Volatility and recession and crashes! Oh, my! Today, our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines give their best strategies for successful investing when the world’s feeling dangerous.

They kick things off with some pointers on riding out market ups and downs. It all comes down to sticking to a long-term investment plan, no matter what’s happening around you. Remember the 2008 financial crisis? Stephanie and Kevin talk about how markets always bounce back and why it’s best not to fret over the dramatic headlines.

They also discuss ways to manage your wealth during short-term crises. It’s important to keep a nice stash of cash for those “just in case” moments, such as being between jobs or moving to a new city. Knowing your expenses inside and out is a big confidence booster, making you feel more in control when life throws those curveballs.

Stephanie and Kevin also detail the importance of having open money talks with your family. Talking through retirement savings and possible inheritances with your loved ones can keep future surprises at bay.

Our hosts wrap up by breaking down the difference between market sentiments vis à vis economic realities, hammering home the all-important lesson that investing is a marathon, not a sprint!

Key Topics:

• A Note on Scary Headlines (00:00)
• The Market as a “Discounting Mechanism” (07:11)
• Knowing When to Cash Out and When to Reenter the Market (14:28)
• “How Bad Do You Really Think It’s Going to Get?” (19:19)
• Preparing for Short-Term Emergencies (22:09)
• Having Money Conversations with Your Loved Ones (29:45)

Resources:

• Elm Wealth Crystal Ball Trading Game
• Take Back Retirement Ep 64: What is Money Insurance?
• Take Back Retirement Ep 66: Transform Your Relationship with Money: Lessons from Bari Tessler

If you like what you’ve been hearing, we invite you to subscribe on your favorite platform and leave us a review. Tell us what you love about this episode! Or better yet, tell us what you want to hear more of in the future. [email protected]

You can find the transcript and more information about this episode at www.takebackretirement.com.

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Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines discuss the emotional side of money management with Meghan Dwyer, a Certified Financial Planner and the host of the "Money Isn't Scary" Podcast.

Meghan's vision-mission is all about challenging societal norms and empowering women to take charge of their finances with confidence. She helps us uncover the hidden emotional influences that shape our financial decisions and shares her insights on moving from a mindset of fear to one of abundance.

“How we earn our money is emotional,” says Meghan. “How we spend our money is emotional. How and why we save our money is emotional.”

Our hosts and Meghan explore how our feelings around money are often inherited from past generations. Meghan emphasizes the importance of gaining clarity around, and processing, these emotional roots to make more informed money choices. She discusses the societal pressures of consumerism and the lack of financial education that can leave many feeling anxious or ashamed about their financial literacy.

“Your relationship with money is parallel with your relationship with yourself.”

Self-reflection helps us in aligning our financial decisions with personal values. Through practical exercises, Meghan teaches us how to identify our core values—whether it's family, adventure, or otherwise—and ensure our spending aligns with what truly matters to us.

Meghan also stresses the importance of self-compassion, especially when our financial choices don't perfectly align with our values. She encourages us to embrace emotional triggers as tools for growth and to focus on what money can achieve in terms of our values, rather than just its numeric worth.

Key Topics:

• What Stands in Our Way When It Comes to Financial Wellness? (3:36)
• “Money is Emotional!” (12:55)
• Minimizing Overwhelm When Beginning Your Money Healing Journey (19:28)
• The Importance of Knowing Your Values (24:55)
• Rewriting Our Money Stories and Beliefs (32:53)
• Avoiding the Comparison Trap (40:04)
• Stephanie and Kevin’s Key Takeaways (45:06)

Resources:

• Money Isn’t Scary Podcast
• Money Isn’t Scary Website

If you like what you’ve been hearing, we invite you to subscribe on your favorite platform and leave us a review. Tell us what you love about this episode! Or better yet, tell us what you want to hear more of in the future. [email protected]

You can find the transcript and more information about this episode at www.takebackretirement.com.

