Transform Social Security from a basic retirement benefit into a powerful planning tool with advanced COLA strategies and creative applications. Join host Kalem Mackey, CFP®, BPC, as he interviews Ash Ahluwalia, CFP®, MBA, NSSA®, CSSCS, Head of Social Security Planning at One Team Financial, for an in-depth discussion on maximizing your clients’ Social Security benefits. Learn about the 2.5% COLA increase for 2025, discover advanced planning strategies for high-net-worth clients, and understand how to integrate Social Security planning into your holistic financial practice. From leveraging spousal benefits to creating tax-efficient retirement income streams, this episode provides actionable insights for advisors looking to enhance their Social Security planning expertise.

Resources:

• Mastermind Collegium Appearance Referenced: Debunking Social Security Myths: How to Help Clients Maximize Their Benefits│Part 1
• Software Referenced: Social Security Solutions
• Certification Mentioned: NSSA (National Social Security Advisor
• Government Resources: Social Security Administration

Statistics:

• 2025 COLA increase: 2.5%
• 20-year average COLA: approximately 2.5%
• Previous COLA increases from 2022-present

Struggling to present complex financial plans in a way that resonates with clients and drives action? Join hosts Jason L Smith, Dave Alison, and guest Bryan Bibbo, AIF, NSSA, BPC, President and CFO of JL Smith Holistic Wealth Management as they explore the Deliver phase of The Bucket Plan® process. Learn practical strategies for presenting comprehensive plans, organizing client documents through the Family Estate Organizer, and implementing tax-efficient retirement strategies. From communicating the three phases of retirement to maintaining fee transparency, this episode provides the framework you need to confidently deliver financial plans that create substantial value for your clients. Tune in to transform your client delivery process and drive better outcomes.

Resources:

• Previous episodes referenced: Step 1, Discover, Step 1, Discover Part 2, Step 2, Design
• Book Referenced: The Bucket Plan®: Protecting and Growing Your Assets for a Worry-Free Retirement
• Training Referenced: The Bucket Plan® 1.0

How might the 2024 presidential election affect your clients' finances and their emotional response to market volatility? Join guest host Kalem Mackey, Executive VP at C2P, and Dave Alison, President and Founding Partner at Prosperity Capital Advisors, as they discuss proven strategies for guiding clients through election-year uncertainty. Learn how historical market data, proactive communication, and The Bucket Plan® philosophy can help maintain client confidence regardless of election outcomes. Discover practical approaches to portfolio diversification, tax planning opportunities, and managing concentration risk in today's market. Whether your clients lean left, right, or center, this episode provides valuable insights on maintaining trusted advisor relationships while helping clients stay focused on their long-term financial goals during politically charged times.

Resources:

• Analytics Platform Referenced: Kwanti
• Market Research Referenced: Dimensional Fund Advisors' studies on presidential market returns
• Client Communication Platforms Referenced: Loom, BombBomb

Statistics:

• Stock market has historically returned about 10% per year on average
• Government Spending is 40% over budget in previous 12 months

Are your clients charitably inclined? Discover effective strategies to help them give to the causes they care about in a tax-efficient way. Join guest host Kalem Mackey, CFP®, BPC,CJA Executive VP at C2P, and guests Jeff Warnkin, Senior Wealth Advisor at JL Smith Holistic Wealth Management, and Dave Alison, President and founder of C2P, as they discuss charitable giving strategies. Learn about Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), Donor Advised Funds, and how to leverage these tools for tax planning. Explore multi-year planning strategies in light of potential tax law changes, optimal asset selection for donations, and the nuances of international giving. Tune in to enhance your charitable planning expertise and guide clients through tax-efficient giving decisions that align with their overall financial goals.

Are your clients concerned about dropping interest rates? Discover how to optimize short-term assets in a challenging interest rate environment. Join guest host Stoyan Petev, CFA, CFP®, CLU, ChFc, and industry guests, Greg Hammer, President and CEO of Hammer Financial Group, and Charlie Ehrenfried, CFP®, CLU, ChFC, RICP, CASL, Owner and Wealth Manager at Retirement Matters. Learn how to address client concerns about dropping interest rates, reinforce The Bucket Plan® Philosophy, and explore various strategies for the Now Bucket, including CDs, money markets, and short-duration bonds. Dive into techniques for balancing liquidity needs with yield potential, educating clients on the purpose of the Now Bucket, and incorporating tax considerations into your planning. Tune in to enhance your short-term planning strategies and learn how to communicate effectively with clients about their Now Bucket in any market condition.

