Through The Noise

Join us as Marlana Lancaster (Senior Wealth Advisor) and David Elmore (CEO) of Financial Management, Inc. sit down on this latest installment of Through The Noise to discuss who should have a financial advisor and the value financial planning can bring at every stage of life.

They cover retirement planning, required minimum distributions, inherited IRAs, estate planning, business transitions, investment management, and planning for young families. They also discuss how a financial advisor can help navigate complex financial decisions, avoid costly mistakes, and stay focused on long-term goals during periods of market uncertainty.

00:00 – Who Should Have a Financial Advisor?

02:00 – Retirement Planning and Required Minimum Distributions

03:19 – Understanding RMD Rules

06:21 – Estate Planning and What Happens After a Death

07:23 – Why Beneficiary Designations Matter

08:38 – Inherited IRAs and Distribution Options

11:11 – Financial Planning for Couples

12:52 – Consolidating Accounts and Potential Tax Savings

15:09 – Financial Planning for Business Owners

16:30 – Investment Management: Active vs. Passive

19:13 – The Value of a Financial Advisor During Market Volatility

21:14 – Stock Options, Young Families, and College Planning

22:26 – Managing Old 401(k) Accounts

23:25 – Taking a Holistic Approach to Financial Planning

📊 Want to see the data behind the discussion? View Capital Group's Midterm Elections Guide here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/17XuUi6IFijusGw0Bk6ZpZsJYRm8Uu7Ph/view?usp=sharing

In this episode, David and Marlana discuss how changes in political leadership can influence tax policy, industries, investment positioning, and market volatility.

The conversation covers the historical relationship between elections and market performance, the potential impact of a divided Congress, active management during periods of political uncertainty, and why moving a 401(k) to cash because of an election may not be a sound strategy.

They also discuss how companies such as Walmart, Coca-Cola, Exxon, and Nvidia navigate changing political and economic environments, why investors should focus on companies rather than political parties, and how media coverage can influence emotional investment decisions.

00:00 – Introduction and the impact of midterm elections on markets

00:43 – Why politics matters for financial planning and investing

01:21 – Elections, tax policy, and the 2017 Tax Act

02:11 – Active management during changing political environments

02:43 – The Exxon example and reacting to changing market conditions

03:49 – Lessons from the Great Recession: Walmart and Dollar General

04:10 – What happens if Congress is divided after the midterms?

05:29 – Election-year volatility and what investors should expect

06:17 – Should you move your 401(k) to cash?

07:09 – Political bias and historical market performance

08:02 – Why company fundamentals matter more than political parties

09:14 – International exposure through American companies

09:44 – Media influence, raw data, and historical market numbers

10:29 – Should you only invest when your political party is in power?

11:16 – “Take your politics to the polls, not to your portfolio”

11:47 – Turning off the news and avoiding emotional investment decisions

12:19 – Behavioral finance and staying disciplined

12:30 – Closing thoughts

What’s the real difference between a CPA and a CFP, and when do you actually need both?

In this episode of Through The Noise, we sit down with Raya Custard, a CPA with Bookkeeper.com, for a candid conversation about how tax professionals and financial planners approach money differently - and why working together can make a major difference for clients.

Marlana and Raya discuss tax planning, retirement, business strategy, capital gains, estate planning, major financial decisions, and the importance of having these conversations before you make the move.

They also tackle some common financial questions, including whether tax deductions are always worth pursuing, how gifting a home can affect taxes, what can happen to Medicare costs after a high-income year, and why simply trying to pay zero taxes isn't always the goal.

Most importantly, the conversation highlights the value of proactive planning and having your CPA and CFP working together rather than making major financial decisions in isolation.

00:00 – CPA vs. CFP: What’s the Difference?

01:37 – How Difficult Is the CPA Exam?

03:17 – What Led to a Career as a CFP?

04:18 – The CFP Exam & What Comes After

05:29 – The Difference Between Studying & Applying Knowledge

06:44 – When Should You Have Both a CPA and CFP?

07:32 – Tax Planning & Financial Planning Working Together

08:38 – Why Tax Planning Should Happen Before December

09:05 – S Corporations, Deductions & Business Tax Strategy

10:24 – Why Saving Money on Taxes Isn’t Always a Good Investment

10:39 – Capital Gains: The Tax You Didn’t Expect

12:14 – Taking the Emotional Burden Out of Taxes

12:58 – Tax-Loss Harvesting & Strategic Planning

13:14 – “How Can I Pay Zero Tax?”

