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Are you missing the warning signs in your financial life? In this episode, Ryan and Ramsey-Preferred Financial Coach Bob Genty discuss the biggest money challenges families are facing today—from overspending and debt stress to a lack of clear financial direction. They break down the habits and decisions that quietly sabotage progress and share practical ways to get back on track.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

🚩 Red Flags: common warning signs of a bad advisor relationship

💬 Communication Gaps: what it means when you feel “in the dark”

🤝 Advisor Fit: the importance of trust and transparency

📊 Financial Coaching: how accountability builds long-term success

🧭 Proactive Planning: why good advisors educate instead of sell

Learn more about Financial Coach Bob Ginty: www.setfreefinancialcoaching.net 

Visit us online: https://blackoakam.com/

Phone: (470) 508-0508

Get in touch with the Black Oak team: https://blackoakam.com/contact-us/

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Get more financial education on our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/45kJlwI

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📦 Grab your FREE Tax-Free Retirement Toolkit: https://toolkit.blackoakam.com/podcast-toolkit.html

Some investors believe having more than one advisor means more ideas, more diversification, and more protection. But in reality, it often creates more confusion than clarity. Ryan breaks down the pros and cons of working with multiple advisors, when it might make sense, and why a unified plan often leads to better results. At the end of the day, it’s not about how many people manage your money, it’s about how coordinated your strategy is.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

🚫 Hidden Challenges: How conflicting advice can cause confusion and mistakes

🤝 Trust Matters: Why credentials and personal connection should drive your choice

📊 One Team Approach: How a single advisory team provides internal diversification

💸 Avoiding Overlap: Preventing duplicate investments and unnecessary fees

Visit us online: https://blackoakam.com/

Phone: (470) 508-0508

Get in touch with the Black Oak team: https://blackoakam.com/contact-us/

Schedule a call with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

Get your tax-free retirement toolkit: https://bit.ly/3PMjKqc

Get more financial education on our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/45kJlwI

📅 Book a 1-on-1 with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

📦 Grab your FREE Tax-Free Retirement Toolkit: https://toolkit.blackoakam.com/podcast-toolkit.html

Most people think financial planning is about calculators, spreadsheets, and strategies. But that’s only half the story. The truth is your feelings about money can have just as much impact on your retirement as the numbers do. Today, Ryan explores the human side of money and how your feelings about home, debt, giving, and family can quietly shape your entire financial plan. At the end of the day, numbers give us the framework, but your feelings help define the plan that truly fits you.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

🏠 Where You Live: how emotional ties influence retirement location decisions

📊 Investment Preferences: balancing detail-oriented and big-picture mindsets

💳 Debt Decisions: finding peace between logic and emotion

📉 Market Emotions: staying grounded when volatility strikes

🎁 Giving & Legacy: weaving generosity and purpose into your financial plan

Visit us online: https://blackoakam.com/

Phone: (470) 508-0508

Get in touch with the Black Oak team: https://blackoakam.com/contact-us/

Schedule a call with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

Get your tax-free retirement toolkit: https://bit.ly/3PMjKqc

Get more financial education on our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/45kJlwI

📅 Book a 1-on-1 with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

📦 Grab your FREE Tax-Free Retirement Toolkit: https://toolkit.blackoakam.com/podcast-toolkit.html

Fidelity just released their 2025 Retiree Health Care Cost Estimate, and the number is staggering: $172,500 for a 65-year-old retiring today. The bigger problem? One in five Americans hasn’t even thought about health care costs in retirement. Ryan breaks down what this means, why it matters, and how to prepare before medical costs derail your plan. Health care is one of retirement’s biggest wildcards, but with the right strategy, you can make it just another budget item, not a financial shock.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

💊 The Inflation Effect: health costs have more than doubled since 2002

🏥 Medicare Myths: it’s not free and doesn’t cover everything

🧓 Gen X Wake-Up Call: 1 in 4 haven’t planned for health care costs

💰 HSA Power: use the triple tax advantage to grow medical savings

🧠 Don’t Panic, Plan: turn the wildcard of health care into a checklist item

Fidelity Investments® Releases 2025 Retiree Health Care Cost Estimate:

https://newsroom.fidelity.com/pressreleases/fidelity-investments--releases-2025-retiree-health-care-cost-estimate--a-timely-reminder-for-all-gen/s/3c62e988-12e2-4dc8-afb4-f44b06c6d52e 

Visit us online: https://blackoakam.com/

Phone: (470) 508-0508

Get in touch with the Black Oak team: https://blackoakam.com/contact-us/

Get more financial education on our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/45kJlwI

📅 Book a 1-on-1 with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

📦 Grab your FREE Tax-Free Retirement Toolkit: https://toolkit.blackoakam.com/podcast-toolkit.html

What should a financial advisor do if a client comes in with $1 million in cash to invest? That was the question posed to three financial advisors in a recent article, and their answers sparked a lively debate. Ryan reacts to each of their investment strategies and then shares his process for helping clients determine where to invest. It’s interesting to hear what other pros recommend, but the reality is that every million-dollar plan is unique. Age, goals, family, and even your sleep-at-night factor matter more than an allocation pie chart.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