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“Prevention is better than cure. Don't feel overwhelmed by all this. Would you remove your own kidney? You would go to a professional to get it done.” -Denise Appleby

Renowned IRA and retirement plans expert Denise Appleby joins our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines for a crucial conversation on managing your retirement accounts effectively, especially as 2024 comes to a close.

Having trained thousands of financial, tax, and legal professionals, Denise shares her invaluable insights on year-end retirement planning strategies, covering the complexities of Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) and the potential pitfalls of rollovers.

They talk about the challenges family members face when inheriting IRAs and handling 401(k) withdrawals, including those aged 73 and older.

In addition to RMDs, they also cover Roth conversions and Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), giving you much-needed clarity on suitability assessments and precise reporting needs.

Denise explains the differences between transfers and rollovers, providing real-life examples of costly mistakes and IRS penalties that typically come from common misunderstandings. By sharing these cautionary tales, Denise demonstrates the importance of consulting knowledgeable financial advisors to guide you through these often-daunting processes, ensuring your retirement plan remains on track!

Key Topics:

• How to Manage Your Retirement Accounts Before the Year Ends (3:38)
• Navigating IRS Publications and Regulations (10:18)
• What’s Eligible for a Rollover? (22:38)
• Understanding Beneficiary IRAs and R&D (27:30)
• Direct Versus Indirect Roth Conversions (38:28)
• A Primer on Qualified Charitable Distributions (46:42)
• Stephanie and Kevin’s Key Takeaways (59:45)

Resources:

• DeniseAppleby.com
• Take Back Retirement Episode 12: What Women Need to Know About IRA’s, with Sarah Brenner
• Take Back Retirement Episode 20: Women + Roth IRA’s – What Should You Be Aware Of?
• Take Back Retirement Episode 58: Secure Act 2.0: New Retirement Account Rules, Same Old Message!
• Take Back Retirement Episode 78: The Essential Rules to Know When You Inherit an IRA

If you like what you’ve been hearing, we invite you to subscribe on your favorite platform and leave us a review. Tell us what you love about this episode! Or better yet, tell us what you want to hear more of in the future. [email protected]

You can find the transcript and more information about this episode at www.takebackretirement.com.

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Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines sit down with Pam Starsia, who swapped her corporate lawyer gig for the world of estate planning, and now runs a firm alongside her husband. Once a pro in high-stakes mergers and acquisitions, Pam’s now all about creating personalized, relationship-focused estate plans. Listen in as she takes us through the sometimes-tricky and always-emotional landscape of family legacy planning.

“If you have the resources to pay for help, do so. You deserve it.”

Pam unpacks the Personal Family Lawyer model she follows, which emphasizes the human side of legal advice to meet a family’s evolving needs. Her insights help us balance the emotional and practical sides of family legacy planning, offering a new take on the whole process beyond just writing a will.

When dealing with clients, Pam’s all-in on personal touch. Our hosts and Pam chat about the emotional twists that can pop up, like sibling dynamics and particularly sentimental items. She dishes out practical tips for navigating these situations, reducing conflicts, and making sure everyone in the family gets a say.

They also explore some unique aspects of estate planning, like the question of your furry friends, and Pam gives us the lowdown on setting up options like pet trusts to ensure they’re cared for in the future. She reminds us that estate planning isn’t just a one-time deal—it’s an ongoing process that adapts to changing laws, relationships, and life situations.

Key Topics:

• From Corporate Lawyer to Estate Planning Attorney (3:31)
• The Advantages of the Personal Family Lawyer Model (9:45)
• Staying Accountable as an Estate Planning Attorney (15:46)
• Being Thorough with Clients (25:28)
• The Challenge of Working with the “Sandwich Generation” (31:37)
• Dealing with Joint Trustees (34:30)
• Pet Trusts: Making Sure Your Fur Babies Aren’t Forgotten! (39:46)
• Why It Literally Pays to Plan with an Attorney (47:44)
• Stephanie and Kevin’s Key Takeaways (50:10)

Resources:

• Starsia Law Website
• Starsia Law on Facebook
• Starsia Law on Instagram
• Starsia Law on LinkedIn
• PersonalFamilyLawer.com if outside of NY
• Who Gets Grandma’s Yellow Pie Plate? (Article)

If you like what you’ve been hearing, we invite you to subscribe on your favorite platform and leave us a review. Tell us what you love about this episode! Or better yet, tell us what you want to hear more of in the future. [email protected]

You can find the transcript and more information about this episode at www.takebackretirement.com.

