University, Smeal School of Business, studying Strategic Leadership and Corporate Innovation.

Dana is the founder and CEO of CHIP (Changing How Individuals Prosper), a B2B financial services marketplace that makes it easy to find Black and Latinx financial professionals. Previously, she worked as an Investment Advisor at large and independent firms. Dana was a Start-Up Coach, teaching Business Planning and Sales and Marketing for Apps Without Code (AWC), a no-code boot camp program for entrepreneurs to build and scale their apps.

She serves as Program Operations & Strategy lead for Supernova Consulting's Supernova Scholars Program. Dana is creating, executing, and overseeing a mentorship program that will bring more African American college students opportunities in the Financial Services Industry.

Dana is also a Board Member and Partner for MAX BLACK WEALTH and MAXBLACK Media LLC. MAXBLACK Media LLC is the first Black-owned digital and online multi-layered media and streaming network in the marketplace; MaxBlack Media’s mission is to use the power of media to maximize Black power and Black advancement in business, politics, health, culture, and more.

Outside of all the "business," Dana loves to travel, is an active cyclist, tech enthusiast, avid reader, podcast host, member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., and pet parent to a Frenchie named Bryson.

Join us every Friday at 5 pm EST on Facebook Live: facebook.com/hopekatzgibbs

Watch all of our episodes: MargueritaCheng.tv

A Note from Marguerita Cheng, CFP® Pro — I invite you to tune in for this week's episode of my podcast and video show, Margaritas with Marguerita, where for 15 minutes each Friday at 5pm EST, women learn from industry experts how to flex their financial muscles.

Today's guest: Kevin Mahoney, CFP® — Financial Advisor for Millennials

Our topic: Saving and preparing your kids for college

About Kevin Mahoney CFP®: The founder & CEO of Illumint, a Washington D.C-based company that offers online financial planning for Millennials, Kevin specializes in navigating the new financial decisions that arise during our late 20s and 30s as we try to repay student loans, buy a house and invest our savings. As a fiduciary and expert on his generation’s most pressing financial issues, Kevin also works with employers on Millennial-specific financial wellness programs. Organizations such as George Washington University, Nestle, General Assembly, WeWork, and Johns Hopkins University have partnered with Kevin to provide relevant nonjudgmental personal finance knowledge to their Millennial audiences.

Drawing from his daily conversations with his peers, Kevin has emerged as a thoughtful, unique voice in the personal finance industry and has written for Yahoo! Finance, Fatherly, and Kiplinger. He currently writes regularly for Forbes. He also frequently serves as a resource for journalists providing insight to national publications such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Newsweek, Time, CNBC, The Huffington Post, Real Simple, Consumer Reports, and Marketwatch.

Kevin holds an undergraduate business degree from Georgetown University and an MBA in finance from Georgia Tech. Business Insider called Kevin one of the “best financial advisors for Millennials” in the U.S., and Financial Advisor Magazine named him one of 10 “young advisors to watch.” He is a proud member of the XY Planning Network, Advisor Growth Community, Fee-Only Network, and the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA). Kevin also is the father of two young kids who would tell you he excels at making oatmeal, building forts, and singing bedtime songs.

Join us every Friday at 5pm EST on Facebook Live: facebook.com/hopekatzgibbs

Watch all of our episodes: MargueritaCheng.tv.

A Note from Marguerita Cheng, CFP® Pro — I invite you to tune in for this week's episode of my podcast and video show, Margaritas with Marguerita, where for 15 minutes each Friday at 5pm EST, we learn from industry experts how to flex our financial muscles.

Today's guest: Dominique J. Henderson, creator of the Jumpstart Coaching Lab

The topic for today's show: How You Can Learn to Be a Financial Professional

Dom says: "I often get asked about the 'why' behind Jumpstart. If you’re reading this and interested in a career as a financial professional then you’re about to get the full story on why I do what I do and how I built the first international community for aspiring financial professionals just like you! Plainly stated, I was frustrated. I was frustrated by the number of people that didn’t have access to R(elatable) E(mpathetic) A(ttentive) L(istening) financial advice. At the time I was trying to figure out how to implement this concept in a firm that was focused on investment and asset management only. I really wanted to change the way that the financial services industry delivered financial advice to people so I wouldn’t have to keep changing the value of the financial advice I gave on investment performance." What did Dom want? What did he decide? What happened next? Click here to read all about it!"

Scroll down for Dom's 5 Essential Steps in Becoming a Successful Financial Professional!

And join us this week and every Friday at 5pm EST on Facebook Live for Margaritas with Marguerita Cheng, CFP® Pro: facebook.com/hopekatzgibbs

Watch all of our episodes: www.MargueritaCheng.tv

Dominique Henderson's 5 Essential Steps in Becoming a Successful Financial Professional

Thank you for your interest in a career as a financial professional. Our profession needs more caring, genuine individuals. I'm asked all the time how any college graduate, career changer, or existing financial professional can have a successful career in

financial services. I believe there are essentially 5 things that you can do to get the ball rolling towards your success! And although I appreciate your attention, I'll love it more if you implement these steps. Enjoy!

STEP 1. Do Your Research: Do your homework. I hate to sound like your parents, but you can't slouch when it comes to being thorough when it comes to this career. There are a lot of nuances that can make this complicated but "measuring twice to cut once" is what you'll want to employ. It is a skill you will use over and over again as a financial professional.

The Need: There is a need for good financial professionals. Many companies want to help people with their money and many financial professionals are retiring. People are becoming more conscious about their spending habits and they want to know what they should do. The demand for these services will only continue to grow as the economy does.

What you should next: I won't lie to you. One of the things you should do first is to find out if you want to be a financial advisor or a financial coach. This is about how people are regulated under the Investment Advisors Act of 1940. I have created a training that will help you understand this and what each path looks like (click here for more info). Once you know which one, it will make it easier because then, you'll know what license is necessary for your next step.

Tips for Implementation: Follow industry experts or thought-leaders and read their publications. Individuals like George Kinder, Bob Veres, Carl Richards, and Michael Kitces will provide industry happenings and trends you should be aware of. Publications like Financial Planning, Wealth Management are also good sources of information.

Keep notes and research in a productivity tool: Good options include Evernote or Notion to organize your findings and make them retrievable. This would eventually be a great source of information before you go on an interview, attend career fairs, etc. Discuss yo