Episode Overview

Host Gabe McManus sits down with Brandon, a certified financial planner who went through his own divorce at 50 with four kids. This one's different. It's two dads who've walked the same road, comparing notes on guilt, grief, and finding their footing again. Brandon shares the mantra that got him through and why hiding his emotions from his kids is his biggest regret.

Key Topics Discussed

The Day Everything Changed

• That kitchen table conversation you dread and can't sugarcoat
• Brandon's four kids were 9, 7, 7, and 5 when it happened
• The overwhelming fear of doing it alone
• Thanking God all the way home after getting the kids on the school bus

What Nobody Tells You

• The weight loss, the depression, the year it took to let go
• Why Brandon regrets hiding his emotions from his kids
• "They didn't get to see me vulnerable. I wish they had."
• Kids mimic what they see. Stiff upper lip isn't always the lesson you want to teach.

The Guilt Trap

• Wanting to say yes to everything so the kids don't miss out
• "We all need just a yes right now. We'll untangle it later."
• Drawing the line: each kid gets one activity
• The $700 Lego Titanic story

Survive and Advance

• Brandon's March Madness mantra for getting through
• "Let's not worry about growing. Let's just survive this season."
• If you're putting away 10% for retirement during this phase, you're winning
• There will be time to build later

A New Kind of Normal

• The empty chair at the dinner table and why he bought new furniture
• Creating routines and consistency as a single parent
• "It's not ever going to be normal. But there's a new normal that's also satisfying."

What Suffering Teaches You

• Romans on suffering, perseverance, character, and hope
• Kids showing compassion because of what they've been through
• "You had a great life before. You had a great life during. You'll have a great life after."

Dating After Divorce

• Each child launches their own relationship rocket on their own terms
• "This is not your mom. This will never be your mom."
• Giving kids space to feel what they feel

Memorable Quotes

"I would just thank God all the way home. I did it. That sounds so stupid, so small. But when you're doing it by yourself, the self-doubt is huge."

"We're mourning the loss of the childhood we thought they would have. They're just happy to have us still in their lives."

"Survive and advance. One day at a time. I had that taped to my mirror."

"You had a great life before him. You had a great life with him. You're going to have a great life after him."

"If you're putting 10% away during this phase, you're winning. There'll be time to do 20% later."

Key Takeaways

1. Give yourself grace. This is about surviving, not thriving. Growth comes later.
2. Let your kids see you struggle. Hiding emotion teaches them to hide theirs.
3. Don't let divorce taint the good memories. Your kids need to hear you celebrate what was.

About the Guest

Brandon is a certified financial planner with 25 years of experience who went through his own divorce at 50 with four children. He brings both professional expertise and personal experience to the conversation.

https://www.ameripriseadvisors.com/brandon.l.hayes/

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"I Want to Make Memories. I Can't Afford Them. Ira Work Proves Me Wrong"

Episode Overview

Host Gabe McManus sits down with financial advisor Ira Work for a conversation that goes way beyond numbers. Ira, who went through his own divorce at 48, starts by asking the question nobody else has: how are you doing emotionally? From there, they dig into guilt spending, impossible college expectations, and how to make memories with your kids without wrecking your future.

Key Topics Discussed

The Question Nobody Asks

• Why "how are you doing emotionally" should come first
• Ira's divorce at 48 and not realizing he was in depression
• Finding out who you are after decades as a couple

Memories Over Stuff

• "I'd rather make memories than have stuff"
• The danger of guilt spending after divorce
• Creative travel hacks: Airbnbs, cooking together, walking tours
• The Shutterfly book idea to preserve trips forever

The College Conversation

• Three ways to pay: scholarships, work part-time, or student loans
• Why you never tell your kids there's money saved for them
• Having the transparent talk about what you can actually afford
• Why school name matters far less than ambition

Setting Boundaries with Your Kids

• Ira's daughter said college was his responsibility because she "didn't choose to be born"
• His response: "My legal responsibility ended when you turned 18"
• Boundaries create freedom for everyone
• Coming from a position of strength instead of obligation

Emergency Fund Before Retirement

• Three to six months of expenses in liquid savings
• Why raiding retirement for emergencies costs you a penalty and your future
• "If you have an emergency fund, you'll never have an emergency"

Memorable Quotes

"The first question I would ask you is, how are you doing emotionally? Because that's really the most important."