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“We’re nothing if not resourceful. That’s our generation’s superpower.” -Kevin

In celebration of the 100th episode of Take Back Retirement, our hosts Stephanie and Kevin Gaines reflect on the defining characteristics of their very own generation–Gen X–and key lessons that women in this age bracket can put into practice today in preparing for retirement.

From the seismic shift from pensions to 401(k) plans, to navigating the rollercoaster of financial events like the 1987 Black Monday and the dot-com bubble at the turn of the century, today’s conversation explores the pivotal moments that molded an entire generation's approach to financial planning.

Our hosts shed light on the realities of midlife day-to-days in the 2020s, from dealing with the fallout of being the “Sandwich Generation” to considerations around financially supporting family members amid shaky times.

At the same time, Stephanie and Kevin celebrate the unique brand of resourcefulness that defines GenX, emphasizing their quest to find “balance, flexibility, and self-determination.”

Key Topics:

• The Defining Characteristics of GenXers (5:14)
• Why GenXers are More Cautious with Money (10:11)
• The “Sandwich Generation” (12:41)
• “How Do We Deal With All This Crap?” (18:05)
• Accepting That You Can’t Control Everything (22:28)
• Financially Supporting Family (32:02)
• Key Takeaways (34:12)

Resources:

• Leave a Voice Memo for Take Back Retirement
• Personal Financial Inventory Downloadable Resource
• Take Back Retirement Ep 15: What Women Need to Know About Social Security
• Take Back Retirement Ep 82: Getting the Most from Social Security: Smart Strategies for Women with Heather Schreiber
• Take Back Retirement Ep 21: Simplifying Medicare: What’s Important For You To Know with Susan Sloan
• Take Back Retirement Ep 14: What Women Need to Know About Caregiving and Elder Law with Cathy Sikorski

If you like what you’ve been hearing, we invite you to subscribe on your favorite platform and leave us a review. Tell us what you love about this episode! Or better yet, tell us what you want to hear more of in the future. [email protected]

You can find the transcript and more information about this episode at www.takebackretirement.com.

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“Suddenly you've got to create the content of your life, and that's a completely new enterprise for most people we work with, and it's scary until you can get your hands in the clay and feel confident about having a process.” -Elizabeth Parsons

How do you deal with the massive shift that comes with stepping away from a high-powered career and into retirement?

Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines chat with Elizabeth Zelinka Parsons, founder of Encoraco, who has dedicated her life to guiding high achievers through the emotional and psychological challenges of retirement.

After leaving behind a prestigious legal career, Elizabeth was left feeling listless and incomplete. It was her relentless drive to rekindle that sense of purpose that led her to found a company that helps men and women just like her experience a “positive and empowered transition” into their post-career life.

Listen in as Elizabeth teaches us how to overcome the loss of identity and structural void that often accompany retirement. She discusses the art of designing a Life Mosaic, ways to recognize what's missing from your day-to-day, the importance of grieving the end of a career, and why it’s time for all of us to redefine the traditional notion of retirement!

Key Topics:

• Elizabeth’s Career and Post-Career Journey (3:47) 
• Elizabeth’s Typical Client (09:16) 
• Finding New Ways to Channel Your Professional Skills (19:03) 
• Why it’s Important to “Grieve” The Loss Of Your Career (20:39) 
• Existential versus Categorical Identity (28:00) 
• Consider Navigating Retirement with a Buddy! (32:22) 
• Metrics for Success (37:06) 
• Key Takeaways (41:50)

Resources:

• Learn more about Elizabeth Zelinka Parsons and Encoraco at www.encoraco.com
• Pre-order Elizabeth’s Book “Encore: A High Achiever’s Guide to Thriving in Retirement”

If you like what you’ve been hearing, we invite you to subscribe on your favorite platform and leave us a review. Tell us what you love about this episode! Or better yet, tell us what you want to hear more of in the future. [email protected]

You can find the transcript and more information about this episode at www.takebackretirement.com.