14:23 – Business Owners, Liquidity & Retirement Planning

15:08 – Selling Appreciated Assets & Tax Consequences

15:50 – CPA vs. CFP: Short-Term Taxes vs. Long-Term Planning

16:35 – The Financial Advisor as the “Quarterback”

16:54 – How Income Can Affect Medicare

17:35 – Should You Gift Your House to Your Children?

18:19 – Step-Up in Basis Explained

19:03 – The Home-Sale Capital Gains Exclusion

19:52 – What Should Clients Ask Before Making a Big Purchase?

20:49 – The Value of Financial Guidance vs. DIY Investing

21:29 – Why Relationships Matter in Financial Planning

22:06 – It’s More Than Just Investments

23:05 – What Business Owners Should Ask Before Starting a Business

24:20 – Why the “Before” Is So Important

24:41 – The Power of CPA + CFP Collaboration

25:21 – Closing Thoughts

Charitable giving can be about much more than simply writing a check. When planned correctly, giving can also play an important role in tax planning, retirement planning, investment strategy, and even family legacy.

In this episode, David and Marlana break down several strategies that can help make charitable giving more tax-efficient and purposeful. They discuss Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), donor-advised funds, charitable remainder trusts, giving appreciated assets, and how charitable planning can fit into a broader financial and estate plan. They also talk about the role charitable giving can play in teaching children about generosity, creating a family legacy, and supporting organizations that matter to you.

Whether you're retired, approaching retirement, sitting on highly appreciated assets, or simply looking for smarter ways to give, this conversation offers several strategies worth knowing.

00:00 - Introduction: Why charitable giving matters

00:59 - Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) from an IRA

01:44 - Why keeping taxable income lower can matter

02:37 ‎- Giving, stewardship, and the bigger purpose behind philanthropy

04:01 - Making charitable giving more tax-efficient

05:25 - Donor-Advised Funds: A strategy for major income years

06:17 - How a Donor-Advised Fund can let you give over time

07:33 - Giving highly appreciated stocks or real estate

08:01 - How a Charitable Remainder Trust works

08:31 - Avoiding a large capital-gains event while creating income

08:52 - Receiving income from a charitable trust

09:14 - What happens to the assets when the trust ends?

10:05 - What about leaving money to your children?

11:26 - A real-world example of a Charitable Remainder Trust

12:21 - Why charitable trusts don't pass the assets directly to heirs

12:31 - Family foundations, private foundations, and teaching generosity

13:35 - Charitable giving and college foundations

14:16 - Giving appreciated stock to charitable organizations

14:22 - Charitable Remainder Annuity Trusts (CRATs)

14:57 - A real-life example involving multiple charitable trusts

15:21 - How charitable annuity trusts work after the donor's lifetime

16:01 - Wrapping up: The "alphabet soup" of charitable strategies

What happens to your assets when you're gone–and how can you make things easier for the people you leave behind?

In this episode of Through the Noise, Marlana Lancaster joins David Elmore in a conversation, breaking down the fundamentals of estate planning, including wills, trusts, probate, powers of attorney, medical directives, beneficiaries, and more. While estate planning can seem complicated and overwhelming, David explains why every family should have a plan in place and how a few key documents can help protect your wishes and your loved ones.

Whether you're just getting started with estate planning or reviewing documents you created years ago, this episode offers practical insights to help you make informed decisions and avoid costly mistakes.

Should you open a 529 Plan, a Trump Account, a Roth IRA, or another investment account for your child?

In this episode of Through The Noise, David Elmore and Marlana Lancaster break down the most popular ways to save and invest for children–from college savings plans to the newly introduced Trump Accounts. They discuss the pros and cons of each option, recent changes to 529 plans, why trade schools deserve more attention, and how parents can use Roth IRAs and even family businesses to build long-term wealth for the next generation.

Whether you're a new parent, grandparent, or simply planning ahead, this episode will help you understand which savings strategy may fit your family's goals.

00:00 - Preview

00:39 - Introducing "Through the Noise"

01:28 - Ignore the Market Noise

02:21 - Best Ways to Save for Your Child

02:49 - 529 Plans Explained

04:16 - What Are Trump Accounts?

05:36 - How Much Could a Trump Account Grow?

06:27 - Why Investing Early Matters

07:24 - New Benefits Added to 529 Plans

08:07 - Using 529 Plans for Trade School

09:10 - Can You Pay Student Loans with a 529?

09:45 - What Happens to Leftover 529 Money?

10:46 - Converting a 529 into a Roth IRA

11:58 - UTMA/UGMA Custodial Accounts

13:25 - Keeping Investments in the Parent's Name

15:18 - Using a Roth IRA for College Savings

16:31 - Funding a Roth IRA for Your Child

17:37 - Can FMI Help Set Up a 529 Plan?