"I'd rather make memories than have stuff. Take me away for a week and don't buy me a diamond necklace."

"My legal responsibility ended for you financially the day you turned 18. Anything I do for you now is out of the love in my heart."

"If you have an emergency fund, you'll never have an emergency."

Key Takeaways

1. Check in on yourself first. Divorce can put you in depression without realizing it.
2. Stop guilt spending. Trying to be the hero digs a deeper hole.
3. Have the transparent conversation. Tell your kids what you can actually afford.
4. Emergency fund before retirement. Three to six months, highly liquid.
5. Ambition beats school name. First job comes from college. Every job after comes from performance.

About the Guest

Ira Work is a financial advisor with over 41 years in the business who brings personal experience to the conversation, having gone through his own divorce at 48. 

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 Connect: [email protected]

• Why your situation feels unique but follows patterns advisors see regularly
• Moving from crisis mode to strategic planning
• The first step: completing a personal financial statement

• Why a home equity line of credit is emergency protection, not spending money
• The Warren Buffett approach: using other people's money
• Credit unions vs. traditional banks for better rates

• The Parent PLUS Loan strategy that buys you four years
• Pushing payments past the alimony end date to free up cash flow
• The power of kids having "skin in the game"

• Why a simple will goes to probate and can be contested
• How your ex could end up controlling your kids' inheritance
• The revocable living trust solution for $1,500-$2,500

• The solo 401(k) that lets you shelter up to $79,000/year
• Dropping from 22% to 12% effective tax rate through smart contributions

• Ron's unconventional advice: take Social Security when you're eligible
• Why inheritances shouldn't factor into your plan until they're real

1. Get a HELOC immediately as your emergency fund backstop while you build cash reserves.
2. Consider a Parent PLUS Loan to spread college costs over four years.
3. A simple will isn't enough. A revocable living trust protects your legacy from being contested.
4. Self-employed? You're likely overpaying taxes. A solo 401(k) lets you shelter far more than standard limits.
5. Don't count on inheritances. Plan as if they won't happen.

Website: https://www.ameripriseadvisors.com/team/the-phelps-group/financial-advice-team/ronald.phelps/

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Episode Overview

Host Gabe McManus sits down with financial planner and author Bernd Steinebrunner to talk about what it feels like when every dollar is already spoken for and you still don't know if you're doing it right. They explore building a financial dashboard, having tough money conversations with your kids, and why your gut matters just as much as your spreadsheet.

Key Topics Discussed

Flying Blind After Divorce

• What "flying blind" means when you're juggling alimony, private school, college, retirement, and self-employment
• Why having every dollar assigned still doesn't mean you feel in control

The Financial Dashboard

• Moving from back-of-the-napkin tracking to a visual system where you can see trade-offs in real time
• Turning dials: what happens to retirement when you increase college contributions (and vice versa)

Start With Values, Then Add Numbers

• Why goals without values leave you going in circles
• The five retirement questions: place, people, work/activities, and envisioning your future

Leap of Faith Decisions

• Bernd's story of crumpling up his pros-and-cons spreadsheet to move his family from Germany to the US
• Leaving a corporate career for financial planning and the lean years that followed
• Why financial affairs should serve your life goals, not the other way around

Talking to Your Kids About Money

• How kids often handle tough conversations better than you expect
• Teaching priority decisions: the Dominican Republic service trip vs. Chipotle for the second time this week
• Why "we chose that those things are not important to us" is more powerful than just saying no

The Bank of Papa

• Bernd's system of tying allowance to decision-making and increasing responsibility
• The payoff years later: his daughter now educates her friends about 401(k) matches

College as an Investment

• Looking at education through a return-on-investment lens
• Having real conversations with kids about debt, majors, and expected income

Retirement When You're Self-Employed

• Gradual retirement vs. flipping the switch
• Getting your kids started early with custodial Roth IRAs and matching contributions

Memorable Quotes

"If you don't dream, it will never happen. If you dream, it might still not happen, but at least you have a starting point."

"Financial affairs should feed into your life and your life goals, not your life goals dictate your financial affairs."

"We had to say no to some things, not because we couldn't afford it, but because we chose that those things are not important to us."