🧮 Diversification Basics: Balancing stocks, bonds, and alternatives

⚙️ Risk Tolerance: Matching your comfort level to your strategy

📊 Age Factor: How strategies shift from 40s to 70s

💡 Tax Planning: Placing assets in the right accounts

🤝 Comprehensive Planning: Investments are just one piece of the puzzle

Visit us online: https://blackoakam.com/

Phone: (470) 508-0508

Get in touch with the Black Oak team: https://blackoakam.com/contact-us/

Schedule a call with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

Get your tax-free retirement toolkit: https://bit.ly/3PMjKqc

Get more financial education on our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/45kJlwI

📅 Book a 1-on-1 with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

📦 Grab your FREE Tax-Free Retirement Toolkit: https://toolkit.blackoakam.com/podcast-toolkit.html

Pre-tax or after-tax? That is the question. There’s no Life 101 class that talks you through these choices, and one wrong move could impact how much of your retirement savings you get to keep. Ryan breaks down the key differences between Traditional and Roth IRAs, explaining how each impacts your taxes, contributions, and withdrawals. Tune in for practical tips to help you maximize your retirement savings and choose the best approach for your financial goals.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

💵 Pre-Tax Basics: How Traditional IRAs reduce today’s tax bill

🧾 Roth Advantage: Tax-free growth and withdrawals explained

⚖️ Pay Now or Later: The trade-off that defines both accounts

🧮 Contribution Limits: What you can put in for 2025

🕰️ Age Factor: How timing impacts your long-term tax picture

🔁 Conversions: When to roll pre-tax money into a Roth

Visit us online: https://blackoakam.com/

Phone: (470) 508-0508

Get in touch with the Black Oak team: https://blackoakam.com/contact-us/

Schedule a call with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

Get your tax-free retirement toolkit: https://bit.ly/3PMjKqc

Get more financial education on our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/45kJlwI

📅 Book a 1-on-1 with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

📦 Grab your FREE Tax-Free Retirement Toolkit: https://toolkit.blackoakam.com/podcast-toolkit.html

Ever thought about buying an RV in retirement, but not sure if it makes sense financially? Or maybe you’ve built up a big nest egg but don’t feel confident about how to actually invest or withdraw it. And what about those new Roth 401(k) options showing up at work, are they worth it? In this episode, Ryan answers real listener questions about these exact scenarios, breaking down the tax traps, planning strategies, and smarter ways to make decisions that fit your retirement lifestyle.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

🚐 Should retirees buy, rent, or finance an RV?

💸 The tax hit of pulling from an IRA

📉 Why debt sometimes beats a lump-sum withdrawal

🧑‍🏫 How hiring a financial advisor can help in the decumulation phase

🎯 Target date funds: pros and limitations

Visit us online: https://blackoakam.com/

Phone: (470) 508-0508

Get in touch with the Black Oak team: https://blackoakam.com/contact-us/

Schedule a call with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

Get your tax-free retirement toolkit: https://bit.ly/3PMjKqc

Get more financial education on our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/45kJlwI

📅 Book a 1-on-1 with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

📦 Grab your FREE Tax-Free Retirement Toolkit: https://toolkit.blackoakam.com/podcast-toolkit.html

Forget polished advice. If you want the real story on retirement, head to the YouTube comments. That’s where people speak their minds, sharing fears about running out of money, frustrations with the system, and creative strategies they’ve tried themselves. In this episode, Ryan digs into those unfiltered takes and separates what’s solid from what can steer you wrong.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

💵 Does taking Social Security early make sense?

🏥 Budgeting for healthcare before Medicare

🧠 Overcoming the fear of spending in retirement

👤 Unique estate and tax challenges for singles

Visit us online: https://blackoakam.com/

Phone: (470) 508-0508

Get in touch with the Black Oak team: https://blackoakam.com/contact-us/

Get more financial education on our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/45kJlwI

📅 Book a 1-on-1 with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

📦 Grab your FREE Tax-Free Retirement Toolkit: https://toolkit.blackoakam.com/podcast-toolkit.html

In this episode, Ryan tackles a listener question about falling short of your retirement savings goal. Beverly’s goal was to reach $1 million in her 401(k), but she’s currently at $850,000 and unsure if she can retire comfortably in just one more year. Ryan shares how the “magic number” varies for everyone and the importance of flexibility in your retirement plan.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

🏦 How much do you really need for retirement?

💡 Flexibility is key in creating an income plan

📉 The importance of planning for lifestyle expenses

🔄 Adjusting your plan based on market fluctuations

Visit us online: https://blackoakam.com/

Phone: (470) 508-0508

Get in touch with the Black Oak team: https://blackoakam.com/contact-us/

Get more financial education on our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/45kJlwI

📅 Book a 1-on-1 with Ryan: https://speakwithryan.com/

📦 Grab your FREE Tax-Free Retirement Toolkit: https://toolkit.blackoakam.com/podcast-toolkit.html

Think Medicare is free once you hit 65? Not quite. Many retirees are surprised by IRMAA—the Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount. This hidden surcharge can quietly increase your Medicare Part B and Part D premiums, shrinking your Social Security check by thousands each year. The frustrating part? It’s tied to your income from two years prior, so you might trigger higher premiums without even realizing it.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

🧾 What IRMAA is and who it will impact

💵 IRMAA Triggers: RMDs, capital gains, pensions, and stock sales

🎯 Tips to avoid IRMAA

🧠 Smart tax planning helps reduce or avoid costly surcharges

Visit us online: https://blackoakam.com/

Phone: (470) 508-0508

Get in touch with the Black Oak team: https://blackoakam.com/contact-us/

Get more financial education on our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/45kJlwI