18:20 - Final Thoughts

In this episode of the podcast, we sit down with Wes Kirtz, Managing Director of Bookkeeper.com, to discuss how integrating tax planning with financial advising can help individuals and business owners simplify their financial lives while minimizing unnecessary taxes.

The conversation covers why having multiple investment accounts and advisors can create unnecessary complexity, the importance of proactive tax planning throughout the year, new charitable giving rules for 2026, retirement planning strategies, and why having a single financial "quarterback" can make a significant difference for both your finances today and your family's future.

Whether you're preparing for retirement, managing investments, or looking for ways to reduce your tax burden, this discussion provides practical insights into building a more coordinated financial plan.

0:00 – Introduction and meeting Wes Kirtz

1:02 – Why multiple investment accounts create financial chaos

2:12 – The advantages of consolidating assets and advisors

4:28 – Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) and consolidation benefits

5:56 – The difference between tax preparation and tax planning

7:46 – Why tax planning must happen before year-end

8:15 – 2026 charitable deduction changes explained

11:02 – Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) and IRA giving strategies

14:07 – The best tax deduction: retirement accounts

15:29 – Retirement plan strategies for business owners

17:05 – Estate planning, wealth transfer, and avoiding unnecessary complexity

17:56 – The value of having financial advisors and CPAs working together

18:26 – Closing thoughts

In this episode, we sit down with Client Services Associate Joel Elmore to discuss how engineering, technology, and AI are reshaping the way we approach investment management. Joel shares his background in electrical and computer engineering and how those problem-solving skills translate directly into building and managing strategies. The conversation explores how data, software development, and AI tools are being used to analyze large amounts of information, improve decision-making, and create more effective investment strategies. We also dive into key principles such as risk management, diversification, and the importance of aligning strategies with each client’s goals and comfort level. The discussion touches on current market trends, including the rapid growth of AI, and why today’s environment differs from past cycles like the dot-com era.

In this episode of the FMI podcast, Marlana Lancaster sits down with associate advisor Caleb Snider to talk about his journey into financial planning, growing up in southwest Virginia, and his passion for helping people navigate their financial lives. They discuss practical advice for younger investors, including retirement savings, Roth IRAs, employer matches, investing during market downturns, and how much house people can realistically afford. Caleb also shares insights on consistency in investing, long-term financial planning, and balancing life outside the office through faith, music, golf, and fitness.

00:00 – Introduction and welcome

00:47 – Caleb’s background and career path

03:39 – Why financial planning as a career

06:34 – Who needs a financial advisor and minimums

07:19 – Working with younger vs. older clients

08:10 – How much to save (retirement contribution guidance)

09:15 – Employer match importance (401k basics)

09:41 – Additional savings beyond a 401k

10:01 – What is a Roth IRA and how it works

10:49 – Comparing growth and tax treatment across accounts

11:32 – Importance of actually investing contributions

12:01 – How aggressive young investors should be

12:21 – Home buying and affordability guidelines

13:41 – Key advice for young investors (consistency, discipline)

14:30 – Market downturns and investing mindset

15:13 – Personal interests and life outside of work

16:34 – Closing remarks

In this episode of the FMI Podcast, Marlana Lancaster sits down with Senior Client Services Associate, Abby Pannell for an authentic conversation about career growth, customer service, leadership, and what it means to truly serve people well. Abby shares her unexpected path from managing at Chick-fil-A to spending the last 10 years helping FMI grow. With no prior financial experience, she reflects on the lessons she learned stepping into a completely new industry, the importance of hospitality in business, and why the smallest details can make the biggest difference in how people feel. The conversation also explores lessons from Unreasonable Hospitality, Michelin-star service experiences, company culture, leadership, and the natural growth of FMI over the years.

00:00 – Introduction to Abby Pannell

00:45 – Abby’s side hustles and flipping thrift finds

01:18 – How Abby joined FMI with zero financial experience

02:00 – Lessons learned managing at Chick-fil-A

03:07 – Why Chick-fil-A hospitality translates to finance

03:43 – Unreasonable Hospitality and serving people well

04:28 – Michelin-star restaurant experience and service details

05:43 – Making clients feel valued at FMI

06:17 – Small gestures that make clients feel special

06:55 – Growing the FMI team and building relationships

07:40 – FMI culture: glorifying God and serving people

08:18 – Abby reflects on 10 years at FMI

08:50 – From the old office to major company growth

10:05 – Leadership, technology, and adapting as a company

10:50 – How FMI combines local care with large-scale resources

11:20 – The funny “10 years apart” connection between Abby and Marlena

12:15 – Oura Rings, sleep scores, and final thoughts