"The best investment at your age is in your education. You get your highest payoff when you invest in your future earnings potential."

Key Takeaways

1. Build a dashboard, not a budget. Visualizing goals, obligations, and trade-offs in one place lets you make real decisions instead of flying blind.
2. Dream first, then do the math. Put a stake in the ground for what you want your life to look like. You can adjust the numbers later.
3. Your kids can handle more than you think. Honest money conversations teach values and priority-making.
4. College is an investment with a return. Help your kids think about what career and income an education leads to, not just the prettiest campus.
5. Retirement doesn't have to be all or nothing. A gradual transition lets you make choices from strength, not weakness.

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 Connect: [email protected]

Episode Overview

Host Gabe McManus sits down with Social Security specialists Russ Gaiser and Mike Hoeflich of Retirement Income HQ to tackle one of retirement's biggest decisions: when to claim Social Security. In this eye-opening conversation, they reveal why "take it at 62 like Dad did" might cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars, how divorced spouses can claim benefits they never knew existed, and why the water cooler isn't the best place to get retirement advice.

Key Topics Discussed

The 62 Myth

• Why a third of Americans claim at 62 and why many shouldn't
• The 30% permanent reduction for early filers
• The earnings limit test that could mean you get nothing even after filing
• Breaking free from the "my dad did it this way" mentality

The Real Math Behind Claiming Decisions

• Why break-even analysis isn't enough
• The paradigm shift: using the least amount of your own capital to meet retirement income needs
• A real client example: how waiting until 70 created a $700,000 difference in excess wealth
• Having $1.7 million vs. $1 million in liquid wealth just from filing strategy

Hidden Benefits for Divorced Spouses

• The 10-year marriage rule that unlocks ex-spousal benefits
• Claiming on a deceased ex's record: the full benefit, not just spousal
• The woman who discovered $60,000 in benefits she almost missed
• Why Social Security won't send you a letter when your ex passes away

Remarriage Rules That Matter

• Age 60: the magic number for widow/widower benefits
• How remarriage affects living vs. deceased ex-spouse benefits
• Planning your engagement timeline (yes, really)

Retirement Savings Realities

• The 15% rule of thumb for gross income savings
• Why 77% of working households don't think they've saved enough
• The danger of all-or-nothing thinking
• Automating contributions when you're self-employed

Investment Psychology

• Why panic selling destroys retirement plans
• Time in the market vs. timing the market
• Finding your true risk tolerance
• How day traders rarely tell you about their losses

Legacy Planning

• The "put your oxygen mask on first" philosophy
• Why being a little selfish ensures you're not a burden
• The power of giving while you're alive
• Having open money conversations across generations

Memorable Quotes

"The biggest blessing you can give your kids is making sure you're in a good spot, so they don't have to worry about taking care of you."

"If you thought you could have another income source at 62, why wouldn't you do that? And a lot of people feel that way. But jumping in can lead to permanently taking a smaller benefit for the rest of your life."

Key Takeaways

1. Don't claim Social Security in a silo. Integrate it with your spending needs, tax planning, and investment strategy.
2. If you've been divorced and married 10+ years, investigate what benefits you might be entitled to from your ex—especially if they've passed away.
3. Automate your retirement savings so you're not making the decision with every paycheck.
4. Find your risk tolerance and stick to a plan you can live with rather than chasing higher returns you can't stomach.
5. Take care of yourself first before planning legacy gifts. You can't help your kids if you're financially struggling.

Resources Mentioned

https://incomeplanhq.com/

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Episode Overview

Host Gabe McManus talks with Stephen Soderstrom, CEO of G4 Wealth Advisors and author of "Paycheck to Prosperity," about moving from financial survival mode to actually thriving. They discuss the CEO checking account, why three years changes everything, and how to practice for problems before they arrive.