Resources:

• Financial planning process referenced: The Bucket Plan® philosophy

Struggling to design personalized financial plans that truly resonate with your clients? Join hosts Jason L Smith, Dave Alison, and Bryan Bibbo, AIF, NSSA, BPC, President and CFO of JL Smith Holistic Wealth Management as they explain the 'design' phase of The Bucket Plan® holistic wealth management process. Learn how to organize client information, analyze financial positions, and educate clients on key concepts like the Now, Soon, and Later bucket framework. Discover valuable tools such as the Family Estate Organizer and Volatility Tolerance Analysis, and gain insights on using the Pyramid of Risk to tailor investment strategies. Tune in to elevate your planning process and build stronger, long-lasting client relationships with these proven strategies.

Resources:

• Previous Episode
• Book Referenced: The Bucket Plan®: Protecting and Growing Your Assets for a Worry-Free Retirement
• Training Referenced: The Bucket Plan® 1.0

Discover how educating your clients on the complexities of Medicare can help them make informed decisions and grow your business at the same time. Join guest host Matt Seitz and Gary Pelfrey, Director of Business Development at JL Smith Holistic Wealth Management, as they unravel the intricacies of Medicare supplement plans. Learn how to differentiate between Medicare parts and plans, debunk common misconceptions, and understand the crucial differences between Medicare Advantage and Supplement options. Whether you're new to Medicare planning or looking to enhance your expertise, tune in to learn how to use these conversations and strategies to generate new leads and better serve your existing clients.

Resources:

• Training Referenced: The Bucket Plan® 1.0
• Medicare workshops mentioned: American Financial Education Alliance (AFEA)

C2P Advisors Only

• Mentor Call portal referenced: MentorConnect 

Statistics:

• 95% of doctors throughout the United States accept original Medicare as payment

Dive deeper into the complexities of Social Security planning with part two of this enlightening episode featuring Ash Ahluwalia, CFP®, MBA, NSSA®, CSSCS, head Social Security Planning at OneTeam Financial. Tune in to discover advanced strategies and little-known rules that can significantly impact your clients' retirement outcomes. Ash tackles misconceptions about benefit calculations, pension interactions, and international considerations. He also shares how to navigate HSA contributions, tax implications, special rules for same-sex couples and divorced individuals, and more. Gain knowledgeable insights to help your clients avoid costly mistakes and provide comprehensive retirement advice that helps set you apart from your competition.

Resources:

• Part one: https://c2penterprises.com/bucket-plan-on-demand/debunking-social-security-myths-part-1/
• Training referenced: The Tax Management Journey®

Statistics:

• Social Security's own estimate suggests people miss over $10 billion a year in eligible benefits. C2P could not substantiate this claim. 

Social Security is an incredibly important part of your client’s retirement planning, but it’s also incredibly misunderstood by advisors and clients alike. Top of Form

Unlock the hidden potential of Social Security planning for your practice with part one of this episode led by Ash Ahluwalia, CFP®, MBA, NSSA®, CSSCS, head of Social Security planning at OneTeam Financial. Listen as Ash debunks common myths and reveals powerful strategies to maximize your clients' retirement income. Learn from his insights on risk-adjusted strategies, pricing your services, and using Social Security expertise to differentiate your practice. You’ll also discover how to leverage Social Security planning as a prospecting tool, attract high-value clients, and generate professional referrals. Tune in to gain valuable knowledge that can add hundreds of thousands of dollars to your clients' retirement plans and solidify your role as their trusted advisor.

Statistics:

• A typical middle-income couple retiring at 66 and living to 86 can expect to receive over $1.4 million in Social Security benefits: C2P could not substantiate this claim with a source.

Did you know effectively managing your clients' emotions can improve their investment outcomes? Discover how in this enlightening episode on investor psychology. Join host Dave Alison and Mark Peterson, Director of Market & Portfolio Insights at BlackRock, as they explore the critical role of behavior in financial planning. Learn to identify common investor biases, initiate crucial conversations about market volatility, and implement proactive strategies like bear market planning. Gain insights on educating clients about diversified portfolios and market behaviors and hear real-world examples of psychology's impact on financial decisions. Tune in to learn how to help your clients navigate market uncertainties and achieve better financial outcomes by mastering the art of investor psychology.

Resources:

• Chart Referenced: S&P Envy chart
• Webpage Referenced: Psychology of Investing at BlackRock
• Tool Referenced: Student of the Market by BlackRock

Statistics:

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7995012/
• https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/042415/what-average-annual-return-sp-500.asp 
• https://theconversation.com/for-many-olympic-medalists-silver-stings-more-than-bronze-228655