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“Age is just another journey that we need to learn to love and embrace, and see as the gift it is!”

Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines are joined by Ande Lyons, host of the Don't Be Caged by Your Age podcast. She’s redefining what it means to thrive after 65, and teaches us how to combat ageism at every level—whether it's institutional, societal, or internalized.

Finding and maintaining confidence and a sense of purpose in retirement is seldom easy. Ande gives us tips to stay engaged in later life, as well as essential steps for financial and mental wellness, all in order to ensure a life in retirement that’s worth the journey.

Our hosts and Ande also dive deep into the mindset shift that allows us to "age out loud.” Learn how platforms like Meetup.com can help build communities that bridge age gaps, and hear inspiring personal anecdotes about overcoming self-imposed limitations to pursue new passions after 65.

As Ande says, by embracing and reframing how we see those golden years, we open ourselves up to the possibility of new beginnings, renewed health and vigor, and exciting adventures that we never would have dreamed of pursuing in pre-retirement!

Key Topics:

• Internalized Ageism… What the Heck Does that Mean? (3:30)
• Overcoming Internalized Ageism (11:08)
• Managing your Energy Portfolio and “Aging Out Loud” (21:55)
• Finding Interest Groups with Meetup.com (27:37)
• “Ambition is Ageless!” (34:12)
• Key Takeaways (42:40)

Resources:

• Ande Lyons on LinkedIn
• Don’t Be Caged By Your Age (podcast)
• Take Back Retirement Ep 83: Combatting Fraud and Protecting Your Financial Future with AARP’s Kathy Stokes
• Thelma (movie)

If you like what you’ve been hearing, we invite you to subscribe on your favorite platform and leave us a review. Tell us what you love about this episode! Or better yet, tell us what you want to hear more of in the future. [email protected]

You can find the transcript and more information about this episode at www.takebackretirement.com.

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“Most pre-retirees and retirees need and want help with the critical retirement decisions they face, but they’re not always certain where to find it.”

Is your retirement plan only scratching the surface? Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines uncover the common pitfalls that have kept retirees unprepared for the realities of their post-work years.

Drawing from the groundbreaking Stanford Center on Longevity study entitled Disconnected: Reality Versus Perception in Retirement Planning, Stephanie and Kevin talk about why it’s imperative to envision and plan for all aspects of retirement—beyond just your finances.

Learn how to overcome the natural human instincts that cause us to overlook important retirement considerations, and how to find advice specific to your unique life circumstances.

Our hosts also explain why retirement is a process rather than a destination, and how embracing flexibility can reduce financial stress and increase peace of mind. They explore how personal stories and periodic reminders can keep you on track, and why working with a real financial planner can provide invaluable holistic guidance.

Key Topics:

• Envisioning Your Later Years (4:56)
• “Human Beings Are Bad at Money.” (11:02)
• Overcoming Our Self-Imposed Planning Barriers (12:57)
• Just Yank the Bandaid Off! (15:20)
• Implementation Costs (19:30)
• Finding Advice Specific to You and Minimizing Uncertainty About Your Future (21:30)
• Which Of These Sentences Makes You Most Inspired to do Retirement Planning? (24:25)
• Financial Advisor vs “Stock Jockey” (28:45)
• Planning for Contingencies (30:02)

Resources:

• The study by Stanford Center on Longevity entitled Disconnected: Reality Versus Perception in Retirement Planning
• Take Back Retirement Episode 7: Here’s a Secret: We’re Guessing, and That’s OK
• Take Back Retirement Episode 95: Ready to Retire? Here are Five Crucial Questions to Ask Yourself

If you like what you’ve been hearing, we invite you to subscribe on your favorite platform and leave us a review. Tell us what you love about this episode! Or better yet, tell us what you want to hear more of in the future. [email protected]

You can find the transcript and more information about this episode at www.takebackretirement.com.