Key Topics Discussed

The Three-Year Transformation

• Why three years is the sweet spot for meaningful financial progress
• Long enough for real growth, short enough to envision clearly
• How compounding habits create confidence over 36 months

Solving Tomorrow's Problems Today

• Practicing for expenses before they arrive (college, car repairs, emergencies)
• Treating future costs like current bills
• Building accounts with "high walls" for home, auto, travel, and taxes

The CEO Checking Account

• Why weekly spending beats monthly budgeting
• Getting "paid" on Tuesdays instead of Fridays changes everything
• Know if you're winning or losing within a week, not a month
• Guilt-free spending when you stay within your number

The Credit Card Trap

• Why "I pay it off every month" doesn't mean you're in control
• The psychology of "how did it get so high?"
• Weekly cash management prevents lifestyle creep

Being Your Own CEO

• Taking ownership instead of being the "wayward employee"
• Making tough decisions your future self will thank you for
• The empowerment of controlling your financial destiny

Money Without the Marriage Drama

• Why spreadsheets destroy relationships (and what works instead)
• The crucial role of third-party advisors
• Getting on the same page without conflict

The Sandwich Generation

• Balancing aging parents, teenage kids, and retirement
• Having money conversations with parents
• Understanding their situation to plan effectively

The Inheritance Reality Check

• "Inheritance is not the retirement strategy, but it could be a retire early strategy"
• Why more money doesn't fix money problems without skills
• The 16-year-old with a sports car analogy
• Building skills now so you're ready when money arrives

Retirement Mindset Shifts

• From "I'll work until I die" to "I have choices"
• Why flexibility matters more than specific retirement ages
• How work improves when you don't need the money
• Giving yourself options to avoid "I have to work"

The College Decision

• Helping kids see beyond the bumper sticker
• Who do you want to be at 27, not just where at 21?

Memorable Quotes

"If I can just solve the problem today, it won't be a problem tomorrow."

"You are the CEO. It's a tough job. But with that job, you've got to make some tough decisions."

"The bumper sticker will fade, the flag will fall off, but the debt stays."

Resources

• Book: "Paycheck to Prosperity" by Stephen Soderstrom
• G4 Wealth Advisors, Eden Prairie, Minnesota

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 Connect: [email protected]

Episode Overview

Join host Gabe (52) as he sits down with Morgan, a 35-year-old financial advisor in Dallas who specializes in helping people live more intentionally through major life transitions. In this candid conversation, they explore the emotional and financial challenges of divorce, raising teenagers, planning for college, caring for aging parents, and building a meaningful legacy.

Key Topics Discussed

Personal Journey & Philosophy

• Morgan's path from Pepperdine University to founding Life Branch Wealth Partners
• The coaching approach to financial advising: moving beyond numbers to understand what truly matters
• How childhood experiences with money shape our adult financial behaviors

Life After Divorce

• Managing the financial and emotional restart at 52
• Balancing competing priorities: retirement savings vs. creating memories with kids
• The importance of being vulnerable about major life changes

Raising Financially Savvy Teens

• Teaching kids about money through open, authentic conversations
• Encouraging early investing habits (Gabe's daughter opens her first brokerage account)
• Navigating the college decision: aspirational dreams vs. financial reality

The Sandwich Generation Challenge

• Caring for aging parents while raising teenagers
• Having important conversations about inheritances and legacy
• The critical importance of self-care when holding everything together

Investment Wisdom

• Why emotional decisions derail investment success (Gabe's Apple stock story)
• The value of "racehorse money" for individual stock investing
• Time in the market vs. timing the market

Planning for the Future

• Understanding the "go-go," "slow-go," and "no-go" retirement phases
• Creating financial plans that accommodate life's unexpected expenses
• Balancing present experiences with future security

Memorable Quotes

"At the end of the day, if we're living intentionally in alignment with our values, we'll be happy. We'll feel like our life has meaning."

"You can borrow for college, right? You can't borrow for retirement."

"I like to think of inheritances as icing on the cake that can help, not something to fully count on."

"We've got to focus on you in that middle, saying what are you doing to restore yourself? If I don't get that time for me, it's gonna be a problem."

Resources Mentioned

• Morgan's book: Intentional Legacy
• Life Branch Wealth Partners 

Episode Takeaways

1. Financial planning isn't just about numbers—it's about understanding your values and priorities
2. Having a trusted advisor helps protect you from emotional financial decisions
3. Open conversations about money with family members (kids and parents) are essential
4. Perfect balance doesn't exist, but intentional trade-offs aligned with your values create meaning
5. Starting financial education early with children sets them up for lifelong success

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 Connect: [email protected]