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"Financial infidelity is in the category of infidelity and the root of it is a hiding and a lying about the truth."

Join our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines as they chat with Jess Bost, CFP at Lake Avenue Financial. She’s spent over 15 years coaching people to get from where they are to where they want to be. It’s a passion that finds its roots in her inspiring journey to overcome her own financial struggles.

For Jess, those struggles revolved around one of the toughest periods in her life: dealing with financial infidelity. Listen in as she opens up about the moment she discovered that her partner had been living a financial double-life–hiding mounting credit card debts, separate bank accounts, and loans that eventually led to their separation.

Jess reflects on how the shock of that revelation compelled her to take ownership of her finances, leading her down a path into the world of financial services and, thankfully, eventual reconciliation with her partner.

Through Jess’s experiences, you’ll learn why it’s so important to get clear about your strengths and weaknesses around financial management, as well as, if applicable, those of your partner. Jess is a staunch advocate for no-nonsense, transparent dialogue between spouses, especially early on in the relationship.

By getting clear about each other’s money management roles in marriage, you’ll be able to nip financial infidelity in the bud!

Key Topics:

• Jess’s Journey to Financial Services (3:56)
• Dealing with Her Partner’s Financial Infidelity (12:36)
• What Makes a Great Financial Advisor? (19:01)
• Defining Financial Infidelity (24:17)
• Figuring Out Your Own and Your Partner’s Ability to Manage Finances (35:20)
• Changing Mindsets and Beliefs Around Money through Financial Therapy (41:04)
• How to Deal with Financial Infidelity (44:07)
• Stephanie’s and Kevin’s Wrap-Up (49:26)

Resources:

• JessBost.com
• Jess Bost on LinkedIn
• Take Back Retirement #66: Transform Your Relationship with Money: Lessons from Bari Tessler

If you like what you’ve been hearing, we invite you to subscribe on your favorite platform and leave us a review. Tell us what you love about this episode! Or better yet, tell us what you want to hear more of in the future. [email protected]

You can find the transcript and more information about this episode at www.takebackretirement.com.

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“We believe that a simpler financial life, a less fraught financial life is one where you align your dollars with what's most important to you, with the life you want to lead, with your values.” - Stephanie

Have you ever found yourself asking if the perfect moment to retire will ever come? Or whether you’ll even have enough to live on when that moment arrives?

These are tough questions that countless people grapple with. Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines talk ‘purposeful retirement’ and how you can set goals and navigate your post-work life with flexibility and a foolproof strategy!

They introduce five essential questions to help align your financial resources with your desired retirement lifestyle. By understanding why you are retiring, what you want to do, who you are retiring for, where you want to spend your later years, and how things can change going forward, you forge a path that is both fulfilling and financially stable!

Stephanie and Kevin show how meaningful planning can prevent the pitfalls of an aimless life in retirement. They introduce the concept of "time bucketing," which helps in making the most of your newly available hours.

You’ll also learn how to navigate common obstacles around our limited medical infrastructure and how to find the perfect retirement community. Find out how to pivot with grace and realign your priorities when you’re (inevitably) faced with changes along your retirement journey!

Key Topics:

• Why are you retiring? (4:47)
• What do you want to do? (11:10)
• Who are you doing this for? (13:45)
• Where do you want to do this? (19:07)
• How can things change? (24:09)
• Overcoming reluctance to spend your savings (31:18)

• Take Back Retirement #74: Taking Charge: Carol Marak's Strategy for Solo Aging and Retirement Planning

If you like what you’ve been hearing, we invite you to subscribe on your favorite platform and leave us a review. Tell us what you love about this episode! Or better yet, tell us what you want to hear more of in the future. [email protected]

You can find the transcript and more information about this episode at www.takebackretirement.com.

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